Org behav ch 10 trial

E. integrating

A Feedback: The dominating style of conflict handling is characterized by a high concern for self and a low concern for others.

E. peer review.

A Feedback: This is an example of arbitration. In arbitration disputing parties agree ahead of time to accept the decision of a neutral arbitrator in a formal courtlike setting, often complete with evidence and witnesses.

E. alternative

A Feedback: A distributive negotiation usually involves a single issue—a "fixed-pie"—in which one person gains at the expense of another.

E. arbitration

A Feedback: An ombudsman is someone who works for the organization, and is widely respected and trusted by his or her coworkers, hears grievances on a confidential basis and attempts to arrange a solution.

18. Which of the following is not a result of escalation of conflict? A. Parties move from heavy to light tactics. B. The number of issues in dispute grows. C. Issues in dispute move from specific to general. D. The number of parties to the conflict expands. E. The initial goals change.

A Feedback: Conflict escalation often exhibits these five characteristics: (1) change in tactics, (2) number of issues grows, (3) issues move from specific to general, (4) number of parties grows, and (5) goals change.

E. Contact hypotheses

A Feedback: Conflict processes are members' interactions aimed at working through task and interpersonal disagreements.

E. programmed conflict

A Feedback: Justin and Sean are experiencing personality conflict. Personality conflict is interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike or disagreement.

E. perfect the deal

A Feedback: Larry and Roger are clarifying their interests. After each party identifies its tangible and intangible needs, the two parties meet to discuss their respective needs and find common ground for negotiation.

E. mediation

A Feedback: Laura is using the dialectic method to help her make a better decision. The dialectic method calls for managers to foster a structured debate of opposing viewpoints prior to making a decision.

E. puffery

A Feedback: Many people believe that good negotiators show no emotion. Emotions are indeed an integral part of the human experience and part of most everything we do. Negotiation experts and researchers acknowledge this and provide guidance on how to use emotions to your advantage.

E. zone of probable assets

A Feedback: Nonverbal communications help convey your emotions during negotiations. You can smile, laugh, or flinch in reaction to a first offer, for example. In negotiation, the ZOPA is the zone of possible agreement—the range of possibilities you are willing to accept.

E. devil's advocate

A Feedback: Personality conflict is interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike or disagreement.

E. negotiator.

A Feedback: Roger is acting as a facilitator. A facilitator is a third party, usually a manager, who informally urges disputing parties to deal directly with each other in a positive and constructive manner.

E. incivility.

A Feedback: Work-family conflict occurs when the demands or pressures from work and family domains are mutually incompatible.

16. Sanjay promotes the benefits of little or no conflict within an organization. This, he states, leads to greater productivity. Is this analysis correct?

A. No. Organizational conflict is inevitable and can have constructive consequences. B. Yes. This analysis is correct.

E. groupthink

B Feedback: Anti-bullying strategies for groups and organizations include:

E. arbitration.

B Feedback: Facilitation is the easiest and least expensive form of ADR. The textbook lists six, ranked from easiest and least expensive to most difficult and costly; the first listed is facilitation. Here, a third party, usually a manager, informally urges disputing parties to deal directly with each other in a positive and constructive manner.

E. ombudsmans

B Feedback: In arbitration, disputing parties agree ahead of time to accept the decision of a neutral arbitrator in a formal courtlike setting, often complete with evidence and witnesses.

E. stress

B Feedback: Incivility is any form of socially harmful behavior, such as aggression, interpersonal deviance, social undermining, interactional injustice, harassment, abusive supervision, and bullying.

E. negotiation

B Feedback: Jim is using devil's advocacy to help him make a better decision. Devil's advocacy involves assigning someone the role of critic.

E. perfect the deal

B Feedback: Mark and his employees are in step two, identify options. A marketplace of value is created when the negotiating parties discuss desired elements of value.

E. intergroup conflict resolution (ICR)

B Feedback: The benefit of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is that it "uses faster, more user-friendly methods of dispute resolution, instead of traditional, adversarial approaches, such as unilateral decision making or litigation."

