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Conflict and negotiation in the workplace

72 important questions on Conflict and negotiation in the workplace

How do we call the process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party?

a conflict

What are negative consequences of workplace conflict?

lower performance
higher stress, dissatisfaction, and turnover
less information sharing and coordination
increased organizational politics
wasted resources
weakened team cohesion (conflict within team)

What are positive consequences of workplace conflict?

better decision making
more responsive to changing environment through engaging in active thinking about consequences of actions
stronger team cohesion (conflict between team, and outside opponents)

One of the positive consequences of workplace conflict is better decision making; which two processes are involved in this?

testing logic of each other's arguments
questioning assumptions; critical thinking

How do we call a type of conflict in which people focus on characteristics of other individuals, rather than on the issues, as the source of conflict?

relationship conflict

When does a relationship conflict occurs?

when someone tries to dismiss an idea by questioning the competence of the people who introduce or support the idea
when someone uses status to defend a position
when someone shows behavior that demeans others

Why is relationship conflict dysfunctional?

it threatens self-esteem
threatens self-enhancement
threatens self-verification
triggers defense mechanisms
triggers competitive orientation between parties
reduces mutual trust because it emphasizes interpersonal differences which weakens bond

Why do relationship conflicts escalate more easily than task conflicts?

parties become less motivated to communicate and share information
making it difficult to find common ground, and resolve conflict
rely increasingly on distorted perceptions and stereotypes which reinforce perceptions of threat.

What conditions minimize the level of relationship conflict during task conflict?

emotional intelligence and emotional stability; emotions regulated more easily
cohesive team; showing of emotions is less often perceived as personal attack
supportive team norms; keeps coworker interactions in line

Of which components does the model of the conflict process consist?

sources of conflict
conflict perceptions and emotions
manifest conflict
conflict outcomes.

Which sources of conflict are there?

incompatible goals
differentiation
interdependence
scarce resources
ambiguous rules
poor communication

How do we call it when the goals of one person or department seem to interfere with another person's or department's goals

goal incompatibility

How do we call differences among people and work units regarding training, values, beliefs, and experiences?

differentiation

How can interdependence be a source of conflict?

people and work units are affected by others when they have interdependence
conflict arises when people perceive that their interests are being negatively affected by others

How can differentiation be a source of conflict?

two parties may agree on a common goal, but disagree on how to reach that goal.

How does resource scarcity generate conflict?

if each person requires the same resource, scarcity of this resource undermines others who also ned that resource to fulfill their goals.

How do ambiguous rules (or a lack of rules) generate conflict?

uncertainty tends to increase the risk that one party intends to interfere with the other party's goals
ambiguity encourages political tactics
sometimes a free-for-all battle is entered to win discussions

In which ways do communication problems tend to generate conflict?

lack of opportunity to communicate; tend to rely more on stereotypes, causes negative emotions
lack of ability to communicate; lack of ability to communicate in a diplomatic nonconfrontational matter
lack of motivation to communicate; less motivation to communicate with others in a disagreement, causes lack of information which escalates conflict perceptions

On which two dimensions can conflict-handling styles be rated?

assertiveness
cooperativeness

How do we call motivation to satisfy other party's interests?

cooperativeness

Which conflict-handling style is described; finding a solution that is beneficial for both parties.

problem solving

Which conflict-handling style is described; smooth over, or evade conflicts altogether.

avoiding

Which avoidance conflict-handling style are there?

steer clear of coworkers associated with the conflict
minimize discussion of the sensitive topic

Which conflict-handling style is described; giving in to the other side, cooperating with little attention to your own interests.

yielding

Which conflict-handling style is described; looking for a position in which both party's losses are offset by equally valued gains.

compromising

How do we call the belief that conflicting parties will find a mutually beneficial solution to their disagreement?

win-win orientation

How do we call the belief that conflicting parties are drawing from a fixed pie, the more one party receives, the less the other party will?

win-lose orientation

What conditions are necessary to be met to make problem solving the preferred conflict-handling style?

when interests are not perfectly opposing
when parties have trust, openness, and time to share information
when issues are complex

What conditions are necessary to be met to make forcing the preferred conflict-handling style?

when you have a deep conviction about your position
when a quick solution is required
when other parties would take advantage of more cooperative strategies

What conditions are necessary to be met to make avoiding the preferred conflict-handling style?

when conflict has become emotionally charged
when the costs of trying to resolve the conflict outweighs the benefits

What conditions are necessary to be met to make yielding the preferred conflict-handling style?

when the other party has substantially more power
when the issue is less important to you than to the other party
when the value and logic of your position isn't clear

What conditions are necessary to be met to make compromising the preferred conflict-handling style?

when parties have equal power
when time pressure is present to resolve the conflict
when parties lack trust/openness for problem solving

What are the problems with problem solving as a conflict-handling style?

sharing information that the other party might take advantage of.

