ch. 14
Identify a political strategy that is commonly used in organizations.
Building relationships
_____ refers to the struggle that results from incompatible or opposing needs, feelings, thoughts, or demands within a person or between two or more people.
Conflict
True or false: Supervisors implementing change should provide opportunities for employees to ask questions just at the time a change is announced.
False
Members in George's team are always on time for work because he holds back their monthly incentives if they are late. This scenario is an example of _____.
coercive power
In the context of the factors that can influence the success of a change in an organization, which of the following is a people-related variable involved in the change?
Attitudes
personal power
Power that arises from an individual's personal characteristics.
position power
Power that comes from a person's formal role in an organization.
Identify a true statement about socializing in organizations.
The wisest course to take when socializing is to be sensible but natural.
Kurt Lewin's model of change makes an assumption that _____.
an organization must provide a way for new behavior to become established practice when employees begin changing
When responding to a conflict, it is important to _____ to understand the problem.
avoid statements of blame
In the context of mediating a conflict, if employees are calling one another names, a supervisor should _____.
have the employees concentrate on the issue instead of such destructive behavior
Megan, a supervisor, notices that Beth is sick and asks her to take the day off. In the context of political strategies commonly used in organizations, this scenario is most likely an example of the strategy of _____.
helping others
A(n) _____ arises when a person has trouble selecting from among goals.
intrapersonal conflict
Having a child or taking an exciting job that requires an individual to travel throughout the year results in _____ of choosing between two good possibilities.
intrapersonal conflict
Michelle is the chief executive officer (CEO) of an organization. The power that stems from being the CEO of an organization is _____.
position power
In an organization, a person with _____ is often called charismatic.
referent power
In an organizational context, compromise as a strategy for conflict management is best suited when _____.
time is limited
The first step in initiating a conflict resolution is _____.
understanding the conflict
According to Kurt Lewin, _____ is the phase where people recognize a need for change.
unfreezing
arises from fear related to the use of force.
Coercive power
A supervisor with coercive power is usually said to be "charismatic."
False
According to Kurt Lewin's model of change, the change process is complete only when employees recognize the need for change
False
Conflict that arises between a subordinate and a supervisor because both have different political views is an example of intrapersonal conflict.
False
Parties using a compromising strategy to resolve conflicts get exactly what they want without experiencing any degree of frustration.
False
Arrange the steps that a supervisor should take while responding to a conflict with another person in the correct order.
Listen to the complaint Comprehend the problem in terms of actions and effects Agree with something the other person said Look for a solution together Agree on how to carry out the solution Implement the solution
_____ is the phase where a new behavior becomes part of an employee's regular processes according to Kurt Lewin's model of change.
Refreezing
Factors that can affect the success of a change include the kind of change to be made.
True
Implementing change and resolving conflicts are easier for a person who has a relatively strong position in an organization.
True
To do favors so that others will be in one's debt is an important way supervisors can build their power bases.
True
Doing favors can help supervisors _____.
develop alliances with others
During the refreezing phase of Kurt Lewin's model of change, backsliding is likely when _____.
employees merely fulfill the basic requirements of a change without adjusting their attitudes
Robert has been working as a system administrator in a software company for a decade. All the employees rely on his _____ to resolve their computer systems-related issues.
expert power
During an emergency, in conflict management, _____ is a relatively fast way to manage a conflict.
forcing a solution
Megan was recently promoted to the post of supervisor of the sales team in a software company. She calls for a meeting with her team and makes it clear that orders are to be carried out without question. This scenario exemplifies the conflict management strategy of _____.
forcing a solution
A cop arresting a person who ran a red light is exercising _____.
legitimate power
True or false: Showing off at social occasions is an effective way to build relationships.
False
True or false: The first step in responding to a conflict with another person is to agree on what the solution will be and how it will be carried out.
False
True or false: The usual way that people use politics to improve their positions in organizations is by rejecting changes.
False
organizational politics
Intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the self-interest of individuals or groups.
Which of the following statements is true of position power in an organization?
It is possessed by every supervisor in some amount.
In the context of strategies for conflict management, which of the following is true of compromise?
It makes sense when a problem is relatively minor.
Identify a true statement about an interpersonal conflict.
It may arise from differing opinions, misunderstandings of a situation, or differences in values or beliefs.
compromise
Settling on a solution that gives each person part of what he or she wants; no one gets everything, and no one loses completely.
Identify an example that describes an intrapersonal conflict.
The choice between accepting a promotion that involves moving away from one's family and keeping one's current job to be near one's family.
conflict
The struggle that results from incompatible or opposing needs, feelings, thoughts, or demands within a person or between two or more people.
True or false: If two employees disagree over how to fill out time sheets for sick days, there is a conflict between the employees.
True
True or false: In the long run, the most successful way to look exceptional is to produce exceptional results.
True
True or false: Political skills help a supervisor obtain the cooperation and support of others in an organization.
True
True or false: Sometimes conflict is a positive force that can bring about necessary changes in an organization.
True
True or false: When people do not understand the reasons for change, the effort to change does not seem worthwhile.
True
Identify a true statement about the first step in initiating a conflict resolution.
Understand the conflict by focusing on behavior, not on personalities.
Identify a true statement about the positive aspects of conflicts.
When conflict serves as a signal that a problem exists, it can stimulate a creative response.