E. alternative dispute resolution

B Feedback: The dialectic method calls for managers to foster a structured debate of opposing viewpoints prior to making a decision.

E. it involves groupthink.

B Feedback: The distinction between functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict pivots on whether the organization's interests are served. Functional conflict is commonly referred to in management circles as constructive or cooperative conflict and is characterized by consultative interactions, a focus on the issues, mutual respect, and useful give and take. Dysfunctional conflict threatens an organization's interests.

E. intergroup conflict.

C Feedback: A study of work values across 16,000 people from different generational groups suggests that organizations should consider implementing work policies that are targeted toward different generational groups.

E. Groupthink

C Feedback: Climate represents employees' shared perceptions of policies, practices, and procedures.

E. Arbitration

C Feedback: Conciliation is an alternative dispute resolution technique in which a neutral third party informally acts as a communication conduit between disputing parties.

17. In ________, one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. A.negotiation B. devil's advocacy C. conflict D. integration E. mediation

C Feedback: Conflict occurs when one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party.

E. negotiator.

C Feedback: Dr. Watson is acting as an ombudsman. An ombudsman is someone who works for the organization, and is widely respected and trusted by his or her coworkers, hears grievances on a confidential basis and attempts to arrange a solution.

E. mediation

C Feedback: During added-value negotiation, the negotiating parties cooperatively develop multiple-deal packages while building a productive long-term relationship.

E. organizational and individual.

C Feedback: Negotiation experts often distinguish between two fundamental types of negotiation: distributive and integrative.

E. integrative

C Feedback: Programmed conflict is conflict that raises different opinions regardless of the personal feelings of the managers.

E. In-group members view themselves and members of other groups as morally correct.

C Feedback: Research has revealed an array of challenges associated with increased group cohesiveness and in-group thinking. One of those challenges is in-group members exaggerate the differences between their group and other groups. This typically involves a distorted perception of reality.

E. avoiding

C Feedback: Table 10.6 indicates the integrating style for handling conflict is appropriate when issues are complex, better solutions are needed, commitment is needed, and time is available.

E. dominating

C Feedback: The obliging style of conflict handling is characterized by low concern for self and a great concern for others.

E. facilitators.

C Feedback: They are acting as a peer review team. A peer review team is a panel of trustworthy coworkers (in this case, fellow students), selected for their ability to remain objective, that hears both sides of a dispute in an informal and confidential meeting. Any decision by the review panel may or may not be binding, depending on the company's ADR policy.

19. Which of the following situations is most likely to result in conflict? A. clear job boundaries B. independent tasks C competition for limited resources D. realistic expectations E. clear policies, standards, and rules

Ccompetition for limited resources Competition for limited resources is most likely to result in conflict. Table 10.1 lists many of the situations that tend to produce either functional or dysfunctional conflict: incompatible personalities or value systems, overlapping or unclear job boundaries, competition for limited resources, unreasonable or unclear policies, standards, or rules, organizational complexity, interdependent tasks, inadequate communication, interdepartment/intergroup competition, unreasonable deadlines or extreme time pressure, decision making by consensus, collective decision making, and unmet expectations.

E. Dialecticism

D Feedback: Negotiation is a give-and-take decision-making process involving two or more parties with different preferences.

E. arbitrator

D Feedback: A neutral and trained third party guides the others to find innovative solutions to the conflict. To ensure neutrality, most organizations hire ADR qualified outsiders. Unlike an arbitrator, a mediator does not render a decision. It is up to the disputants to reach a mutually acceptable decision. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) implemented mediation in the 1990s and cut the average time to resolution by 80 percent!

E. arbitrary

D Feedback: An integrative negotiation describes a situation where an agreement can be found that is better for both parties than what they would have reached through distributive negotiation.

E. conflict intensity is unrelated to performance.

D Feedback: Both high and low conflict intensity are related to lower performance. See Figure 10.2.

E. promoter

D Feedback: Devil's advocacy involves assigning someone the role of critic.

