Deck 13: Conflict, Power, and Politics

Question 1

In distinguishing between power and authority, we learned that power is:

A) vested in people.
B) possibly exercised upward, downward, and horizontally.
C) flowing down the vertical hierarchy.
D) more narrow in scope than authority.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Legitimate power comes from:

A) the positions in the organizations.
B) skill and knowledge.
C) personal characteristics.
D) resources controlled by managers.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The greatest cause of intergroup conflict in organizations is probably:

A) goal incompatibility.
B) differentiation.
C) task interdependence.
D) limited resources.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

____ is difficult to measure because power differences are not defined on the organization chart.

A) Strategic contingencies
B) Horizontal power
C) Dependency
D) Decision premise

Question 5

For lower level employees, network centrality:

A) is out of reach because they cannot have access to critical information.
B) can be gained by becoming knowledgeable about certain activities or taking on difficult tasks and acquiring specialized knowledge.
C) makes no difference because they cannot increase power.
D) takes on different meaning than it does for top managers; it means nothing more than being physically located next to those with power.

Question 6

Being centrally located in the organization and having access to information and people that are critical to the company's success is referred to as:

A) decision premises.
B) strategic contingencies.
C) network centrality.
D) power sources.

Question 7

Relative to power, the concept of formal authority is:

A) more narrow in scope.
B) the "umbrella term" that includes all power.
C) the same.
D) more dependent on personality.

Question 8

People have authority in an organization because of:

A) the positions they hold.
B) skill and knowledge they possess.
C) personal characteristics.
D) resources they control.

Question 9

Attributes identified in our text as generating intergroup conflict include all of the following except:

A) differentiation.
B) task interdependence.
C) goal incompatibility.
D) personality.

Question 10

Applying what you know about sources of conflict, you could conclude that as task interdependence moves from pooled to reciprocal interdependence:

A) conflict would decrease and competition would increase.
B) the potential for cooperation increases.
C) the potential for conflict increases.
D) greater goal incompatibility arises.

Question 11

Vertical sources of power include all of the following except:

A) control of decision premises.
B) network centrality.
C) formal position.
D) manipulation.

Question 12

Dependency power is derived from:

A) being dependent on others for something.
B) having something someone else wants.
C) becoming paternalistic in one's management style.
D) immature subordinates.

Question 13

____ is the potential ability of one person/department to influence other persons/departments to carry out orders or do something they would not otherwise have done.

A) Cooperation
B) Collaboration
C) Power
D) Personal position

Question 14

____ is power sharing, the delegation of power or authority to subordinates in an organization.

A) Empowerment
B) Confrontation
C) Dependency
D) Power sources

Question 15

____ is defined as the behavior that occurs among organizational groups when participants identify with one group and perceive that other groups may block their group's goal achievement or expectations.

A) Goal incompatibility
B) Intergroup conflict
C) Political conflict
D) Strategic contingencies

Question 16

When goals are in alignment, there is little differentiation, departments are characterized by pooled interdependence, and resources seem abundant. Managers can use ____ of organization.

A) a political model
B) referent power
C) authority
D) a rational model

Question 17

Which type of power does a manager enjoy because of his right to promote subordinates?

A) Legitimate
B) Reward
C) Coercive
D) Referent

Question 18

Strategic contingencies refer to:

A) events and activities that are essential for attaining organizational goals.
B) environmental factors which have an indirect influence on goal attainment.
C) alternate strategic plans to cope with possible environmental changes.
D) competitors who may damage corporate standing.

Question 19

Which model of organization often prevails because each department has different interests it wants met and different goals it wants to achieve?

A) Political
B) Rational
C) Garbage Can
D) Incremental

Question 20

Putting together what you know about the sources of potential conflict and about interdependence, which of the following attributes will create the greatest potential for conflict?

A) Pooled interdependence
B) Functional specialization
C) Reciprocal interdependence
D) Routine technology

Question 21

The win-win strategy of negotiation:

A) avoids confrontation.
B) finds creative agreements that satisfy both groups.
C) encourages each group to pursue their own outcomes.
D) communicates a high commitment regarding one's position.

Question 22

Which of the following is not one of strategic contingencies that influence horizontal power among departments?

A) Centrality
B) Financial resources
C) Substitutability
D) Dependency

Question 23

Which of the following was not a reaction of managers toward political behavior uncovered in surveys?