What are the problems with forcing as a conflict-handling style?

highest risk of relationship conflict
may damage long-term relations, reducing future problem solving

What are the problems with avoiding as a conflict-handling style?

doesn't usually resolve conflict
may increase other party's frustration

What are the problems with yielding as a conflict-handling style?

increases other party's expectations in future conflict episodes

What are the problems with compromising as a conflict-handling style?

suboptimal solution where mutual gains are possible

What are the cultural and gender differences in conflict-handling styles?

collectivists and women are more motivated to maintain relations with in-groups
collectivists are more likely to avoid, or problem solve
men are more likely to use forcing
women are more likely to use avoidance, problem solving, compromising, and yielding

How do we call altering the underlying structural causes of potential conflict, in order to prevent conflict?

conflict management

How do we call goals that the conflicting parties value and whose attainment requires joint resources and effort of those parties?

superordinate goals

How do we call the conflict management approach that focusses on directing focus towards higher-order aspirations rather than individual specific objectives?

emphasizing superordinate goals

What are ways to reduce differentiation?

rotate key staff to different departments or regions, this way experiences are gained more widely compared to in a narrow area
have employees of different parts of the organization work together on projects, create new in-group
build and maintain a strong organizational structure

How can conflicts be reduced through communication and mutual understanding?

apply johari window, more disclosure of individuals about personal characteristics so others have a better understanding of causes of their behavior
lunch and learn sessions; employees from different departments describe work and it's challenges to each other.
apply the contact hypothesis

When should conflict the management strategy improving communication and mutual understanding be applied?

when differentiation is low, or after differentiation has been reduced
otherwise relationship conflict might escalate

What are the ways to reduce interdependence among employees and work units?

create buffers
use integrators
combine jobs

How do we call any mechanism that loosens the connections between two parties?

a buffer

How does a buffer reduce interdependence, and therefor conflict?

the buffer reduces the effect of one party on another

How do we call employees who coordinate the activities of work units toward the completion of a shared task or project?

integrators

How do integrators reduce interdependence and therefor conflict?

they reduce the amount of direct interaction required among diverse work units

How does combining jobs reduce interdependence and therefor conflicts?

combining jobs is a form of job enrichment, where at first two persons would be dependent on each other, now one person is responsible for the whole task.

Which third-party conflict resolution strategy is described; following previously agreed-upon rules of due process, listening to arguments of both parties. and then making a binding decision.

arbitration

Which third-party conflict resolution strategy is described; determine how to resolve the conflict, control all discussion. decide which information is examined, and decide how the conflict resolution process will be handled. make a decision

inquisition

Which third-party conflict resolution strategy is described; manage the process and context of interaction. let the parties make the final decision.

mediators

Why is inquisition the least effective third party resolving strategy?

leaders in this role tend to collect limited information, so decision may produce inefficient solution
employees less satisfied with outcome due to lack of control over the process and decision

Why is the mediation technique generally the best third-party resolution technique?

gives employees more responsibility in solving the conflict, causes higher employee satisfaction

When is arbitration the best third party resolving technique?

when mediation doesn't work
predetermined rules of evidence and other processes create a higher sense of fairness

How do we call the process whereby two or more conflicting parties attempt to resolve their divergent goals by redefining terms of their independence?

negotiation

Which approaches to negotiation are there?

distributive approach
integrative approach

How do we call the negotiation approach where the negotiator believes that the resources at stake are expandable, rather than set, if those involved in conflict work creatively together?

integrative approach

When do negotiators adopt a distributive approach, and when a integrative approach?

distributive when the parties only have one item to resolve, or multiple items with the same value to both parties
integrative when the parties have multiple items to resolve that each have different values to different parties.

What components of preparation do successful negotiators go through?

develop goals, and reflect on the needs underlying these goals
knowing their BATNA

How does developing goals and reflecting underlying needs work in preparation for negotiation?

don't get locked into fixed goals; different goals can satisfy the same needs
focus on needs enables negotiator to actively consider different proposals and opportunities

Which three key positions are identified with goal setting in the preparation for negotiation?

initial reguest (initial point)
achievement in the best possible situation (target point)
minimal acceptable result (resistance point)

Which components are identified in the Bargaining zone model of negotiations?

Initial point
target pont
resistance point
opponents resistance point
opponent target point
opponents initial point
area of potential agreement

How does your BATNA estimates your power in a negotiation?

because it represents the estimated cost to you of walking away from the relationship

What are the most important negotiation practices?

gather information
manage concessions (toegeving/toestemming)
manage time
build the relationship

What is important with information gathering in negotiations?

gather more information than you give
discover a party's hidden needs behind offers and goals
test how wel you understand the other side's facts and position by summarizing and asking for clarity

What is important when managing concessions while negotiating?

make fewer and smaller concessions
give enough concessions to communicate sincerity and motivation to resolve the conflict
discover and signal which issues are more and less important to your side

What is important with time managing in negotiation?

more concessions are made when the dead line closes
the more time someone has put in negotiation the more committed he will be to resolve the issue
time limited offers increase chance of acceptance.

What is important in building relationships in negotiation?

trust motivates them to return to negotiating, keeps parties focussed on the issue, encourages parties to engage in future negotiations, motivates to share information and look for mutual gains
build trust through discover common backgrounds and interests, and signaling trustworhtiness

What are the key situational factors in negotiating?

location; it's easier to negotiate on own turf
physical setting; physical distance can influence orientation, sitting side to side causes win-win orientation, face to face win-lose orientation
audience characteristics; when audience sees whole process, rather than just end-results; negotiators more competitive, more assertive, and less concessive.

Which structural approaches are there to conflict management?

emphasizing superordinate goals
reducing differentiation
improving communication and mutual understanding
reducing interdependence
increasing resources
clarifying rules and procedures

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The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Organizational Behavior | 9781259921704 | Steven L McShane, et al

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