Deck 17: Groups and Teams

Question 1

In Deb's role as supervisor,she assigned a formal group for a special project.While she was initially pleased with the group's progress on their tasks,she now fears the group may be suffering from ________ as the members of the group appear to be so cohesively attached that they are unwilling to consider alternative solutions.

A)group shrinkage
B)groupstorming
C)groupthink
D)group detriment
E)group measurement

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which one of the following statements about a group is true?

A)They are characterized by occasional communication among members over time and a size small enough to permit face-to-face communication.
B)The most common technique for accomplishing work through people is dividing them into work groups.
C)Groups invariably cause desirable consequences within the organization.
D)Groups are a simple gathering of people consisting of 5 or more people.
E)Groups exist only in some organizational structures.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which one of the following would be an example of a task group?

A)a group meeting to prepare the routine financial reports
B)a group set up to consider the feasibility of a new product
C)a group of employees forming an exercise group
D)a group of supervisors responsible for scheduling weekly work
E)a group of students coming together because of their music preferences

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Define a group as used in the context of management.Why is study of groups important to managers?

Question 5

A formal group is a group that ________.

A)is formed by management to perform organizational tasks
B)is normally defined but unstructured
C)is formed by the common interests of group members
D)is formed by the affiliation of the group members
E)is normally unstructured and undefined

Question 6

A formal group of organization members who interact with one another to accomplish some nonroutine task is a(n)________.

A)lobby
B)command group
C)interest group
D)task group
E)in-group

Question 7

Barb is seeking new,innovative,novel ideas from her staff as they prepare for a new work process.As Barb forms a task group to work on the new procedure brainstorming she knows she needs to place individuals on the task group who share different ideas so that she does not in the end realize she has formed a/an ________ group with similarities and commonalities that may get in the way of the very innovation she is seeking.

A)bonding
B)buddy
C)work
D)project
E)interest

Question 8

As used in management-related discussions,a group is simply a gathering of people.

Question 9

Formal groups that handle routine activities and are outlined on an organization chart are called ________.

A)task groups
B)committees
C)transitory groups
D)work teams
E)command groups

Question 10

Which one of the following is least accurate regarding groups?

A)They are found in all organizations.
B)An understanding of groups can help managers raise the probability that the groups will cause desirable consequences for the organization.
C)Groups inevitably form in all facets of organizational existence.
D)Groups invariably cause desirable consequences within the organization.
E)Groups are characterized by a size small enough to permit each member to communicate with all other members on a face-to-face basis.

Question 11

Which one of the following statements about task groups is true?

A)They typically handle routine organizational activities.
B)They are a formal group outlined in the chain of command on an organizational chart.
C)They are usually made up of members on the same organizational level.
D)They cannot consist of people from different levels in the organizational hierarchy.
E)An interest group is a task group often established in organizations.

Question 12

Which one of the following is a major reason to establish a committee?

A)to obtain status and social satisfaction that people might not enjoy without group membership
B)to perpetuate social and cultural values that group members consider important
C)to encourage groupthink
D)to handle routine organizational activities
E)to develop new ideas for solving existing organizational problems

Question 13

One of the benefits of utilizing committees is that ________.

A)the decision-making process is much quicker than individual decision making
B)there is no limit on the size of the committee
C)a committee does need a leader or a secretary
D)committees improve the quality of decision making
E)decision makers don't have to represent the group they come from

Question 14

Two formal groups that are often established in organizations are ________ and ________.

A)transitory groups;recurrent groups
B)interest groups;committees
C)in-groups;out-groups
D)committees;work teams
E)interest groups;work teams

Question 15

A task group charged with performing some type of specific activity is a(n)________.

A)committee
B)command group
C)in-group
D)transitory group
E)interest group

Question 16

Which one of the following statements about formal groups is true?

A)The placement of organization members in such areas as marketing departments and personnel departments are examples of establishing formal groups.
B)Formal groups are a collection of individuals whose common work experiences result in the development of a system of interpersonal relations that extend beyond those established by management.
C)The coordination of and communication among the formal groups is the responsibility of employees commonly called "cotter pins."
D)Formal groups are divided into two general types: interest groups and command groups.
E)The formal relationships among group members is summarized using a sociogram.

Question 17

Which one of the following is a characteristic of a group as used in management-related discussions?

A)A group is simply a gathering of people.
B)Groups always work toward the accomplishment of an organizational goal.
C)A group must consist of 5 or more people.
D)Groups are characterized by occasional communication among members over time.
E)A group consists of members who are psychologically aware of one another.

Question 18

A type of formal group made up of organizational members who interact with one another to accomplish non-routine tasks for the organization is a/an ________ group.

