Deck 14: Groups and Teams

Question 1

Once one or more people come together they are referred to as a group.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A standing team is a temporary task group.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Once allocated to a work group, the new group member shall anticipate a new group dynamics evolving, as no group norms can be expected.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

There are a number of classification systems for analysing groups in their workplace. The most basic classification system divides groups into:

A) permanent and temporary groups
B) command or task groups
C) formal and informal groups
D) interest and friendship groups

Question 5

A command or functional group is a_____________ group consisting of a manager and all the subordinates who report to that manager.

A) an interest
B) an informal
C) a formal
D) a task

Question 6

Command or functional groups are arranged from the bottom of the organisation to the top in pyramid fashion, coordinated with the next higher level by their respective managers who act as:

A) a standing committee
B) a linking pin
C) an orchestrator
D) an authority

Question 7

Ad hoc committees, task forces and project groups or teams are all forms of:

A) command groups
B) interest groups
C) informal groups
D) temporary task groups

Question 8

The group that evolves primarily to meet employees' social needs is usually called.

A) an interest group
B) a social needs group
C) an after-hours group
D) a friendship group

Question 9

Bartol suggests that managers must understand informal groups because groups can:

A) be harmful to the organisation
B) aid information flow
C) reinforce employees' readiness to work together
D) all of the given answers

Question 10

Homans recognised certain behaviours and sentiments that are required by members of informal groups. They are:

A) motivation, sentiments and interactions
B) activities, sentiments and interactions
C) activities, motivation, satisfaction
D) behaviours, interactions and activities

Question 11

According to Homans, emergent behaviours, emergent interactions and/or emergent sentiments:

A) supplant required activities
B) supplement sentiments
C) supplement interactions
D) all of the given answers

Question 12

It is suggested that work groups should be seen as systems. Which of the following is NOT part of a system?

A) outcomes
B) inputs
C) clusters
D) process

Question 13

Which statement below is NOT correct? Two factors Bartol identifies as being helpful in understanding work group behaviour:

A) group composition / group norms
B) member role / member need satisfaction
C) group size / group performance
D) group cohesiveness / member productivity

Question 14

Basic inputs affecting groups and teams are:

A) friendship patterns / group composition
B) group cohesiveness / group size
C) members' roles / group composition
D) friendship patterns / group cohesiveness

Question 15

Two crucial factors to consider in selecting potential members for a group are member characteristics and.

A) their age
B) their other group memberships
C) why they are attracted to the group
D) whether or not they will get on with the other group members

Question 16

Three types of members' characteristics should be considered in setting up work groups. They are task-relevant skills and.

A) educational level and diversity
B) interpersonal skills and diversity
C) experience in the industry and educational level
D) age of group members and interpersonal skills

Question 17

When faced with challenging tasks, a homogeneous group may:

A) generate new ideas
B) lack different perspectives
C) have problems coordinating problems
D) be more flexible

Question 18

There may be disadvantages associated with group diversity. These include:

A) problems in coordination
B) poor performance initially
C) managers require a lot of patience
D) all of the given answers

Question 19

There are many reasons why people choose to join work groups. McClelland recognised that among those reasons, for most people, will be a need for:

A) achievement
B) affiliation
C) challenges
D) power

Question 20

Group-task roles help a group to:

A) find information and differing viewpoints
B) clarify and synthesise various ideas to tie together members' work
C) mediate disagreements between group members
D) develop and accomplish its goals

Question 21

Which role below is not a group-task role?

A) information seeker
B) orienteer
C) energiser
D) standard setter

Question 22

Members' roles in a group include group task, maintenance and self-oriented roles. Among maintenance roles are:

A) information seeker and information giver
B) follower and group observer
C) harmoniser and coordinator
D) energiser and dominator

Question 23

Members' roles in a group include group task, maintenance and self-oriented roles. Among self-oriented roles are:

A) aggressor and follower
B) energiser and blocker
C) gatekeeper and dominator
D) aggressor and recognition seeker

Question 24

Which statement below is NOT correct? Informal leaders may emerge in a group when:

A) the person is seen as a leader by group members
B) a formal leader has trouble facilitating the group process
C) a person assumes the dominant role
D) a person emerges from the group with major influence

Question 25

According to Bartol, the optimal group size is a group less than:

A) three members
B) seven members
C) ten members
D) a dozen members

Question 26

As groups grow in size, there comes a point when total performance levels off and even declines. One cause appears to be:

A) poor leadership
B) unclear group goals
C) noise during group communications
D) social loafing.

