Chapter 4; Negotiation and the Management of Conflict

Identify three basic causes for change in projects.

1- planners erred in their initial assessment about how to achieve a given end or erred in the choice of the proper goal for the project. Technological uncertainty is the fundamental causal factor for either error. 2- the client/user or project team learns more about the nature of the project deliverable or about the setting in which it is to be used. 3- mandate. This is a change caused by a change in the environment in which the project is being conducted.

Identify the three fundamental categories of conflict that occur during a project's lifecycle.

1-Groups working on the project may have different goals and expectations. 2-There is considerable uncertainty about who has the authority to make decisions. 3-There are interpersonal conflicts between people who are parties-at-interest in the project.

Describe the four points of principled negotiation described by Fisher and Ury.

1-Separate the people from the problem. 2-Focus on interests, not positions. 3-Before trying to reach agreement, invent options for mutual gain. 4-Insist on using objective criteria.

List and describe the three basic causes for change in projects.

1.) Planners erred in their initial assessment about how to achieve a given end or erred in their choice of the proper goal for the project. 2.) The client/user or project teams learn more about the nature of the project deliverable or about the setting in which it is to be used. 3.) Mandate (a change in the environment in which the project is being conducted)

There are several words that are synonyms for negotiate. Which of the following is NOT quoted by the authors?

Bicker

__________ is the process which begins when one party perceives that the other has frustrated, or is about to frustrate, some concern of his.

Conflict

If a resource conflict arises between two high-priority projects, precedence is typically given to the project with the __________.

Earliest due date

The authors mention three situations where the highest level of negotiating skill is required by the project manager. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

Getting personnel from the functional manager

Describe the multistep process for building partnered projects.

Initially, the parent firm must make a commitment to partnering, select subcontractors who will also make such a commitment, engage in joint team building exercises, and develop a charter for the project. Next, both parties must implement the partnering process with a four-part agreement on a joint evaluation of the project's progress; a method for resolving any problems or disagreements; acceptance of a goal for continuous improvement for the joint project; and continuous support for the process of partnering from the senior management of both parties. Finally, the parties commit to a joint review of project execution once the project has been completed.

Which of the following is NOT one of the four points of principled negotiation?

Invent options for mutual gain before trying to reach an agreement.

A party to a conflict will usually be satisfied when the level of frustration has been __________.

Lowered to the point where no action against the other party is contemplated.

The need to manage technical interfaces and to correct incompatibilities is likely to create technical conflicts during the __________ phase of the project lifecycle.

Main Program

Partnering is an attempt to __________ the risk associated with sub-contracting.

Mitigate

According to the authors, the favored technique for resolving conflict is __________.

Negotiation

The process through which two or more parties seek an acceptable rate of exchange for items they own or control is called __________.

Negotitation

The general objective of a __________ solution to conflict is to find a solution such that no party can be made better off without making another party worse off by the same amount or more.

Pareto-optimal

During project build-up, if a strong matrix organizational form is used, the project manager seeks a commitment of __________ from the functional departments.

People

The __________ approach to negotiation states immediate wants on the assumption that the environment is static.

Positional

A(n) __________ is simply a written agreement between the PM, senior management, and the functional managers who are committing resources and/or people to the project.

Project Charter

__________ is a method of transforming contractual relationships into a cohesive, cooperative project team with a single set of goals and established procedures for resolving disputes in a timely and effective manner.

Project partnering

During the main program phases of the project lifecycle, Thamhain et al say that conflict intensity is the greatest with respect to __________.

Schedules

Toward the end of the project lifecycle, Thamhain et al say that conflict intensity is the greatest with respect to __________.

Schedules

__________ refers to the modifications to the project plan. In many cases, the projects get larger.

Scope change

__________ problems are comparatively rare during project phaseout because most have been solved or bypassed earlier.

Technical

Describe the type of relations that generally exist between the organization carrying out the project and a subcontractor working on the project.

The relationships are best characterized as adversarial because the parent organization's objectives are to get the deliverable at the lowest possible cost, as soon as possible. On the other hand, the subcontractor's objectives are to produce the deliverable at the highest possible profit with the least effort. These conflicting interests tend to lead both parties to work in an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and antagonism.

What is the key to finding a negotiator's interests and concerns when he or she states a position? You should ask __________ the interest or concern is important.

Why

Negotiating to a __________ solution is the key to conflict resolution in project management.

Win-Win

During project build-up, if a weak matrix organizational form is used, the project manager seeks a commitment of __________ from the functional departments.

Work

During project build-up, the project should move from a general concept to __________.

a highly detailed set of plans

Which of the following is NOT included in the authors' four part agreement for partnering?

a set of team building exercises

Conflicts within the organization typically differ from conflicts with outsiders in one important way. As far as the organization is concerned, these conflicts are __________.

conflicts between allies

When dealing with conflict between parties, it is recommended that one __________ in order to avoid the conflict becoming interpersonal.

define the substantive problem

Identify the category of conflict that is NOT included in the categories used by Thamhain and Wilemon in their study of project conflict.

discipline/problem-orientation differences

There are probably more opportunities for __________ in handling conflicts and negotiations than in any other aspect of project management.

ethical missteps

The boundaries between departments or functions represent __________.

interfaces

One requirement for the conflict/resolution methods described is that they must allow the conflict to be settled without __________ to the project's objectives.

irreparable harm

__________ refers to communications across lines of equivalent authority.

lateral relations

Personality conflicts during project phase-out are often caused by __________.

pressure to complete the project and anxiety about leaving the project

The __________ approach to negotiation aims to achieve a win-win result.

principled

During the early program phases of the project lifecycle, Thamhain et al say that conflict intensity is the greatest with respect to __________.

priorities

The total level of conflict in the project lifecycle is highest during the __________ stage.

project build up

Most of the conflicts that involve the organization and outsiders have to do with __________.

property rights and contractual obligations

Which one of the following choices was NOT identified by the authors as one of the reasons why organizations enter into partnership arrangements with each other?

reducing internal conflict

During project formation, the organizational structure selected will have a major impact on the ways in which conflicts are handled. Lack of clarity about the relative power/influence/authority of the PM and the functional managers is a major component of all conflicts involving __________.

resource allocation, and scheduling

According to the authors; which of the entities below is NOT a party to the chartering process?

the customer

According to the authors, the nature of negotiation as it applies to project management is the realization that few of the conflicts arising in projects have to do with __________.

whether or not the task will be done