Conflict Management: a Literature Review and Study

Conflict Management: A Literature Review and Study

By Sally Erin Howell, MSRS, RT(R)

The credit earned from the Quick CreditTM test accompanying this article may be applied to the CRA human resources (HR) domain.

Literature Review Executive Summary Conflict at work is certain; however, the result may be influenced Conflict management strategies are the •• Management of conflict is extremely by the manner in which the conflict is behavioral methods used to resolve important for the effective functioning managed.1 The volume and intensity of conflict.4 These behaviors are a conse- of organizations and for the personal, impending conflict is determined by how quence of both external circumstances cultural, and social development of the conflict is handled.2 Effective conflict and the individual’s own method of individuals. The manner in which the management encourages enthusiasm, interaction with people and problems, conflict is managed can cause more boosts morale, and stimulates individual and are chosen dependent upon the tension in the situation rather than the and organizational development; while relative significance of one’s concern for conflict itself. ineffective conflict management pro- self, versus concern for others.5 Manage- •• This literature review analyzes five duces more conflict and destructively ment of conflict is extremely important modes to dealing with conflict along effects the whole organization.3 Effective for the effective functioning of organiza- two dimensions of behavior: compet- conflict management involves the use of tions and for the personal, cultural, and ing (assertive and uncooperative), 3 accommodating (unassertive and an assortment of styles dependent on the social development of human beings. 4 cooperative), avoiding (unassertive conditions of the conflict. The manner in which the conflict is man- and uncooperative), compromising This article provides an overview of aged typically causes more tension in the 6 (falls into the middle), and collaborat- conflict management strategies through situation rather than the conflict itself. ing (assertive and cooperative). a literature review. A study was then con- Any professional who is concerned with •• In a study, technologists preferred a ducted of 219 radiologic technologists to supporting others and the organization cooperating conflict management predict commonalities in conflict man- in changing negative conflict situations style when feelings have not yet esca- agement styles in this particular cohort, should have an objective of inventive and lated, and a compromising conflict taking into account education level. productive conflict management. management style after the conflict Radiologic technology students who According to Thomas and Kilmann’s has become heated. The study also will someday become leaders in the field MODE instrument there are five modes showed education level did not have must know how to effectively manage to dealing with conflict along two dimen- any effect on their preferred conflict conflict situations. Possessing a higher sions of behavior (see Figure 1).5 The management styles. level of education can play a vital role in five modes are: competing (assertive and helping employees handle work associ- uncooperative), collaborating (assertive ated conflict. and cooperative), compromising (falls

14 September/October 2014  radiology management authority or influence by the use of open 8

e hostility. When dealing with this type COMPETING COLLABORATING tiv of strategy frustration, irritation, or argument may be used; and conflicting Asser parties may be fully removed from the situation by use of authority. The con-

eness flict could be temporarily lessened when tiv COMPROMISING competing tactics are used, but no final resolution is ever agreed upon. Com- Asser petitive tactics are a “win-lose” situation, e

tiv where one individual tries to pressure the other to change.9 AVOIDING ACCOMMODATING The Kraybill Conflict Style Inven- Unasser tory refers to competing as a directing UncooperativeCooperative conflict management strategy. When Cooperativeness the individual uses a directing conflict management style there is a high focus Figure 1 • Five Methods of Managing Conflict on the agenda (conflict) and a low focus on the relationship with the other party. The directing style has an “I win and you lose” approach. When individuals use this style they more than likely hold Directing Cooperation some type of power over the other party involved and are able to demand for the conflict to be resolved in their favor. The directing approach is not always a “bad” conflict management style, it can be use- Compromising ful in emergency situations when deci- sions need to be made fast. When this

