management chapter 18 practice questions

Which of the following is true of conflict among groups?

A certain level of conflict among group members can spark creativity and initiative.

Dezmon is the manager of a group that does not seem to be working very hard on its project. The performance norms are low, and he does not feel the group is very cohesive. What can Dezmon do to raise the performance of this group?

Bring in new group members.

Which of the following are methods for stimulating conflict in an organization?

Changing established procedures

While preparing to negotiate a new labor contract with the union, management discussed a variety of alternative tactics the union representatives might use. Which approach for negotiating is management using to try to predict how the negotiators might depart from perfect rationality?

Cognitive

Nour's group gets along well and never experiences any conflict. All group members agree when someone has a new suggestion or idea. If no conflict is ever experienced, what might be the outcome for the group?

Complacency

Dajhia and Woojin have had many successful team encounters in the past, but they could not agree on the best location for a new facility. They each pointed out the benefits of their preferred location and dismissed the advantages of the other. What can they do to resolve their conflict?

Conduct a systematic analysis and discussion.

Because of a downturn in the economy, Yui's sales staff has to work harder to make a sale and earn commissions. As a result, some of her staff have become competitive, and conflict has arisen about who should handle customers. Which method of managing conflict should Yui use so that employees are motivated and performance increases?

Control the conflict

Which approach to negotiation tries to predict how negotiators will depart from rationality and focuses on providing advice to negotiators actively involved in negotiations?

Decision analytic

What is one method of controlling conflict?

Enhancing coordination of interdependence

Eduardo manages a large furniture store just outside of Dallas. This week, the city closed the street in order to repave it, which has cut off all traffic to his store. Which type of conflict is Eduardo experiencing?

Environmental conflict

Which of the following is a method of controlling conflict?

Expanding the resource base

In Kamiya's group, group members evolved through several role episodes. Initially, all team members did what others assumed they would do. Which role episode did this group begin with?

Expected

Jolanta and several other colleagues have just been placed in a group to resolve quality issues on the plant floor. No one really knows each other, and Jolanta is trying to determine what is acceptable by reading cues from others. Which state of team development are Jolanta and her colleagues in?

Forming

The sales department at Midwest Textiles has been together for years, and when they meet their identified objectives, they move on to new ones. Which type of group is the sales department considered to be?

Functional group

BelTech and SouthernCell are considering a merger. Before they even entered into negotiations, both companies had teams of professionals analyze every alternative and outcome with probabilities and numerical outcomes reflecting the preferences of negotiating parties for each outcome. Which negotiating approach are they using?

Game theory

Rabeya works with L'Meese and Tariq, but she does not know them well. L'Meese and Tariq are active in a lunchtime book club and invited Rabeya to join them. Rabeya joined because she enjoys reading. Why did Rabeya decide to join this group?

Group activities

Jewel works as part of a team that is engaging, and she enjoys being a part of it. Even though the team members enjoy working with each other, they are all committed to performing at a high level. When cohesiveness and performance norms are high, what is the likely outcome?

High performance

Which of the following can generate conflict within an organization?

Hiring outsiders

What is the advantage to an organization that uses teams regularly?

Increased flexibility and responsiveness

Stacy has been involved with the group since it was formed. Although she is not the group leader, she is the most knowledgeable member of the team. A high level of competitiveness exists among the team members, and Stacy is the one who most team members go to for social or emotional support. When the group leader is unavailable, group members often go to Stacy for questions and advice. What is Stacy's role in this group?

Informal leadership

Which of the following is a factor that increases cohesiveness?

Interaction

Conflict between two teams within an organization is an example of which type of conflict?

Intergroup

Harmony School received a federal technology grant. The science department wants to use the funds to buy new computers and software to enable the department to run virtual labs. The administrative staff thinks the funds should be spent on a new intranet and office support software. Which type of conflict does this represent?

Intergroup

The production team started work on a project and then the development team changed the specs. The production team said the spec changes would increase the budget and delay final product delivery. The development team insisted that the product must be delivered according to the original schedule in order to meet a crucial sales window in the marketplace. Production said that the original schedule could be met only if the original specs were followed, but development insisted that the spec changes were necessary to be competitive in the marketplace. Which type of conflict is this?

