Managing Human Behavior in Public and Nonprofit Organizations | 4th edition
Robert B. Denhardt • Janet V. Denhardt • Maria P. Aristigueta
Sage 2015
Test Bank | Chapter 11
Managing Conflict
Multiple Choice
1. ________ has been found to be an initial predictor of poor performance.
A) Satisfaction
B) Complacency
C) Contentment
D) Anxiety
2. When employees are ________, morale tends to be low and the amount of conflict increases.
A) Complacent
B) Anxious
C) Punished
D) Overwhelmed
3. According to Wagner and Hollenbeck, which of the following is a benefit of conflict?
A) Conflict lessens social tensions
B) Conflict supplies feedback
C) Conflict helps to stimulate innovation
D) All of the above
4. High levels of conflict on city councils were associated with:
A) Stress
B) Diminished performance
C) Failure
D) All of the above
5. The most common source of internal conflict in an organization is insufficient or
unsatisfactory ________.
A) Consequences
B) Rewards
C) Communication
D) Leadership
6. The more we ________ other people, the more ________ we will be of their motives in
conflicts.
A) Trust; certain
B) Disappoint; uncertain
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C) Trust; uncertain
D) Disappoint; certain
7. Conflicts based on ________ tend to be highly emotional and difficult to resolve.
A) Information deficiencies
B) Personal differences
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
8. Which of the following is NOT a principle of healthy conflict?
A) Create meaningful conversation
B) Make it material
C) Focus on the future
D) Pursue a noble purpose
9. Taking action to satisfy the other party’s needs and concerns is known as:
A) Assertiveness
B) Cooperativeness
C) Supportiveness
D) Aggressiveness
10. Which of the following is a way in which individuals might approach conflict?
A) Competition
B) Collaboration
C) Avoidance
D) All of the above
11. Jonathan is interested in his own position and views the world as a zero-sum game with
winners and losers. What is most likely his approach to conflict?
A) Competition
B) Avoidance
C) Accommodation
D) Collaboration
12. Becky tends to focus on what she has given up rather than on what has been gained. What is
most likely her approach to conflict?
A) Compromise
B) Avoidance
C) Accommodation
D) Collaboration
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13. The collaboration approach to conflict is ________ on assertiveness and ________ on
cooperation.
A) Low; low
B) High; low
C) Low; high
D) High; high
14. The avoidance approach to conflict is ________ on assertiveness and ________ on
cooperation.
A) Low; low
B) High; low
C) Low; high
D) High; high
15. Assessing conflict may be accomplished by:
A) Identifying individual contributions
B) Assessing the working of the overall system
C) Determining recurring patterns inside the system
D) All of the above
16. Which of the following theories of conflict holds that people evaluate their interpersonal
relationships in terms of their value?
A) Attribution theory
B) Systems theory
C) Social exchange theory
D) Evaluation theory
17. Employees in a local government garbage collection unit believed that promotions were
given only to those who belonged to the after-hours bowling team. This is an example of which
of the following sources of conflict?
A) Personal differences
B) Information deficiencies
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
18. Social service organizations with workers with heavy caseloads have unusually high turnover
rates. This is an example of which of the following sources of conflict?
A) Personal differences
B) Information deficiencies
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
19. Emotional reaction such as anger, hostility, frustration, pain, or anxiety is most likely to
occur during which stage of conflict?
A) Frustration
B) Conceptualization
C) Behavior
D) Outcome
20. We will most likely adopt a(n) ________ style if we have a low concern for self and high
concern for others.
A) Dominating
B) Avoiding
C) Compromising
D) Obliging
21. What are approaches a manager can use in engaging in constructive conflict?
A) Reflect, get feedback, gradually correct the problem
B) Reflect, get feedback, immediately correct the problem
C) Conflict is normal but can only be addressed by punishing the initiators
D) None of the above
22. Which of the following are considered the main types of conflicts encountered by public
managers?
A) Intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and intragroup
B) Intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and team conflict
C) Intrapersonal, interpersonal, team, and generational
D) None of the above
23. “Principled” negotiation among parties contrasts with “positional” negotiation by:
A) Separating people from the problem
B) Asking the why and why not questions
C) Brainstorming solutions
D) All of the above
True/False
24. Many managers feel too secure to stir up conflict among their subordinates.
25. Conflict can be extremely beneficial to the workplace.
26. Issues that are worth conflict connect people with a sense of purpose beyond self-interest.
27. Until the 1940s, the role of the manager was to eliminate conflict in the workplace, usually
by punishing the perceived initiators.
28. The competition approach to conflict is low on assertiveness and low on cooperation.
29. Systems theory urges that conflict be viewed as one aspect of a larger system of interactions.
30. According to the attribution theory of conflict, satisfied individuals are more likely to
attribute the causes of their problems to flaws in other parties or in their situations.
31. People tend to give reasons such as unstable causes, judgments, and environmental
conditions rather than recognize that their own behavior is contributing to the conflicts.
32. Avoiding disputes or refraining from direct confrontation with conflict issues in a formal or
public sphere has been found to be a prevailing mode of conflict management by members of
majority groups.
33. Culture is fairly stagnant and does not evolve over time.
34. Generational differences are a potential source of conflict in the work place.
35. While Nelson Mandela served as a political prisoner and then as president of South Africa,
he exhibited the conflict-management strategy of domination.
36. “Conflict intelligence” is defined as the ability to read conflict situations and respond to ways
that can resolve the conflict.
Essay
37. Describe how you deal with conflict? What does that say about your personality? Are you
more likely to accommodate or avoid confrontations?
38. Discuss what happens to conflicts as relationships become closer, more personal, and more
interdependent. What are implications for public organizations?
39. Compare and contrast the theories of conflict. What are some advantages and disadvantages
of each? Discuss, providing relevant examples where appropriate.
40. Discuss the various sources of conflict. Which are easiest to resolve and which are the most
difficult?
41. Describe the stages of conflict. What occurs at each stage? How can conflict be managed
effectively during each of the stages? Discuss, providing relevant examples where appropriate.
42. Discuss the common mistakes in negotiation. Why are good listening skills important in
negotiations?
43. The public administrator often is placed in the role of deciding among conflicting priorities
and is drawn into the center of the conflict. Why is this so? What can an administrator do in these
situations?