TBChap017 Final

Chapter 17
Managing Conflict, Politics, and Integrative Bargaining
True / False Questions

1. Conflict is an inevitable part of organizational activity because the goals of different stakeholders are often
incompatible.

True False

2. The level of conflict present in an organization has important implications for organizational performance.

True False

3. Lack of conflict in an organization signals that managers strive for agreement rather than effective decision
making.

True False

4. When an organization has a dysfunctionally high level of conflict, managers emphasize conformity at the
expense of new ideas.

True False

5. Managers should strive to eliminate all kinds of conflicts within the organization.

True False

6. Intragroup conflict is conflict that takes place between groups or departments.

True False

7. Intergroup conflict takes place between members of the same department of an organization.

True False

8. Conflict in organizations usually arises from a single source.

True False

17-1
© 2016 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in
any manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
9. Conflict is likely to occur when two or more managers, departments, or functions claim authority for the
same activities or tasks.

True False

10. The potential for conflict does not exist whenever individuals, groups, teams, or departments are
interdependent.

True False

11. When resources are scarce, management is easy and conflict is unlikely.

True False

12. When conflict is settled by compromise or by collaboration between the parties in conflict, it is termed
functional conflict resolution.

True False

13. Collaboration involves engaging in a give-and-take exchange and making concessions until a reasonable
resolution of the conflict is reached.

True False

14. Compromise is possible when each party involved in the conflict is willing to make concessions until a
reasonable resolution of the conflict is reached.

True False

15. When parties in conflict resolve their differences without making concessions but in a way that leaves them
both better off, it is known as collaboration.

True False

16. When avoidance takes place, one party to the conflict simply gives in to the demands of the other party.

True False

17. When conflicts are handled by accommodation, the parties to a conflict try to ignore the problem and do
nothing to resolve the disagreement.

True False

18. Handling conflicts through accommodation, avoidance, or competition is ineffective from an organizational
point of view because the parties do not cooperate with each other.

True False

17-2
19. By increasing people’s awareness of the source of conflict, managers can help resolve conflict functionally.

True False

20. The structure of an organization should not be changed to resolve conflicts.

True False

21. Managers can effectively resolve conflicts by decreasing levels of integration in an organization.

True False

22. Norms and values in an organizational culture might inadvertently promote dysfunctionally high levels of
conflict that are difficult to resolve.

True False

23. Arbitrators cannot force the parties involved in a conflict to make concessions, nor can they force an
agreement to resolve a conflict.

True False

24. In distributive negotiation, the parties in conflict believe that they have a “fixed pie” of resources that they
need to divide..

True False

25. In integrative bargaining, the parties in conflict perceive that they can increase the resource pie by finding a
creative solution to the conflict.

True False

26. Superordinate goals are goals that all parties involved in a conflict agree to support.

True False

27. Focusing on people and not the problem is consistent with integrative bargaining.

True False

28. While demands are why a person wants something, interests are what the person wants.

True False

29. Focusing on what is fair is consistent with the principle of distributive negotiation.

True False

17-3
30. The activities that managers engage in to increase their power and use power effectively to achieve their
goals are known as organizational politics.

True False

31. Managers often engage in organizational politics to resolve conflicts in their favor.

True False

32. Organizational politics always has a negative effect on organizational effectiveness.

True False

33. Effective managers engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.

True False

34. Managers who use political strategies to increase and maintain their power are better able to influence others
to work toward the achievement of group and organizational goals.

True False

35. When managers exercise power unobtrusively, other members of an organization are completely aware that
the managers are using their power to influence them.

True False

36. By relying on objective information, politically skilled managers unobtrusively exercise their power to
influence others.

True False

37. Bringing in an outside expert to support a proposal or decision reduces the credibility of a manager's
initiatives.

True False

38. By controlling the agenda, managers influence which alternatives are considered or even whether a decision
is made.

True False

39. Controlling the agenda is an obtrusive strategy for exercising power.

True False

40. By making everyone a winner, a manager risks being perceived as a person who pursues his own interests.

True False

17-4

Multiple Choice Questions

41. Discord arising from the incompatibility of goals of different individuals and their attempts to thwart each
other's pursual of objectives is known as:

A. workplace bullying.
B. social loafing.
C. organizational conflict.
D. participative behavior.
E. workplace harassment.

42. Mary and John are business partners, but they have frequent arguments at work due to the differences in
their values and interests. This is an example of _____.

A. distributive justice
B. equity conflict
C. organizational conflict
D. workplace bullying
E. directive behavior

43. Which of the following is true of the impact of conflict on organizational performance?

A. Lack of conflict increases organizational performance.

B. Organizational performance is at its peak when an organization has dysfunctionally high levels of
conflict.
C. Organizational performance is at its peak when there is an optimum level of conflict.
D. Organizational conflict must be avoided in order to achieve peak organizational performance.
E. Organizational performance suffers when there is an optimum level of conflict.

44. Michelle, the manager of human resources at KLP Consulting and Carrie, the vice president of operations,
of the same organization are in disagreement about their company's diversity policy. This is an example of
_____ conflict.

A. intragroup
B. intradepartmental
C. interpersonal
D. interorganizational
E. horizontal

17-5
45. Conflict that takes place between members of the same department is known as:

A. interorganizational conflict.
B. top-down conflict.
C. interdepartmental conflict.
D. intragroup conflict.
E. intergroup conflict.

46. Two managers in the marketing department of SGR Inc. disagree on whether their organization should
spend the bulk of its advertising budget on print advertising or Internet marketing. This is an example of
_____ conflict.

A. intergroup
B. interdepartmental
C. intragroup
E. top-down

47. Conflict that takes place between different departments of the same organization is known as:

A. intradepartmental conflict.
B. bottom-up conflict.
C. interorganizational conflict.

48. Jim, the dean of student services and Paula, the dean of academic affairs, are in disagreement about how to
handle the misconduct of a student. Their disagreement with each other signifies _____ conflict.

A. interpersonal
B. bottom-up
C. interorganizational
D. horizontal
E. top-down

17-6
49. Conflict that takes place across different companies is known as:

B. interpersonal conflict.
C. top-down conflict.

50. Managers at Delaware Appliances feel that an advertisement of one of their major competitors is false and
tarnishes the reputation of Delaware Appliances. This can lead to which of the following types of conflict?

A. Intragroup conflict
B. Intrapersonal conflict
C. Intergroup conflict
D. Interorganizational conflict
E. Horizontal conflict

51. Kevin, the production manager at Hexavex Systems prefers long production runs of thousands of units in
order to drive the cost per unit down. However, Andrea, the marketing manager prefers shorter production
runs of a few hundred units in order to deliver the product more quickly to a key customer. Which of the
following is the source of conflict between the two managers?

A. Different goals
B. Overlapping authority
C. Scarce resources
D. Different reward systems
E. Status inconsistencies

52. Both the marketing division and the corporate communications department of Value Homes, a real estate
company, claim responsibility for developing corporate marketing strategies. Which of the following could
be a potential source of conflict between the two divisions?

A. Scarce resources
C. Different reward systems
D. Status inconsistency
E. Different time horizons

17-7
53. When two or more managers claim responsibility for the same activities or tasks, the source of
conflict is _____.

A. task interdependence
B. different reward systems
C. scarce resources
D. overlapping authority
E. status inconsistency

54. The marketing department needs the production department to manufacture the goods it attempts to sell,
while the production department needs the marketing department to find customers for the goods it
produces. Which of the following is a source of conflict between the marketing and the production
departments?

A. Scarce resources
B. Status inconsistency
C. Different evaluation system
D. Overlapping authority
E. Task interdependence

55. The production manager at JPC Inc. faces difficulty in meeting the quarterly production target as 10 of the
production staff report in sick. Based on this scenario, which of the following sources of conflict is likely to
cause conflict?

A. Different time horizons

C. Task interdependency
D. Different reward system
E. Scarce resources

56. When differences are resolved by compromise or collaboration between the parties in disagreement, it is
known as _____.

