Deck 14: Managing Teams

Question 1

A team that uses technology to link physically dispersed members in order to achieve a common goal is called a virtual team.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Small groups consistently get better results than larger ones when the groups are engaged in problem solving.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Task groups are permanent teams that take on special projects.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Work teams interact primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each member do his or her job more efficiently and effectively.

Question 5

A group's performance potential depends to a large extent on the individual resources its members bring to the group.

Question 6

Global teams are associated with high levels of groupthink.

Question 7

A self-managed team is a formal group of employees who operate without a manager and are responsible for a complete work process or segment.

Question 8

Self-managed teams function in an independent and informal manner.

Question 9

An individual's role in a group is not defined by the internal structure of the group.

Question 10

The human relations view of conflict held that conflict must be avoided because it indicates a problem within the group.

Question 11

Social loafing is the tendency for an individual to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually.

Question 12

One negative aspect about group norms is that being part of a group can increase an individual's antisocial actions.

Question 13

A problem-solving team brings together experts in various specialties to work together on various organizational tasks.

Question 14

Under some conditions,high levels of conflict are conducive to high levels of group performance.

Question 15

Formal groups are work groups that are defined by the organization's structure and have designated work assignments and specific tasks directed at accomplishing organizational goals.

Question 16

Groupthink has the ability to undermine critical thinking in the group and harm the quality of decision making.

Question 17

Strategies such as avoidance,forcing,and compromise are used to resolve high conflict levels.

Question 18

Groupthink occurs only when group members have a negative image of the group or the leader.

Question 19

In the group development process,the forming stage is complete when members begin to think of themselves as part of a group.

Question 20

A manager attempts to resolve a conflict by seeking an advantageous solution for all the parties involved.This conflict management technique is called accommodating.

Question 21

Which of the following traits is negatively related to group productivity and morale?

A)unconventionality
B)self-reliance
C)independence
D)sociability

Question 22

The ________ stage of the group development process is one in which close relationships develop and the group becomes cohesive.

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

Question 23

In global teams,cohesiveness is often more difficult to achieve because of higher levels of mistrust,miscommunication,and stress.

Question 24

The ________ stage of group development is complete when the group structure solidifies and the group has assimilated a common set of expectations of what defines correct member behavior.

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

Question 25

Which of the following stages in group development involves defining the group's structure and leadership?

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

Question 26

Social loafing is consistent with collectivist cultures.

Question 27

Which of the following is considered to be the last stage of group development for permanent work groups?

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

Question 28

Groups that are determined by the organization chart and composed of individuals who report directly to a given manager are called ________.

A)command groups
B)task groups
C)cross-functional teams
D)self-managed teams

Question 29

Asch's experiment,which used lines of varying lengths to test group behavior,has shown the existence of ________.

A)status systems
B)workplace conformity
C)social loafing
D)role conflicts

Question 30

Which of the following refers to a prestige grading,position,or rank within a group?

A)role
B)status
C)ownership
D)membership

Question 31

Which of the following is an example of a formal group?

A)people who assemble in the company library to read
B)a group of employees attending a colleague's wedding
C)a functional department in an organization
D)a group of employees who meet after work to play basketball

Question 32

Which of the following is a negative aspect of group norms?

A)Being part of a group has the ability to increase an individual's antisocial actions.
B)The most widespread norms are those related to dress codes.
C)Groups become dysfunctional when they maintain strict norms.
D)Norms do not influence employees' performance.

Question 33

The acceptable standards or expectations that are shared by a group's members are referred to as ________.

A)affiliations
B)norms
C)criteria
D)morals

Question 34

The ________ stage in the group development process is complete when members begin to think of themselves as part of a group.

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

Question 35

Behavior patterns expected of someone occupying a given position in a social unit is called a ________.

A)role
B)status
C)profile
D)persona

Question 36

During the ________ stage of the group development process,a relatively clear hierarchy of leadership and agreement on the group's direction emerge.

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

Question 37

Age,skill,and experience are examples of ________.

A)formal status categories
B)informal status categories
C)reserved status categories
D)external status categories

Question 38

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding status systems?