A) Managers believe political behavior is uncommon to practically all organizations.
B) Political behavior arises in certain decision domains, such as structural change, but is absent from other decisions, such as handling employee grievances.
C) Most managers have a negative view toward politics and believe that politics will more often hurt than help an organization in achieving its goals.
D) Most managers think political behavior occurs more often at upper rather than lower levels in organizations.

Question 24

Which of the following means that a department's function cannot be performed by other readily available resources?

A) Coping with uncertainty
B) Financial resources
C) Dependency
D) Nonsubstitutability

Question 25

Which of the following is a political tactic for increasing power?

A) Creating dependencies
B) Satisfying strategic contingencies
C) Providing resources
D) All of these

Question 26

One measure of ____ is the extent to which the work of the department affects the final output of the organization.

A) dependency
B) financial resources
C) nonsubstitutability
D) centrality

Question 27

____ are designed to increase worker participation and provide a cooperative model for solving union-management problems.

A) Labor-management teams
B) Decision making teams
C) Venture teams
D) Negotiation teams

Question 28

Collective bargaining:

A) cannot be used to describe today's union-management relations, but does apply to general vertical conflict.
B) is one type of negotiation used to resolve disagreements between workers and management, through a union, establishing fixed responsibilities for the next two to three years.
C) is considered to be an integration device that results in contracts establishing flexible responsibilities for the next ten to fifteen years.
D) has been eliminated because of the introduction of more innovative cooperative approaches.

Question 29

Generally, as interdependence increases, the potential for conflict:

A) increases.
B) decreases.
C) stays the same.
D) is kept at a minimum.

Question 30

____ is a mechanism for arriving at consensus when uncertainty is high and there is disagreement over goals or problem priorities.

A) Power
B) Authority
C) Politics
D) Decision premise

Question 31

John is a manager at XYZ Inc. His subordinates respect him, and several have made comments such as, "I want to be as good a manager as he is one day." He is highly respected and admired. John holds _____ power.

A) reward
B) coercive
C) expert
D) referent

Question 32

Gary is a manager at YMZ Company. One day, when Gary was swamped with work, his colleague, Charles, offered to help Gary with some of his work. Charles finished writing some reports for Gary and made phone calls for him. A month later, when Charles was overwhelmed with work, Gary felt obligated to help him. This example best illustrates which of the following?

A) The principle of reciprocity
B) Empowerment
C) Network centrality
D) Negotiation

Question 33

____ involves activities to acquire, develop, and use power and other resources to influence others and obtain the preferred outcome when there is uncertainty or disagreement about choices.

A) Negotiation
B) Organizational politics
C) Collective bargaining
D) Confrontation

Question 34

Empployees at Brazil-based company Seneco are permitted to control their work hours, location, and even pay plans. Employees also participate in all organization decisions, including what businesses Semco should pursue. Employees at Seneco are _____.

A) dependent
B) rational
C) decentralized
D) empowered

Question 35

Confrontation as a method of reducing conflict is likely to be more effective when:

A) all other forms of collaboration have failed.
B) no mutually acceptable outcomes can be envisioned.
C) the conflict is viewed as a win-win situation and the groups avoid threats.
D) All of these.

Question 36

All of the following, except ____ are the domains of political activity.

A) management succession
B) expanded networks
C) resource allocation
D) structural change

Question 37

Which of the following is not a political tactic for using power?

A) Expand networks
B) Schedule intergroup consultation
C) Enhance legitimacy and expertise
D) Control decision premises

Question 38

_____ is rivalry among groups in the pursuit of a common prize, whereas conflict presumes direct interference with goal achievement.

A) Authority
B) Centrality
C) Competition
D) Dependency

Question 39

Which of the following is not a tactic for enhancing collaboation?

A) Schedule intergroup consultation
B) Create integration devices
C) Avoid confrontation
D) Practice member rotation

Question 40

We know which of the following about horizontal power?

A) It is reflected on the organization flow chart.
B) The sales department invariably carries higher power rating than other departments.
C) Its relationships change as strategic contingencies change.
D) The concept of vertical linkages explains relative power.

Question 41

People at the bottom levels of an organization can never obtain more power than those in higher levels of the organization.

Question 42

Intergroup conflict can occur horizontally across departments, vertically between different levels, and between divisions or business units within the organization.