A. functional conflict resolution

B. top-down change
C. status inconsistency
D. retributive justice
E. distributive negotiation

17-8
57. Dan and Scott head the production and marketing departments respectively at KYP Solutions Inc. Dan
wants to extend the roll out date of a new product by two months in order to cash in on an impending
decrease in the prices of raw materials. Scott, on the other hand, fears losing out to competition and wants
Dan to start production immediately. In an attempt to resolve their conflict, Dan and Scott decide to produce
a smaller number of units initially and scale up production once the prices of raw materials have reduced.
This method of conflict resolution is known as _____.

A. accommodation
B. distributive negotiation
C. avoidance
D. competition
E. compromise

58. David and Jose have been business partners for 8 years. While David wants to acquire one of their major
competitors, Jose is keen on expanding operations to other states. After a few rounds of discussions, they
decide on buying out two smaller firms in different states. David is happy with this decision because the
acquisitions significantly enhance the prospect of acquiring major firms in future, and Jose's interest in
expanding operations to other states is also met. Which of the following conflict resolution strategies does
this situation represent?

A. Compromise
B. Distributive negotiation
C. Accommodation
D. Avoidance
E. Competition

59. When the parties in conflict attempt to resolve the conflict without making concessions but, instead, attempt
to resolve their differences in ways that leave all parties better off, it is known as _____.

A. compromise
B. avoidance
C. competition
D. collaboration
E. accommodation

17-9
60. Which of the following sources of conflict is likely to create conflict when some departments in an
organization are highly regarded than the rest?

A. Scarce resources
B. Status inconsistencies
C. Task interdependencies

61. Which of the following is a functional way of resolving conflicts?

A. Competition
B. Avoidance
C. Accommodation
D. Compromise
E. Confrontation

62. Which of the following is an ineffective conflict-handling approach?

A. Compromise
B. Collaboration
C. Accommodation
D. Mediation
E. Integrative bargaining

63. Under which of the following circumstances does accommodation take place between parties involved in a
conflict?

A. When the parties to a conflict try to ignore the problem and do nothing to resolve the disagreement
B. When one party has more power than the other party
C. When each party is willing to engage in a give-and-take exchange
D. When the parties to a conflict are willing to cooperate with each other
E. When the parties try to satisfy their goals without making any concessions

17-10
64. Why is accommodation ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. The parties to the conflict do not make any concessions.

B. It escalates levels of conflict as each party tries to outmaneuver the other.
C. The weaker party who gives in might look for ways to get back at the stronger party in the future.
D. The two sides to a conflict are more concerned about winning the battle than cooperating.
E. It does not allow either party to achieve its goals.

65. Why is avoidance ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. It does not address the real source of disagreement.

E. It allows only one party to achieve its goals.

66. Why is competition ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. The parties to the conflict make concessions.

B. The parties to a conflict try to ignore the problem and do nothing to resolve the disagreement.

67. Which of the following strategies should be used to resolve conflicts that arise out of communication
problems and interpersonal misunderstandings?

A. Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict

B. Practicing job rotation
C. Providing temporary assignments
D. Using permanent transfers
E. Dismissing employees

17-11
problems when interacting with people, groups, and organizations in other countries?

A. Providing temporary assignments

C. Increasing diversity awareness and skills

69. Which of the following strategies should be used to resolve conflicts that arise when individuals do not
understand the work demands that others face?


C. Increasing diversity awareness

70. If the source of a conflict is overlapping authority, a manager should:

A. sign up employees for diversity training.

B. clarify the chain of command.
C. change the organizational culture.
D. use permanent transfers.
E. change cultural norms.

71. An impartial individual with expertise in handling conflicts and who helps parties in conflict reach an
acceptable solution is called a(n):

A. task-oriented leader.
B. opinion leader.
C. mentor.
D. third-party negotiator.
E. transformational manager.

17-12
72. When a third-party negotiator acts as a(n) _____, his or her role in the negotiation process is to facilitate an
effective negotiation between the two parties; these negotiators do not force either party to make
concessions.

A. opinion leader
B. arbitrator
C. mediator
D. haggler
E. compromiser

73. Third-party negotiators who can impose what they believe is a fair solution to a dispute that both parties are
obligated to abide by are referred to as _____.

A. opinion leaders
B. arbitrators
C. mediators
D. hagglers
E. compromisers

74. In which of the following types of negotiations do parties in conflict strive to get the majority share of the
available resources without considering their interpersonal relationship?

A. Integrative bargaining
B. Accommodation
C. Avoidance
D. Distributive negotiation
E. Integrative negotiation

75. In integrative bargaining, conflicts are handled through collaboration and/or _____.

A. accommodation
B. compromise
C. avoidance
D. competition

17-13
76. Which of the following is a strategy used to encourage integrative bargaining?

A. Changing an organization's structure

B. Engaging in distributive negotiation
C. Emphasizing superordinate goals
E. Increasing diversity awareness

77. Which of the following is true of emphasizing superordinate goals?

A. It helps parties in conflict to keep in mind that they are working together for a larger purpose despite their
disagreements.
B. It is inconsistent with integrative bargaining and can easily lead both parties into a distributive
negotiation mode.
C. It helps parties in conflict to focus on getting the majority share of the available resources.
D.
It helps parties in conflict to meet their demands instead of their interests.
E. It helps parties in conflict to take a competitive, adversarial stance.

78. Two parties in conflict focusing on each other's shortcomings rather than solving the source of the conflict is
an example of:

A. focusing on superordinate goals.

B. focusing on developmental goals.
C. focusing on interests instead of demands.
D. focusing on people instead of the problem.
E. focusing on what is fair.

79. Creating new options for joint gain occurs by focusing on a(n) _____ scenario.

A. win-win
B. win-lose
C. confrontational
D. lose-lose
E. avoidance

17-14
80. Which of the following is true of the integrative bargaining strategy that emphasizes creating new options
for joint gains?

A. It helps parties in conflict to perceive that they have a “fixed pie” of resources that they need to divide.
B. It leads the parties in conflict to focus on getting the majority share of the available resources.
C. It helps parties to come up with new alternatives that will expand the resource pie.
D. It helps parties in conflict to meet their demands instead of their interests.
E. It helps parties in conflict to adopt the principle of distributive negotiation.

81. Focusing on what is fair is consistent with the principle of _____, which emphasizes the fair distribution of
outcomes based on the meaningful contributions that people make to organizations.

A. distributive negotiation
B. distributive justice
C. interactional justice
D. valence
E. expectancy

82. Which of the following is true of the integrative bargaining strategy that emphasizes focusing on what is
fair?

A. It is consistent with distributive negotiation.

B. It leads the parties in conflict to take a competitive, adversarial stance.
C.
It is consistent with the principle of distributive justice and focuses on the unprejudiced distribution of
outcomes.
D. It helps parties in conflict to focus more on their demands rather than their interests.
E. It helps parties in conflict to perceive that they have a “fixed pie” of resources that they need to divide.

83. The activities that managers engage in an organization in order to increase their power and to use power
effectively to achieve their goals are known as:

A. organizational politics.
B. superordinate goals.
C. legitimate powers.
D. integrative bargains.
E. mind games.

17-15
84. The tactics that managers use to increase their power and to use it to gain the support of others within an
organization are known as:

A. negotiations.
B. political strategies.
C. status inconsistencies.
E. legitimate powers

85. Which of the following is true of organizational politics?

A. Only managers can engage in organizational politics.

B. Organizational politics cannot be used to resolve conflicts.
C. Organizational politics are a purely negative force.
D. Effective managers engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.
E. Engaging in organizational politics builds resistance to new ideas.


A. Organizational politics are activities that are carried out only by those in the top management.
D. Engaging in organizational politics can help managers overcome resistance to change and achieve their
goals.
E. Effective managers engage in politics to gain personal benefits.


A. Organizational politics cannot be used for personal benefits.

B. Organizational politics are used only by managers who lack merit and capabilities.
D. Effective managers do not engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.
E. Everyone engages in politics to a degree—coworkers, subordinates, as well as people outside an
organization.

17-16
88. Which of the following helps managers gain support for their initiatives and goals?

