HRM-413 Chapter 7

When maintaining the relationship is the number one priority, even more important than the issue, which of the following conflict management strategies is most appropriate? A. accommodating B. compromising C. avoiding D. collaborating

A. accommodating When the importance of the relationship outweighs all other factors, accommodating is the best approach.

Which of the following is the most unassertive and uncooperative response to a conflict situation? A. collaborating B. avoiding C. accommodating D. compromising

B. avoiding Avoiding is the most unassertive and uncooperative.

Which of the following conflict management strategies is an integrative approach? A. compromising B. accommodating C. collaborating D. all of these

C. collaborating Only collaborating is an integrative approach; all of the other strategies are distributive approaches.

When two parties quickly try to find a solution they both can live with, which conflict management strategy are they using? A. accommodating B. collaborating C. compromising D. forcing

C. compromising Compromising is quickly finding a solution each party can live with, without trying to find the optimal solution.

Which of the following is the most assertive and least cooperative response to a conflict situation? A. compromising B. avoiding C. forcing D. accommodating

C. forcing Forcing is the least cooperative and most assertive.

Studies on group decision-making show that having a "devil's advocate" in the group A. limits the number of alternatives generated B. hinders performance C. improves the group's performance D. undermines the group's ability to work as a team

C. improves the group's performance Having a "devil's advocate" improves a group's overall performance.

A company is considering the possibility of moving its manufacturing plant to a Central American country. The financial manager points out that the company would save on production costs because the labor is so cheap and the country's environmental regulations are not very strict. The production manager argues that it is an unethical move because it would exploit the native workers and damage the country's environment. What is the source of the conflict between the financial manager and the production manager? A. informational deficiency B. environmental stress C. personal differences D. role incompatibility

C. personal differences The disagreement between the two managers is due to differing value systems.

Which of the following is the most difficult situation to manage in a collaborative manner? A. a disagreement regarding roles and responsibilities B. a conflict due to environmental uncertainty C. a misrepresentation of facts D. an interpersonal confrontation

D. an interpersonal confrontation Because interpersonal confrontations usually involve complaints and criticism and are typically more emotional, they are more difficult to resolve in a collaborative way.

The personality type most likely to use a forcing approach to conflict management is A. aggressive-dominating B. altruistic-nurturing C. analytic-autonomizing D. assertive-directing

D. assertive-directing The assertive-directing personality is most likely to use the forcing approach.

If someone approaches you and accuses you of doing something wrong, you are the A. originator B. initiator C. mediator D. responder

D. responder The responder is the individual who is the supposed source of the problem.

Conflict in an organization is unhealthy and should be eliminated. True False

False Although too much unresolved conflict can be destructive to an organization, conflict is also necessary in progressive, growing organizations.

An effective mediation strategy for bringing the two sides together is trying to get both parties to attack you. True False

False Getting both parties to attack you is a sure way to fail as a mediator. Not only are you taking their attention away from the problem at hand, but you are compromising your effectiveness and credibility as a mediator.

We should be careful not to agree with any aspect of our adversary's position during negotiations because it would weaken our position. True False

False In negotiations, we should try to agree with some aspect of the other individual's position, so as to have some common ground.

Studies show that managers most often use the problem-solving method of conflict resolution. True False

False Managers usually use a forcing method of conflict resolution.

Successful conflict managers rely on one or two of their preferred conflict management strategies to resolve all conflicts. True False

False The best conflict managers do not rely on one or two strategies; they use whichever strategy is most appropriate in a specific situation.

The collaboration approach to conflict management is the best to use in all situations. True False

False While the collaboration approach has many advantages, it is not universally superior to the other techniques.

In bringing up a conflict situation, we should maintain responsibility for a problem, even if the other person caused it. True False

True Even if another person caused a problem by their actions, how it is affecting us is our problem, and that is how we should express it.

People looking for a "win-win" solution to a conflict are using an integrative negotiation strategy. True False

True People using an integrative negotiation strategy try to find a solution that will be beneficial to both parties.

In a situation where two co-workers are arguing about their respective responsibilities, a joint negotiation meeting is appropriate. True False

True Since the two work together, know each other, and are both aware of the problem, a joint meeting is appropriate.

In a situation where only one party is aware of a problem, the mediator should hold separate meetings first. True False

True The less-informed individual should be brought up to speed before the two parties are brought together.