Deck 13: Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict

Question 1

A moderate level of conflict can induce creativity and initiative,thereby raising performance.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Twenty-six new employees from Global Technologies Inc.are attending orientation,receiving information about company policies,and filling out various forms.These employees comprise a group.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The majority of workplace learning is informal.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In managing virtual workers,a manager should

A)give directions only by phone or in person.
B)make sure the worker is keeping to a fixed schedule of hours.
C)set goals that focus on team members' personal enrichment.
D)meet regularly,face-to-face.
E)set up large teams composed of employees from different departments across the organization.

Question 5

Norms are a typically explicit and are often discussed openly.

Question 6

Teams often enforce norms to help individuals avoid embarrassing situations.

Question 7

A _______ is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose,performance goals,and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

A)quality circle
B)group
C)panel
D)collaborative unit
E)team

Question 8

A group is defined as two or more freely interacting individuals who share norms,share goals,and have a common identity.

Question 9

Two or more freely interacting individuals who share norms,share goals,and have a common identity form a

A)cluster.
B)self-managing work team.
C)group.
D)quality circle.
E)collaborative unit.

Question 10

Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another.

Question 11

The best way to manage virtual teams is to focus on what's accomplished,not whether an employee is working from her patio or at 10 p.m.

Question 12

Which of the following is not a benefit of teamwork in an organization?

A)increased speed
B)increased stress
C)reduced costs
D)improved workplace cohesiveness
E)reduced destructive internal competition

Question 13

During the storming stage of Tuckman's five-stage model,the leader of a team should allow members the empowerment they need to concentrate on solving problems and completing the assigned task.

Question 14

Devil's advocacy is the process of assigning someone to play the role of critic to voice possible objections to a proposal.

Question 15

Stephen and Tyler went to the same college,and they have never liked each other.Stephen thinks Tyler is a loudmouth,while Tyler thinks Stephen is arrogant and self-impressed.If Stephen and Tyler end up working for the same company,they are likely to experience a multicultural conflict.

Question 16

Which of the following is the best way to manage virtual teams?

A)Make sure that the majority of your team members are junior-level staffers who have no more than a year's tenure at the company.
B)Check in regularly,but resist the urge to micromanage.
C)Require all team members to work on the same schedule-say,Monday through Friday,from 9 a.m.until 6 p.m.
D)Meet with each individual member of the team at least twice a week.
E)Avoid face-to-face communication and convey information primarily through email and texts.

Question 17

Common commitment is the essence of a team,and what differentiates it from a group.

Question 18

When parties to a conflict have deeply rooted,opposing value systems,collaboration is inappropriate for resolving the conflict.

Question 19

A self-managed team is designed to include members from different areas within an organization,such as finance,operations,and sales.

Question 20

An example of a maintenance role is an initiator,someone who suggests new goals or ideas.

Question 21

Molly organized several teachers to discuss the school's interior painting scheduled for the summer.They looked at several brands and heard a presentation by a designer who then helped them choose a color palette to recommend to school administrators.In this instance,the teachers made up a(n)

A)self-managed team.
B)formal group.
C)cross-functional team.
D)informal group.
E)virtual team.

Question 22

A team composed of people from different departments who are pursuing a common objective is called a _____.For example,ToysRUs may bring together employees from manufacturing,design,sales,marketing,and market research to brainstorm new board games for adults.

A)quality circle
B)problem-solving team
C)virtual team
D)cross-functional team
E)workforce

Question 23

_________,the second stage of team development,is characterized by the emergence of individual personalities and roles and conflicts within the group.

A)Norming
B)Forming
C)Storming
D)Performing
E)Adjourning

Question 24

Rita is on a team that consists of members who work together over time and distance via electronic media to combine effort and achieve common goals.Rita is on a(n)

A)remote team.
B)e-team.
C)self-managed team.
D)virtual team.
E)quality improvement team.

Question 25

The group development stage in which individuals test the leader's policies and assumptions as they try to determine how they fit into the power structure is the ______ stage.

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

Question 26

The question the group is asking during the forming stage of group development is

A)"What's next?"
B)"Why are we here?"
C)"Can we do the job properly?"
D)"Why are we fighting about who does what?"
E)"Can we agree on roles and work as a team?"