A. Accommodation
B. Competition
C. Organizational conflict
D. Organizational politics
E. Distributive negotiation

89. Which of the following political strategies helps managers increase and maintain their power?

A. Controlling uncertainty
B. Increasing diversity
C. Focusing on demands
D. Focusing on people not problems
E. Emphasizing distributive negotiation

90. Which of the following is a threat for individuals, groups, and whole organizations and can interfere with
effective performance and goal attainment?

A. Legitimate power
B. Uncertainty
C. Power distance
D. Alliances

91. When a manager is responsible for activities that are directly connected to the organizational goals and
sources of competitive advantage, he/she is:

A. bringing in an outside expert.

B. being in a central position.
C. building alliances.
D. controlling uncertainty.
E. generating resources.

17-17
92. Which of the following is true of managers using the political strategy of being in a central position?

A. The success of the organization as a whole is seen as riding on these managers.

B. Other members of the organization have control over crucial decisions.
C. They are mediocre performers and have a limited knowledge base.
D. They lose their power and influence over other employees.
E. They do not make significant contributions toward the organization.

93. A manager develops mutually beneficial relationships with other managers in order to accomplish the goals
of the organization. Which of the following political strategies is the manager using in this situation?

B. Being irreplaceable
C. Being in a central position
D. Building alliances
E. Generating resources

94. Which of the following is true of the political strategy that emphasizes building alliances?

A. Partners to alliances often withdraw support because they know that managers might not support them in
future.
B. Building alliances requires distributive negotiation.
C. Building alliances can help create beneficial relationships inside an organization but not outside.
D. Alliances can help managers achieve their goals and implement needed changes in organizations.
E. Managers need not focus on ethical and legal issues when building alliances.

95. Which of the following is an advantage of managers exercising power unobtrusively?

A. It keeps other members of an organization unaware that managers are using their power to influence
them.
B. It results in sharing of power between managers and employees.
C. It helps employees understand that the decisions of managers will not benefit them.
D. It helps parties in conflict to stay focused on the problem and avoid the temptation to discredit one
another.
E. It helps parties in conflict to view conflict cooperatively, as a win-win situation in which both parties can
gain.

17-18
96. Which of the following is a political strategy for managers to exercise power unobtrusively?

C. Generating resources
E. Relying on objective information

97. Which of the following is true of the political strategy that emphasizes relying on objective information?

A. It causes others to believe that what the manager is proposing is the appropriate or rational thing to do.
B. It helps managers develop mutually beneficial relationships with people both inside and outside the
organization.
C. It generates knowledge resources such as marketing, information technology, or engineering expertise.
D. It helps managers influence the alternatives that are considered and each considered alternative is
acceptable to them.
E. It makes sure that everyone who supports the proposal benefits personally from providing that support.

98. Kathleen, the director of Hebron International School conducts meetings in a way that she strongly
influences the alternatives considered for making important decisions. Which of the following political
strategies does Kathleen use?

A. Forming alliances
B. Bringing in an outside expert
C. Controlling the agenda
D. Relying on objective information

99. Jaden, the head of the human resources department reduces the list of candidates to be considered for a
position in his department to include only those applicants who are acceptable to him. Which of the
following political strategies is Jaden using in this situation?

A. Controlling the agenda

C. Overlapping authority
D. Emphasizing status inconsistency

17-19
100. Which of the following is true about the political strategy that focuses on making everyone a winner?

A. It causes managers to rely on objective information that supports his/her objectives.

B. It helps managers influence the alternatives that are considered.
C. It generates knowledge resources such as marketing, information technology, or engineering expertise.
D. It reduces the credibility of a manager’s actions and ideas.
E. It makes sure that everyone who supports a proposal benefits personally from providing that support.

Essay Questions

101. Define organizational conflict. How can conflict benefit the organization?

102. Differentiate between the four types of organizational conflict and provide an example for each.

103. What are the various sources of conflict within organizations? Provide specific business example for each
source of conflict.

104. Define functional conflict resolution. Describe the two strategies organizations can use to accomplish
17-20
105. Discuss the four conflict management strategies focused on individuals that managers can use to reduce or
eliminate conflict within organizations. Give a specific business example of how each of these strategies
could be used by a manager.

106. Discuss the two conflict management strategies focused on the whole organization that managers can use to
reduce or eliminate conflict within organizations. Give a specific business example of how each of these
strategies could be used by a manager.

107. Define negotiation. Briefly explain the two major types of negotiation that managers can use within
organizations to resolve conflicts.

108. What is integrative bargaining? Why should managers prefer integrative bargaining over distributive
negotiation?

109. Discuss the five strategies that managers can use to facilitate integrative bargaining and avoid distributive
negotiation.
17-21
110. Define organizational politics and political strategies. Why is important for managers to engage in
organizational politics?

111. What are the various political strategies that managers can use to increase and maintain their power?

112. What are the various political strategies that managers can use to exercise their power? Discuss each
strategy briefly.
17-22
Chapter 17 Managing Conflict, Politics, and Negotiation Answer Key
Comp: Ignore bold and underline.

True / False Questions

1. Conflict is an inevitable part of organizational activity because the goals of different stakeholders are
often incompatible.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Conflict is an inevitable part of organizational life because the goals of different stakeholders,
such as managers and workers, are often incompatible.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Learning Objective: 17-01
Topic: Organizational Conflict
2. The level of conflict present in an organization has important implications for organizational
performance.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: The level of conflict present in an organization has important implications for organizational
performance.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-23
3. Lack of conflict in an organization signals that managers strive for agreement rather than effective
decision making.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Lack of conflict in an organization often signals that managers emphasize conformity at the
expense of new ideas, resist change, and strive for agreement rather than effective decision making.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
4. When an organization has a dysfunctionally high level of conflict, managers emphasize conformity at the
expense of new ideas.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: When an organization has a dysfunctionally high level of conflict, managers are likely to
waste organizational resources to achieve their own ends.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Dysfunctional Conflict
5. Managers should strive to eliminate all kinds of conflicts within the organization.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Conflict is a force that needs to be managed rather than eliminated.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-24
6. Intragroup conflict is conflict that takes place between groups or departments.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Intragroup conflict arises within a group, team, or department.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Intragroup conflict
7. Intergroup conflict takes place between members of the same department of an organization.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Intergroup conflict occurs between groups, teams, or departments.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Intergroup conflict
8. Conflict in organizations usually arises from a single source.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Conflict in organizations springs from a variety of sources.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-25
9. Conflict is likely to occur when two or more managers, departments, or functions claim authority for the
same activities or tasks.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: When two or more managers, departments, or functions claim authority for the same activities
or tasks, conflict is likely.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
10. The potential for conflict does not exist whenever individuals, groups, teams, or departments are
interdependent.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Whenever individuals, groups, teams, or departments are interdependent, the potential for
conflict exists.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
11. When resources are scarce, management is easy and conflict is unlikely.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: When resources are scarce, management is more difficult and conflict is likely.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-26
12. When conflict is settled by compromise or by collaboration between the parties in conflict, it is termed

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Functional conflict resolution means the conflict is settled by compromise or by collaboration
between the parties in conflict.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Collaboration
13. Collaboration involves engaging in a give-and-take exchange and making concessions until a reasonable
resolution of the conflict is reached.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Collaboration is a way of managing conflict in which both parties try to satisfy their goals by
coming up with an approach that leaves them better off and does not require concessions on issues that
are important to either party.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
14. Compromise is possible when each party involved in the conflict is willing to make concessions until a
reasonable resolution of the conflict is reached.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Compromise is possible when each party is concerned about not only its own goal
accomplishment but also the goal accomplishment of the other party and is willing to engage in a give-
and-take exchange and to make concessions until a reasonable resolution of the conflict is reached.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Compromise
17-27
15. When parties in conflict resolve their differences without making concessions but in a way that leaves
them both better off, it is known as collaboration.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Collaboration is a way of handling conflict in which the parties try to satisfy their goals
without making any concessions but, instead, come up with a way to resolve their differences that leave
them both better off.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
16. When avoidance takes place, one party to the conflict simply gives in to the demands of the other party.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Avoidance is an ineffective conflict-handling approach in which the parties try to ignore the
problem and do nothing to resolve their differences.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Avoidance
17. When conflicts are handled by accommodation, the parties to a conflict try to ignore the problem and do
nothing to resolve the disagreement.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: When accommodation takes place, one party to the conflict simply gives in to the demands of
the other party.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Accomodation
17-28
18. Handling conflicts through accommodation, avoidance, or competition is ineffective from an
organizational point of view because the parties do not cooperate with each other.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Handling conflicts through accommodation, avoidance, or competition is ineffective from an