E. Abusive supervision is a form of incivility

D Feedback: Figure 10.3 illustrates some common causes of various forms of incivility.

E. No one style is best for every situation.

D Feedback: No one style is best for every situation. It is inappropriate to use integrating style when the task or problem is simple, an immediate decision is required, other parties are unconcerned about the outcome, and/or other parties do not have problem-solving skills.

E. negotiator.

D Feedback: Patti is acting as a conciliator. A conciliator is a neutral third party who informally acts as a communication conduit between disputing parties.

E. compromising

D Feedback: Table 10.6 indicates the dominating style of conflict handling is appropriate when a speedy decision is needed.

E. climate

D Feedback: The contact hypothesis suggests that the more members of different groups interact, the less intergroup conflict they will experience.

21. Harry, Marsha, Eve, and Don are discussing ways to increase sales. Harry and Eve want to stick with the current sales promotion plan created four months ago. They say it needs more time to show results. Marsha and Don disagree; they feel sales have continued to decline and will not turn around. As the discussion progresses, various alternatives are proposed. Harry then suggests a modification to the current sales promotion plan that meets with everyone's approval. This is an example of the benefits of ______ conflict. A. alternative resolution B. dysfunctional C. escalating D. functional E. integrative

D Feedback: The distinction between functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict pivots on whether the organization's interests are served. Functional conflict is commonly referred to in management circles as constructive or cooperative conflict and is characterized by consultative interactions, a focus on the issues, mutual respect, and useful give and take. In such situations people often feel comfortable disagreeing and presenting opposing views. Positive outcomes frequently result. Each of these elements is lacking or even opposite in the cases of dysfunctional conflict, which threatens an organization's interests. This highlights the important role of management in determining whether conflict is more or less positive.

E. select a deal

D Feedback: The first step in added-value negotiation is to clarify interests. After each party identifies its tangible and intangible needs, the two parties meet to discuss their respective needs and find common ground for negotiation.

E. concern for others and concern for self.

E Feedback: Figure 10.5 shows that five of the most common styles of conflict handling are distinguished based on relative concern for other (x-axis) and concern for self (y-axis).

E. Arbitration

E Feedback: Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution technique in which disputing parties agree ahead of time to accept the decision of a neutral arbitrator in a formal courtlike setting, often complete with evidence and witnesses.

E. Investigate and document conflict among your own subordinates.

E Feedback: It is critically important to identify and remedy personality conflicts. Table 10.2 presents practical tips. Managers can reduce personality conflicts by: (1) All employees need to be familiar with and follow company policies for diversity, antidiscrimination, and sexual harassment. (2) Investigate and document the conflict; if appropriate, take corrective action. (3) If necessary, attempt informal dispute resolution. (4) Refer difficult conflicts to human resource specialists or hired counselors for formal resolution attempts and other interventions.

E. Organizations can suffer from too little conflict.

E Feedback: Organizations can suffer from either too little or too much conflict.

E. compromising

E Feedback: The compromising style of conflict handling is a give-and-take approach with a moderate concern for both self and others.

6. Jamil is a new member of a group that evaluates student activities on campus. He wants to focus on bringing more foreign students into the mainstream activities. The president of the group seems to have her own ideas and virtually everyone supports her. When Jamil opposes one of her suggestions, everyone looks uncomfortable. This is an example of a psychological safety climate.

FALSE Feedback: A psychological safety climate represents a shared belief among team members that it is safe to engage in risky behaviors, such as questioning current practices without retribution or negative consequences.

9. Ashley finds herself waking up at night frequently thinking about a report she must present to the vice presidents of her firm at the end of the month. She is experiencing social work-family conflict.

FALSE Feedback: Ashley is experiencing a cognitive work-family conflict. Conflicts can be cognitive (e.g., your thoughts about school interfere with work or vice versa). Ashley's thoughts about work are interrupting her sleep.

2. Light tactics of conflict include making threats; heavy tactics include violence.

FALSE Feedback: Light tactics include persuasive arguments, promises, and efforts to please the other side; heavy tactics include threats, power plays, and violence.