Question 27

The stage of team development during which a group sets guidelines about issues like attendance and punctuality is the ______ stage.

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

Question 28

Administrative oversight given to self-managed teams does not typically include

A)work scheduling.
B)customer interaction.
C)shop-floor procedures.
D)customer service.
E)hiring and firing.

Question 29

Which of the following is true of informal groups?

A)Informal groups have appointed leaders.
B)A temporary committee is an example of an informal group.
C)Members of an informal group are assigned to it by the skills they possess.
D)Informal groups can advance or undercut the plans of formal groups.
E)Informal groups are primarily created to solve an organizational problem.

Question 30

Depak's team was not making much progress on defining a new production process.Nicole was being very uncooperative.She did not agree with Depak's direction,and she has not completed her tasks.This team is in what stage of group development?

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

Question 31

Which of the following is not one of the five stages of team development?

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

Question 32

In all but the worst weather,Beth and three coworkers met each day at 12:15 to walk the wilderness trail behind their office building.The four co-workers are an example of a(n)

A)continuous improvement team.
B)formal group.
C)self-managed team.
D)virtual team.
E)informal group.

Question 33

When using a self-managed team,a manager should

A)delegate administrative oversight of work scheduling and customer interaction.
B)control the team's staffing and scheduling.
C)offer lucrative individual bonuses.
D)allow members to fire their team members.
E)provide elaborate retreats for team discussions.

Question 34

A(n)________ group is created to do something productive for the organization and is headed by a leader.For example,this group may be created to develop a new line of skin-care products specifically for people over the age of
60)

A)dynamic
B)informal
C)normative
D)formal
E)network

Question 35

During the forming stage of a group or team,the leader should

A)allow people to socialize and become acquainted.
B)establish permanent control.
C)empower team members.
D)encourage disagreement.
E)work through team conflicts.

Question 36

During the ______ stage of team development,close relationships develop as unity and harmony emerge.

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

Question 37

At Allen and Thomas Architects,a group of designers are developing the first drawings for a proposed multiuse office development in an older section of a large city that is being revitalized.What type of work team is this group?

A)virtual team
B)production team
C)product team
D)project team
E)advice team

Question 38

The question that individuals ask during the norming stage of group development is

A)"How do I fit in here?"
B)"What do the others expect me to do?"
C)"How can I best perform my role?"
D)"What's next?"
E)"What's my role here?"

Question 39

Self-managed teams are groups of workers who have been given ______ for their task domains.

A)individual incentives
B)reduced responsibility
C)administrative oversight
D)complete freedom
E)no technology

Question 40

Groups that make it through storming generally do so because

A)they develop groupthink.
B)someone wins the political battle and dominates the group.
C)the work gets done.
D)a respected member other than the leader challenges the group to resolve power struggles.
E)the focus generally is on social loafing.

Question 41

Trust is based on _______,which in turn is based on past acts of integrity and follow-through on promises.

A)cooperation
B)credibility
C)unity
D)honesty
E)cohesiveness

Question 42

Individuals are said to be collaborating when

A)they have reciprocal faith in others' intentions and behaviors.
B)they have a sense of togetherness and unity.
C)they have ceased to be competitive with one another and prefer harmony.
D)their motivation comes from a desire to please a supervisor or the seeking of a tangible reward.
E)they are sharing information and coordinating efforts to achieve a collective outcome.

Question 43

Tension was apparent as the management team discussed changes to promotion requirements.But then Chris made a joke about Jake's white-knuckled grip on his pen,and the laughter seemed to lighten the mood.Chris was acting in a ______ role.

A)relational
B)task
C)production
D)social
E)maintenance

Question 44

________ is defined as reciprocal faith in others' intentions and behaviors.

A)Cooperation
B)Cohesiveness
C)Trust
D)Unity
E)Fairness

Question 45

During the performing stage of team development,the group answers the question

A)"Can we agree on roles and work as a team?"
B)"Why are we here?"
C)"Why are we fighting?"
D)"Who's in charge?"
E)"Can we do the job properly?"

