ADR Conflict Assessment & Diagnosis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In conflict assessment, what does the term 'BATNA' stand for?
- Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement (Correct answer)
- Basic Assessment Tool for Neutral Analysis
- Behavioral Approach To Negotiation Adjustment
- Bilateral Agreement Through Neutral Arbitration
Correct answer: Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement) is a critical concept in conflict assessment representing a party's best course of action if negotiations fail.
Question 2: Which conflict assessment model distinguishes between 'positions' and 'interests' as a foundational diagnostic tool?
- Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument
- Harvard Negotiation Project framework (Correct answer)
- Conflict Dynamic Profile
- Spiral Dynamics model
Correct answer: Harvard Negotiation Project framework
The Harvard Negotiation Project framework, developed by Fisher and Ury, is foundational in distinguishing positions (stated demands) from underlying interests (true needs).
Question 3: A conflict assessor notices that a party consistently avoids direct communication and relies on intermediaries. This behavior most likely signals which type of conflict dynamic?
- High interdependence conflict
- Face-saving concern or power imbalance (Correct answer)
- Pure resource-based dispute
- Structural organizational conflict
Correct answer: Face-saving concern or power imbalance
Reliance on intermediaries commonly signals face-saving concerns or perceived power imbalances that prevent direct communication.
Question 4: Which diagnostic tool uses a two-axis grid measuring 'assertiveness' and 'cooperativeness' to classify conflict styles?
- Johari Window
- Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) (Correct answer)
- Conflict Assessment Protocol (CAP)
- Interest-Based Relational Approach
Correct answer: Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI)
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) plots five conflict-handling styles on axes of assertiveness and cooperativeness.
Question 5: During intake, a mediator discovers that one party has no authority to make final decisions. The most appropriate response is to:
- Proceed and let the parties negotiate anyway
- Postpone the session until a decision-maker participates (Correct answer)
- Exclude the party without authority from the process
- Allow the process to continue and address authority gaps in the final agreement
Correct answer: Postpone the session until a decision-maker participates
Proceeding without a decision-maker risks wasting resources; postponing ensures the process can yield a binding or implementable agreement.
Question 6: In conflict diagnosis, 'ripeness' refers to:
- The emotional intensity of the dispute
- The moment when parties are mutually ready to negotiate a resolution (Correct answer)
- The complexity of legal issues involved
- The number of parties involved in the conflict
Correct answer: The moment when parties are mutually ready to negotiate a resolution
Ripeness is the point at which both parties perceive the conflict as mutually hurting and are motivated to seek a negotiated solution.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes a 'latent conflict' in the context of conflict assessment?
- A conflict that has escalated to litigation
- An underlying tension that has not yet surfaced as open dispute (Correct answer)
- A conflict resolved through arbitration
- A multi-party dispute involving government entities
Correct answer: An underlying tension that has not yet surfaced as open dispute
Latent conflict exists as underlying incompatibility or tension but has not yet emerged as overt, visible conflict behavior.
ADR Conflict Assessment & Diagnosis 2
In conflict assessment, what does the term 'BATNA' stand for?