Tutorial (4) ER

Question (1): Multiple choices:

1. What is conflict defined as?

a. A peaceful interaction between individuals

b. A collaborative process within social entities
c. An interactive process manifested in incompatibility
d. A harmonious relationship between organizations
C

2. What is a key aspect of conflict involving beliefs, as mentioned in the overview?

a. Both sides believe in complete cooperation

b. Both sides have no impact on each other's goals
c. Each side believes the other will thwart its interests
d. Both sides believe in immediate resolution
C

3. Which of the following is NOT true about conflict?

a. Conflict involves beliefs that others will thwart their interests

b. Conflict arises from shared goals and interests
c. Opposed interests must be recognized for conflict to exist
d. Conflict is a process that develops out of existing relationships
B

4. Conflict arises when:

a. All parties share the same attitudes

b. All parties have equal resources
c. Two or more parties desire a similar resource
d. All parties have identical beliefs
C

5. According to the overview, conflict is best described as:

a. A process without any resulting actions

b. A harmonious interaction between social entities
c. A perception of interest differences among people
d. An individual-centered experience
C
6. What is a key element of conflict, as outlined in the text?

a. Direct resolution without impacted goals

b. Zero-sum situations with opposing interests
c. Shared interests and values
d. Conflict that arises from new relationships
B

7. Conflict does NOT involve:

a. Opposed interests
b. Mutual benefit for all parties
c. Beliefs about interest thwarting
d. A process that develops from past interactions
B

8. What is an example of a functional outcome of conflict?

a. Increased job stress

b. Reduced organizational decision-making
c. Improved group performance
d. Decreased creativity
C

9. Which of the following is a dysfunctional outcome of conflict?

a. Enhanced organizational commitment

b. Improved communication between individuals
c. Development of a climate of distrust
d. Increased job satisfaction
C

10. How can conflict impact organizational decision making?

a. It may be improved
b. It has no effect
c. It always slows down the process
d. It always leads to negative outcomes
A

11. What is a potential consequence of conflict outlined in the dysfunctional outcomes?

a. Enhanced relationships
b. Increase in organizational commitment
c. Reduction in job performance
d. Improved communication between individuals
C

12. What is affective conflict characterized by according to Pelled et al.?

a. Task disagreements among group members

b. Disagreements on values and ideologies
c. Interpersonal clashes with negative feelings
d. Inconsistency in preferences for resource allocation

13. How is substantive conflict defined by Jehn (1997b)?

a. Interpersonal clashes with negative feelings

b. Disagreements on task or content issues
c. Incompatibilities with rational content
d. Disagreements on preferred outcomes

14. What defines a conflict of interest?

a. Disagreements on task or content issues

b. Inconsistencies in preferred outcomes
c. Inconsistency in resource allocation preferences
d. Differences in values and ideologies

15. Conflict of values is also known as:

a. Affective conflict
b. Ideological conflict
c. Substantive conflict
d. Institutionalized conflict

16. Goal conflict arises due to inconsistencies in:

a. Values and ideologies

b. Resource allocation preferences
c. Preferred outcomes or end-states
d. Disagreements on task issues

17. Nonrealistic conflict is associated with:

a. Incompatibilities with rational content

b. Task disagreements among group members
c. Need for releasing tension and expressing hostility
d. Disagreements on preferred outcomes

18. What characterizes institutionalized conflict?

a. Explicit rules, predictable behavior, and relationship continuity

b. Incompatibilities with rational content
c. Disagreements on values and ideologies
d. Need for releasing tension and expressing hostility

19. Retributive conflict involves:

a. Disagreements on task or content issues

b. Disagreements on preferred outcomes
c. Need for drawn-out conflict to punish the opponent
d. Inconsistency in resource allocation preferences

20. Realistic conflict is primarily:

a. A need for releasing tension and expressing hostility

b. Tasks, goals, values, and means-end incompatibilities
c. Disagreements on preferred outcomes and ideologies
d. A condition characterized by anger and negative feelings

21. Which conflict can be labeled as psychological or emotional conflict?

a. Affective conflict
b. Goal conflict
c. Value conflict
d. Substantive conflict

22. Noninstitutionalized conflict is exemplified by:

a. Disagreements on task or content issues

b. Explicit rules and predictable behavior
c. Relationship continuity and predictable behavior
d. Situations where the three conditions are nonexistent

23. Conflicting entities in retributive conflict determine gains by:

a. Incurring costs to the other party

b. Solving the problem together
c. Following explicit rules and displaying predictable behavior
d. Disagreeing on values and ideologies