Question 46

The Nordstrom department store chain emphasizes the great lengths to which it goes in customer service.By enforcing its norms for exceptional customer service,Nordstrom is seeking

A)to clarify role expectations.
B)to emphasize the organization's important values and identity.
C)to create cohesiveness.
D)to help the group survive.
E)to help individuals avoid embarrassing situations.

Question 47

A(n)______ role is behavior that concentrates on getting the team's work done.For example,one team member's role may be to generate daily sales information at the end of each working day.

A)maintenance
B)performance
C)administrative
D)production
E)task

Question 48

Someone at a team meeting who says,"Let's hear from those who oppose this plan," is performing a ______ role.

A)task
B)social
C)coordinator
D)reorientation
E)maintenance

Question 49

Dysfunctional conflict is sometimes called ______ conflict.

A)apathetic
B)irregular
C)destructive
D)aggressive
E)negative

Question 50

Which of the following is not a reason why group or team members typically enforce norms?

A)to clarify role expectations
B)to help the group survive
C)to create a written document of behavioral guidelines for new employees
D)to emphasize the group's important values
E)to help individuals avoid embarrassing situations

Question 51

Which of the following is a manifestation of excessive conflict in the workplace?

A)apathy
B)violence and workplace aggression
C)missed deadlines
D)indecision
E)lack of creativity

Question 52

Because hard feelings about group leadership and assignments have passed,the members of Robin's group now seem to be relating much better.At the meeting tomorrow,she should take advantage of this moment by

A)encouraging members to voice disagreements.
B)helping the team identify group goals and values.
C)helping people get to know one another.
D)empowering the members.
E)throwing a thank-you party.

Question 53

The principal by-product of the norming stage of team development is

A)adjournment.
B)uncertainty.
C)empowerment.
D)conflict.
E)group cohesiveness.

Question 54

Levi led a team that has just finished up a very challenging research project that will assist management in developing long-range plans.Despite the stress of the past few months,most participants seem sad it's over.Now Levi should

A)emphasize unity.
B)have an awards ceremony.
C)get the group disbanded quickly to free people up for new things.
D)provide opportunities for people to get to know one another better now.
E)ensure those members can work on similar tasks going forward.

Question 55

In the performing stage of group development,members

A)prepare for disbandment.
B)develop close relationships.
C)test the leader's policies.
D)concentrate on solving problems and completing tasks.
E)hold back to see what will happen.

Question 56

Which of the following is not considered an essential consideration in building a group into an effective team?

A)trust
B)collaboration
C)roles
D)unanimity
E)norms

Question 57

Jamal points out during the meeting that the group has fallen a half hour behind schedule according to the agenda,and should get back to the important work at hand.He is performing a ______ role.

A)relational
B)production
C)maintenance
D)social
E)task

Question 58

______ is a "we feeling" that binds group members together.

A)Group cohesiveness
B)Groupthink
C)Norming
D)Social loafing
E)Maintenance

Question 59

Which of the following is not characteristic of workgroups with excessive conflict?

A)dissatisfaction
B)indecision
C)political infighting
D)lack of teamwork
E)creativity

Question 60

Members of a team develop their ______ based on the expectations of the team,of the organization,and of themselves.

A)resources
B)norms
C)groupthink
D)roles
E)social fit

Question 61

Which of the following is a source of intergroup conflict in the workplace?

A)excessive communication
B)inconsistent goals or reward systems
C)too many resources
D)lack of diversity
E)strict job boundaries

Question 62

Sharon told her team that she is moving forward with a change to the bonus structure,despite vocal objections from several team members.Sharon is using the ______ conflict-handling style.

A)avoiding
B)collaborating
C)compromising
D)accommodating
E)dominating

Question 63

When Men's Wearhouse fired a salesperson who wasn't sharing walk-in customer traffic,and total clothing sales volume among all salespeople increased significantly,the company

A)reduced destructive internal competition.
B)increased productivity.
C)increased speed.
D)reduced costs.
E)improved quality.

Question 64

This question contains two parts;be sure to answer both.First,what benefits can teamwork achieve? Second,suppose the dean of your college or university asked you to assemble a team of five people (plus yourself)to examine the parking problem on campus (too many students,not enough parking spaces).Describe five people you would choose to be on your team,explaining why each is qualified to serve on the team.

