Week 9 - Chapter 13

Question 1

What is conflict

Answer 1

Interpersonal conflict is a process
that occurs when one person, group,
or organizational subunit frustrates
the goal attainment of another.

Conflict often involves antagonistic
attitudes and behaviours.

Question 2

Types of Conflict

Answer 2

Relationship conflict
Task Conflict
Process Conflict

Question 3

Relationship conflict

Answer 3

• Concerns interpersonal
tensions among
individuals that have to
do with their relationship.
• Eg. Personality clashes

Question 4

Task Conflict

Answer 4

• Concerns disagreements
about the nature of work
to be done.
• Eg. Differences of opinion
about goals or technical
matters

Question 5

Process Conflict

Answer 5

• Involves disagreements
about how work should
be organized and
accomplished.
• Eg. Disagreements about
responsibility, authority,
resource allocation

Question 6

Causes of Organizational Conflict

Answer 6

Group Identification
and Intergroup Bias

Interdependence

Ambiguity

Differences in Power,
Status, and Culture

Scarce resources

Question 7

Group Identification

and Intergroup Bias

Answer 7

People develop a more positive view of their own “in-group.”
Self-esteem is a critical factor.

Ex. Bias towards a tutorial

Question 8

Interdependence

Answer 8

When individuals or subunits are mutually dependent on each
other to accomplish their own goals.
It necessitates interaction and implies that each party has some
power over the other.
Interdependence does not always lead to conflict.

Ex. You are on a team that needs to work together to accomplish a task

Question 9

Ambiguity

Answer 9

Ambiguous goals, jurisdictions, or performance

criteria can lead to conflict.

Question 10

Differences in Power,

Status, and Culture

Answer 10

Power: If dependence is not mutual, but one way.
Status: Status differences provide little impetus for conflict when people of
lower status are dependent on those of higher status.
Culture: When two or more very different cultures develop in an
organization, the clash in beliefs and values can result in overt conflict.

Question 11

Scarce resources

Answer 11

Conflict often surfaces in the process of power jockeying.

Limited budget money, secretarial support, or lab space can contribute to conflict.

Question 12

Consequences of Conflict in Teams

Answer 12

Detrimental to member satisfaction
and team performance.

Such conflict prevents the development
of cohesiveness.

Occasionally, some degree of task
conflict might be beneficial for team
performance.

Not all conflict is detrimental.

Question 13

Modes of Managing Conflict

Answer 13

Approaches to managing
conflict are a function of:
•Assertive you are to satisfy your own
or your group s concerns, and
• Cooperative: yo u are in trying to
satisfy other party or group.

Thomas
Kilmann Conflict
Mode Instrument TKI

Assertiveness (y axis)
Cooperative (x axis)

Question 14

Avoiding

Answer 14

Bottom left of TKI

Characterized by low assertiveness of one s own interests and low
cooperation with the other party.

Short term stress reduction but it does not really change the
situation.

It might be a sensible response when:

• The issue is trivial.
• Information is lacking.
• People need to cool down.
• The opponent is very powerful and hostile.

Question 15

Accomodating

Answer 15

Bottom Right of TKI

A CM style in which one cooperates with the other party, while
not asserting one s own interests.

It can be an effective strategy when:

• You are wrong.
• The issue is more important to the other party.
• You want to build good will.

Question 16

Competing

Answer 16

Top Left of TKI

A CM style that maximizes assertiveness and minimizes
cooperation.

It can be effective when:

• You have a lot of power.
• You are sure of your facts.
• The situation is truly win lose.
• You will not have to interact with the other party in the future.

Question 17

Compromise

Answer 17

Centre of TKI

A CM style that combines intermediate levels of assertiveness and cooperation.

It does not result in the most creative response to
conflict.

It is not useful for resolving conflicts that stem from
power asymmetry.

It is a sensible reaction to conflict stemming from
scarce resources and it is a good fall back position if
other strategies fail.

Question 18

Collaborating

Answer 18

Top-right of TKI

A CM style that maximizes both assertiveness
and cooperation.

It is an attempt to secure an integrative
agreement that fully satisfies the interests of both
parties (a win win resolution).

It works best when the conflict is not intense and
when each party has information that is useful to
the other.

Although it takes time and practice to develop, it
frequently enhances productivity and achievement.

Question 19

Why Third Party Intervention?