24. What best describes Intrapersonal Conflict?

a. Conflict between two or more organizational members of different hierarchical levels

b. Conflict among members of a group within the organization
c. Conflict within an individual due to mismatch of tasks and expertise
d. Conflict between two or more units within an organization

25. What characterizes Interpersonal Conflict?

a. Conflict between two or more units within an organization

b. Conflict among members of a group within the organization
c. Conflict between two or more organizational members of the same or different hierarchical
levels
d. Conflict within an individual due to mismatch of tasks and expertise

26. Intergroup Conflict occurs between:

a. Departments and their clients
c. Members of a group and its leader
d. Two or more units or groups within an organization

27. The studies on superior–subordinate conflict are related to:

a. Intrapersonal Conflict
b. Interpersonal Conflict
c. Intragroup Conflict
d. Intergroup Conflict

28. Which conflict type involves conflict between members of different hierarchical levels?

a. Intragroup Conflict
b. Interpersonal Conflict
c. Intrapersonal Conflict
d. Intergroup Conflict

Question (2): Essay Questions:

1. Mention sources of conflict.

 Affective Conflict

 This occurs when two interacting social entities, while trying to solve a problem together,
become aware that their feelings and emotions regarding some or all the issues are
incompatible.
 It labeled psychological conflict, relationship conflict, emotional conflict and
interpersonal conflict.
 Pelled et al. defined it as “a condition in which group members have interpersonal clashes
characterized by anger, frustration, and other negative feelings”

 Substantive Conflict

 This occurs when two or more organizational members disagree on their task or content
issues.
 It reflects disagreements among group members’ ideas and opinions about the task being
performed.
 Jehn (1997b) characterized this type of conflict as “disagreements among group
members’ ideas and opinions about the task being performed, such as disagreement
regarding an organization’s current strategic position or determining the correct data to
include in a report”

 Conflict of Interest

 An inconsistency between two parties in their preferences for the allocation of a scarce
resource.
 This type of conflict occurs “when each party prefers a different solution to a problem
involving either a distribution of scarce resources between them or a decision to share the
work of solving it”.

 Conflict of Values

 This occurs when two social entities differ in their values or ideologies on certain issues.
 This is also called ideological conflict.
 Example: The ideological disagreement of supervisors A and B on the question of
“compensatory hiring” is an example of value conflict.

 Goal Conflict

 This occurs when a preferred outcome or an end-state of two social entities is

inconsistent.
 The understanding of managers A and B that only one of their preferred job design
programs can be implemented for their division is an example of goal conflict.

 Realistic vs. Nonrealistic Conflict

 Realistic refers to incompatibilities that have rational content (i.e., tasks, goals, values,
and means and ends).
 Nonrealistic conflict occurs as a result of a party’s need for releasing tension and
expressing hostility, ignorance, or error.
 Whereas realistic conflict is associated with “mostly rational or goal-oriented”
disagreement, nonrealistic conflict “is an end in itself having little to do with group or
organizational goals”

 Institutionalized versus Noninstitutionalized Conflict

 Institutionalized conflict is characterized by situations in which :

 actors follow explicit rules,
 and display predictable behavior,
 and their relationship has continuity, as in the case of line–staff conflict or labor–
management negotiations.
 Noninstitutionalized conflict is where these three conditions are nonexistent such as
racial conflict.
  Retributive Conflict

 Characterized by a situation where the conflicting entities feel the need for a drawn-out
conflict to punish the opponent.
 In other words, each party determines its gains, in part, by incurring costs to the other
party.
 Examples of retributive conflicts are Northern Ireland and Palestinian–Israeli conflicts.

2. Mention levels of conflict.

 Intrapersonal Conflict

 It occurs when an organizational member is required to perform certain tasks and roles
that do not match his or her expertise, interests, goals, and values.

 Interpersonal Conflict

 It refers to conflict between two or more organizational members of the same or different
hierarchical levels or units.
 The studies on superior–subordinate conflict relate to this type of conflict.

 Intragroup Conflict

 It refers to conflict among members of a group or between two or more subgroups within
a group in connection with its goals, tasks, procedures, and so on.
 Such a conflict may also occur as a result of incompatibilities or disagreements between
some or all the members of a group and its leader.

 Intergroup Conflict

 It refers to conflict between two or more units or groups within an organization.

 Examples: Conflicts between line and staff, production and marketing, and headquarters
and field staffs.