Chapter 11
Conflict, Power, and Organizational Politics
1. It is impossible for intrapersonal role conflict to emerge from within an individual.
2. Intergroup conflict in organizations is never intentionally stimulated.
3. Managers should prevent intergroup conflict in every situation.
4. Unless there is a good cause, workplace incivility can cause tensions to rise, anger to flare,
and conflict to emerge.
5. Giving constructive criticism objectively is a solution to the incivility problem.
6. If all conflict with co-workers is avoided, each party is likely to be deprived of useful
information about the other’s preferences and views.
7. Conflict is consistent in the speed of its emergence and in the degree of its predictability.
8. The forcing and smoothing approaches are basically useful for hiding or diminishing the
conflict process.
9. The idea of smoothing is attractive if the objective is to escape from a conflict with minimal
cost, but it often stifles creativity.
10. Only the confronting strategy can truly be viewed as a resolution approach.
11. Participants find the confronting approach to be the most satisfying, as they maintain their
self-respect and gain new respect for the other party.
12. A constructive approach for resolving conflicts is to challenge the parties to work together
toward a unifying goal, such as higher revenues or better customer satisfaction.
13. Signaling the offense is the first stage in the relationship-restoring approach.
14. Aggressive people are direct, honest, and expressive.
15. Assertive behavior is least effective when both verbal and nonverbal components are used.
16. Conditional strokes can be confusing to employees because they do not indicate how more
strokes may be earned.
17. Expert power is the ability of leaders to develop followers from the strength of their own
personalities.
18. Managers with reward power can threaten an employee’s job security, make punitive
changes in someone’s work schedule, or, at the extreme, administer physical force.
19. The most desirable outcome from wielding power is compliance, which is the enthusiastic
release of energy and talent to satisfy the leader’s requests.
20. Assertive behavior is a useful response in situations where a person’s legitimate needs have
been disregarded.
1. Conflict can occur _____.
A) between groups
B) across organizations
C) within an employee
D) all of the above
2. Which of the following scenarios is an example of an intrapersonal conflict?
A) Mike faces a decision between choosing what he is supposed to do and choosing what he
wants to do.
B) Jade argues with her manager that a specific task assigned to her is not a part of her job
description.
C) The marketing team argues with the research team on who gets to make a final call on
product design.
D) A manager argues with the Chief Executive Officer to implement a revision in the annual
budget.
3. Which of the following scenarios is an example of an interpersonal conflict?
A) David sees himself as both the member of the team responsible for its welfare and a member
of the executive staff responsible for cutting down costs.
B) Denzil gets into an argument with the Chief Financial Officer on the amount of funds
allocated for an upcoming research project.
C) Luke has to make a decision that completely contradicts his belief and value systems.
D) Peter has planned a vacation but due to an urgent work requirement, he is required to cancel
his plans and attend a meeting.
4. Which of the following scenarios is an example of an intergroup conflict?
A) Bonnie argues with his manager on the rating he was given during performance appraisal.
B) Christine disagrees with the marketing team on a proposed idea for product development.
C) The human resource team argues with the finance team regarding the allocation of funds for
an event.
D) The Chief Executive Officer disagrees with the human resource department regarding the
company’s recruitment policy.
5. Which of the following is NOT a solution to the incivility problem?
A) Refraining from gossiping
B) Showing respect for others’ time, space, and opinions
C) Paying attention to others
D) Giving criticism subjectively
6. In the context of the traits identified among differing personalities, it can be stated that
agreeable people tend to be _____.
A) patient, cooperative, and empathetic
B) impatient, cooperative, and emotional
C) patient, extroverted, and emotional
D) impatient, extroverted, and empathetic
7. Which of the following is a valid, paired category of preferences in the Myers Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI)?
A) Feeling versus experiencing
B) Sensing versus intuition
C) Thinking versus perceiving
D) Judging versus feeling
8. In the context of resolution strategies, the _____ strategy places great emphasis on physical or
mental withdrawal from the conflict.
A) confronting
B) forcing
C) avoiding
D) smoothing
9. In the context of resolution strategies, the _____ strategy places great emphasis on
accommodating the other party’s interests.
A) forcing
B) avoiding
C) compromising
D) smoothing
10. In the context of resolution strategies, the _____ strategy places great emphasis on using
power tactics to achieve a win.
A) forcing
B) compromising
C) avoiding
D) confronting
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written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Ans: A
Page: 295
Difficulty: Easy
11. In the context of resolution strategies, the _____ strategy places great emphasis on searching
for middle ground or being willing to give up something in exchange for gaining something else.
A) forcing
B) compromising
C) smoothing
D) confronting
12. In the context of resolution strategies, the _____ strategy places great emphasis on facing the
conflict directly and working it through to a mutually satisfactory resolution.
A) compromising
B) smoothing
C) confronting
D) forcing
13. Which of the following strategies can truly be viewed as a conflict resolution approach?
A) The confronting strategy
B) The forcing strategy
C) The smoothing strategy
D) The avoiding strategy
14. Which of the following steps in the relationship-restoring approach involves the victim
voicing the grievance?