A)Anything can have status value if others in the group evaluate it that way.
B)Status is a weak employee motivator even though it has behavioral consequences.
C)Status can only be formally conferred on individuals.
D)Status systems are independent of aspects such as prestige and grading.

Question 39

In which stage of group development does the group focus its attention on wrapping up activities instead of task performance?

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

Question 40

Which of the following refers to independent formal groups whose members,in addition to their regular jobs,take on traditional managerial responsibilities,such as hiring,planning and scheduling,and evaluating performance?

A)command groups
B)task groups
C)self-managed teams
D)cross-functional teams

Question 41

Research evidence suggests that teams typically outperform individuals when ________.

A)one or more members are allowed to dominate the other team members
B)projects are short-term and need quick solutions
C)tasks require multiple skills,judgment,and experience
D)tasks are simple and do not involve critical thinking

Question 42

Which of the following suggestions will help reduce the effect of social loafing in groups?

A)clearly identify individual responsibilities
B)provide group rewards instead of individual rewards
C)increase the overall size of the group
D)form homogeneous groups to increase group cohesiveness

Question 43

Individuals have the tendency to expend less effort when working collectively than when working individually.Which of the following concepts relates most closely to this behavior?

A)social loafing
B)role conflict
C)role ambiguity
D)groupthink

Question 44

Which of the following is true about the effectiveness of individual decision making over group decision making?

A)Individual decisions tend to be more accurate.
B)Individual decisions are better when dealing with complex issues.
C)Individuals tend to be more creative than groups.
D)Individual decisions are made faster than group decisions

Question 45

Which of the following types of conflict is based on how the work gets done?

A)process conflict
B)relationship conflict
C)task conflict
D)role conflict

Question 46

In comparison to large groups,small groups ________.

A)have shorter group tenure
B)are faster at completing tasks
C)have longer norming processes
D)are better at obtaining diverse input

Question 47

A work group ________.

A)encourages open-ended discussions and active problem-solving meetings
B)works intensely on a specific goal using their positive synergy
C)measures performance directly by assessing collective work outputs
D)has no need or opportunity to engage in collective work that requires joint effort

Question 48

Which of the following statements is true about group decision making?

A)It generates more complete information and knowledge.
B)It takes lesser time to reach a solution than it would an individual.
C)It prevents any one minority from dominating or influencing the final decision.
D)It is most suitable for matters that need to be critically evaluated.

Question 49

________ interact primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each member do his or her job more efficiently and effectively.

A)Informal groups
B)Work groups
C)Work teams
D)Self-managed teams

Question 50

Which of the following is true about group decision making?

A)Groups tend to foster equal participation in decision making.
B)The pressure to conform is low when working in groups.
C)Groups take more time to arrive at a decision.
D)Groups usually make decisions based on incomplete information.

Question 51

In which of the following conflict resolution techniques are conflicts resolved by seeking an advantageous solution for all the parties involved?

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

Question 52

Conflicts can be resolved by withdrawing from them or suppressing them.This conflict management technique is known as ________.

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

Question 53

The type of conflicts that support group goals and improve performance are called ________.

A)planned conflicts
B)strategic conflicts
C)natural conflicts
D)functional conflicts

Question 54

The ________ of conflict management argues that some conflict is absolutely necessary for effective organizational performance.

A)traditional view
B)conservative view
C)human relations view
D)interactionist view

Question 55

________ conflict relates to the content and goals of the work.

A)Task
B)Process
C)Relationship
D)Network

Question 56

Which of the following types of conflict is most likely to be dysfunctional?

A)task conflict
B)relationship conflict
C)process conflict
D)procedural conflict

Question 57

A low-to-moderate level of task conflict consistently has a positive effect on group performance.What is the reason for this?

A)It stimulates discussion of ideas that help groups be more innovative.
B)It helps the organization identify employee skills gaps.
C)It helps groups to alter the nature of the work according to the individual needs of team members.
D)It helps groups members identify their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Question 58

________ occurs when a supervisor earns less than his or her subordinates.

A)Job enrichment
B)Groupthink
C)Role ambiguity
D)Status incongruence

Question 59

Large groups consistently get better results than smaller ones,when the group is involved in ________.

