Organizational Behavior (Leadership) Answer Key Part 8

Organizational Behavior Conflict and Negotiation 1) ________ is defined as a process that begins when one party perceives another party has or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about. A) Problem solving B) Assessment C) Conflict D) Negotiation E) Collective bargaining Answer: C Explanation: Conflict is defined as a process that begins when one party perceives another party has or is about to negatively affect something the first party cares about. 2) In the past, researchers ________. A) considered all conflict to be harmful B) considered all conflict to be necessary to generate discussion C) considered all conflict to be necessary to improve the creativity of a group D) argued about whether conflict was uniformly good or bad E) argued about whether conflict was rational and cannot be avoided Answer: D Explanation: In the past, researchers argued about whether conflict was uniformly good or bad. 3) Conflict that hinders group performance is destructive or ________ conflict. A) process B) traditional C) task D) dysfunctional E) dyadic Answer: D Explanation: Conflict that hinders group performance is destructive or dysfunctional conflict. A highly personal struggle for control in a team that distracts from the task at hand is dysfunctional. 4) Gwyn is struggling with personal issues of control within her team. Her outbursts and underhanded nature of functioning within the team is destructive. This could be considered ________. A) relationship conflict B) dysfunctional conflict C) dysfunctional task conflict D) dyadic relationship issues E) intragroup conflict Answer: B Explanation: Conflict that hinders group performance is destructive or dysfunctional conflict. A highly personal struggle for control in a team that distracts from the task at hand is dysfunctional. 5) Studies demonstrate that ________ conflicts are almost always ________. A) relationship; formal B) relationship; informal C) relationship; dysfunctional D) relationship; functional E) task; reactive Answer: C Explanation: Studies demonstrate that relationship conflicts, at least in work settings, are almost always dysfunctional. 6) Conflict that relates to the content and goals of work is called ________ conflict. A) job B) task C) relationship D) process E) communication Answer: B Explanation: Task conflict relates to the content and goals of the work. Low to moderate levels of task conflict stimulate discussion of ideas. Task conflict is related to positive outcomes only when all members share the same goals and have high levels of trust. 7) Conflicts related to how the work gets done are called ________ conflicts. A) communication B) task C) job D) relationship E) process Answer: E Explanation: Process conflict relates to how the work gets done. 8) Mike and Keith are on the same team; they work well with other people in the same team but don't get along with each other. This type of conflict can best be described as ________. A) intragroup B) bilateral C) intergroup D) dyadic E) dual Answer: D Explanation: Dyadic conflict takes place between two people. Intragroup conflict occurs within a group or team. Intergroup conflict is conflict between groups or teams. 9) Conflict between two people is called ________ conflict. A) intragroup B) bilateral C) intergroup D) dyadic E) dual Answer: D Explanation: Dyadic conflict takes place between two people. Intragroup conflict occurs within a group or team. Intergroup conflict is conflict between groups or teams. It seems that your work group is in conflict much of the time. One colleague has suggested that you, as the supervisor, are responsible for eliminating the conflict so that your work group can function harmoniously. Another colleague has suggested that conflict is good for stimulating creativity and productivity within the work environment. You are unsure about whether you should try to eliminate the conflict within your group or learn to deal with it positively. 10) Contemporary perspectives tend to differentiate types of conflict based on their ________. A) effects B) being good or bad C) emotional impact D) task orientation E) relationship orientation Answer: A Explanation: Contemporary perspectives differentiate types of conflict based on their effects. 11) Which of the following is false about views of conflict? A) There is no consensus over the role of conflict in groups and organizations. B) The notion that conflict is good or bad is somewhat outdated. C) Contemporary perspectives differentiate types of conflict based on their good or bad effects. D) The idea that conflict is good or bad can be viewed as simplistic. E) Contemporary perspectives differentiate types of conflict based on their effects. Answer: C Explanation: Contemporary perspectives differentiate types of conflict based on their effects, not on the notion of conflict being good or bad. 12) When your work group disagrees, the disagreements usually concern how the group's work should be accomplished. The type of conflict experienced by your group is known as a ________ conflict. A) task B) relationship C) process D) traditional E) reactive Answer: C Explanation: Process conflict relates to how the work gets done. 13) Scholars generally agree that task and process conflicts are functional. Answer: FALSE Explanation: While scholars agree that relationship conflict is dysfunctional, there is considerably less agreement about whether task and process conflicts are functional. Early research suggested that task conflict within groups correlated to higher group performance, but a review of 116 studies found that generalized task conflict was essentially unrelated to group performance. However, there were factors of the conflict that could create a relationship between conflict and performance. 14) Relationship conflicts are almost always functional. Answer: FALSE Explanation: Studies demonstrate that relationship conflicts are almost always dysfunctional. It appears that the friction and interpersonal hostilities inherent in relationship conflicts increase personality clashes and decrease mutual understanding, which hinders the completion of organizational tasks. 15) Conflict is uniformly good or bad. Answer: FALSE Explanation: In the past, researchers tended to argue about whether conflict was uniformly good or bad. Such simplistic views eventually gave way to approaches that recognized that not all conflicts are the same and that different types of conflict have different effects. 16) The locus of conflict is synonymous with the framework within which the conflict occurs. Answer: TRUE Explanation: A way to understand conflict is to consider its locus, or the framework within which the conflict occurs. 