Answer 19

Emotions overwhelm negotiations

Poor communication

Mistrust/negative perceptions

Unable to implement actions that defuse conflict

Question 20

Types of third party intervention strategies

Answer 20

Mediation/Mediator
(Low level of control of the outcome)

Arbitration/Adjudication
(High level control of outcome)

Both have high level control over the process

Question 21

Why 3rd Party Mediation Can Help

Answer 21

Provide a controlled setting
for parties to vent emotions
and be heard
• Perceive outcome as fair even
if it is not what they wanted
because people have control
over the process

Control procedure of
negotiation so parties can
describe dispute in own terms

Involve the parties in
searching for acceptable
settlements

Motivate parties to resolve
dispute (rather than
walking away)

Facilitate information
sharing

Parties are more likely to
commit to the decision

Question 22

Is conflict bad?

Answer 22

Conflict can be functional when it promotes change.

conflict->change->adaptation->survival

Question 23

How does conflict promote change?

Answer 23

How does conflict promote change?

• Consideration of new ideas.
• Each party monitors the other s performance more carefully.
• Signals that a redistribution of power is necessary.

There are times when managers might use a strategy of conflict stimulation
to cause change.

Question 24

Sources of Stress

Answer 24

Eg

. social pressure, interview , public speaking,

Question 25

Stress

Answer 25

``` The unconscious preparation to fight or flee that a person experiences when faced with any demand. ```

Question 26

Stressor

Answer 26

``` The person or event that triggers the stress response. ``` ex. JRE420

Question 27

Distress

Answer 27

``` The adverse psychological, physical, behavioural , and organizational consequences that may arise as a result of stressful events. ``` ex. sweat, nail biting, fear, nervousness/anxiety

Question 28

Stress Reactions

Answer 28

``` Stress reactions are the consequences of stress: Physiological Emotional Behavioural Psychological ``` Some of these reactions are passive responses over which the individual has little direct control (e.g., elevated blood pressure).

Question 29

Three parts to stress

Answer 29

Stress: • preparation for action Motivation: • the thing that moves you to action Effort-reward imbalance model • When high effort leads to low rewards, strain follows

Question 30

Personality and Stress

Answer 30

Personality can affect both the extent to which potential stressors are perceived as stressful and the types of stress reactions that occur.

Question 31

Three key personality traits

Answer 31

Locus of Control Type A behaviour pattern Negative affectivity

Question 32

Locus of Control

Answer 32

Concerns people’s beliefs about the factors that control their behaviour

Question 33

Type A behaviour pattern

Answer 33

``` •Personality: includes aggressiveness, ambitiousness, competitiveness, hostility, impatience, and a sense of urgency. ```

Question 34

Negative affectivity

Answer 34

``` •Perceive stressors, Hypersensitive; gravitate to stressful jobs; provoke stress through their negativity. ``` •Use passive, indirect coping styles that avoid the real sources of stress

Question 35

Executive and | managerial stressors

Answer 35

Role overload | Heavy responsibility

Question 36

Operative-level | stressors

Answer 36

Poor physical working conditions | Poor job design

Question 37

Boundary role stressors

Answer 37

straddle the imaginary boundary between the organization and its environment are especially likely to experience stress.

Question 38

What can an organization do to help with stress?

Answer 38

Reduce physical demands Reduce task demands Give greater worker control Job employee match in hiring & training Clear communication of expectations Fair treatment Socio-emotional support Instrumental support Value work-life balance Healthy change process Help interpret events as opportunities Recognize and deal with stress symptoms

Question 39

What can an organization do to help with stress?(cont)

Answer 39

Positive thinking Self talk Time management Leisure time activities Physical exercise Relaxation training Eating differently (actual food) Opening up Professional help

Question 40

Job demands and resources model saws that the environment can be described in terms of ...

Answer 40

...demands and resources

Question 41

Job Demands

Answer 41

``` Physical, psychological, social, or organizational features of a job that require sustained physical or psychological effort that in turn can result in physiological or psychological costs. ``` Common demands include: - Work overload - Time pressure - Role ambiguity - Role conflict

Question 42

Job Resources

Answer 42

``` Features of a job that are functional in that they help achieve work goals, reduce job demands, and stimulate personal growth, learning, and development. ``` Job resources can come from: - The organization (e.g., pay) - Interpersonal and social relations (e.g., supervisor support) - Organization of work (e.g., role clarity) - The task itself (e.g., performance feedback)

Question 43

Job Demands -Resource Model

Answer 43

High job resources foster work engagement, High job demands exhaust employees physically and mentally and lead to burnout. Research has found that job demands are related to burnout, disengagement, and health problems. Job resources lead to work engagement, OCB, and organizational commitment, and they buffer the negative impact of job demands on well-being.

Question 44

Burnout

Answer 44

Burnout is a syndrome made up of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and low self efficacy. Burnout was originally studied among those working in some capacity with people. It has now been established that burnout can occur even among non boundary spanners