Question 43

The allocation of power to middle managers and staff is dangerous because it hinders those employees from being productive.

Question 44

The sources of intergroup conflict are goal incompatibility, differentiation, task interdependence, and limited resources.

Question 45

Intergroup conflict requires three ingredients: group identification, observable group differences, and commitment.

Question 46

Network centrality means that managers have access to information and people that are critical to the company's success, and thereby increase their power base.

Question 47

Middle managers and lower-level employees do not have access to information that would increase their power.

Question 48

Goal incompatibility can be a kind of "built-in" conflict between departments--especially marketing and manufacturing--that are faithfully attempting to accomplish their own missions.

Question 49

Horizontal power is not defined by the formal hierarchy or the organization chart.

Question 50

The following statement is a correct usage of the terms "power" and "authority:" Some secretaries are likely to have a great deal of power in the organization even though they have little authority.

Question 51

Nonsubstitutability means that departmental power will be decreased with the loss of control over resources.

Question 52

Empowerment is power sharing, the delegation of power or authority to subordinates in an organization.

Question 53

Strategic contingencies are succession plans that are made within the corporation.

Question 54

Formal authority is exercised downward along the hierarchy and is the same as vertical power and legitimate power.

Question 55

Differentiation refers to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information.

Question 56

Limited resources refer to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information.

Question 57

Legitimate power is the authority to punish or recommend punishment, whereas expert power derives from a person's greater skill or knowledge about the tasks being performed.

Question 58

"He who has the gold makes the rules" refers to control of financial resources as a strategic contingency that influences horizontal power among departments.

Question 59

Centrality reflects a department's role in the primary activity of an organization.

Question 60

Differentiation refers to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information.

Question 61

One of the three primary domains of political activity is structural change.

Question 62

Negotiation occurs when parties in conflict directly engage one another and try to work out their differences.

Question 63

During your job interview for a position in purchasing with Ideal Corporation, the interviewer poses the following question for you to answer: If the two departments of marketing and manufacturing have been experiencing considerable conflict, what explanation could you offer for the likely conflict areas?

Question 64

A win-win strategy means that both departments adopt a positive attitude and strive to resolve the conflict in a way that will benefit each other.

Question 65

The advantage of intergroup consultation is that individuals become submerged in the values, attitudes, problems, and goals of the other department.

Question 66

What is empowerment? Describe the three elements that enable empowered employees to act more freely to accomplish their jobs.

Question 67

Two of the four tactics suggested in our text for increasing management's power are: (1) Answer every challenge, and (2) Get those who can help you indebted to you.

Question 68

In most organizations, are decisions more likely to be made using the rational or political model of organization? Explain and defend your position.

Question 69

Members of the marketing department have become aware that manufacturing is inflating their expense forms when they turn in claims. If marketing decides to report manufacturing to the vice president, they will need to proceed with care. What recommendations would you give to marketing, based on your reading of the chapter on power and politics?

Question 70

Departments can cope with critical uncertainties by obtaining prior information, prevention, and absorption.

Question 71

Explain the five sources of personal power and provide an example of each.

Question 72

A certain amount of conflict is good for an organization.

Question 73

Resources symbolize power and influence within an organization.

Question 74

Horizontal conflict may occur when employees clash with bosses about new work methods, reward systems, or job assignments.

Question 75

The ability to identify oneself as a part of one group and to observe differences in comparison with other groups is necessary for conflict.

Question 76

Working in the offices of the state legislature was an aspiring young man who provided clerical research services for legislators on a wide range of issues. He always provided easy-to-read summary sheets on current issues at the top of their in-baskets, and always tried to make every party so that they would know him personally. When he realized that water distribution was a key issue in the state, he became an expert on water distribution. Finally it got to the point that whenever bills came up that dealt with water distribution, he provided information to the legislators that was exclusive because they did not look elsewhere for detail. Analyze this young man's use of power, utilizing principles from our textbook.

Question 77

Absorption occurs when a department takes action after an event to reduce its negative consequences.

Question 78

Describe the conditions under which a rational model of behavior could be operative. How does the rational model compare to the political model?

Question 79

Why is it that some employees may obtain power that is disproportionate to the level of their formal position?

Question 80

Why will the rational choice model not always work? Under what circumstances will it work?