17) Studies demonstrate that in work settings, relationship conflicts are almost always dysfunctional. Why? Answer: It appears that the friction and interpersonal hostilities inherent in relationship conflicts increase personality clashes and decrease mutual understanding, which hinders the completion of organizational tasks. Of the three types, relationship conflicts also appear to be the most psychologically exhausting to individuals. Because they tend to revolve around personalities, you can see how relationship conflicts can become destructive. 18) Describe a functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict that could exist because of structure. Answer: Some conflicts support the goals of the group and improve its performance; these are functional, constructive forms of conflict. Additionally, there are conflicts that hinder group performance; these are dysfunctional or destructive forms of conflict. Structural conflict includes variables such as size, degree of specialization in the tasks assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward systems, and the degree of dependence between groups. A functional-structural conflict that could exist in a longterm situation would be that of a salesperson and a credit manager who are in constant conflict because they have differing goals; the salesperson wishing to make the highest number of sales, and the credit manager needing to ensure that all the sales will be paid. Although there is conflict, it is functional because it is supportive of the overall group performance. A dysfunctionalstructural conflict could exist, for example, because tasks are not adequately defined in a work group. The group would always be at odds and would not be advancing the goals set and the tasks would be hindered. 19) Identify the three basic types of conflict from the perspective of where the conflict occurs and discuss why it is important to understand the loci of conflict in order to address conflict in the workplace. Answer: The three basic types of conflict are dyadic (conflict between two people), intragroup (conflict within a group or team), and intergroup (conflict between groups or teams). It is important to recognize the loci of conflict in an organization in order to better understand why the conflict is taking place and its impact on the organization. 20) What is the difference between intergroup conflict and intragroup conflict? Provide an example of each type of conflict. Answer: Intragroup conflict is conflict within a group or work team, whereas intergroup conflict is conflict between groups or teams. Intragroup conflict is the focus of much of the research on conflict in the workplace and the groups and teams that exist to perform a particular task. In this type of group, it is important that a supportive climate exists if conflict is to have a positive influence. Within an NFL team, for example, team members may be motivated to improve when team members are supportive. The intergroup conflict that exists between members of one team and those of another is a very different type of conflict, however, and one that may have little bearing on conflict within a group. 21) Conservationists have had a perpetual conflict with the government of the United States over the fast and rampant depletion of Earth's natural resources. They argue that the United States must reduce its consumption level significantly to rectify this problem. Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the conservationists' argument? A) The United States has been conserving forests for several years. B) Most countries have not taken any measures to reduce their consumption levels of natural resources. C) There are several countries that have more requirements for resources than the United States. D) The United States accounts for one-third of the total world resource consumption. E) New resource deposits are constantly being discovered. Answer: D Explanation: The fact that the United States has been conserving forests for several years has nothing to do with the conservationists' argument. Neither does the fact that there are several countries that have more requirements for resources than the United States nor the fact that new deposits are being discovered. The fact that most countries have not taken any measures to reduce the consumption level does not provide support for the conclusion. The fact that the United States consumes one-third of all resources used in the world supports the conclusion as the United States cannot increase consumption to more than one-third of the world's resources or they risk depleting Earth's resources even faster. 22) Matt works as a sales representative at Tandem Industries, which manufactures and sells bicycles. He's the best salesman on the floor, but he also receives the highest number of customer complaints for late deliveries. Which of the following, if true, best explains this situation? A) The company uses enterprise solutions to manage inventory. B) The company's manufacturing facility is functioning at optimum capacity. C) The company's sales and logistics functions are tightly integrated. D) The company keeps inventory levels low in order to reduce costs. E) The company has an efficient credit verification process. Answer: D Explanation: In this situation, if the company keeps inventory levels low in order to reduce costs, then it directly conflicts with Matt's job of selling bicycles and ultimately results in late deliveries. This conflict is structural in nature. If the company uses enterprise solutions to manage inventory and if its sales and logistics functions are tightly integrated, then the problem of late deliveries should not arise. Similarly, if the firm's manufacturing facility is functioning at optimum capacity, then there should be an adequate of supply of bicycles. If the company's credit verification process is efficient, then it would not result in late deliveries. 23) Conditions that can create conflicts can be classified into three categories. Which of the following is one of these three categories that includes variables such as jurisdictional clarity, member-goal compatibility, and leadership styles? A) communication B) structure C) personal variables D) group interactions E) process variables Answer: B Explanation: Conflicts related to structure result from variables such as size, degree of specialization in the tasks assigned to group members, jurisdictional clarity, member-goal compatibility, leadership styles, reward systems, and the degree of dependence between groups. 