5. Managers wishing to reduce conflict between members and groups should isolate them from each other as much as possible.

FALSE Feedback: Managers interested in reducing conflict can work to eliminate specific negative interactions, conduct team building to reduce intragroup conflict and prepare for cross-functional teamwork, encourage and facilitate friendships via social events, foster positive attitudes, avoid or neutralize negative gossip, and practice the above by being a role model.

14. The integrating style of conflict handling is appropriate in all conflict situations.

FALSE Feedback: No one style is best for every situation. Employees and managers are both well served to apply a contingency approach to conflict-handling styles.

12. The best thing a manager can do to create functional conflict is to urge coworkers to hunker down and slog through, to simply persist.

FALSE Feedback: One way to generate and monitor functional conflict is to fan the fire and get more of the same. Managers can urge coworkers to hunker down and slog through, to simply persist, and while this may work, this approach can be unreliable (conflict can escalate) and slow.

11. The most common response to incivility is that employees work harder to avoid its source.

FALSE Feedback: Table 10.4 describes some of the employees' common responses to incivility. The most common response is that employees intentionally decrease their work effort.

4. The contact hypothesis states that the more members of different groups interact, the more intergroup conflict they will experience.

FALSE Feedback: The contact hypothesis suggests that the more members of different groups interact, the intergroup conflict they will experience

8. Work-family conflicts can be social or emotional.

FALSE Feedback: Work-family conflict can take two distinct forms: work interference with family and family interference with work. And in either case, these conflicts can be social or they can be cognitive.

1. Functional conflict is also known as constructive or cooperative conflict.

TRUE Feedback: Functional conflict is commonly referred to in management circles as constructive or cooperative conflict and is characterized by consultative interactions, a focus on the issues, mutual respect, and useful give and take.

13. Programmed conflict is conflict that raises different opinions regardless of the personal feelings of the managers.

TRUE Feedback: Programmed conflict is conflict that raises different opinions regardless of the personal feelings of the managers.

15. Donna is highly agreeable. That means she is well suited for integrative negotiations.

TRUE Feedback: Recent research shows that people with high levels of agreeableness are best suited for integrative negotiations, whereas those low in this personality characteristic are better at distributive negotiations.

7. When the demands or pressures from work and family domains are mutually incompatible, work-family conflict has occurred.

TRUE Feedback: Work-family conflict occurs when the demands or pressures from work and family domains are mutually incompatible.

3. As a manager of two employees who are having a personality conflict, one step you should take is to document the conflict.

TRUE Feedback: As a manager of two employees who are having a personality conflict, one step to take is to investigate and document the conflict; if appropriate, take corrective action. See Table 10.2.

10. Flexspace includes the concept of working from home.

TRUE Feedback: Flexspace, such as telecommuting, is when policies enable employees to do their work from different locations besides the office (e.g., coffee shops, home, or the beach).

73. Customer satisfaction at Corley & Brothers, a furniture delivery company, is decreasing. There are growing complaints about damaged furniture and missed delivery dates. The managers of scheduling, operations, and sales are meeting to discuss these issues.

The three managers do not get along very well. Employees in scheduling and operations complain that the sales department makes commitments to deliver furniture that cannot be met. The manager of sales does not agree with this conclusion. While goals in scheduling and operations focus on quality and on-time delivery, the goals for the sales department focus on total revenue. Employees in all departments are rewarded for meeting their unit goals. Unfortunately, the three managers do not get much time to interact as they are busy with day-to-day activities. Personality conflicts between employees in the three departments has led to incivility among some employees. While the overall climate is positive and supportive of employees, there are pockets of people who are dominating in nature and have been prone to bullying. Senior management is aware of these issues but has not offered any employee training or reprimands/punishment for those who treat others with lack of respect or civility.

74. Most people, when talking about conflict, immediately assume that it is a problem that needs to be "fixed." Is that true? Is conflict always bad for organizations? Define the types of conflict and provide examples of each situation.

There are two types of conflict: functional and dysfunctional. The distinction between functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict pivots on whether the organization's interests are served.