Parties to a conflict who use the conflict management style of _____ are assuming they cannot reach a solution completely acceptable to everyone but would rather not force someone to accept a completely disagreeable choice.
compromise
Hannah and Karen, paralegals at a law firm, fail to get along because of their differences in personality. Hannah is dedicated and focused, whereas Karen is easygoing. This scenario is an example of a(n) _____.
interpersonal conflict
A supervisor delegating tasks to employees is exercising _____.
legitimate power
The first step in responding constructively to a conflict is to _____.
listen to the other person and try to make sense of what the problem is really about
In the context of political strategies commonly used in organizations, sharing progress reports, offering ideas, asking to take on more responsibility, and announcing accomplishments are most likely to be examples of the strategy of _____.
making a good impression
One of the commonly used political strategies in an organization is _____.
making a good impression
Kurt Lewin's model of change assumes that employees _____.
must see the status quo as less than ideal before a change can occur
An important way supervisors can build their power bases is to _____.
please their managers
Power that comes from a person's formal role in an organization is known as
position power
One of the guidelines that supervisors may use while implementing change is _____.
promising to investigate if the supervisors do not know the answers to employee concerns
In the context of conflict resolution, if a problem is not acknowledged, it is necessary to _____.
restate the concern until it is understood
Mike's ability to motivate his employees by publicly praising their achievements is the result of his ______.
reward power
Sam, a manager, believes in assigning work shifts to his team members based on their preferences and performance. In this scenario, Samuel is exercising _____.
reward power
Arrange the steps that a supervisor should follow to mediate a conflict in the correct order.
1. The supervisor should establish a constructive environment and ask each person to explain what the problem is 2. The supervisor should ask the parties to the conflict to state individually what they want to accomplish or what will satisfy them. 3. The supervisor should restate each party's position and ask all participants to suggest as many solutions as they can. 4. The supervisor should encourage the employees to select a solution that benefits all of them. 5. The supervisor should summarize what has been discussed and agreed on.
frustration
Defeat in the effort to achieve desired goals.
_____ is an approach to building a power base in an organization.
Developing alliances with coworkers
Identify a true statement about the refreezing phase of Kurt Lewin's model of change.
Employees should be rewarded for behavior that shows they have made the desired change.
is the type of power that arises from a person's knowledge or skills.
Expert Power
is the type of power that arises from a person's knowledge or skills
Expert power
_____ is the defeat in the effort to achieve desired goals.
Frustration
Identify a conflict that arises within an individual.
Intrapersonal conflict
conflict resolution
Managing a conflict by confronting the problem and solving it.
Jonah, a supervisor, has an energetic personality and is enthusiastic about work. His team members are inspired by his personality and attempt to be more energetic at work. What type of power does he possess?
Referent power
conflict management
Responding to problems stemming from conflict.
Identify the possible consequences of frustration in a workplace.
Rise in absenteeism rate Aggression Insubordination
Identify an approach involved in the building of a power base in an organization.
Seeking control over resources
Connection power
This arises from a person's relationship to someone powerful.
Reward power
This arises from giving people something they want.
Referent power
This arises from the emotions a person inspires.
Legitimate power
This arises from the position a person holds.
During a conflict, a person with _____ is angry or upset about something but directs those feelings toward some other issue.
a hidden agenda
Based on Kurt Lewin's model of change, _____ is the phase where people begin trying to behave differently.
changing
Sylvia, a sales manager at a marketing firm, often threatens to fire her employees if their monthly sales targets are not met. In this scenario, Sylvia is displaying her _____.
coercive power
Interpersonal conflict
conflict that occurs between two or more individuals. Can be with their manager, an employee, or even a customer.
A true statement about the sources of change in organizations is that _____.
forming employee unions could lead to changes
Since change is a fact of organizational life, supervisors _____.
must determine how to make changes work rather than determine whether organizations should change
Intentional acts of influence to enhance or protect the self-interest of individuals or groups are referred to as
organizational politics
During conflict resolution, once a problem has been stated, it is important to _____.
pay attention to how the other person responds
Daniel has the expertise to work with robots, and his team members describe him as being fun to work with. This scenario demonstrates Daniel's _____.
personal power
The ability to influence people to behave in a certain way is known as
power
A true statement about the negative aspects of conflict is that _____.
sometimes conflict is seen as a need for someone to benefit at someone else's expense
Sometimes management or individuals intentionally bring about a conflict to achieve an objective. This is referred to as a(n) _____.
strategic conflict
The objective in a(n) _____ is to use intentional competition to motivate employees to do exceptional work.
strategic conflict
Conflict between line and staff personnel in an organization is referred to as _____.
structural conflict
The manufacturing department of a firm disagrees with the suggestions made by the accounting department of the firm. This is an example of _____.
structural conflict
Identify an ethical effort to establish a competitive edge in organizations.
Doing an exceptional job
Rank the steps involved in managing a conflict by confronting a problem and solving it in the order of their occurrence.
Listening to both sides of a problem Attempting to understand rather than to place blame The parties involved should identify the areas about which they agree and the ways they can both benefit from possible Both parties should examine their own needs and then proceed to reach a solution.
Identify a true statement about the sources of change in organizations.
New laws and regulations often lead to changes within organizations.
Identify the true statements about the negative aspects of conflict.
People who are busy arguing and trying to persuade others to take their sides are not involved in more productive activities. People involved in a conflict may take extra time off or sabotage equipment.
Identify a true statement about people's resistance to change.
People's resistance to change is greatest when they are not sure what to expect.
In the context of responding to a conflict, a central concern that is left unstated is _____.
a hidden agenda
Confronting a problem and solving it is the conflict management strategy of
conflict resolution
Structural conflict
conflict resulting from structural or process features of the organization. Often arises between line and staff workers, and production and marketing departments are often at odds.
According to Lewin's model of change, _____ means overcoming resistance to change.
unfreezing
In the _____ phase of Lewin's model of change, a supervisor or any other person responsible for implementing a change must spell out clearly why that change is needed.
unfreezing