A)groupthink
B)routine tasks
C)problem solving
D)long-term projects

Question 60

The ________ view of conflict management argues that conflicts must be avoided as it indicates a problem within the group.

A)human relations
B)traditional
C)interactionist
D)functional

Question 61

Leadership is very important to effective teams.In most cases,effective team leaders act as ________.

A)autocrats
B)regulators
C)controllers
D)facilitators

Question 62

A New Group (Scenario)
David had been away from his old company,Control Tech,for a while.He remembered that when he worked there 10 years ago,the company was very traditional and conservative.The lines of authority and responsibility were established and clear.It now felt ironic that he was managing the consulting team that was going to help the organization become more group-oriented.In addition to the traditional hierarchy,with a manager and subordinates,he saw a need to introduce teams comprised of individuals from various work areas to help solve operational problems.He also felt that,for certain projects,there could be groups that function essentially independently,even taking on traditional management responsibilities such as hiring,planning,and scheduling.Plus,he also saw real potential for special,temporary projects to be handled by groups that would disband once the task was completed.
For a new project,David forms a team comprising of individuals from various functional departments.After a few days David observes conflicts within the group over who will control the group and what the group needs to be doing.This team is now in the ________ stage of group development.

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

Question 63

________ are teams from the same department or functional area involved in efforts to improve work activities,though they are rarely given the authority to implement any of their suggested actions.

A)Self-managed teams
B)Problem-solving teams
C)Virtual teams
D)Cross-functional teams

Question 64

A work team ________.

A)focuses on efficiency rather than collaboration
B)has shared leadership roles
C)measures performance based on its influence on others
D)cannot be quickly refocused or disbanded

Question 65

Which of the following is a drawback of global teams?

A)They generate only a small pool of ideas when faced with problems.
B)They do not foster the appreciation of multiple perspectives.
C)They are characterized by greater potential for stereotyping.
D)They are highly susceptible to groupthink.

Question 66

A New Group (Scenario)
David had been away from his old company,Control Tech,for a while.He remembered that when he worked there 10 years ago,the company was very traditional and conservative.The lines of authority and responsibility were established and clear.It now felt ironic that he was managing the consulting team that was going to help the organization become more group-oriented.In addition to the traditional hierarchy,with a manager and subordinates,he saw a need to introduce teams comprised of individuals from various work areas to help solve operational problems.He also felt that,for certain projects,there could be groups that function essentially independently,even taking on traditional management responsibilities such as hiring,planning,and scheduling.Plus,he also saw real potential for special,temporary projects to be handled by groups that would disband once the task was completed.
A group of permanent employees who work towards providing solutions to clients on a regular basis reports directly to David.This group can be called a ________.

A)self-managed team
B)task group
C)command group
D)cross-functional team

Question 67

King Midas (Scenario)
King Midas Manufacturing Co.has been utilizing groups to improve their manufacturing process.Some of the most successful groups were together for only a few months and others have been together for over a year with little to no success.Management has requested your consulting expertise to determine why there were varied successes and failures.Your analysis of the system indicates that the reason for the varied results could simply be the development stage of the group.
Group C has been meeting for 2 months and seems to be progressing extremely well.You observe that the group meets every morning and spends the first 5 minutes chatting.They then move to the meeting area and review the decisions of the last meeting followed by a discussion on the status of their current tasks.Group C is currently at the ________ stage.

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

Question 68

Identify the key difference between work teams and work groups.

A)Leadership is shared in work teams whereas it rests on a particular individual in work groups.
B)Work groups have their own specific purpose,while the purpose of a work team is the same as that of the organizations.
C)In a work group,performance is measured directly,while in a work team it is measured indirectly.
D)In a work team,work is decided upon by the group leader,whereas in the work group it is decided upon by group members.

Question 69

King Midas (Scenario)
King Midas Manufacturing Co.has been utilizing groups to improve their manufacturing process.Some of the most successful groups were together for only a few months and others have been together for over a year with little to no success.Management has requested your consulting expertise to determine why there were varied successes and failures.Your analysis of the system indicates that the reason for the varied results could simply be the development stage of the group.
Group D has been working on developing a product for 2 years which is now ready to hit the market.The group members are happy about the work they've done on this product.The focus has now shifted from productivity to tying up lose ends.Group D is at the ________ stage.

