Question 1

Alpha Construction is having a dispute with a home buyer about some of the terms of their building contract. Both Alpha and the home buyer want to avoid the expense of going to court, but they cannot agree on how to settle their disagreement.
-The two parties eventually agree to ask Sam Jones, an attorney and trusted friend, to help them informally to solve their problem. Sam's role is that of a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Alpha Construction is having a dispute with...

Question 2

Labor and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. The drivers are threatening to strike, and management knows that such a strike would be very costly. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement seems to be possible.
-The labor group decides to make use of the "deadline" strategy to improve their leverage in the negotiations. The labor representative tells management that a deal needs to be made within twenty-four hours, or they're going on strike. Based on your understanding of bargaining tactics, is this approach likely to be successful?

Accepted Answer

The "deadline" strategy can be successful in negotiations as it puts pressure on the other party to act quickly and seriously consider the proposed offer. In this case, the threat of a strike can be very costly for the trucking company, which may motivate the management team to reconsider their position and make a deal within the given timeframe.

Question 3

Labor and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. The drivers are threatening to strike, and management knows that such a strike would be very costly. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement seems to be possible.
-At first, the disputing parties resist your offer to help create a win-win situation for both groups. They are each highly focused on their demands in the negotiation, otherwise known as their ________.

Accepted Answer

The term "target points" refers to the specific outcomes or goals each party aims to achieve in a negotiation.

Question 4

Explain how gender and personality affect negotiating, and describe the types of bargaining that are best for each gender and personality type.

Accepted Answer

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Question 5

Alpha Construction is having a dispute with a home buyer about some of the terms of their building contract. Both Alpha and the home buyer want to avoid the expense of going to court, but they cannot agree on how to settle their disagreement.
-The home buyer wants to bring in a third party who will have the authority to dictate an agreement. This person is a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

An arbitrator is a neutral third party who has the authority to make a decision that is legally binding on both parties. This option allows for the dispute to be resolved without going to court and gives both Alpha Construction and the home buyer some level of control over the outcome. A mediator facilitates negotiations between the parties but does not have decision-making authority. A conciliator is similar to a mediator but may offer suggestions or recommendations. A consultant offers advice and guidance but does not have decision-making authority. An officiant is someone who performs a wedding ceremony.

Question 6

Playbill, Inc. is a company that hires culturally diverse people to perform Shakespearean plays for high school students. The company employs actors and actresses from all over the world. The actors and actresses have joined together to ask Playbill for higher salaries. The employees are struggling over deciding who will negotiate for them.
-Which of the following statements is true pertaining to the role of personality traits in negotiations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Playbill, Inc. is a company that hires...

Question 7

It seems that your work group is in conflict much of the time. One colleague has suggested that you, as the supervisor, are responsible for eliminating the conflict so that your work group can function harmoniously. Another colleague has suggested that conflict is good for stimulating creativity and productivity within the work environment. You are unsure about whether you should try to eliminate the conflict within your group or learn to deal with it positively.
-When your work group disagrees, the disagreements usually concern how the group's work should be accomplished. The type of conflict experienced by your group is ________.

Accepted Answer

Process conflict involves disagreements among group members about the logistics of task accomplishment, such as the delegation of duties and the allocation of resources, which is what the question describes.

Question 8

Describe the preferred negotiating techniques that would be implemented by a manager from China. What conflict management techniques would he use? What role would a third party negotiator be likely to have if not agreement could be reached.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the preferred negotiating techniques that would...

Question 9

Describe a functional conflict and dysfunctional conflict that could exist because of structure.

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

Jennifer has come to realize that conflict has both functional, as well as dysfunctional, outcomes. She has observed examples of both in her organization.
-Jennifer's boss decides to implement a new policy whereby employees provide regular, formalized feedback to their supervisors. Employees are encouraged to evaluate and criticize their superiors. Based on your understanding of functional conflict, is this policy likely to benefit Jennifer's company?

Accepted Answer

The policy of encouraging regular, formalized feedback and evaluation, including criticism of superiors, is likely to promote functional conflict. This is because it creates a space for open communication and the constructive expression of differing opinions and perspectives, which can lead to improvements in organizational performance. It is important to note that functional conflict can be productive and beneficial, while dysfunctional conflict is harmful and counterproductive.

Question 11

Jennifer has come to realize that conflict has both functional, as well as dysfunctional, outcomes. She has observed examples of both in her organization.
-Jennifer's boss asks for her recommendations on strategies for promoting functional conflict within the company. Which of the following is Jennifer most likely to recommend?