A)organization
B)human
C)work
D)command
E)task

Question 19

Formal groups are commonly divided into ________ and ________.

A)transitory groups;recurrent groups
B)in-groups;out-groups
C)command groups;task groups
D)interest groups;friendship groups
E)primary groups;secondary groups

Question 20

Which one of the following is an example of a command group?

A)a group of employees focused on providing excellent customers service
B)a group meeting to consider the feasibility of a new product
C)a department head with managers reporting to him
D)students coming together to form a study group for a specific class
E)a group of employees forming an exercise group

Question 21

Which stage of groupthink describes what precursors are associated with the development of groupthink?

A)concurrence seeking
B)decision-making defects
C)antecedents
D)symptoms of groupthink
E)poor decision outcomes

Question 22

In which stage of groupthink does a group member agree with the entire group's position,even when the group member might privately oppose the entire group's position?

A)antecedents
B)concurrence seeking
C)poor decision outcomes
D)decision-making defects
E)symptoms of groupthink

Question 23

Which one of the following statements about self-managed work teams is true?

A)Members of a self-managed team learn specific tasks required to produce a product and avoid job rotation.
B)Self-managed teams consist of 5 to 15 employees who work together to produce an entire product.
C)Self-managed work teams evolved out of problem-solving teams.
D)Self-managed work teams laid the foundation for the emergence of special-purpose teams.
E)Self-managed teams never take over managerial duties as scheduling work and vacations and ordering materials.

Question 24

Which one of the following statements about groupthink is true?

A)Groupthink cannot take place in a newly formed group.
B)A group with high levels of mistrust and conflicts is likely to be most susceptible to groupthink.
C)A group with a high level of cohesiveness is likely to be susceptible to groupthink.
D)Managers must help committees to establish groupthink to generate alternative problem solutions.
E)A group which is highly competitive will most probably result in groupthink.

Question 25

A natural result of group solidarity is ________.

A)social loafing
B)exclusion
C)group control
D)groupthink
E)group conflict

Question 26

Contemporary work teams in the United States evolved out of the problem-solving teams based on ________.

A)scientific management principle
B)time and motion studies
C)assembly line models
D)Japanese-style quality circles
E)contingency approach

Question 27

Identify the correct sequence of the stages of formal group development suggested by Bernard Bass.

A)group control,acceptance,communication/decision making,group solidarity
B)acceptance,group solidarity,group control,communication/decision making
C)group solidarity,acceptance,communication/decision making,group control
D)group control,group solidarity,acceptance,communication/decision making
E)acceptance,communication/decision making,group solidarity,group control

Question 28

Which one of the following is a procedural step that could be taken to increase the probability that a committee will be successful?

A)rephrasing ideas already expressed
B)specifying the authority of the committee
C)bringing all members into active participation
D)stimulating further thought by members
E)keeping the goals of the group flexible

Question 29

Peter Parker,the HR vice-president of a well-known IT firm,called his team members for a meeting to discuss the measures to be taken by the company to fight recession.Peter suggested downsizing the workforce and also cutting salaries and benefits of the rest of the employees.Peter's team reached a consensus without critically testing,analyzing,and evaluating his ideas.This is an example of ________.

A)groupthink
B)double think
C)cognitive dissonance
D)group polarization
E)collective intelligence

Question 30

Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the stages of groupthink?

A)antecedents,concurrence seeking,symptoms of groupthink,decision-making defects,poor decision outcomes
B)concurrence seeking,antecedents,symptoms of groupthink,decision-making defects,poor decision outcomes
C)antecedents,symptoms of groupthink,decision-making defects,concurrence seeking,poor decision outcomes
D)symptoms of groupthink,antecedents,concurrence seeking,decision-making defects,poor decision outcomes
E)concurrence seeking,symptoms of groupthink,antecedents,decision-making defects,poor decision outcomes

Question 31

At which stage of the formal group development process do members become more involved in group activities and cooperate,rather than compete,with one another?

A)decision making
B)communication
C)acceptance
D)groupthink
E)group solidarity

Question 32

At which stage of the group development process suggested by Bernard Bass is mistrust of one another replaced by mutual trust?

A)group control
B)decision making
C)group solidarity
D)communication
E)acceptance

Question 33

At which stage of the formal group development process do members find belonging to the group extremely satisfying and are committed to enhancing the group's overall success?

A)group solidarity
B)forming
C)acceptance
D)groupthink
E)communication

Question 34

Which one of the following stages of groupthink occurs when group members fail to make effective decisions?

A)antecedents
B)symptoms of groupthink
C)poor decision outcomes
D)decision-making defects
E)concurrence seeking

Question 35

According to the study conducted by McLeod and Jones,why did managers favor committees?