ocus on agenda style is used by a supervisor it gives the F employee a sense of stability to know that their supervisor is constant in their deci- sion making. Avoiding Harmonizing Collaborating Focus on relationship Collaborating involves finding a solution to the conflicting situation that satisfies Figure 2 • Five Styles of Responding to Conflict both parties.5 An effort has to be made to actively pursue effective problem solving actions in order that all parties can accomplish equally satisfying results into the middle), avoiding (unassertive harmonizing (low focus on agenda, high (win-win).8 In this strategy, individuals and uncooperative), and accommodat- focus on relationship). This literature seem to be just as concerned with the ing (unassertive and cooperative). Kray- review will follow Thomas and Kilmann’s wants of others as their own; however, bill developed a scale similar to that of MODE instrument due to the majority they are not willing to give up their own Thomas and Kilmann (see Figure 2).7 of past studies using their scale. positions to merely soothe the wants of Kraybill’s five responses to conflict are other individuals. Innovative ideas often directing (high focus on agenda, low Competing emerge when people use the collabora- focus on relationship), cooperating The competing conflict management tive approach to conflict management. (high focus on agenda and relation- strategy is seen when individuals fol- When parties must continue to work ship), compromising (medium focus on low their own needs and goals to the together after a conflict has occurred, a agenda and relationship), avoiding (low exclusion of others.5 Individuals who collaborative conflict management strat- focus on agenda and relationship), and use a competing strategy try to increase egy must be used to continue to work

radiology management  September/October 2014 15  Conflict Management: A Literature Review and Study

together in agreement. A collaborative Over time, individuals will get tired of resolve the condition. When high conflict strategy is positively linked to commu- always getting a little, but never being was present, nurses were more likely to nication satisfaction and partner ability fully satisfied. avoid discussing the condition because of and trust.9 distress or apprehension, or they chose to The collaborating style is synony- Avoiding dominate the condition. mous with the cooperating style under This strategy is used when both parties’ The avoiding conflict response has the Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory. distresses are ignored by not address- a low focus on agenda and relationship This conflict management style has a ing the problem.5 The avoiding strategy under Kraybill’s scale.7 In other words, high focus on the agenda and the rela- is characterized by the acceptance that the individual is not concerned with tionship with the other party. This type any effort to either discuss or contest what the conflict is about or the other of conflict management style works best the conduct of another is desperate and party involved in the situation. This style when the individuals involved in the pointless.8 Those who use an avoiding is used by individuals who are the silent, conflict situation have a mutual respect approach have very little concern for non-confrontational type, or by individ- and trust one another. When the coop- their own desires; it is not unusual to find uals who feel they are simply “too good” erating style is used both parties are sat- these people purposely removing them- to be involved with the whole situation. isfied because both of their needs have selves from situations that could lead to When the avoiding style is used over a been met; however, this conflict manage- possible disagreements. These individu- period of time it can lead to stagna- ment style can take up a large amount of als are not likely to be self-confident, fail tion within a department. Individuals the individuals’ time and take away from to pursue support from coworkers, and will become less involved and feel less other important tasks. are incapable of taking a strong stand accountable for their actions. However, on conflicting issues. Often individuals the avoiding approach can be the proper Compromising who use an avoiding conflict manage- style to use in trivial conflicts with indi- A compromising conflict management ment strategy may choose not to reply viduals whose relationship is inconse- strategy involves trying to find a “com- or develop a state of unawareness. The quential. mon ground” that partly satisfies both radiologic sciences students from Sports- parties.5 With this strategy, individuals man and Hamilton’s study chose the Accommodating realize that every party cannot always avoidance conflict management strategy An accommodating style of conflict be entirely satisfied in every conflict most often.4 Several studies have found management involves neglecting one’s situation.8 The parties accept that there that nurses tend to choose the avoiding own concerns in order to satisfy the con- are times when one must be ready to style of conflict management.1,8 Avoid- cerns of others.5 This strategy is regarded set apart individual wants and needs in ance can be a valued conflict management as the acceptance that the preservation preference for others in order to find a strategy when the matters instigating the of pleasant interpersonal affairs is more “common ground.” In Sportsman and conflict are of low significance.8 significant than forming disagreements Hamilton’s study of nursing and allied One study describes two types of among colleagues.8 Individuals adopt- health students, the compromising strat- conflict management strategies: agree- ing an accommodating style of conflict egy was chosen most, closely followed by able and disagreeable.1 Individuals who management have a high want for rec- avoidance.4 Reich, Wagner-Westbrook, use agreeable conflict management are ognition and support from others. The and Kressel showed educational level was more likely to incorporate one another’s accommodating individual is more apt positively correlated with a compromis- ideas through teamwork and try to fulfill to take a “middle of the road” attitude ing style and negatively correlated with the expectations of everyone. This type when an inescapable conflict emerges. an accommodating style.10 The supervi- of conflict management makes work less These individuals tend to use apology sors in their study chose compromising conflicting over time. The disagreeable or humor, or express their desires in an as the most prominent conflict manage- style of conflict management circum- indirect way rather than coming straight ment strategy. vents conflict all together or focuses on to the problem. Kraybill describes the compromis- having only the individual’s ideas and Kraybill refers to accommodating as ing with a medium focus on the agenda needs met. This type of conflict man- a harmonizing conflict response.7 The and the relationship with the other party agement results in a hostile and stressed harmonizing style has a low focus on involved in the conflict. When individu- work environment. This study found that the agenda and a high focus on the rela- als use this type of conflict management nurses working in teams with high con- tionship. Individuals will often use this style, they possess a sense of fairness and flict were more apt to manage conflict style when they want to fit in with the realism. Even though this type of con- with a disagreeable style (domination other party. When this style is over-used flict management style may seem like the or avoidance).1 Nurses were cautious the individual will eventually become “best” style, it can often lead to problems. to become involved in open debate to depressed due to the fact of always