Accepted Answer

Empowering employees to question their bosses with impunity promotes functional conflict within the company as it encourages open communication and the sharing of diverse opinions and perspectives. This can lead to better decision-making, increased creativity, and improved teamwork. Punishing individuals who support beliefs that management has rejected, implementing a policy of promoting personnel who are conflict avoiders, training managers to discourage devil's advocates in the decision-making process, and encouraging managers to reward employees who keep their opinions to themselves all promote dysfunctional conflict, which can lead to negative outcomes such as decreased morale, decreased productivity, and increased turnover.

Question 12

Identify the five stages of the conflict process, and provide an example of how a manager from the resolution-focused school of thought would apply each stage of the conflict process in the workplace.

Accepted Answer

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Question 13

Labor and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. The drivers are threatening to strike, and management knows that such a strike would be very costly. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement seems to be possible.
-You have decided to try to find a win-win situation to help labor and management resolve their differences. You are attempting to engage in ________.

Accepted Answer

Integrative bargaining is where both parties work together to create a mutually beneficial solution. This is the best option because it focuses on collaboration and compromise rather than a win-lose situation. In this case, the drivers and management need to work together to find a solution that meets both of their needs. Mediation, BATNA, and arbitration are all options for resolving conflicts but they focus more on legal or third-party intervention rather than a collaborative solution. Distributive bargaining is also not the best option because it involves each side trying to get as much as possible, rather than finding a compromise between the two parties.

Question 14

Labor and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. The drivers are threatening to strike, and management knows that such a strike would be very costly. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement seems to be possible.
-Which of the following is a characteristic of distributive bargaining?

Accepted Answer

The scenario described represents a situation in which labor and management have opposed interests, which is a characteristic of distributive bargaining. In distributive bargaining, the parties see the situation as a zero-sum game in which one side's gains come at the other side's expense. This type of bargaining typically involves haggling over a single issue like wages or benefits, rather than a long-term focus or convergent interests. The parties may not share much information with each other, as they do not want to reveal their bottom line or bargaining power.

Question 15

Describe the first step of the negotiation process. How does the negotiating parties' relationship affect this step, and help determine the kind of bargaining that will be done (integrative or distributive)?

Accepted Answer

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Question 16

Jennifer has come to realize that conflict has both functional, as well as dysfunctional, outcomes. She has observed examples of both in her organization.
-Last month, Jennifer's department experienced constructive conflict during a meeting. Which of the following is not an outcome of this functional conflict?

Accepted Answer

Groupthink refers to the phenomenon where group members prioritize consensus and harmony over critical thinking and independent decision-making. Functional conflict, on the other hand, is characterized by a diversity of opinions and perspectives. Therefore, it is unlikely that functional conflict will increase groupthink. All the other options are outcomes associated with functional conflict.

Question 17

Jennifer has come to realize that conflict has both functional, as well as dysfunctional, outcomes. She has observed examples of both in her organization.
-When "yes" people are hired and promoted, ________ outcomes are likely to result.

Accepted Answer

When "yes" people are hired and promoted, dysfunctional outcomes are likely to result because they may be less willing to challenge the status quo or offer alternative perspectives, which can lead to groupthink and potentially costly mistakes.

Question 18

Alpha Construction is having a dispute with a home buyer about some of the terms of their building contract. Both Alpha and the home buyer want to avoid the expense of going to court, but they cannot agree on how to settle their disagreement.
-Alpha wants to bring in a neutral third party who will facilitate a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, suggesting alternatives, and the like. This person is a(n) ________.

Accepted Answer

A mediator is a neutral third party who helps facilitate a negotiated solution by using communication, suggestion of alternatives, and reasoning. This is the best choice for Alpha and the home buyer to avoid the expense of going to court and work towards a mutually beneficial resolution. Arbitration involves a neutral third party making a binding decision, while a conciliator provides recommendations for a settlement. A consultant provides advice and guidance on a particular subject matter, and an officiant is someone who performs a ceremony.

Question 19

Discuss what is meant by dysfunctional outcomes of conflict.

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

Labor and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. The drivers are threatening to strike, and management knows that such a strike would be very costly. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement seems to be possible.
-Both sides agree that they are competing over a fixed amount of resources. Each side feels that what one side wins, the other loses. The two sides are engaged in ________.

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of distributive bargaining, where both sides view the resources as a fixed pie and believe that each gain by one side results in a loss for the other. The other options, integrative bargaining, mediation, BATNA, and arbitration, would involve a different approach to resolving the disagreement between labor and management.

Quiz 14: Conflict and Negotiation