Question 27

Benefiting from the work of the group without bearing a proportional share of the costs involved is known as:

A) lucking out
B) taking it easy
C) free riding
D) free loading

Question 28

Managers can take several steps to reduce the likelihood of social loafing. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) Make each person's work visible.
B) Provide feedback for the total group effort.
C) Make rewards contingent on individual and group performance.
D) Assign just enough people to get the job done

Question 29

When group energy is redirected from the task to group development, the energy loss is known as:

A) negative synergy
B) task role
C) system energy
D) process loss

Question 30

There are four typical methods by which group norms develop. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) primacy
B) carryover behaviours
C) manager's decision
D) critical events

Question 31

In establishing group norms, many norms utilise some behaviour from other groups and even other organisations to which members belonged in the past. This is referred to as:

A) a critical event
B) primacy
C) carryover behaviour
D) an explicit statement

Question 32

Group cohesiveness, a group process, has three parts to its full definition: the degree to which members are attracted to a group, the degree to which members are motivated to remain in the group and.

A) the overall success of the group in achieving its goal
B) the rewards received by the group
C) the amount of process loss paid by the group
D) the extent to which members mutually influence one another

Question 33

There are a number of characteristics common to relatively high cohesiveness groups. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) Members are more sensitive to one another.
B) Members usually have higher job satisfaction.
C) Members usually work harder more consistently.
D) There is more communication among group members

Question 34

As related to group cohesiveness and group performance, it would be true to say that the more cohesive the group, the:

A) higher the overall group performance
B) more responsive the group to managerial leadership
C) more consistent the performance among members
D) less predictable the performance of the group

Question 35

Which of the following factors tends to increase a group's cohesiveness?

A) bigger size
B) more diversity of attitudes and values
C) easy membership requirements
D) a challenge or competition from outside the group

Question 36

Which of the following factors tends to decrease a group's cohesiveness?

A) smaller size
B) less diversity of attitudes and values
C) failure to achieve the group's goal
D) difficult membership requirements

Question 37

There are five major developmental stages through which groups pass. Which of the following is NOT one of them?

A) performing while orienting to task
B) performing and channelling energy to task
C) forming when orienting to task
D) storming and when resisting to task demands

Question 38

The developmental stage that groups pass through which is characterised by channelling energy to the task, developing norms to support teamwork, and evolving clear, functional roles is called.

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

Question 39

One stage of group development involves a disengagement of group members. This stage is:

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

Question 40

The developmental stage that groups pass through which is characterised by frequent conflict is:

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

Question 41

It would be correct to say that a task force is:

A) an informal group
B) sometimes called an ad hoc committee
C) the primary linking pin for a number of organisations
D) usually staffed by members of the same department

Question 42

Teams are recognised today as very useful in organisations. Which is NOT one of the reasons for this?

A) They foster innovation.
B) They increase work quality.
C) They facilitate successful change.
D) They enable managers to pass on responsibility

Question 43

A team established to develop and implement innovative ideas, such as creating new products or services is called.

A) an opportunity team
B) a project team
C) an innovative team
D) an entrepreneurial team

Question 44

A unique characteristic of a self-managing work team is the fact that:

A) this kind of group is considered to be a temporary group
B) this is the kind of group responsible for the assembly of cars at Volvo's plant in Kamar, Sweden.
C) this kind of group is considered to be a permanent group
D) it is given authority and responsibility without day-to-day supervision

Question 45

If organisations want self-managing teams to work, management must be patient as studies have found that it can take some time for the self-managing teams to be productive. The time is estimated to be:

A) 18 months
B) 12 months
C) 6 months
D) 9 months

Question 46

There is a new type of team which has been evolving recently which will become of increasing importance globally. They are called.

A) conference teams
B) global teams
C) high-tech teams
D) virtual teams

Question 47

Virtual teams have many advantages. Which is NOT one of them?

A) They do not need any extra training.
B) They overcome problems of team members unable to work in the same physical location.
C) They can include members from other organisations.
D) They can bring together a large range of expertise.

Question 48

What types of groups are found in organisations? Describe one type of workplace group with which you have had most experience.

Question 49

What types of informal groups develop in the workplace and how do they develop?

Question 50

How could you use a systems approach to describe factors that affect group operations?

Question 51

How do the nature and inputs of group composition affect the group's ultimate success?

Question 52

What factors influence the development of group norms and how do norms assist or harm the performance of the group?

Question 53

In your experience, is group cohesiveness more likely to contribute positively or negatively to organisational citizenship behaviours?

Question 54

In sequence, what are the five stages of group development?

Question 55

Having identified the names of the five stages of group development, can you describe the behaviours of group members at each stage?

Question 56

What arguments, for and against, can you use to determine whether a team or a task force is more likely to promote innovation?

Question 57

Which of the following groups is more likely to be successful in a global environment; entrepreneurial, self-managing or virtual teams? Explain reasons for your answer.