organizational point of view because the parties do not cooperate with each other.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
19. By increasing people’s awareness of the source of conflict, managers can help resolve conflict
functionally.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: By increasing people’s awareness of the source of conflict, managers can help resolve conflict
functionally.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
20. The structure of an organization should not be changed to resolve conflicts.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Conflict can signal the need for changes in an organization's structure or culture. Sometimes
managers can effectively resolve conflict by changing the organizational structure they use to group
people and tasks.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-29
21. Managers can effectively resolve conflicts by decreasing levels of integration in an organization.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Managers can effectively resolve conflicts by increasing levels of integration in an

organization.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
22. Norms and values in an organizational culture might inadvertently promote dysfunctionally high levels
of conflict that are difficult to resolve.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Norms and values in an organizational culture might inadvertently promote dysfunctionally
high levels of conflict that are difficult to resolve.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Dysfunctional Conflict
23. Arbitrators cannot force the parties involved in a conflict to make concessions, nor can they force an
agreement to resolve a conflict.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Arbitrators are third-party negotiators who can impose what they believe is a fair solution to a
dispute that both parties are obligated to abide by.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Arbitrator
17-30
24. In distributive negotiation, the parties in conflict believe that they have a “fixed pie” of resources that
they need to divide.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: In distributive negotiation, the two parties perceive that they have a "fixed pie" of resources
that they need to divide.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
25. In integrative bargaining, the parties in conflict perceive that they can increase the resource pie by
finding a creative solution to the conflict.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: In integrative bargaining, the parties perceive that they might be able to increase the resource
pie by trying to come up with a creative solution to the conflict.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Integrative Bargaining Collaboration
26. Superordinate goals are goals that all parties involved in a conflict agree to support.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Superordinate goals are goals that both parties agree to regardless of the source of their
conflict.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-31
27. Focusing on people and not the problem is consistent with integrative bargaining.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Focusing on people and not the problem is inconsistent with integrative bargaining and can
easily lead both parties into a distributive negotiation mode.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
28. While demands are why a person wants something, interests are what the person wants.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Demands are what a person wants; interests are why the person wants them.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Compromise
29. Focusing on what is fair is consistent with the principle of distributive negotiation.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Focusing on what is fair is consistent with the principle of distributive justice, which
emphasizes the fair distribution of outcomes based on the meaningful contributions that people make to
organizations.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-32
30. The activities that managers engage in to increase their power and use power effectively to achieve their
goals are known as organizational politics.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Organizational politics are the activities that managers (and other members of an
organization) engage in to increase their power and to use power effectively to achieve their goals and
overcome resistance or opposition.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Organizational Politics
31. Managers often engage in organizational politics to resolve conflicts in their favor.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Managers often engage in organizational politics to resolve conflicts in their favor.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
32. Organizational politics always has a negative effect on organizational effectiveness.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: The term politics has a negative connotation for many people. Nevertheless, organizational
politics are often a positive force.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-33
33. Effective managers engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Effective managers engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
34. Managers who use political strategies to increase and maintain their power are better able to influence
others to work toward the achievement of group and organizational goals.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Managers who use political strategies to increase and maintain their power are better able to
influence others to work toward the achievement of group and organizational goals.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
35. When managers exercise power unobtrusively, other members of an organization are completely aware
that the managers are using their power to influence them.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: When managers exercise power unobtrusively, other members of an organization may not be
aware that the managers are using their power to influence them.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-34
36. By relying on objective information, politically skilled managers unobtrusively exercise their power to
influence others.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Reliance on objective information leads others to support the manager because of the facts;
objective information causes others to believe that what the manager is proposing is the proper course of
action. By relying on objective information, politically skilled managers unobtrusively exercise their
power to influence others.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
37. Bringing in an outside expert to support a proposal or decision reduces the credibility of a manager's
initiatives.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: Bringing in an outside expert to support a proposal or decision lends credibility to a

manager’s initiatives and causes others to believe that what the manager is proposing is the appropriate
or rational thing to do.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
38. By controlling the agenda, managers influence which alternatives are considered or even whether a
decision is made.

A. True
B. False
Answer: TRUE
Feedback: Managers can exercise power unobtrusively by controlling the agenda—influencing which
alternatives are considered or even whether a decision is made.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-35
39. Controlling the agenda is an obtrusive strategy for exercising power.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
40. By making everyone a winner, a manager risks being perceived as a person who pursues his own
interests.

A. True
B. False
Answer: FALSE
Feedback: By making everyone a winner, a manager can influence other organization members because
these members see supporting the manager as being in their best interest.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Multiple Choice Questions

17-36
41. Discord arising from the incompatibility of goals of different individuals and their attempts to thwart
each other's pursuit of objectives is known as:

A. workplace bullying.
B. social loafing.
C. organizational conflict.
D. participative behavior.
E. workplace harassment.
Answer: C
Feedback: Organizational conflict is the discord that arises when the goals, interests, or values of
different individuals or groups are incompatible and those individuals or groups block or thwart one
another's attempts to achieve their objectives.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
42. Mary and John are business partners, but they have frequent arguments at work due to the differences in
their values and interests. This is an example of _____.

A. distributive justice
B. equity conflict
C. organizational conflict
D. workplace bullying
E. directive behavior
Answer: C
another's attempts to achieve their objectives.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium
17-37
43. Which of the following is true of the impact of conflict on organizational performance?

A. Lack of conflict increases organizational performance.

B. Organizational performance is at its peak when an organization has dysfunctionally high levels of
conflict.
C. Organizational performance is at its peak when there is an optimum level of conflict.
D. Organizational conflict must be avoided in order to achieve peak organizational performance.
E. Organizational performance suffers when there is an optimum level of conflict.
Answer: C
Feedback: When an organization has an optimum level of conflict, managers are likely to be open to,
and encourage, a variety of perspectives; look for ways to improve organizational functioning and
effectiveness; and view debates and disagreements as a necessary ingredient of effective decision making
and innovation.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
44. Michelle, the manager of human resources at KLP Consulting, and Carrie, the vice president of
operations of the same organization, are in disagreement about their company's diversity policy. This is
an example of _____ conflict.

A. intragroup
B. intradepartmental
C. interpersonal
E. horizontal
Answer: C
Feedback: Interpersonal conflict is conflict between individual members of an organization, occurring

because of differences in their goals or values.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic: Interpersonal conflict
17-38
45. Conflict that takes place between members of the same department is known as:

B. top-down conflict.
C. interdepartmental conflict.
Answer: D

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
46. Two managers in the marketing department of SGR Inc. disagree on whether their organization should
spend the bulk of its advertising budget on print advertising or Internet marketing. This is an example of
_____ conflict.

A. intergroup
B. interdepartmental
C. intragroup
E. top-down
Answer: C

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-39
47. Conflict that takes place between different departments of the same organization is known as:

A. intradepartmental conflict.
B. bottom-up conflict.
C. interorganizational conflict.
Answer: E
Feedback: Intergroup conflict occurs between groups, teams, or departments.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
48. Jim, the dean of student services, and Paula, the dean of academic affairs, disagree about how to handle
the misconduct of a student. Their disagreement with each other signifies _____ conflict.

A. interpersonal
B. bottom-up
C. interorganizational
D. horizontal
E. top-down
Answer: A

because of differences in their goals or values.

AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Blooms: Apply
17-40
49. Conflict that takes place across different companies is known as:

B. interpersonal conflict.
C. top-down conflict.
Answer: A
Feedback: Interorganizational conflict arises between organizations.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Interorganizational conflict
50. Managers at Delaware Appliances feel that an advertisement of one of their major competitors is false
and tarnishes the reputation of Delaware Appliances. This can lead to which of the following types of
conflict?