16 September/October 2014  radiology management giving the other party what they want the country reported full enrollment management style. Another study of and always losing what is important to and had to turn an average 39.5 students nurses yielded similar results: nurses the individual. who are eligible away from the program. with a bachelor’s degree were found to This number is only going to rise due to be more thinking and less competing, Situational Issues the CARE bill.12 These students might and managers with associate degrees According to Sadri, there are four situ- someday become leaders in the field and showed to be more competing and more ational issues to consider when choosing must know how to effectively manage feeling.18 The nurses possessing associ- the best conflict management strategy: conflict situations. ate degrees were usually in lower level the importance of the issue the conflict Possessing a higher level of educa- positions which could make competing deals with, importance of the relation- tion can play a vital role in helping new essential in their workplaces. Al-Hamdan ship with the other party, the power one employees adapt to the uncertainty of stated that “knowledge confers power,” has in dealing with the issue, and the organizational life and handle work asso- and that someone with a lower education amount of time in which the issue must ciated conflict.13 Students benefit from level could feel powerless when related to be resolved.11 If the relationship is an learning conflict management strategies someone with a higher education level ongoing one then the importance is high; by being able to recognize types of conflict (university degree).17 When people are if the relationship is a one time event due and making the proper communicative in positions of power and only possess a to the conflict or there are alternatives to answers to the conflict. Conflict manage- diploma, they tend to try and accommo- the person the relationship importance ment education should be included from date their supervisors and avoid conflict is low. The issue of power in the con- the start of the professional socialization because they have no knowledge of conflict is determined by who the conflict course.14 Conflict management strate- flict management strategies. involves, and can range from high power gies are either acquired or taught. When Most people in the healthcare field are to low power. For example, a conflict supervisors were taught about conflict taught technical skills for the delivery of between peers would be of equal power management strategies their stress levels healthcare services, but are not formally and a conflict between the employee and decreased significantly because they had educated in relationship building skills.19 the supervisor would be of low power. the tools (ie, communication skills) to Relationship building skills are crucial to Table 1 describes when the different deal with the conflict.15,16 negotiation, interpersonal communi- types of conflict management strategies In a study of nurse managers, educa- cation, and collective problem solving are best to use by managers. tion level showed to play a part in the con- among coworkers. Educators can help flict management style used by nurses.17 prepare students for dealing with conflict Nurses with master’s degree or a bach- by first discussing the different types of Education and Conflict elor’s degree with specialized diplomas conflicts they will most likely face in the showed to use a compromising conflict work setting.13 Students’ communica- Management Styles management style. The nurse managers tion strategies for dealing with conflict With the introduction of the CARE bill, having only a bachelor’s degree with no can be enhanced by educators. Students individuals will be required to possess specialized diploma used an integrating will be prepared to deal with conflict as a formal education in medical imaging. style, and the nurse managers with only an employee when they experience it as a Over half of all radiology programs in a diploma used a dominating conflict student in a learning environment.