Intergroup

Competition for scarce resources, especially funding, can often lead to which type of conflict within an organization?

Intergroup conflict

A manufacturer of small gaskets realized it could not produce enough to fill the order from one of its customers and called to tell the customer the order will be delayed. This angered the organization that needed the parts for its own manufacturing process, and it demanded the parts be sent immediately. Which type of conflict occurred between the manufacturer and the company it was supplying?

Interorganizational

Pretty Industries tests some of its beauty products on lab animals. This has led to protests outside its corporate offices by animal protection groups. Which type of conflict is Pretty Industries experiencing?

Interorganizational

Jason manages a bakery on a busy street in Chicago. Most of the bakery's business is foot traffic as workers are heading into their offices for the day. When another bakery opened its doors around the corner, Jason saw his sales decline. He immediately began promoting daily specials to regain some of his clientele. The new bakery responded by offering deliveries to nearby offices. Jason has become concerned that these actions are beginning to have a substantial effect on his business. This is an instance of escalation of which type of conflict.

Interorganizational conflict

Xavier and Rene, both of whom work in the admissions office, argue constantly about which company they should use to service the copy machine. Which type of conflict are they experiencing?

Interpersonal

Nila and Manoj cannot agree on the best way to handle a customer complaint. This customer has been a good customer for Nila in the past, and while she is training Manoj to take over this customer account, she does not agree with how he always manages them. Their manager has decided to sit down with both of them together to see how to best resolve this customer complaint. Which type of conflict resolution is their manager using?

Interpersonal problem solving

Andrew has been working a lot of hours at work in order to be caught up before leaving for vacation. Just before leaving for vacation, his boss texted him and asked him to review a report once more before sending it to a client. Andrew reviewed the report while on the airplane, but his spouse was annoyed. Which type of conflict is Andrew experiencing?

Interrole

Destani is the leader of a long-standing group. However, some group members have also become involved in other group projects, and there are many new group members. Right now, the group lacks cohesiveness because many group members are focusing on themselves instead of the group. What is Destani's group currently experiencing?

Intragroup competition

true of conflistrue of an interest group?

It is created by its own members.

Which of the following is true of negotiation?

It is used when an agreement must be reached.

Mikel is meeting with several other members of leadership from different areas of the organization. He wants to provide updates on the new product the company is ready to release and hear how other groups, such as marketing, production, and quality assurance, are doing in their preparations for the new product launch. Which type of team has Mikel formed?

Management

Amina is new to the company and has relocated to join it. She knows very few people at the company and does not know anyone in the community. Amina decided to join a few groups at work to meet new people and increase her time around others. What is the underlying reason for Amina to join new groups?

Need satisfaction

Employees at Lightning Wireless Corporation have called for a work stoppage. Unhappy with salary freezes and work hours, the unionized employees have begun picketing the employer's headquarters and local storefront locations. Cellular and internet service to customers has been severely impacted. Which form of conflict resolution does this situation call for?

Negotiation

Which stage of team development involves each person recognizing and accepting his or her role and the team beginning to develop a sense of unity?

Norming

Which of the following refer(s) to standards of behavior that the group accepts and expects of its members?

Norms

Grant and his team have been made aware of a problem at a customer site. They are working together to find a solution and are focused on the problem at hand. Which stage of development has the group reached?

Performing

As a marketing manager, Olesia often has personal meetings with high-value customers. Yesterday, her client suggested they meet at a restaurant and mentioned he was excited to try some of the new wines on their wine list. Olesia shared her discomfort with her manager and suggested her manager attend as well. Instead, she was encouraged to go alone, and "turn on the charm" since this is a valuable customer. What is Olesia experiencing as it relates to this potential lunch?

Person-role conflict

Sushil is the director of human resources and is meeting with several division level managers to plan staffing for the new product launch. Which type of team is Sushil a part of?

Problem-solving team

Which of the following can make an informal leader a desirable asset in a group?

Referent or expert power

Which of the following stems from poor job descriptions or unclear cues from coworkers?

Role ambiguity

Ramon has been given two very large projects that both need to be done by the end of the month. The client then changed the specifications, which caused a delay in Ramon's ability to work on the projects. Now both projects are due next week, and Ramon feels there is no way he can possibly get both projects done by the deadline. Which of the following is Ramon experiencing?