A. Intragroup conflict
B. Intrapersonal conflict
C. Intergroup conflict
D. Interorganizational conflict
E. Horizontal conflict
Answer: D
Feedback: Interorganizational conflict arises between organizations.

Blooms: Apply
17-41
51. Kevin, the production manager at Hexavex Systems, prefers long production runs of thousands of units
in order to drive the cost per unit down. However, Andrea, the marketing manager, prefers shorter
production runs of a few hundred units in order to deliver the product more quickly to a key customer.
Which of the following is the source of conflict between the two managers?

A. Different goals
C. Scarce resources
D. Different reward systems
E. Status inconsistencies
Answer: A
Feedback: An important managerial activity is organizing people and tasks into departments and
divisions to accomplish an organization’s goals. Almost inevitably this grouping creates departments and
divisions that have different goals and time horizons, and the result can be conflict.

Blooms: Apply
52. Both the marketing division and the corporate communications department of Value Homes, a real estate
company, claim responsibility for developing corporate marketing strategies. Which of the following
could be a potential source of conflict between the two divisions?

A. Scarce resources
C. Different reward systems
D. Status inconsistency
Answer: B
Feedback: When two or more managers, departments, or functions claim authority for the same
activities or tasks, conflict due to overlapping authority is likely.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-42
53. When two or more managers claim responsibility for the same activities or tasks, the source of
conflict is _____.

A. task interdependence
B. different reward systems
C. scarce resources
D. overlapping authority
E. status inconsistency
Answer: D
Feedback: Conflict in organizations springs from a variety of sources such as different goals and time
horizons, overlapping authority, task interdependencies, different evaluation or reward systems, scarce
resources, and status inconsistencies. Overlapping authority is when two or more managers, departments,
or functions claim authority for the same activities or tasks. In such a scenario, conflict is likely.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
54. The marketing department needs the production department to manufacture the goods it attempts to sell,
while the production department needs the marketing department to find customers for the goods it
produces. Which of the following is a source of conflict between the marketing and the production
departments?

A. Scarce resources
B. Status inconsistency
C. Different evaluation system
E. Task interdependence
Answer: E
Feedback: Task interdependence exists when group members are dependent on other member's
contributions to complete the project.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-43
55. The production manager at JPC Inc. faces difficulty in meeting the quarterly production target, as 10 of
the production staff report in sick. Based on this scenario, which of the following sources of conflict is
likely to cause conflict?

A. Different time horizons

C. Task interdependency
D. Different reward system
E. Scarce resources
Answer: E
Feedback: Management is the process of acquiring, developing, protecting, and using the resources that
allow an organization to be efficient and effective. When resources are scarce, management is more
difficult and conflict is likely.

Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 1 Easy
56. When differences are resolved by compromise or collaboration between the parties in disagreement, it is
known as _____.

A. functional conflict resolution

B. top-down change
C. status inconsistency
D. retributive justice
Answer: A
between the parties in conflict.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic:Compromise
17-44
57. Dan and Scott head the production and marketing departments, respectively, at KYP Solutions Inc. Dan
wants to extend the roll-out date of a new product by two months in order to cash in on an impending
decrease in the prices of raw materials. Scott, on the other hand, fears losing out to competition and
wants Dan to start production immediately. In an attempt to resolve their conflict, Dan and Scott decide
to produce a smaller number of units initially and scale up production once the prices of raw materials
have decreased. This method of conflict resolution is known as _____.

A. accommodation
B. distributive negotiation
C. avoidance
D. competition
E. compromise
Answer: E

Blooms: Apply
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Compromise
58. David and Jose have been business partners for 8 years. While David wants to acquire one of their major
competitors, Jose is keen on expanding operations to other states. After a few rounds of discussions, they
decide on buying out two smaller firms in different states. David is happy with this decision because the
acquisitions significantly enhance the prospect of acquiring major firms in the future, and Jose's interest
in expanding operations to other states is also met. Which of the following conflict resolution strategies
does this situation represent?

A. Compromise
B. Distributive negotiation
C. Accommodation
D. Avoidance
E. Competition
Answer: A

Blooms: Apply
17-45
Difficulty: 3 Hard
Topic: Compromise
59. When the parties in conflict attempt to resolve the conflict without making concessions but, instead,
attempt to resolve their differences in ways that leave all parties better off, it is known as _____.

A. compromise
B. avoidance
C. competition
D. collaboration
E. accommodation
Answer: D
Feedback: Collaboration is a way of handling conflict in which the parties try to satisfy their goals
without making any concessions but, instead, come up with a way to resolve their differences that leaves
them both better off.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
60. Which of the following sources of conflict is likely to create conflict when some departments in an
organization are more highly regarded than the rest?

A. Scarce resources
B. Status inconsistencies
C. Task interdependencies
Answer: B
Feedback: When some individuals, groups, teams, or departments within an organization are more
highly regarded than others in the organization, conflict can arise due to status inconsistencies.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-46
61. Which of the following is a functional way of resolving conflicts?

A. Competition
B. Avoidance
C. Accommodation
D. Compromise
E. Confrontation
Answer: D
Feedback: Conflict is settled functionally by either compromise or collaboration.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Compromise
62. Which of the following is an ineffective conflict-handling approach?

A. Compromise
B. Collaboration
C. Accommodation
D. Mediation
Answer: C
Feedback: Accommodation is an ineffective conflict-handling approach in which one party, typically

with weaker power, gives in to the demands of the other, typically more powerful, party.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Accomodation
17-47
63. Under which of the following circumstances does accommodation take place between parties involved in
a conflict?

A. When the parties to a conflict try to ignore the problem and do nothing to resolve the disagreement
B. When one party has more power than the other party
C. When each party is willing to engage in a give-and-take exchange
D. When the parties to a conflict are willing to cooperate with each other
E. When the parties try to satisfy their goals without making any concessions
Answer: B
Feedback: When accommodation takes place, one party to the conflict simply gives in to the demands of
the other party. Accommodation typically takes place when one party has more power than the other and
can pursue its goal attainment at the expense of the weaker party.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic: Accomodation
64. Why is accommodation ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. The parties to the conflict do not make any concessions.

Answer: C
Feedback: From an organizational perspective, accommodation is often ineffective: The two parties are
not cooperating with each other, they are unlikely to want to cooperate in the future, and the weaker
party who gives in or accommodates the more powerful party might look for ways to get back at the
stronger party in the future.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic: Accomodation
17-48
65. Why is avoidance ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. It does not address the real source of disagreement.

E. It allows only one party to achieve its goals.
Answer: A
Feedback: Avoidance is often ineffective because the real source of the disagreement has not been
addressed, conflict is likely to continue, and communication and cooperation are hindered.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic: Avoidance
66. Why is competition ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. The parties to the conflict make concessions.

B. The parties to a conflict try to ignore the problem and do nothing to resolve the disagreement.
Answer: D
Feedback: As a way of handling conflict, competition is ineffective for the organization because the two
sides to a conflict are more concerned about winning the battle than cooperating to arrive at a solution
that is best for the organization and acceptable to both sides.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-49
problems and interpersonal misunderstandings?


C. Providing temporary assignments
Answer: A
Feedback: Conflict arises because of communication problems and interpersonal misunderstandings. By

increasing people’s awareness of this source of conflict, managers can help resolve conflict functionally.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
problems when interacting with people, groups, and organizations in other countries?

A. Providing temporary assignments

C. Increasing diversity awareness and skills
Answer: C
Feedback: Interpersonal conflict arises because of diversity. Increasing diversity awareness and skills
can be especially important when interacting with people, groups, and organizations in other countries.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-50
69. Which of the following strategies should be used to resolve conflicts that arise when individuals do not
understand the work demands that others face?