j TABLE 1. Situational Issues for Conflict Management Styles Survey Methods The survey adopted for this project is Issue Relationship Time Power Style Matters: The Kraybill Conflict Importance Importance Limits Over Issue Style Inventory, which is divided into Competing High Low High High two sections: calm and storm. The calm section deals with the respondents’ con- Collaborating High High Low Moderate flict management style in the beginning Compromising Medium Medium Low Equal of the conflict situation when feelings Avoiding Low Low N/A Equal have not yet escalated. The second section of the survey, storm, deals with the Accommodating Low Low High Low respondents’ conflict management style Source. Adapted from Sadri G. “Conflict’s here. Now what?” Industrial Management. 2012;54(3):23. after the conflict has become heated and gotten stronger. After the responses are

radiology management  September/October 2014 17  Conflict Management: A Literature Review and Study

agenda and a high focus on the relation- j TABLE 2. Preferred Conflict Management Style (n=37) ship with the other party involved in the conflict. The cooperating conflict man- Calm Storm agement style is synonymous with the Cooperating Compromising collaborating conflict management style Compromising Cooperating from Thomas and Kilmann. The collaborating style is high on the assertiveness Harmonizing Harmonizing dimension and high on the cooperating Avoiding Directing dimension. Both cooperating and collab- Directing Avoiding orating have “win-win” outcomes. This conflict management style is appropriate to use when both parties must continue to work together; hence the high focus on relationship.8 For the storm setting, the technolo- calculated, each respondent will have a Bossier City areas. A total of 219 tech- gists had a more compromising conflict preferred conflict management style for nologists were administered the survey management style (Table 5). This style the calm and storm settings. electronically. has a medium focus on the agenda and Similar to the conceptual arrange- a medium focus on the relationship with ment for methods of managing conflict the other party.7 Thomas and Kilmann by Thomas and Kilmann, the Kraybill Results and Discussion also refer to this style as compromising. Conflict Style Inventory also has five Overall, the technologists that partici- This style requires for both parties to styles of responding to conflict on a two- pated in the survey preferred a cooperat- reach some form of “common ground” dimensional level (see Figure 1). Where ing conflict management style during the where both are partly satisfied.8 The com- Thomas and Kilmann used competing, calm setting. The storm setting showed promising conflict management strategy collaborating, and accommodating; the technologists to prefer a compro- can be classified as functional conflict Kraybill has used directing, cooperating, mising conflict management style. The due to the fact that new ideas are created and harmonizing. The two dimensions study also showed the education level of through the resolution process.20,21 Kraybill’s model uses are focus on agenda the technologists did not have any effect The education level of the technolo- (assertiveness in Thomas and Kilmann’s on their preferred conflict management gists did not show to have any significant model) and focus on relationship (coop- styles. See Table 3. effect on conflict management strategy. erativeness in Thomas and Kilmann’s The technologists’ preferred conflict The findings of this study are inconsis- model). management style for the calm set- tent with previous studies of nurses that The study subjects were a sample ting was cooperating (Table 4). On the showed the education level does play a of radiologic technologists from six Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory scale role in conflict management style.17,18 local hospitals in the Shreveport and this relates to having a high focus on the Most of the technologists from this survey possessed a bachelor’s degree, which could contribute to the findings being insignificant. See Figure 3. However, even though the results were insignificant in j TABLE 3. Conflict Management Style by Education Level (n=37) education level contributing to conflict Education Level f Calm Storm management style, the results show that cooperating and compromising were High School or Equivalent 1 Compromising Directing the preferred conflict management style Some College 10 Compromising Cooperating of the technologists. Since most of the Associate Degree 8 Compromising Cooperating technologists from this survey possessed a bachelor’s degree, it would make sense Bachelor Degree 15 Cooperating Cooperating that the overall conflict management Graduate Degree 3 Cooperating Compromising strategies were cooperating and compro- Note. Less than high school was omitted for this table due to no technologists selecting this mising. Individuals with a higher educa- education level. The calm setting represents the time period before the conflict situation is tion are able to handle work associated heated, while the storm setting represents after emotions have gotten high. conflict more easily.13 The results from this survey coincide with Al-Hamdan’s