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

Question 70

King Midas (Scenario)
King Midas Manufacturing Co.has been utilizing groups to improve their manufacturing process.Some of the most successful groups were together for only a few months and others have been together for over a year with little to no success.Management has requested your consulting expertise to determine why there were varied successes and failures.Your analysis of the system indicates that the reason for the varied results could simply be the development stage of the group.
Group B has been meeting for 4 months and is seen as having close relationships between its members,considerable cohesiveness,and a clear focus on its objectives.Group B is at the ________ stage.

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

Question 71

Which of the following countries is most likely to assign status based on accomplishments rather than on titles and family history?

A)China
B)Australia
C)Brazil
D)India

Question 72

A New Group (Scenario)
David had been away from his old company,Control Tech,for a while.He remembered that when he worked there 10 years ago,the company was very traditional and conservative.The lines of authority and responsibility were established and clear.It now felt ironic that he was managing the consulting team that was going to help the organization become more group-oriented.In addition to the traditional hierarchy,with a manager and subordinates,he saw a need to introduce teams comprised of individuals from various work areas to help solve operational problems.He also felt that,for certain projects,there could be groups that function essentially independently,even taking on traditional management responsibilities such as hiring,planning,and scheduling.Plus,he also saw real potential for special,temporary projects to be handled by groups that would disband once the task was completed.
The temporary groups David talked about,created to achieve a special task and then disband,are known as ________.

A)self-managed teams
B)task groups
C)command groups
D)cross-functional teams

Question 73

Which of the following is true about social loafing?

A)It is a common phenomenon in collectivist cultures.
B)It is common in cultures that are dominated by self-interest.
C)It is viewed as a positive characteristic in some cultures.
D)It rarely occurs in Western cultures.

Question 74

Research on conformity suggests that ________.

A)conformity is a culture-bound behavior
B)conformity tends to be higher in individualistic cultures
C)conformity is a major problem in global teams
D)conformity is higher in larger organizations

Question 75

The New Professor (Scenario)
Dan Powell received his Ph.D.and has begun teaching at a large university.Prior to his first day of class,Dan's department head met with him and explained what was expected of a new professor in terms of maintaining discipline in his classroom and providing students with a challenging course.Later that week,Dan met with other professors in a faculty meeting.During that meeting,a number of issues were discussed.Although Dan did not agree with all of them,he did not feel comfortable voicing his opinion because he was less experienced than the other professors.Many of the senior professors were also reluctant to discuss issues.
When Dan's department head explained what was expected of him as a new professor,he was referring to Dan's ________ at the university.

A)role
B)status
C)obligations
D)reputation

Question 76

An organization brings together members from various departments such as marketing,accounting,human resources,and finance to form a team.This is an example of a ________ team.

A)cross-functional
B)temporary
C)specific
D)functional

Question 77

A social network structure refers to ________.

A)the informal connections among individuals within groups
B)the formal norms and rules of a group that members must abide by
C)the extent of diversity in a formal group
D)the varying skills and knowledge that the members of a group posses

Question 78

Which of the following is a benefit of global teams?

A)Communication problems are less likely in global teams.
B)Global teams usually have a greater diversity of ideas.
C)There is a greater trust among team members.
D)Stress and tension are uncommon in global teams.

Question 79

An incentive system which appropriately recognizes team activities is an example of which of the following characteristics of effective teams?

A)internal support
B)unified commitment
C)negotiating skills
D)job design

Question 80

King Midas (Scenario)
King Midas Manufacturing Co.has been utilizing groups to improve their manufacturing process.Some of the most successful groups were together for only a few months and others have been together for over a year with little to no success.Management has requested your consulting expertise to determine why there were varied successes and failures.Your analysis of the system indicates that the reason for the varied results could simply be the development stage of the group.
Group A has been meeting for one month and is seen as having some difficulty in appointing its leader.At least three individuals are qualified to keep the group's focus on its objectives,but the group is yet to decide which person will lead.Group A is at the ________ stage.

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