C. Increasing diversity awareness
Answer: B
Feedback: Sometimes conflicts arise because individual organization members simply do not
understand the work activities and demands that others in an organization face. In situations such as this,
job rotation or temporary assignments, which expand organization members’ knowledge base and
appreciation of other departments, can be a useful way of resolving the conflict.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
70. If the source of a conflict is overlapping authority, a manager should:

A. sign up employees for diversity training.

B. clarify the chain of command.
C. change the organizational culture.
D. use permanent transfers.
E. change cultural norms.
Answer: B
Feedback: When the source of conflict is overlapping authority, different evaluation or reward systems,
or status inconsistencies, managers can sometimes effectively resolve the conflict by directly altering its
source. Managers can clarify the chain of command and reassign tasks and responsibilities to resolve
conflicts due to overlapping authority.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-51
71. An impartial individual with expertise in handling conflicts and who helps parties in conflict reach an
acceptable solution is called a(n):

A. task-oriented leader.
B. opinion leader.
C. mentor.
D. third-party negotiator.
E. transformational manager.
Answer: D
Feedback: Third-party negotiators are impartial individuals who are not directly involved in the conflict
and have special expertise in handling conflicts and negotiations.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Mediator
72. When a third-party negotiator acts as a(n) _____, his or her role in the negotiation process is to facilitate
an effective negotiation between the two parties; these negotiators do not force either party to make
concessions.

A. opinion leader
B. arbitrator
C. mediator
D. haggler
E. compromiser
Answer: C
Feedback: When a third-party negotiator acts as a mediator, his or her role in the negotiation process is
to facilitate an effective negotiation between the two parties; mediators do not force either party to make
concessions.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Mediator
17-52
73. Third-party negotiators who can impose what they believe is a fair solution to a dispute that both parties
are obligated to abide by are referred to as _____.

A. opinion leaders
B. arbitrators
C. mediators
D. hagglers
E. compromisers
Answer: B
Feedback: Arbitrators are third-party negotiators who can impose what they believe is a fair solution to
a dispute that both parties are obligated to abide by.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Arbitrator
74. In which of the following types of negotiations do parties in conflict strive to get the majority share of
the available resources without considering their interpersonal relationship?

A. Integrative bargaining
B. Accommodation
C. Avoidance
D. Distributive negotiation
E. Integrative negotiation
Answer: D
Feedback: In distributive negotiation, the two parties perceive that they have a "fixed pie" of resources
that they need to divide. They take a competitive, adversarial stance. The parties see no need to interact
with each other in the future and do not care if their interpersonal relationship is damaged or destroyed
by their competitive negotiation. In distributive negotiations, conflicts are handled by competition.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-53
75. In integrative bargaining, conflicts are handled through collaboration and _____.

A. accommodation
B. compromise
C. avoidance
D. competition
Answer: B
Feedback: In integrative bargaining, conflicts are handled through collaboration and compromise.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Compromise
76. Which of the following is a strategy used to encourage integrative bargaining?

A. Changing an organization's structure

B. Engaging in distributive negotiation
C. Emphasizing superordinate goals

E. Increasing diversity awareness
Answer: C
Feedback: Managers in all kinds of organizations can rely on five strategies to facilitate integrative
bargaining and avoid distributive negotiation: emphasizing superordinate goals; focusing on the problem,
not the people; focusing on interests, not demands; creating new options for joint gain; and focusing on
what is fair.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic:Collaboration
17-54
77. Which of the following is true of emphasizing superordinate goals?

A. It helps parties in conflict to keep in mind that they are working together for a larger purpose despite
their disagreements.
B. It is inconsistent with integrative bargaining and can easily lead both parties into a distributive
negotiation mode.
C. It helps parties in conflict to focus on getting the majority share of the available resources.
D.
Author: At this point, I deleted 80 PAGES OF SOMEONE HITTING
THE ENTER KEY! What's worse—it was copied from the questions section.
It helps parties in conflict to meet their demands instead of their interests.
E. It helps parties in conflict to take a competitive, adversarial stance.
Answer: A
Feedback: Superordinate goals help parties in conflict to keep in mind the big picture and the fact that
they are working together for a larger purpose or goal despite their disagreements.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
78. Two parties in conflict focusing on each other's shortcomings rather than solving the source of the
conflict is an example of:

A. focusing on superordinate goals.

B. focusing on developmental goals.
C. focusing on interests instead of demands.
D. focusing on people instead of the problem.
E. focusing on what is fair.
Answer: D
Feedback: All parties to a conflict need to keep focused on the problem or on the source of the conflict
and avoid the temptation to discredit one another.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-55
79. Creating new options for joint gain occurs by focusing on a(n) _____ scenario.

A. win-win
B. win-lose
C. confrontational
D. lose-lose
E. avoidance
Answer: A
Feedback: Creating new options for joint gain occurs by focusing on a win-win scenario.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
80. Which of the following is true of the integrative bargaining strategy that emphasizes creating new
options for joint gains?

A. It helps parties in conflict to perceive that they have a "fixed pie" of resources that they need to
divide.
B. It leads the parties in conflict to focus on getting the majority share of the available resources.
C. It helps parties to come up with new alternatives that will expand the resource pie.
D. It helps parties in conflict to meet their demands instead of their interests.
E. It helps parties in conflict to adopt the principle of distributive negotiation.
Answer: C
Feedback: Once two parties to a conflict focus on their interests, they are on the road to achieving
creative solutions to the conflict that will benefit them both. This win-win scenario means that rather
than having a fixed set of alternatives from which to choose, the two parties can come up with new
alternatives that might even expand the resource pie.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic:Collaboration
17-56
81. Focusing on what is fair is consistent with the principle of _____, which emphasizes the fair distribution
of outcomes based on the meaningful contributions that people make to organizations.

A. distributive negotiation
B. distributive justice
C. interactional justice
D. valence
E. expectancy
Answer: B
organizations.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
Topic: Distributive justice
82. Which of the following is true of the integrative bargaining strategy that emphasizes focusing on what is
fair?

A. It is consistent with distributive negotiation.

B. It leads the parties in conflict to take a competitive, adversarial stance.
C.
It is consistent with the principle of distributive justice and focuses on the unprejudiced distribution
of outcomes.
D. It helps parties in conflict to focus more on their demands rather than their interests.
E. It helps parties in conflict to perceive that they have a “fixed pie” of resources that they need to
divide.
Answer: C
organizations.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic: Distributive justice
17-57
83. The activities that managers engage in to increase their power and to use power effectively to achieve
their goals are known as:

A. organizational politics.
B. superordinate goals.
C. legitimate powers.
E. mind games.
Answer: A
overcome resistance or opposition.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
84. The tactics that managers use to increase their power and to use it to gain the support of others within an
organization are known as:

A. negotiations.
B. political strategies.
C. status inconsistencies.
E. legitimate powers
Answer: B
Feedback: Political strategies are the specific tactics that managers (and other members of an
organization) use to increase their power and to use power effectively to influence and gain the support
of other people while overcoming resistance or opposition.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-58

A. Only managers can engage in organizational politics.

D. Effective managers engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.
E. Engaging in organizational politics builds resistance to new ideas.
Answer: D
Feedback: Organizational politics are often a positive force. Managers striving to make needed changes
often encounter resistance from individuals and groups who feel threatened and wish to preserve the
status quo. Effective managers engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Author: Please add Learning Objective number. Learning Objective:
Author: Did you want 2 topics: Topic: Conflict Management

A. Organizational politics are activities that are carried out only by those in the top management.
D. Engaging in organizational politics can help managers overcome resistance to change and achieve
their goals.
E. Effective managers engage in politics to gain personal benefits.
Answer: D
Feedback: Managers often face resistance from other managers who disagree with their goals for a
group or for the organization and with what they are trying to accomplish. Engaging in organizational
politics can help managers overcome this resistance and achieve their goals.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-59

A. Organizational politics cannot be used for personal benefits.

B. Organizational politics are used only by managers who lack merit and capabilities.
D. Effective managers do not engage in politics to gain support for and implement needed changes.
E. Everyone engages in politics to a degree—managers, coworkers, and subordinates, as well as people
outside an organization.
Answer: E
Feedback: Managers cannot afford to ignore organizational politics. Everyone engages in politics to a
degree. Those who try to ignore politics will be unable to gain support for their initiatives and goals.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
88. Which of the following helps managers gain support for their initiatives and goals?