Question 65

When Cisco Systems told executives they would gain or lose 30 percent of their bonuses based on how well they worked with peers,and in three years had record profits,the company

A)reduced destructive internal competition.
B)increased productivity.
C)increased speed.
D)reduced costs.
E)improved workplace cohesiveness.

Question 66

______ is the process of having two people or groups play opposing roles in a debate to better understand a proposal.

A)The dialectic method
B)Positive conflict
C)Devil's advocacy
D)Groupthink
E)Storming

Question 67

When issues causing conflict are trivial,or when emotions are high and cooling off would be helpful,which conflict-handling style is preferable?

A)avoiding
B)forcing
C)accommodating
D)collaborating
E)compromising

Question 68

Maneka is on a team with Larson,and they are often in conflict.Maneka likes to begin her work with careful planning and she gets started immediately.Larson,on the other hand,likes trying out several ideas,and tends to be working frantically at the last minute.Their conflict most likely stems from

A)lack of trust.
B)ambiguous jurisdictions.
C)communication failure.
D)clash of personality,values,and attitudes.
E)inconsistent goals.

Question 69

Paige missed another deadline and her boss,Linda,is very upset.She will have to explain to the client again why the project is behind.Linda thinks she may say something she'll regret if she talks to Paige about this now,so she decides to wait a while.Linda is using the ______ conflict-handling style.

A)forcing
B)collaborating
C)compromising
D)avoiding
E)accommodating

Question 70

Ken,whose primary job is supervising a small production group,is not getting cooperation from all members on the cross-functional team he leads.In particular,Bethany,a senior marketing manager,seems to resist his direction and tries to influence team members to go in another direction.The source of conflict in this case may be

A)status differences.
B)a personality clash.
C)communication failure.
D)time pressure.
E)ambiguous jurisdictions.

Question 71

______ is designed to elicit different opinions without inciting people's personal feelings.

A)Groupthink
B)Storming
C)Social loafing
D)Programmed conflict
E)Dysfunctional conflict

Question 72

The disadvantage of the ______ conflict-handling style is that it is very time-consuming.

A)avoiding
B)forcing
C)compromising
D)collaborating
E)accommodating

Question 73

____________ is ordering an outcome,when a manager relies on his or her formal authority and power to resolve a conflict,but the needs of the other party are largely ignored.

A)Accommodating
B)Compromising
C)Problem solving
D)Forcing
E)Avoiding

Question 74

______ is the conflict-handling style in which both parties give up something to gain something.

A)Avoiding
B)Forcing
C)Accommodating
D)Collaborating
E)Compromising

Question 75

Larry proposed the purchase of a new Epson copier to his boss.Amir said that he has always used and liked Xerox copiers,but when he thinks about it later,he realizes he does not really feel strongly about the brand of copy machine used in the office.Amir should probably adopt a(n)______ conflict-handling style when trying to resolve this matter with Larry.

A)avoiding
B)accommodating
C)compromising
D)forcing
E)collaborating

Question 76

Workplace performance is maximized when

A)conflict is at a moderate level.
B)conflict is at a very low level.
C)conflict is absent.
D)conflict is at a high level.
E)conflict occurs only at nonmanagerial levels.

Question 77

In which of the following conditions should constructive conflict be stimulated?

A)Managers want to achieve work objectives.
B)The group seems to be afflicted with inertia and apathy.
C)The group is adapting to change.
D)Managers are in charge of self-managed teams.
E)There is a lot of internal competition.

Question 78

Rebecca asked Gavin,one of her team members,to purposefully think of and voice criticisms as the group discussed a popular idea to open a branch office in another state.This is an example of the use of

A)groupthink.
B)devil's advocacy.
C)the dialectic method.
D)storming.
E)dysfunctional conflict.

Question 79

_____ is the conflict-handling style in which a person neglects his or her own concerns and allows the concerns of another to prevail.

A)Forcing
B)Avoiding
C)Accommodating
D)Collaborating
E)Compromising

Question 80

________ conflict is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike,disagreement,or differing styles.For example,Sasha and Alexandra,who both work as salespeople at a local boutique,may simply not like each other.

A)Competitive
B)Personality
C)Dysfunctional
D)Communication
E)Programmed