Role overload

In a functional group or team, what can a manager do to avoid role ambiguity, conflict, and overload?

Send clear and straightforward cues.

Payal found that competing goals are creating conflict for her staff. What can Payal do to control conflict and eliminate lower-level conflict among her staff?

Set superordinate goals.

Aisha recently changed established procedures because many of them were no longer relevant. While doing so, she also implemented new procedures she thought were more relevant. These policy changes caused several employees to change the way they do their job in order to do their job correctly. What was Aisha's role in conflict management?

She stimulated it.

Often negotiators cannot change their relative power positions. This is a drawback to which negotiation approach?

Situational characteristics

The types of communication between negotiators, the potential outcomes of the negotiation, and the relative power of the parties are among the factors investigated in which approach to negotiation?

Situational characteristics

Arayla is not good at dealing with conflict between her employees. Yesterday, one of her employees told Arayla about a personal disagreement they were having with another employee. Arayla attempted to minimize the conflict and told her employee that things will get better. Which type of conflict resolution process did Arayla use?

Smoothing

As a new employee, Ahmed is learning a lot about how to do his job. In addition, he is learning about some unwritten rules, such as what time to show up, how long to take for lunch, and that his manager discourages personal calls during work time. What process is Ahmed experiencing as he moves from being an outsider to being an insider?

Socialization

Willa's company is rolling out a new program to build morale and boost employee enthusiasm. At this point, the group is experiencing a general lack of unity, and several members seem to be competing for the position of group leader. Which stage of group development has the group reached?

Storming

Jamal and Erika have opposing political views, and almost every conversation they have, on any topic, eventually leads to an argument. They were recently paired up to run a fundraising campaign to help fund an afterschool program for underprivileged children in their community. They were able to work together well enough that the campaign reached its goal and the program was able to open. What did Jamal and Erika use to manage their potential for conflict?

Superordinate goals

Mabel's marketing firm is rolling out a new program to build morale and boost employee enthusiasm. Management selected one person from each department to serve on a team to devise the rollout strategy and build interest among colleagues. Once the program has been implemented, the group will be disbanded. Which type of group is this an example of?

Task

Ugar, Kaia, and Atmir meet once a week to identify ways to improve sustainability practices at their company. Their team was created by the organization to accomplish a relatively narrow purpose within a specific time horizon. Which type of group are Ugar, Kaia, and Atmir a part of?

Task

Which type of group is created by an organization to accomplish a relatively narrow range of purposes within a stated or implied time horizon?

Task group

20As part of his group, Montazar tends to focus on getting the work done. What is his role within the group?

Task specialist

One of the primary approaches to negotiation is to study individual characteristics. Which of the following is an example of an individual characteristic?

The locus of control of each party

For some reason, Pat and Lin just do not get along. Somehow, they got off on the wrong foot when they first started working together, and they have never gotten past it. They continue to work together when they have to, but they do not trust each other to get the job done properly. Which of the following is true of the conflict between Pat and Lin?

The source of their conflict is a personality clash.

Kelsey thinks all sales presentations should use a standard format to promote consistency across brands and build the corporate image. Julio strongly disagrees. He feels creativity and customization are necessary to make each brand stand out in the marketplace. Which of the following is true of the conflict between Kelsey and Julio?

This interpersonal conflict is based upon different beliefs about work.

How can confrontation be used within an organization when seeking a solution to a problem?

To resolve the conflict

Rocky, Natashia, and Borov meet once a week over lunch to discuss volunteer efforts in the community. This is an interest group, which means that the group was formed _____.

by its own members

Rocky, Natashia, and Borov meet once a week to discuss ways to improve sustainability practices at their company. They are a functional group, which means that the group was formed _____.

by the organization

Darian's team works well together and received a lot of good feedback on its last project. The group supports and trusts one another, and the team members are effective in achieving their goals. This group has a high level of _____.

cohesiveness

Paolo is a member of a high-performing task group that is responsible for scouting out new store locations for a large franchise organization. Jolanta has been involved with the group since it was formed and is the most knowledgeable member of the team. A high level of competitiveness exists among the team members, and Jolanta is the one who most team members go to for social or emotional support. Based on the information provided about this task group, competition among its members could be negatively impacting its _____.