A. Accommodation
B. Competition
C. Organizational conflict
D. Organizational politics
E. Distributive negotiation
Answer: D
Feedback: Managers cannot afford to ignore organizational politics. Everyone engages in politics to a
degree. Those who try to ignore politics will be unable to gain support for their initiatives and goals.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-60
89. Which of the following political strategies helps managers increase and maintain their power?

B. Increasing diversity
C. Focusing on demands
D. Focusing on people, not problems
E. Emphasizing distributive negotiation
Answer: A
influence others to work toward achieving group and organizational goals. By controlling uncertainty,
making themselves irreplaceable, being in a central position, generating resources, and building
alliances, managers can increase their power.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
90. Which of the following is a threat for individuals, groups, and whole organizations and can interfere with
effective performance and goal attainment?

A. Legitimate power
B. Uncertainty
C. Power distance
D. Alliances
Answer: B
Feedback: Uncertainty is a threat for individuals, groups, and whole organizations and can interfere with
effective performance and goal attainment.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-61
91. When a manager is responsible for activities that are directly connected to the organizational goals and
sources of competitive advantage, he/she is:

A. bringing in an outside expert.

B. in a central position.
C. building alliances.
D. controlling uncertainty.
E. generating resources.
Answer: B
Feedback: Managers in central positions are responsible for activities that are directly connected to an
organization's goals and sources of competitive advantage.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
92. Which of the following is true of managers using the political strategy of being in a central position?

A. The success of the organization as a whole is seen as riding on these managers.

B. Other members of the organization have control over crucial decisions.
C. They are mediocre performers and have a limited knowledge base.
D. They lose their power and influence over other employees.
E. They do not make significant contributions toward the organization.
Answer: A
Feedback: Managers in central positions are responsible for activities that are directly connected to an
organization’s goals and sources of competitive advantage and often are located in central positions in
important communication networks in an organization. Other organization members depend on them for
their knowledge, expertise, advice, and support, and the success of the organization as a whole is seen as
riding on these managers.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-62
93. A manager develops mutually beneficial relationships with other managers in order to accomplish the
goals of the organization. Which of the following political strategies is the manager using in this
situation?

C. Being in a central position
Answer: D
Feedback: When managers build alliances, they develop mutually beneficial relationships with people
both inside and outside the organization.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
94. Which of the following is true of the political strategy that emphasizes building alliances?

A. Partners to alliances often withdraw support because they know that managers might not support
them in the future.
B. Building alliances requires distributive negotiation.
C. Building alliances can help create beneficial relationships inside an organization but not outside.
D. Alliances can help managers achieve their goals and implement needed changes in organizations.
E. Managers need not focus on ethical and legal issues when building alliances.
Answer: D
Feedback: Alliances can help managers achieve their goals and implement needed changes in
organizations because they increase managers’ levels of power.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-63
95. Which of the following is an advantage of managers exercising power unobtrusively?

A. It keeps other members of an organization unaware that managers are using their power to influence
them.
B. It results in sharing of power between managers and employees.
C. It helps employees understand that the decisions of managers will not benefit them.
D. It helps parties in conflict to stay focused on the problem and avoid the temptation to discredit one
another.
E. It helps parties in conflict to view conflict cooperatively, as a win-win situation in which both parties
can gain.
Answer: A
Feedback: When managers exercise power unobtrusively, other members of an organization may not be
aware that the managers are using their power to influence them.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
96. Which of the following is a political strategy for managers to exercise power unobtrusively?

C. Generating resources
Answer: E
Feedback: Political strategies for exercising power to gain the support and concurrence of others include
relying on objective information, bringing in an outside expert, controlling the agenda, and making
everyone a winner.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-64
97. Which of the following is true of the political strategy that emphasizes relying on objective information?

A. It causes others to believe that what the manager is proposing is the appropriate or rational thing to
do.
B. It helps managers develop mutually beneficial relationships with people both inside and outside the
organization.
C. It generates knowledge resources such as marketing, information technology, or engineering
expertise.
D. It helps managers influence the alternatives that are considered, and each considered alternative is
acceptable to them.
E. It makes sure that everyone who supports the proposal benefits personally from providing that
support.
Answer: A
Feedback: One way for a manager to gain support and overcome opposition is to rely on objective
information that supports the manager’s initiatives. Reliance on objective information leads others to
support the manager because of the facts; objective information causes others to believe that what the
manager is proposing is the proper course of action.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
98. Kathleen, the director of Hebron International School, conducts meetings in a way that she strongly
influences the alternatives considered for making important decisions. Which of the following political
strategies does Kathleen use?

A. Forming alliances
B. Bringing in an outside expert
C. Controlling the agenda
D. Relying on objective information
Answer: C

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-65
99. Jaden, the head of the human resources department, reduces the list of candidates to be considered for a
position in his department to include only those applicants who are acceptable to him. Which of the
following political strategies is Jaden using in this situation?

A. Controlling the agenda

C. Overlapping authority
D. Emphasizing status inconsistency
Answer: A
alternatives are considered or even whether a decision is made. When managers influence the
alternatives that are considered, they can make sure that each considered alternative is acceptable to them
and that undesirable alternatives are not in the feasible set.

Blooms: Apply
100. Which of the following is true about the political strategy that focuses on making everyone a winner?

A. It causes managers to rely on objective information that supports his/her objectives.

B. It helps managers influence the alternatives that are considered.
C. It generates knowledge resources such as marketing, information technology, or engineering
expertise.
D. It reduces the credibility of a manager’s actions and ideas.
E. It makes sure that everyone who supports a proposal benefits personally from providing that support.
Answer: E
Feedback: Politically skilled managers can exercise their power unobtrusively because they make sure
that everyone whose support they need benefits personally from providing that support. By making
everyone a winner, a manager can influence other organization members because these members see
supporting the manager as being in their best interest.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-66
Essay Questions

101. Define organizational conflict. How can conflict benefit the organization?

Answer:
another's attempts to achieve their objectives. The level of conflict present in an organization has
important implications for organizational performance. Lack of conflict in an organization often signals
that managers emphasize conformity at the expense of new ideas, resist change, and strive for agreement
rather than effective decision making. When an organization has an optimum level of conflict, managers
are likely to be open to and encourage a variety of perspectives, look for ways to improve organizational
functioning and effectiveness, and view debates and disagreements as a necessary ingredient of effective
decision making and innovation.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
102. Differentiate between the four types of organizational conflict and provide an example for each.

Answer:

because of differences in their goals or values. Intragroup conflict arises within a group, team, or
department. Intergroup conflict occurs between groups, teams, or departments. Interorganizational
conflict arises between organizations. Students' examples will vary.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-67
103. What are the various sources of conflict within organizations? Provide a specific business example for
each source of conflict.

Answer:
Feedback: The various sources of conflict are different goals and time horizons, overlapping authority,
task interdependencies, different evaluation or reward systems, scarce resources, and status
inconsistencies. Students' examples will vary.

Author: Did you want 2 Bloom's categories? Blooms: Apply
Blooms: Understand
104. Define functional conflict resolution. Describe the two strategies organizations can use to accomplish

Answer:
between the parties in conflict. The two strategies organizations can use to accomplish functional conflict
resolution are compromise and collaboration. Compromise is possible when each party is concerned
about not only its own goal accomplishment but also the goal accomplishment of the other party and is
willing to engage in a give-and-take exchange and to make concessions until reasonable resolution of the
conflict is reached. Collaboration is a way of handling conflict in which the parties try to satisfy their
goals without making any concessions but, instead, come up with a way to resolve their differences that
leaves them both better off.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
17-68
105. Discuss the four conflict management strategies focused on individuals that managers can use to reduce
conflict within organizations. Give a specific business example of how each of these strategies could be
used by a manager.

Answer:
Feedback: Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict, increasing diversity awareness and skills,
practicing job rotation or temporary assignments, and using permanent transfers or dismissals when
necessary are the four conflict management strategies focused on individuals. Students' examples will
vary.

Author: Did you want 2 Bloom's categories? Blooms: Apply
Blooms: Remember
106. Discuss the two conflict management strategies focused on the whole organization that managers can use
to reduce conflict within organizations. Give a specific business example of how each of these strategies
could be used by a manager.