18 September/October 2014  radiology management study that showed nurses with a master’s j TABLE 4. Calm Frequency (n=37) degree or bachelor’s degree used a compromising conflict management strategy; Cumulative however, Al-Hamdan’s study showed that Frequency Percent Percent education level has a significant effect on Cooperating 20 54.1 54.1 the conflict management style used.17 Directing 3 8.1 62.2 Although the different education levels did show different conflict man- Compromising 6 16.2 78.4 agement styles in the both the calm and Avoiding 2 5.4 83.8 storm settings, they were not statisti- Harmonizing 6 16.2 100.0 cally significant. One might assume that the cooperating conflict management Total 37 100 style is best because of the high focus on the agenda and the relationship, but this is not always true.7 When a person is attempting to cooperate, time is taken away from other tasks that may be more j TABLE 5. Storm Frequency (n=37) important than the conflict; however, cooperation can build trust between the Cumulative conflicting parties. The compromising Frequency Percent Percent conflict management style is the middle Cooperating 23 62.2 62.2 of all of the five styles. This style can Directing 5 13.5 75.7 be used to resolve conflicts more rap- idly and create an emphasis on equality. Compromising 6 16.2 91.9 When the compromising style is used for Avoiding 1 2.7 94.6 a conflict that requires more discussion, Harmonizing 2 5.4 100.0 it can fail because no party gets what they really want. When technologists are edu- Total 37 100 cated in conflict management styles, they are able to recognize the situations where cooperating and compromising conflict management styles would fail.

45% 41% Significance of Findings 40% This study did show that technologists 35% possessing a bachelor’s degree used a cooperating conflict management style 30% 27% in both the calm and storm settings. 25% Cooperating from Kraybill’s Conflict 22% Style Inventory scale is equivalent to col- 20% laborating from Thomas and Kilmann’s 15% scale. When individuals use a cooperating conflict management strategy, there 10% 8% is better communication between the two parties because the individuals are 5% 3% 0% trying to work out the problem so both 0% 8,9 Less than high High school Some college Associate Bachelor Graduate parties can win. By using a cooperat- school degree degree or but no degree degree degree degree ing conflict management style innovative equivalent ideas are developed due to the individuals using a collaborative approach to Percentage solve the conflict.11 The cooperating style Figure 3 • Technologists’ Education Level (n=37) creates functional conflict because the

radiology management  September/October 2014 19  Conflict Management: A Literature Review and Study

