Chapter 4

Managing Conflict and Conducting Effective Negotiations

Multiple-Choice Questions

1. Conflict occurs when disagreements and friction arise in the course of social interaction because of which of the following?
   1. Cultural similarities in communication styles
   2. Opposing interests and misunderstandings
   3. Cultural differences in communication styles
   4. Both b and c
2. Positive aspects of conflict include which of the following?
   1. It can focus people’s attention on getting promotions
   2. It can lead to inadequate understanding of issues over time
   3. It can result in better performance reviews and better performance
   4. It can resolve who is right about important matters
3. What are positive impacts of conflict that might result from cultural interaction?
   1. Focus people’s attention on getting things done
   2. Decrease awareness of opposing opinions or perceptions
   3. Lead to recognition of the unimportance of cultural differences
   4. All of the above
4. Which of the following is considered a common conflict style across cultures?
   1. Accommodation and avoidance
   2. Compromise
   3. Competition and collaboration
   4. All of the above
5. Which of the following statements accurately explains the concept of “face”?
   1. There are only a few ways to lose face
   2. Face has a great deal to do with the need to belong to a group
   3. Face is closely related to the issues of interpersonal conflict and decorum among people
   4. Face is closely related to the issues of language and nonverbal communication
6. Which of the following would not be a way that “face” can be lost?
   1. Forcing unnecessary concessions
   2. Highlighting a success
   3. Respecting cultural values
   4. Avoiding intentional personal insult
7. Which of the following is considered good advice when navigating around problems involving “face” in conflict and negotiations with Asian cultures?
   1. Subtle, high-context communication is the norm
   2. Compliment when you criticize
   3. Only show justified anger when you feel it
   4. Public displays of emotion are generally accepted
8. Which of the following characteristics would be considered positive aspects to cross-cultural conflict?
   1. People might hold a grudge and look for ways to strike back at one another
   2. Language difficulties may intensify and contribute to cross-cultural conflict
   3. Different cultural norms may give rise to conflict at the expense of similarities
   4. Conflict may enhance an appreciation of another culture’s typical frame of reference
9. What are the key elements of all negotiations?
   1. At least three or more sides are always involved
   2. Motives often conflict across the sides involved and there are no shared interests
   3. Motives often conflict across the sides involved, but there are also shared interests
   4. One side shows some movement from its positions over time in an effort to reach an agreement
10. Which of the following is an important, likely to be overlooked, element of preparing for negotiations that can lead to failure?
    1. Become familiar with the names of those involved in the negotiations
    2. Work with colleagues and others, including advanced training
    3. Prepare immediately prior to the negotiations
    4. Allow only the minimum amount of time that might be needed
11. Which of the following is not typical of behaviors seen during Stage 4 (Concession/Agreement) of negotiations in high-context cultures?
    1. Less emphasis on long contracts
    2. Deal is sealed on the basis of the contextual variables
    3. Profit motive determines agreement
    4. Good setting necessary for final agreements
12. Which of the following behaviors are expected with low-context cultures in Stages 1 or 2 of the negotiation process?
    1. Briefly exchange social niceties
    2. Long presentations to become acquainted
    3. Give careful attention to age and rank of other negotiators
    4. Will solicit extensive information about other negotiators and their company
13. Which of the following behaviors are expected with high-context cultures in Stages 3 or 4 of the negotiation process?
    1. Argumentative
    2. The least important stage
    3. “To the point” negotiating style
    4. Face saving not very important
14. Which of the following is not a common element of the stereotypic American negotiating style?
    1. Lay your cards on the table
    2. Silence can be powerful negotiating tool
    3. Don’t take no for an answer
    4. One thing at a time
15. What is the correct sequence for the four-stage model of key cross-cultural differences that occur in the negotiation process?
    1. Task-related exchange of information, nontask sounding, persuasion, and agreement
    2. Nontask sounding, persuasion, task-related exchange of information, and agreement
    3. Nontask sounding, task-related exchange of information, persuasion, and agreement
    4. Task-related exchange of information, persuasion, nontask sounding, and agreement

True or False Questions

1. Conflict occurs when disagreements and friction arise in the course of social interaction because of opposing interests, cultural differences in communication styles, and misunderstandings.
2. Both language difficulties and differing cultural norms may give rise to conflict.
3. In collective cultures a low concern for others often drives the preference for avoidance, whereas in individual cultures avoidance is believed to reflect high concern with others.
4. An important cause of conflict is the propensity for individuals in a given culture to be involved with conflict in the first place.
5. People from collectivist cultures such as China, Japan, Korea, and Mexico tend to prefer an avoidance style while people from individualistic cultures such as the United States tend to prefer a direct, competitive style of dealing with conflict.
6. The concept that might be most likely to cut across most cultures is that of “face” because pride and the respect of others are not of great important to most people.
7. Negotiation, the process of communicating back and forth with another person or group with the explicit purpose of working toward a joint decision or agreement about a particular issue or dispute, is perhaps one of the best ways to avoid conflict or to at least keep it to a minimum.
8. Negotiating is a simple, straightforward process regardless of the cultures involved.
9. Conflict preferences are consistent across cultures and do not vary regardless of who is involved in the conflict.
10. The four-stage model of key cross-cultural differences that occur in the negotiation process includes nontask sounding, task-related exchange of information, persuasion, and agreement.
11. The meaning of the word “compromise” and similar related terms is consistent regardless of cultural differences.
12. Officially, most governments and companies say that they do not negotiate with terrorists and in fact they never do.
13. There is reason to believe that governments should attempt to negotiate with terrorists as studies show more people have died from raids or assaults committed by authorities than at the hands of terrorists in these situations.
14. The common conflict styles are accommodation, collaboration, avoidance, and compromise.
15. Not all conflict is bad, but there is value in recognizing and understanding it because if the underlying conflict is understood, a firm can more effectively manage it, especially in an international context.
16. One important variable in the nontask sounding stage is simply the amount of time spent on this stage.

Short-Answer Questions

1. How might negotiations typically proceed between Westerners (LC cultures typically) and Asians (much more HC in orientation).
2. What sort of touch points in the style of Westerners (LC cultures typically) and Asians (more HC in orientation) might come into play in negotiations involving these two types of cultures?
3. What are two well-established perspectives into which many different approaches to successful negotiating can be categorized and how do they differ?
4. Describe at least three positive impacts of conflict that might result from cultural interaction.
5. List the four stages of the negotiation process in order.
6. What is the primary concern for each of the common conflict styles: assertiveness and cooperativeness?
7. Why would the collaboration conflict style be considered a “mutually beneficial” conflict style?
8. Explain what is meant by the statement that conflict preferences may vary depending on who is party to the conflict.
9. Briefly explain the concept of “face” and its role in conflict prevention and reactions to conflict.
10. Why might the recommendation to “go slow, be calm, never loud. Listen more than you talk” be especially good advice in Asia?
11. What are three examples of general suggestions that are important when faced with conflict and negotiation situations?
12. Explain what it means to say that people in individualistic cultures often prefer an equity norm when dividing up organizational resources. Use determining raises in pay as an example.

Essay Questions

1. List the four stages of the negotiation process and compare the behavior expected at each stage based on whether the negotiators are from low- or high-context cultures.
2. Provide a list of practical suggestions for Westerners who are not used to doing business in Asia and want to successfully navigate around problems with “face” in conflict and negotiations situations.
3. Describe three or four elements of the stereotypical American negotiating style and offer a suggestion for how each could or should be modified for use in other countries.