Answer:
Feedback: The two conflict management strategies focused on the whole organization are changing an
organization's structure or culture and altering the source of conflict. Conflict can signal the need for
changes in an organization's structure or culture. Sometimes managers can effectively resolve conflict by
changing the organizational structure they use to group people and tasks. Managers also can effectively
resolve conflicts by increasing levels of integration in an organization. Sometimes managers may need to
take steps to change an organization's culture to resolve conflict. Norms and values in an organizational
culture might inadvertently promote dysfunctionally high levels of conflict that are difficult to resolve.
When the source of conflict is overlapping authority, different evaluation or reward systems, or status
inconsistencies, managers can sometimes effectively resolve the conflict by directly altering its source.
Students' examples to the second half of the question will vary.

Blooms: Apply
17-69
107. Define negotiation. Briefly explain the two major types of negotiation that managers can use within
organizations to resolve conflicts.

Answer:
Feedback: Negotiation is the process by which the parties in conflict attempt to derive a solution that is
acceptable to the parties by allocating resources to one another. There are two major types of negotiation
—distributive negotiation and integrative bargaining. In distributive negotiation, the two parties perceive
that they have a fixed pie of resources that they need to divide. Each party realizes that he or she must
concede something but is out to get the lion's share of the resources. The parties see no need to interact
with each other in the future and do not care if their interpersonal relationship is damaged or destroyed
by their competitive negotiation. In distributive negotiations, conflicts are handled by competition. In
integrative bargaining, the parties perceive that they might be able to increase the resource pie by trying
to come up with a creative solution to the conflict. They do not view the conflict competitively, as a win-
or-lose situation; instead, they view it cooperatively, as a win-win situation in which both parties can
gain. In integrative bargaining, conflicts are handled through collaboration and compromise.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic:Organizational conflict
108. What is integrative bargaining? Why should managers prefer integrative bargaining over distributive
negotiation?

Answer:
Feedback: In integrative bargaining, parties perceive that they might be able to increase the resource pie
by trying to come up with creative solutions to the conflict. They do not view the conflict competitively
as a win-or-lose situation; instead, they view it cooperatively, as a win-win situation in which both
parties can gain. Trust, information sharing, and the desire of both parties to achieve a good resolution of
the conflict characterize integrative bargaining. Managers should prefer integrative bargaining over
distributive negotiation because the former fosters continuing good relationships, while the latter tends to
hurt relationships.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
Topic: Trust
17-70
109. Discuss the five strategies that managers can use to facilitate integrative bargaining and avoid
distributive negotiation.

Answer:
Feedback: Managers in all kinds of organizations can rely on five strategies to facilitate integrative
bargaining and avoid distributive negotiation: emphasizing superordinate goals; focusing on the problem,
not the people; focusing on interests, not demands; creating new options for joint gain; and focusing on
what is fair.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
110. Define organizational politics and political strategies. Why is it important for managers to engage in
organizational politics?

Answer:
overcome resistance or opposition. Political strategies are the specific tactics that managers (and other
members of an organization) use to increase their power and to use power effectively to influence and
gain the support of other people while overcoming resistance or opposition. Organizational politics are
often a positive force. Managers striving to make needed changes often encounter resistance from
individuals and groups who feel threatened and wish to preserve the status quo. Similarly, managers
often face resistance from other managers who disagree with their goals for a group or for the
organization and with what they are trying to accomplish. Engaging in organizational politics can help
managers overcome this resistance and achieve their goals.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Understand
17-71
111. What are the various political strategies that managers can use to increase and maintain their power?

Answer:
influence others to work toward the achievement of group and organizational goals. Managers can
increase their power by controlling uncertainty, making themselves irreplaceable, being in a central
position, generating resources, and building alliances.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
Difficulty: 1 Easy
17-72
112. What are the various political strategies that managers can use to exercise their power? Discuss each
strategy briefly.
Answer:
Feedback: Politically skilled managers not only understand, and can use, strategies to increase their
power; they also appreciate strategies for exercising their power. These strategies generally focus on how
managers can use their power unobtrusively. Political strategies for exercising power to gain the support
and concurrence of others are: relying on objective information, bringing in an outside expert,
controlling the agenda, and making everyone a winner.
Managers require the support of others to achieve their goals, implement changes, and overcome
opposition. One way for a manager to gain this support and overcome opposition is to rely on objective
information that supports the manager’s initiatives. By relying on objective information, politically
skilled managers unobtrusively exercise their power to influence others.
Bringing in an outside expert to support a proposal or decision can, at times, provide managers with
some of the same benefits that the use of objective information does. It lends credibility to a manager’s
initiatives and causes others to believe that what the manager is proposing is the appropriate or rational
thing to do.
Managers also can exercise power unobtrusively by controlling the agenda—influencing which
alternatives are considered or even whether a decision is made. When managers influence the
alternatives that are considered, they can make sure that each considered alternative is acceptable to them
and that undesirable alternatives are not in the feasible set.
Politically skilled managers can exercise their power unobtrusively by making sure that everyone whose
support they need benefits personally from providing that support. By making everyone a winner, a
manager can influence other organization members because these members see supporting the manager
as being in their best interest.

AACSB: Analytic
Blooms: Remember
17-73

TBChap017 Final

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

TBChap017 Final

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 17

Managing Conflict, Politics, and Integrative Bargaining

True / False Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

A. Lack of conflict increases organizational performance.

A. Different time horizons

A. functional conflict resolution

A. The parties to the conflict do not make any concessions.

A. It does not address the real source of disagreement.

A. The parties to the conflict make concessions.

A. Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict

A. Providing temporary assignments

A. Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict

A. sign up employees for diversity training.

A. Changing an organization's structure

E. It helps parties in conflict to take a competitive, adversarial stance.

A. focusing on superordinate goals.

A. It is consistent with distributive negotiation.

A. Only managers can engage in organizational politics.

A. Organizational politics cannot be used for personal benefits.

A. bringing in an outside expert.

A. The success of the organization as a whole is seen as riding on these managers.

A. Controlling the agenda

A. It causes managers to rely on objective information that supports his/her objectives.

Comp: Ignore bold and underline.

True / False Questions

Feedback: Conflict is a force that needs to be managed rather than eliminated.

Feedback: Intragroup conflict arises within a group, team, or department.

Feedback: Intergroup conflict occurs between groups, teams, or departments.

8. Conflict in organizations usually arises from a single source.

Feedback: Conflict in organizations springs from a variety of sources.

Feedback: Handling conflicts through accommodation, avoidance, or competition is ineffective from an

20. The structure of an organization should not be changed to resolve conflicts.

Feedback: Managers can effectively resolve conflicts by increasing levels of integration in an

32. Organizational politics always has a negative effect on organizational effectiveness.

Feedback: Bringing in an outside expert to support a proposal or decision lends credibility to a

39. Controlling the agenda is an obtrusive strategy for exercising power.

Multiple Choice Questions

A. Lack of conflict increases organizational performance.

Feedback: Interpersonal conflict is conflict between individual members of an organization, occurring

Feedback: Intragroup conflict arises within a group, team, or department.

Feedback: Intragroup conflict arises within a group, team, or department.

Feedback: Intergroup conflict occurs between groups, teams, or departments.

Feedback: Interpersonal conflict is conflict between individual members of an organization, occurring

Feedback: Interorganizational conflict arises between organizations.

Feedback: Interorganizational conflict arises between organizations.

A. Different time horizons

A. functional conflict resolution

Feedback: Conflict is settled functionally by either compromise or collaboration.

62. Which of the following is an ineffective conflict-handling approach?

Feedback: Accommodation is an ineffective conflict-handling approach in which one party, typically

64. Why is accommodation ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. The parties to the conflict do not make any concessions.

A. It does not address the real source of disagreement.

66. Why is competition ineffective as a conflict resolution strategy?

A. The parties to the conflict make concessions.

A. Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict

Feedback: Conflict arises because of communication problems and interpersonal misunderstandings. By

A. Providing temporary assignments

A. Increasing awareness of the sources of conflict

A. sign up employees for diversity training.

76. Which of the following is a strategy used to encourage integrative bargaining?

A. Changing an organization's structure

D. Using permanent transfers