results are positive (win-win outcome). conflict situation.7 Learning the differ- 14Hendel T, Fish M, Galon V. Leadership style By educating radiologic technologist stu- ent conflict management strategies will and choice of strategy in conflict manage- dents about conflict management styles enable others to understand the value ment among Israeli nurse managers in they will be able to manage conflict in a and recognize the strengths and weak- general hospitals. Journal of Nursing Man- functional and constructive way.22 When nesses of each style. There is always a agement. 2005;13:137–146. 15Brewer N, Mitchell P, Weber N. Gender role, the conflict is over patient care and the correct conflict management style in dif- organizational status, and conflict manage- cooperating style is used, not only do ferent conflict situations. ment styles. The International Journal of the opposing parties win, but the patient Conflict Management. 2002;13(1):78–94. 23 benefits also. Cooperating conflict References 16Haraway D, Haraway W. Analysis of the management styles require the problem 1Almost J, Doran D, Hall L, Laschinger H. effect of conflict-management and resolu- to be tediously thought out by all con- Antecedents and consequences of intra- tion training on employee stress at a flicting individuals and coming together group conflict among nurses. Journal of healthcare organization. Hospital Topics: to mutually agreed upon resolution. Nursing Management. 2010;18:981–992. Research and Perspectives on Healthcare. 2Meyer S. Organizational response to conflict: 2005;83(4):11–17. Future conflict and work outcomes. Social 17Al-Hamdan Z. Nurse managers, diversity and Work Research. 2004;28(3):183–190. conflict management. Diversity in Health Limitations 3 Kunaviktikul W, Nuntasupawat R, Srisuphan and Care. 2009;6:31–43. There were several limitations to this W, Booth R. Relationship among conflict, 18Whitworth B. Is there a relationship between study. First was the low response rate. conflict management, job satisfaction, personality type and preferred conflict The survey was sent to 219 technolo- intent to stay, and turnover of professional handling styles? An exploratory study of gists selected by convenience sampling, nurses in Thailand. Nursing and Health Sci- registered nurses in southern Mississippi. ences. 2000;2:9–16. but only 41 responded. Of those 41 Journal of Nursing Management. 2008; 4Sportsman S, Hamilton P. Conflict manage- 16:921–923. responses there were only 37 completed ment styles in health professions. Journal of 19Femia J. Conflict in the radiology depart- surveys. The low response rate could be Professional Nursing. 2007;23(3):157–166. ment. Advance for Imaging & Radiation due to the fact that one of the facilities 5Thomas KW, Kilmann R. Thomas-Kilmann Oncology. 2013. was undergoing new ownership, and Conflict Mode Instrument. Tuxedo, NY: 20Brinkert R. Conflict coaching training for another facility had just gone through Xicom. 1974. nurse managers: A case study of a two-hos- Joint Commission inspection. Another 6Trudel J, Reio T. Managing workplace inci- pital health system. Journal of Nursing limitation of the survey is that over vility: The role of conflict management Management. 2011;19:80–91. 40% of the respondents held bachelor’s styles—antecedent or antidote? Human 21Bandara H, Silva R. Effectiveness of the inter- degrees. This data was not spread out Resource Development Quarterly. 2011; personal conflict management styles evenly among different education levels. 22(4):395–423. adopted by supervisory level employees: A 7Kraybill R. Style matters: The Kraybill conflict Because of the small sample size the study of non-quoted, medium scale, Sri style inventory. Harrisonburg, VA: River- Lankan manufacturing organizations. results of this survey cannot be general- house ePress. 2005. Competitive Management in A Dynamic ized to the entire radiologic technologist 8Cavanagh S. The conflict management style of World. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Management population. A larger, random sample staff nurses and nurse managers. Journal of Faculty Publications. 2009. should be used in order to generalize the Advanced Nursing. 1991;16(10):1254–1260. 22Chan C, Monroe G, Ng J, Tan R. Conflict results. By having a larger sample size 9McCready V, Roberts J, Bengala D, Harris G, management styles of male and female the education level of the technologists Kinglsey G, Krikorian C. A comparison of junior accountants. International Journal of would also be diverse which could lead conflict tactics in the supervisory process. Management. 2006;23(2):289–295. to more significant findings. Journal of Speech & Hearing Research. 23Brinkert R. A review of conflict communica- 1996;39(1):191–199. tion causes, costs, benefits, and interven- 10Reich W, Wagner-Westbrook B, Kressel K. tions in nursing. Journal of Nursing Actual and ideal conflict styles and job dis- Management. 2010;18:145–156. Conclusion tress in a health care organization. The This study did not show education to Journal of Psychology. 2007;141(1):5–15. Sally Erin Howell, MSRS, RT(R) is the lead radiologic 11 have a significant effect on the type Sadri G. Conflict’s here. Now what? Industrial technologist at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center in Shreveport, LA. She earned her master’s degree from of conflict management style used by Management. 2012;54(3):20–25. 12American Society of Radiologic Technologists. Northwestern State University in Nachitoches, LA. radiologic technologists; however, being Enrollment snapshot of radiography, radia- Sally can be contacted at [email protected]. educated in the different conflict man- tion therapy, and nuclear medicine technology agement styles can only benefit indi- programs-2012. ASRT website. 2013. viduals. Learning the different conflict 13Myers L, Larson R. Preparing students for management styles will enable individu- early work conflicts. Business Communica- als to be flexible in their response to the tion Quarterly. 2005;68(3):306–317.