24) Which of the following statements is true regarding conflict? A) The smaller the group, the greater the likelihood of conflict. B) The less specialized the activities of the group, the greater the likelihood of conflict. C) People low in the personality traits of disagreeableness, neuroticism, or self-monitoring are more likely to engage in a conflict. D) Emotions can cause conflict even when they are not directed at others. E) As the ambiguity about where responsibility for actions lies decreases, the potential for conflict increases. Answer: D Explanation: Emotions can cause conflict even when they are not directed at others. People high in the personality traits of disagreeableness, neuroticism, or self-monitoring are more likely to engage in a conflict. 25) Stage II of the conflict process deals with the conflict being ________. A) perceived and felt B) apparent and experienced C) expressed and resolved D) analyzed E) internalized Answer: A Explanation: The potential for opposition or incompatibility becomes actualized in the second stage. Because a conflict is a perceived conflict does not mean it is personalized. It is at the felt conflict level, when individuals become emotionally involved, that parties experience anxiety, tension, frustration, or hostility. 26) The ________ stage of the conflict process is important because it's where conflict issues tend to be defined. A) potential opposition B) cognition and personalization C) intention D) behavior E) reaction and transference Answer: B Explanation: The cognition and personalization stage of the conflict process is important because it's where conflict issues tend to be defined. This is the point when the parties decide what the conflict is about. 27) ________ is the third stage in the conflict process and it intervenes between people's perceptions and their overt behavior. A) Potential for opposition B) Intention C) Cognition D) Attribution E) Behavioral manifestation Answer: B Explanation: Intentions intervene between people's perceptions and emotions and their overt behavior. They are decisions to act in a given way. 28) The conflict-handling techniques are characterized by two dimensions, cooperativeness and assertiveness. Cooperativeness indicates the degree to which ________. A) one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns B) one party attempts to suppress the conflict C) the parties attempt to find a win-win solution D) one party attempts to satisfy the other party's concerns E) the parties are willing to involve a third party in conflict resolution Answer: D Explanation: Cooperativeness indicates the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy the other party's concerns. 29) Assertiveness indicates the degree to which ________. A) one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns B) one party attempts to suppress the conflict C) the parties attempt to find a win-win solution D) one party attempts to satisfy the other party's concerns E) the parties are willing to involve a third party in conflict resolution Answer: A Explanation: Assertiveness indicates the degree to which one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns. 30) When one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests regardless of the impact on the other parties to the conflict, that person is using the conflict-handling intention of ________. A) competing B) avoiding C) accommodating D) compromising E) collaborating Answer: A Explanation: When one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests regardless of the impact on the other parties to the conflict, that person is competing. 31) ________ is a conflict-handling technique in which the parties in a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties. A) Collaborating B) Competing C) Accommodating D) Avoiding E) Compromising Answer: A Explanation: When parties in conflict each desire to fully satisfy the concerns of all parties, there is cooperation and a search for a mutually beneficial outcome. In collaborating, the parties intend to solve a problem by clarifying differences rather than by accommodating various points of view. 32) The conflict-handling intention of collaborating is ________. A) assertive and uncooperative B) assertive and cooperative C) unassertive and uncooperative D) unassertive and cooperative E) affective and reflective Answer: B 33) Which of the following conflict-handling intentions is unassertive and uncooperative? A) competing B) collaborating C) avoiding D) compromising E) accommodating Answer: C Explanation: Avoiding intentions are unassertive and uncooperative. 34) The conflict-handling intention of accommodating is ________. A) assertive and uncooperative B) assertive and cooperative C) unassertive and uncooperative D) unassertive and cooperative E) reflective and assertive Answer: D Explanation: Accommodating intentions are unassertive and cooperative. 35) Luke's cubicle neighbor Leia, though an understanding and great co-worker, talks loudly on the phone. Luke gets annoyed every time Leia's phone rings, but he has decided it's simply not worth the trouble to talk to her about it. Luke's conflict-handling intention is called ________. A) competing B) avoiding C) accommodating D) compromising E) collaborating Answer: B Explanation: A person may recognize a conflict exists and want to withdraw from or suppress it. Examples of avoiding include trying to ignore a conflict and avoiding others with whom you disagree. 36) A party who seeks to appease an opponent may be willing to place the opponent's interests above his or her own, sacrificing to maintain the relationship. We refer to this conflict-handling intention as ________. A) collaborating B) avoiding C) compromising D) competing E) accommodating Answer: E Explanation: A party who seeks to appease an opponent may be willing to place the opponent's interests above his or her own, sacrificing to maintain the relationship. We refer to this conflicthandling intention as accommodating. 37) Macy does not like a few of the standard operating procedures adapted for the new project. However, she discussed the items with the team and told them that she realized she was in the minority and that she would adapt the new procedures to maintain smooth operations within the team. This type of conflict-handling intention is called ________. A) negotiating B) accommodating C) collaborating D) compromising E) competing Answer: B Explanation: A party who seeks to appease an opponent may be willing to place the opponent's interests above his or her own, sacrificing to maintain the relationship. We refer to this conflicthandling intention as accommodating. Supporting someone else's opinion despite your reservations about it, for example, is accommodating. 38) Which of the following conflict-handling intentions is assertive and uncooperative? A) compromising B) avoiding C) competing D) collaborating E) accommodating Answer: C Explanation: The conflict-handling intention of competing is assertive and uncooperative.