A) Appreciation
B) Acceptance
C) Acknowledgement of error
D) Signaling the offense
15. _____ is the process of expressing feelings, asking for legitimate changes, and giving and
receiving honest feedback.
A) Aggressiveness
B) Assertiveness
C) Passiveness
D) Impassiveness
16. Assertive people are NOT _____.
A) expressive
B) aggressive
C) direct
D) confident
17. Which of the following is the first stage in assertive behavior?
A) Empathize
B) Indicate consequences
C) Express your feelings
D) Describe the behavior
18. _____ feel good when they are received, and they contribute to the recipient’s sense of well–
being and self-esteem.
A) Positive strokes
B) Confronting strategies
C) Compromising strategies
D) Conditional strokes
19. _____ hurt physically or emotionally and make recipients feel less proud of themselves.
A) Positive strokes
B) Negative strokes
C) Conditional strokes
D) Unconditional strokes
20. Which of the following statements is true of conditional strokes?
A) They feel good when they are received, and they contribute to the recipient’s sense of well-
being and self-esteem.
B) They hurt physically or emotionally and make recipients feel less proud of themselves.
C) They are offered to employees if they perform correctly or avoid problems.
D) They may make a person feel good, but they may be confusing to employees because they do
not indicate how more strokes may be earned.
21. _____ are presented without any connection to behavior.
A) Positive strokes
B) Negative strokes
C) Conditional strokes
D) Unconditional strokes
22. _____ power is the ability of leaders to develop followers from the strength of their own
personalities.
A) Personal
B) Legitimate
C) Expert
D) Reward
23. _____ power arises from the culture of society by which power is delegated from higher
established authorities to others.
A) Personal
B) Expert
C) Legitimate
D) Reward
24. _____ power arises from a person’s knowledge of and information about a complex
situation.
A) Coercive
B) Expert
C) Reward
D) Personal
25. _____ power is the capacity to control and administer items valued by another.
A) Legitimate
B) Coercive
C) Personal
D) Reward
26. _____ power is the capacity to punish another, or at least to create a perceived threat to do
so.
A) Coercive
B) Expert
C) Reward
D) Legitimate
27. Which of the following is LEAST likely to result in commitment?
A) Expert power
B) Coercive power
C) Legitimate power
D) Referent power
28. A manger from human resources works with a manger from the finance department to
compile material for the annual report. Which of the following tactics used to gain political
power will most likely be used in this scenario?
A) Power plays
B) Selective service
C) Alliances
D) Power and status symbols
29. A marketing manager joins a business forum to increase the size of his clientele. Which of
the following tactics used to gain political power will most likely be used in this scenario?
A) Social exchange
B) Alliances
C) Posturing
D) Networks
30. The inventory manager gives faster delivery to retailers from a particular geographical
location. Which of the following tactics used to gain political power will most likely be used in
this scenario?
A) Selective service
B) Posturing
C) Social exchange
D) Alliances
1. Describe the three levels of conflict.
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written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
• Intergroup conflict—a production department may want new and more efficient
machinery while the sales department might want to expand its sales force.
Page: 289
Difficulty: Easy
2. List the most common sources of interpersonal conflict.
3. List simple solutions to the incivility problem.
4. Explain the four conflict outcomes.
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written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
relationships, such as with suppliers, customers, and employees.
Page: 294
Difficulty: Medium
5. List the guidelines for conflict resolution through confrontation.
1. Agree on the common goal: to solve the problem.
2. Commit yourself to fluid, not fixed, positions.
3. Clarify the strengths and weaknesses of both party’s positions.
4. Recognize the other person’s, and your own, possible need for face-saving.
5. Be candid and up-front; don’t hold back key information.
6. Avoid arguing or using “yes–but” responses; maintain control over your emotions.
7. Strive to understand the other person’s viewpoint, needs, and bottom line.
8. Ask questions to elicit needed information; probe for deeper meanings and support.
9. Make sure both parties have a vested interest in making the outcome succeed.
10. Give the other party substantial credit when the conflict is over.
Difficulty: Medium
6. List the behaviors that managers with well-developed interpersonal facilitation skills often
engage in.
7. Describe stroking.
8. Describe power.
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written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
authority, because authority is delegated by higher management. Power, on the other hand, is
earned and gained by leaders on the basis of their personalities, activities, resources, and the
situations in which they operate.
Page: 301
Difficulty: Easy
9. List the four key dimensions of political skills.
10. List the eight steps to increase influence.
1. Treat the other party as a potential ally; avoid making enemies.
2. Clearly identify your own objectives, and pick your battles to fight.
3. Learn about the other party’s needs, interests, expectations, and goals.
4. Inventory your own resources to identify something of value you can offer.
5. Assess your current relationship with the other person.
6. Decide what to ask for and what to offer.
7. Make the actual exchange that produces a gain for both parties.
8. Even if you “win,” don’t gloat; be gracious and avoid boasting.
Difficulty: Medium