20 September/October 2014  radiology management Continuing Education Conflict Management: A Literature Review and Study

Home-Study Test

1.0 Category A credit • Expiration date 10-31-2016

Carefully read the following multiple choice questions and take the post-test at AHRA’s Online Institute The credit earned from the Quick CreditTM test (www.ahraonline.org/onlineinstitute) accompanying this article may be applied to the CRA human resources (HR) domain.

Questions

Instructions: Choose the answer that is most correct.

1. the manner in which the conflict is managed typically 3. the avoiding mode is characteristic of: causes: a. Assertive and uncooperative a. Less tension in the situation rather than the conflict itself b. Assertive and cooperative b. More tension in the situation rather than the conflict c. Falls into the middle itself d. Unassertive and uncooperative c. Is unrelated to situation d. None of the above 4. Competitive tactics, where one individual tries to pressure the other to change are what type 2. According to Thomas and Kilmann’s MODE instrument, of situation? there are: a. Lose-lose a. 10 modes to dealing with conflict along 5 dimensions b. Lose-win of behavior c. Win-lose b. 7 modes to dealing with conflict along 3 dimensions d. Win-win of behavior c. 5 modes to dealing with conflict along 2 dimensions 5. innovative ideas often emerge when people use the of behavior collaborative approach to conflict management. d. 2 modes to dealing with conflict along 1 dimension a. True of behavior b. False

radiology management  September/October 2014 21 6. the collaborating style is synonymous with which style 14. In Table 1, the style which has a low issue importance, low under the Kraybill Conflict Style Inventory? relationship importance, and low power over issue, but a. Directing high time limits is: b. Cooperating a. Accommodating c. Compromising b. Avoiding d. Harmonizing c. Compromising d. Competing 7. in Sportsman and Hamilton’s study of nursing and allied health students, the compromising strategy was: a. Chosen most closely followed by avoidance 15. The introduction of which bill requires individuals to b. Chosen equally with accommodating possess a formal education in medical imaging? c. Chosen second to collaborating a. NURTURE d. Surprisingly not chosen b. TREATMENT c. CARE 8. the compromising type of conflict style can often: d. X-RAY a. Fully satisfy individuals b. Allow each party to get what they want 16. Most people in the healthcare field are taught technical c. Lead to problems skill for the delivery of healthcare services and formally d. None of the above educated in relationship building skills. a. True 9. the avoiding strategy is characterized by individuals b. False who are: a. Not likely to be self-confident 17. Which style(s) of responding to conflict does the Kraybill b. Fail to pursue support from coworkers Conflict Style Inventory used? c. Incapable of taking a strong stand on conflicting issues a. Directing d. All of the above b. Cooperating c. Harmonizing 10. One study describes two types of conflict management d. All of the above strategies: a. Agreeable and disagreeable 18. For the storm setting, the technologists preferred a: b. Acceptable and unacceptable a. Cooperating conflict management style c. Satisfying and unsatisfying b. Directing conflict management style d. Willing and unwilling c. Compromising management style d. Avoiding management style 11. When the avoiding style is used over a period of time within a department, it can lead to: 19. Most of the technologists in this study possessed a: a. Change a. High school equivalent b. Modification b. Associate degree c. Stagnation c. Bachelor degree d. Transformation d. Graduate degree

12. The harmonizing style has: 20. Of the 219 technologists selected by convenience a. Low focus on the agenda and relationship sampling for the survey, how many responded? b. Low focus on the agenda and a high focus on the rela- a. 41 tionship b. 87 c. High focus on the agenda and relationship c. 145 d. High focus on the agenda and a low focus on the rela- d. 196 tionship

13. According to Sadri, how many situational issues should be considered when choosing the best conflict management strategy? a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four

22 September/October 2014  radiology management