A)They could blame committees for their own failures.
B)They got more information from committees than other organizational sources.
C)The information they got from committees was more valuable than from other sources.
D)Committees arrive at solutions to problems more quickly.
E)Most executives do not favor committees or do not display qualified acceptance of them.

Question 36

________ is the mode of thinking that group members engage in when the desire for agreement so dominates the group that it overrides the need to realistically appraise alternative problem solutions.

A)Social loafing
B)Group polarization
C)Groupthink
D)Cognitive dissonance
E)Collective intelligence

Question 37

________ comes naturally as the mutual acceptance of group members increases and communication and decision making continue within the group.

A)Conformance threat
B)Group polarization
C)Groupthink
D)Cognitive dissonance
E)Group solidarity

Question 38

Which stage of groupthink occurs when the group exhibits unsatisfactory performance?

A)poor decision outcomes
B)concurrence seeking
C)symptoms of groupthink
D)decision-making defects
E)antecedents

Question 39

Which stage of groupthink occurs when group members feel pressure to conform and censor their own ideas?

A)symptoms of groupthink
B)poor decision outcomes
C)concurrence seeking
D)antecedents
E)decision-making defects

Question 40

The ________ stage of groupthink occurs when a group does not collect the needed information to make an effective decision.

A)decision-making defects
B)antecedents
C)poor decision outcomes
D)symptoms of groupthink
E)concurrence seeking

Question 41

Identify the most mature stage of the formal group development process.

A)decision making
B)acceptance
C)group solidarity
D)communication
E)group control

Question 42

A collection of individuals whose common work experiences result in the development of a system of interpersonal relationships that extend beyond those established by management is a(n)________.

A)work team
B)task group
C)informal group
D)command group
E)committee

Question 43

Betty,working for Creative Minds Advertising,decided with a few of her colleagues to have a potluck lunch once each month.This is an example of ________.

A)a friendship group
B)an interest group
C)a committee
D)a task group
E)a special-purpose team

Question 44

An informal group that gains and maintains membership primarily because of a common concern members have about a specific issue is called ________.

A)a work team
B)a friendship group
C)a command group
D)an interest group
E)a committee

Question 45

Define a committee.List the four major reasons for establishing committees within an organization.

Question 46

As groups progress through stages of formal group development,the group members are said to grow more mature,effective,and productive.What are the key characteristics of group members at their most advanced stage?

Question 47

Interest groups are ________.

A)command groups
B)self-managed work teams
C)formal groups
D)task groups
E)informal groups

Question 48

Informal groups are divided into ________ and ________.

A)committees;work teams
B)virtual groups;task groups
C)command groups;task groups
D)committees;venture groups
E)interest groups;friendship groups

Question 49

Informal groups that form in organizations because of the personal affiliation members have with one another are called ________.

A)interest groups
B)friendship groups
C)formal groups
D)work groups
E)task groups

Question 50

In the ________ stage of the formal group development process,group members attempt to maximize the group's success by matching individual abilities with group activities and by assisting one another.

A)groupthink
B)acceptance
C)group control
D)communication
E)decision making

Question 51

List and describe the stages of formal group development.

Question 52

The larger the organization,the greater the probability that it will use committees on a regular basis.

Question 53

Which one of the following is an example of an interest group?

A)a group of friends interested in rock music
B)a quarterly work planning group
C)a group meeting to consider the feasibility of a new product
D)a group meeting to prepare the monthly financial reports
E)a group of workers pressing management for better pay

Question 54

Personal factors such as recreational interests,race,gender,and religion serve as foundations for ________.

A)interest groups
B)work teams
C)friendship groups
D)committees
E)special-purpose teams

Question 55

When a group reaches the group solidarity stage,the members are likely to compete with each other.

Question 56

Groupthink is the mode of thinking group members engage in when the desire for agreement and the "we-feeling" is so dominant it overrides realistic alternative problem solutions.

Question 57

Explain why managers are encouraged to use committees.

Question 58

Which one of the following is a primary benefit of informal group membership?

A)developing new ideas for solving existing organizational problems
B)promoting discipline in the organization
C)perpetuating social and cultural values that group members consider important
D)providing basic structure of division of work and responsibilities
E)generating clarity on what support and input each employee can expect from others

Question 59

What differences exist between formal and informal groups?

Question 60

The membership of friendship groups in an organization tend to remain static over long periods of time.

Question 61

Problem-solving teams consist of 5 to 12 volunteer members from different areas of the department who discuss ways to improve quality and efficiency.

Question 62

A sociometric diagram that summarizes the personal feelings of organization members about the people in the organization with whom they would like to spend free time is a ________.