cohesiveness

Jamal and Erika are planning a dinner to help raise money for an after-school program for children in their community. Jamal believes that the dinner should be very simple and basic so that more of the money raised can go straight into the program. Erika thinks that a fancy dinner in a high-end ballroom will bring out people who can donate more, raising more money. In the end, they decide on a venue and menu somewhere in the middle. This approach to conflict resolution is called _____.

compromise

Tim feels strongly about rescuing stray dogs and cats. He joined Save Our Furry Friends, a local animal activist group, to support that cause. He does not enjoy participating in the group's fundraising or social events, but he does give donations regularly. The main reason Tim joined the group is for _____.

group goals

Julius wants to increase sales by his staff. To do so, he has set performance goals and offered bonuses to anyone who achieved those goals. The introduction of a moderate level of competition among the sales staff is likely to _____.

improve team performance

Pallavi is a marketing associate at her firm and wants to move up in the department. She is looking for ways to be noticed by her superiors in the department. She learned that the vice president of marketing and four of the marketing account managers are on the company golf team. There was an opening on the team this spring, and Pallavi joined. The main reason she joined the team is for _____.

instrumental benefits

Raj, Marah, and Grant are part of the sales force at Midwest Textiles. The three of them try to have lunch together once or twice a month to discuss strategies and sales techniques. Raj, Marah, and Grant are an example of a(n) _____.

interest group

Tredwell Industries has initiated a new system that sends feedback from customer service to the product development team. When possible, the feedback is incorporated into new product design, and customer service is notified of the team's contribution. When the suggestions are not practical or appropriate, an explanation is sent to the customer service team so they know that the concern was addressed and can understand why it was not incorporated. This new system should decrease _____.

intergroup conflict between customer service and production

The confrontational approach to conflict resolution, which brings parties together to confront the conflict, is called _____.

interpersonal problem solving

Petra works for human resources in the staffing department. The department manager she supports has seven open positions and wants them filled now. However, the division manager has told Petra they plan to start reducing staff within the next month and not to fill any open positions. Petra is likely experiencing _____.

intrarole conflict

Sabine's job involves assisting in the preparation of marketing materials. Yesterday, Sabine's manager told her that the A-0x line is the highest priority, and that the spec sheet needs to be done by the end of the week. This morning, her manager told Sabine to drop everything she is working on to focus on in-house training materials to help launch the new promotion of the A-1x line. Sabine will likely experience _____.

intrasender conflict

Game theory is often unworkable in real negotiation situations because _____.

negotiators do not always act rationally

Several marketing coworkers usually go out to lunch together every day, but Polani usually brings her lunch and eats in the break room. Polani's manager indicated she is missing out on certain information that is shared at the group lunches and is missing an opportunity to bond with the group. This example shows pressure for _____.

norm conformity

When an organization decides to use teams, it is essentially implementing a form of _____.

organizational change

Eric was recently hired as a marketing associate at in Industries. His job involves assisting in the preparation of marketing materials for one of Tredwell's new product lines. He's been told to put together a product spec sheet, but he's received no further guidance or sample spec sheets to use as a model. Eric has done similar work for his previous employer, but he does not know what the standards or expectations are at Tredwell. Eric is experiencing _____.

role ambiguity

One of the major limitations of the individual differences approach to negotiation, which negated the effects of individual difference, is that it did not consider _____.

situation variables

Which of the following can best be described as a type of group that functions as a unit, often with little or no supervision, to carry out work-related tasks, functions, and activities?

team

How many people are required to be considered a group if they are interacting regularly to accomplish a common purpose or goal?

two

Tredwell Industries has a dress code. Men are expected to wear sport shirts, slacks, and dress shoes. However, on Thursdays, the marketing manager plays golf in the morning and then comes to work in the afternoon in khakis, a polo shirt, and sneakers. This is an example of norm _____.

variation

The sales reps for Midwest Textiles each live in the region they serve. They meet once a week using an online meeting program to discuss new products and promotions and share ideas. This is an example of a(n) _____.

virtual team

In terms of role structures, the enacted role can best be described as _____.

what an individual actually does in the role