What would conflicts between people in the production and sales ...

[ARLKQ]

What would conflicts between people in the production and sales departments likely be based on?
 
  A) Personal differences
  B) Informational deficiency
  C) Role incompatibility
  D) Environmental stress
  E) Personality-defect theory

Question 2

Budget fights (people must do more with less) introduce which source of conflict into the situation?
 
  A) Personal differences
  B) Informational deficiency
  C) Role incompatibility
  D) Environmental stress
  E) Personality-defect theory

[snackralk]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: C
Explanation: A) Incorrect. Though production and sales have different job descriptions and titles, it is unlikely that they have completely different personal backgrounds. Role incompatibility arises when different work groups have interdependent tasks but incompatible roles. They communicate with different sets of people, have different reporting systems, and receive instructions from different bosses. Here, it is most likely that conflict between production and sales will be the result of these differences.
B) Incorrect. Though informational deficiency may arise in some cases, it is not the most likely source of conflict. Role incompatibility arises when different work groups have interdependent tasks but incompatible roles. They communicate with different sets of people, have different reporting systems, and receive instructions from different bosses. Here, it is most likely that conflict between production and sales will be the result of these differences.
C) Correct. Role incompatibility arises when different work groups have interdependent tasks but incompatible roles. They communicate with different sets of people, have different reporting systems, and receive instructions from different bosses. Here, it is most likely that conflict between production and sales will be the result of these differences.
D) Incorrect. Environmental stressors would probably affect all groups and individuals, not just production and sales. Role incompatibility arises when different work groups have interdependent tasks but incompatible roles. They communicate with different sets of people, have different reporting systems, and receive instructions from different bosses. Here, it is most likely that conflict between production and sales will be the result of these differences.
E) Incorrect. Personality-defect theory is no longer a favored theory of conflictvery few conflicts are actually the result of organizational bad apples.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: D
Explanation: A) Incorrect. Personal differences as a source of conflict refers to ethnic, cultural, and other types of diversity that lead to vastly different opinions and values systems.
B) Incorrect. Informational deficiency refers to those situations where information is missing, misinterpreted, or misunderstood. Provided there is not any missing information about the budget issue, this answer is not the best choice.
C) Incorrect. Role incompatibility occurs when there are two or more groups with interdependent tasks but incompatible roles (different divisions of a company, management versus line employee, etc.),
D) Correct. Scarcity lowers trust, increases ethnocentrism, and reduces participation in decision making, all of which contribute to environmental stress.
E) Incorrect. Personality-defect theory is no longer a favored theory of conflict; very few conflicts are actually the result of organizational bad apples.