A)social audit
B)sociogram
C)social network diagram
D)formal group development diagram
E)friendship chart

Question 63

Linda,a project manager at a cosmetic company,is handling an assignment to rejuvenate the company's supply chain management.Linda is working with a new team of experts who have never worked with each other before.In a recent meeting,her team members expressed radically different opinions on what should be done to update the company's supply chain.Linda had to intervene a couple of times during the meeting to bring the discussion back on track.Linda's team is in the ________ stage of team development.

A)storming
B)learning
C)adjourning
D)performing
E)norming

Question 64

Which one of the following statements about a problem-solving team is true?

A)It is typically formed to discuss ways to improve quality in all phases of the organization,to make organizational processes more efficient,or to improve the overall work environment.
B)It is a creative team which involves a highly-integrated group of several skilled individuals who are cross-trained and have the responsibility and authority to perform some specified activity.
C)Management must respond to the problem-solving team's recommendations by implementing them in their entirety.
D)Generally responsible for whole tasks as opposed to "parts" of a job,the problem-solving team is an important new way of structuring,managing,and rewarding work.
E)It is generally permanent in nature,with the focus of the team shifting from one problem to another over time.

Question 65

An organizational team established to help eliminate a specified issue within the organization is a ________.

A)committee
B)virtual team
C)problem-solving team
D)cross-functional team
E)self-managed team

Question 66

Which one of the following is an analytical tool that can be used to determine what informal groups exist in an organization and who the members of those groups are?

A)informal matrix
B)sociometry
C)social network diagram
D)PERT
E)reciprocity diagram

Question 67

What is a sociogram? How would a manager construct a sociogram,and why might it be useful?

Question 68

According to Homans' Model,the informal group is established to provide satisfaction and growth for its members.

Question 69

The most fundamental ingredient of effective teams is ________.

A)cohesiveness
B)trust
C)collaboration
D)teamwork
E)stability

Question 70

The HR team of Graphix,a web designing company,decides to conduct an online survey within the company to analyze the informal relationships among the employees by sending them a questionnaire consisting of simple questions like naming some organization members with whom they would like to spend their free time and listing the members of their lunch groups at work.Which one of the following analytical tools can be used by the HR team for conducting the survey?

A)Myers-Briggs type indicator
B)PERT
C)Pareto chart
D)sociometric analysis
E)Wechsler intelligence tool

Question 71

The ________ stage of team development is usually characterized by uncertainty and stress,because the team is new.

A)performing
B)adjourning
C)storming
D)norming
E)forming

Question 72

Discuss the significant differences that exist between a group and a team.

Question 73

When team members spend more time arguing about schedules and leadership than actually working on their team-based project,the team is most likely caught in the ________ stage of team development.

A)forming
B)norming
C)performing
D)storming
E)adjourning

Question 74

A work team composed of people from different functional areas of the organization who are all focused on a specified objective is known as a ________.

A)task group
B)cross-functional team
C)command group
D)special-purpose group
E)self-directed team

Question 75

The model of the evolution of informal groups proposed by George Homans suggests that ________.

A)once established,informal groups will resist changes in the formal work group that threaten the satisfaction of the informal group's members
B)informal groups will naturally evolve into problem-solving groups
C)the sentiments and activities that emerge within an informal group rarely result from the sentiments,interactions,and activities that already exist within a formal group
D)managers should refrain from implementing ideas generated from the feedback received from informal groups as they tend to be biased
E)informal groups instituted at the behest of management are more fruitful from an organizational perspective than ones that naturally evolve

Question 76

Which stage of team development is characterized by conflict and disagreement as team members try to clarify their individual roles and challenge the way the team functions?

A)forming
B)norming
C)performing
D)storming
E)adjourning

Question 77

According to ________,the feedback on the functioning of the informal group can give managers ideas about how to modify the formal group so as to increase the probability that informal group members will achieve the satisfaction and growth they desire.

A)Bernard Bass
B)the sociometric framework
C)Maslow's hierarchy
D)Homans model
E)the group communication framework

Question 78

Which one of the following statements is true?

A)A team qualifies as a group only if its members focus on helping one another accomplish organizational objectives.
B)The terms "group" and "team" are not synonymous.
C)A team consists of any number of people who interact with one another,are psychologically aware of one another,and think of themselves as a team.
D)Not all teams in organizations are groups,but all groups are teams.
E)A team is a group whose members influence one another toward the accomplishment of an organizational objective.

Question 79

The most important step managers need to take in managing work groups is to determine what informal groups exist in the organization,and who their members are.

Question 80

Jane,a project manager at Global Business Solutions,has decided to have a team meeting on a daily basis for a week to help the team members from different departments get accustomed to each other and assist them in learning about the opportunities and challenges coming their way through a new project.Jane's team is in the ________ stage of development.

A)forming
B)storming
C)norming
D)adjourning
E)performing