COM 597 Reading Guide Questions for June 4 - Irwin Mallin, IPFW Communication

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COM 597, Summer 2007 – Reading Guide Questions for June 4

For Bodtker and Jameson (2001):

1. p. 260: What do you think of their argument that the biases against conflict and emotion are related? That conflict doesn’t exist without emotion? How have either of these manifested themselves where you work?

2. p. 261: Put each of their three components of emotional experience in your own words. What are the attributes they identify for each? Do these attributes ring true in your experience?

3. bottom p. 261-top p. 262: Put the attribution-conflict-emotion link in your own words. Have you experienced this?

4. What does it mean to say that emotion is “socially constructed?” What are feeling rules? What feeling rules are present where you work?

5. p. 263: How do they contrast the way previous research has viewed emotions with their approach?

6. pp. 263-265: Put into your own words each of Jones’s five principles of conflict and emotion and the implications Bodtker and Jameson identify for each. Do you agree with each?

7. bottom p. 265-top p. 266: They cite past research showing that emotions at work are only seen as appropriate to the extent that they further the organization’s goals. Has that been true where you work? How?

8. p. 266: Put the three components of Galtung’s theory in your own words. They say that in order to be a “full conflict” (and not a “structural conflict”) all three must be present and all involved parties must be aware of each element? Why would that be?

9. What does Galtung say is the problem with “conflict resolution” (p. 266)? Does the copier example on pp. 266-267 present a convincing case for that?

10. p. 267: What is conflict complexity? What is conflict transformation? What is the link between them? Would the example of increasing complexity to foster conflict work in your workplace?

11. p. 267: What is the limit to conflict complexity that can lead to simplification? How does simplification risk polarization? Do you agree?

12. pp. 268-269: What do they identify for each element of Galtung’s theory in the customer service case (“Exemplar 1")? Does the way they frame each of these make sense to you?

13. pp.269-270: How do they use each of the three elements to reframe the problem? What solution do they advocate? What arguments do they offer in support of their solution? Would it be successful where you work?

14. pp. 270-271: What do they identify as the B, C, and A of the personality clash scenario (“Exemplar 2")? What’s their argument against the likelihood of success of direct confrontation? Do you agree?

15. pp. 271-272: Why do they say telling the participants that their perceptions are wrong is inadequate? Do you agree? What do they propose to add complexity toward generating conflict? What arguments do they make for doing this? If you were a boss (or if you are) would you attempt this?

16. How does Bodtker and Jameson’s approach differ from those that draw a bright line between substantive and affective conflict?

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