Deck 9: Understanding Work Teams

Question 1

Which of the following types of teams are involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems within a particular unit of the company?

A)self- managed teams
B)cross- matrix teams
C)problem- solving teams
D)functional teams

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In a growing number of organizations, the traditional team-consisting of a manager and a team that reports directly to him or her is being replaced by more flexible__________ .

A)quality improvement teams
B)cross- functional teams
C)self- managing teams
D)virtual teams

Answer 2

self- managing teams

Question 3

Application of Characteristics of High- Performance Work Teams
Richard knew that just switching to teams was not going to necessarily increase productivity. He knew that there were some characteristics he needed to ensure that the group possessed in order for the group to be most effective. Richard knew that the group members needed the requisite technical skills, but wondered if there were any other skills he needed to ensure every group member also had. He knew the group must be willing to put aside individual goals and focus on the success of the team goals. He also knew the group would need to be characterized by dedication to the team's goals and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy in order to achieve the goals. Some individual work skills would have to be readjusted in order to benefit the team.

-The final condition for Richard's team to be effective is to have a __________ by being provided internally with a sound infrastructure.

A)good communication flow
B)spirit of fair play
C)job morphing
D)supportive climate

Answer 3

supportive climate

Question 4

Diversity on work teams is a benefit when __________is important.

A)unity
B)creativity
C)speed
D)cohesiveness

Question 5

The __________stage of team development is complete when the team structure solidifies and members have assimilated a common set of expectations of appropriate work behavior.

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

Question 6

Application of Team Roles
Sarah has just returned from a seminar dealing with the research of Margerison and McCann where the roles of work team members was discussed. She is enthusiastic as she sets down to select members for the new team she is developing. Hopefully Sarah can avoid some problems of past teams by selecting individuals to fill the roles needed by the work team. Jim comes to mind immediately. He is one of the most imaginative people Sarah knows. He continuously comes up with new and novel ideas; however, he is very independent and likes to work at his own pace. Ruby, on the other hand, has an extreme concern for following policies and rules. She is excellent at examining details and making sure all the facts and figures will work.
Putting those two together on a team, though, may pose some interpersonal problems since they are so different. Then there is Shane. He always has such strong convictions about how things should be done. However, he will protect the group from outsiders and go to battle for them. He will help provide team stability.
Which team role will Ruby play?

A)reporter- advisor
B)linker
C)controller- inspector
D)creator- innovator

Question 7

__________is a characteristic of a high- performing team that makes the group greater than the sum of its parts (members).

A)Synergy
B)Cohesiveness
C)A quality circle
D)Group dynamics

Question 8

Mature teams are particularly prone to

A)high levels of performance.
B)effective communication.
C)continuing innovative solutions.
D)groupthink.

Question 9

Which of the following types of teams results in supervisory positions taking on decreased importance and sometimes being eliminated?

A)functional teams
B)self- managed teams
C)quality circles
D)problem- solving teams

Question 10

Individuals who are capable of readjusting their work skills are able to

A)be a team leader.
B)change jobs.
C)work on interpersonal skills.
D)job- morph.

Question 11

Application of Stages of Team Development
Shannon had never been a member of a team before. Her organization had always highly valued individual effort. Consequently, the switch to teams had been difficult. Furthermore, there had been no training in team development, and right now, Shannon was not certain they were ever going to get past this current stage of continuous intragroup conflict. There was a lot of conflict over who was going to lead the team. Once everyone had thought of themselves as part of the team, not just a group of individuals, Shannon had thought things would start to get better. That first stage had been very difficult, but now the second stage seemed no better. Shannon wondered if they would ever reach a stage of cohesiveness where close relationships would start to develop. Furthermore, at this point she was not sure they would ever get to the point of actually performing the task they had been set up for, which was to work across functions to develop a new piece of surgical equipment. Since the team was to be disbanded in two years, Shannon was afraid they were going to spend their whole two years becoming a team and would never actually develop the new equipment.
Which stage of group development is characterized by cohesiveness and close relationships?

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

Question 12

Teams permit entrepreneurs the ability to tap into the __________of the venture's employees.

A)firms
B)market place
C)collective wisdom
D)pocket book

Question 13

A __________ team is an extension of electronic meetings.

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

Question 14

Which one of the following statements about the forming stage of the team development is false?

A)In the forming stage, the team's primary task is the identification of team boundaries and learning how others perceive the team.
B)The way the team forms during this first stage of development is impacted by its dependency on powerful members and previous experiences of the team members in other situations.
C)In the forming stage, coalitions or cliques may form as subgroups emerge.
D)Members' relationships can be affected by their impressions of organizational philosophies, goals, and policies.

Question 15

Which of the following is not a type of team?

A)interest group
B)quality circle
C)virtual team
D)problem- solving team

Question 16

Which stage in team development is characterized by conflict over leadership and the controls that the group places on individuals?

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

Question 17

Since teams tend to be flexible and continuously making adjustments, team members also need __________skills.

A)groupthink
B)technological
C)technical
D)negotiating

Question 18

To encourage teamwork, behaviors such as __________should be rewarded.

A)longevity
B)working overtime
C)attending seminars
D)training new colleagues

Question 19

The environment necessary for continuous improvement can best be supplied with

A)mature teams.
B)natural work groups.
C)superior work teams.
D)reengineered systems.

Question 20

High- performing teams have members who possess both technical and __________skills.

A)nonconformity
B)technological
C)interpersonal
D)managerial

Question 21

__________are a common type of team used in entrepreneurial ventures.

A)Self- managed teams
B)Quality circles
C)Empowered functional teams
D)Task forces

Question 22

Research on high- performing work teams identified nine potential roles that team members can play. Which of the following is not one of the roles identified?

A)creator
B)owner
C)adviser
D)producer

Question 23

Application of Stages of Team Development
Shannon had never been a member of a team before. Her organization had always highly valued individual effort. Consequently, the switch to teams had been difficult. Furthermore, there had been no training in team development, and right now, Shannon was not certain they were ever going to get past this current stage of continuous intragroup conflict. There was a lot of conflict over who was going to lead the team. Once everyone had thought of themselves as part of the team, not just a group of individuals, Shannon had thought things would start to get better. That first stage had been very difficult, but now the second stage seemed no better. Shannon wondered if they would ever reach a stage of cohesiveness where close relationships would start to develop. Furthermore, at this point she was not sure they would ever get to the point of actually performing the task they had been set up for, which was to work across functions to develop a new piece of surgical equipment. Since the team was to be disbanded in two years, Shannon was afraid they were going to spend their whole two years becoming a team and would never actually develop the new equipment.
Which stage of group development is the group currently in?

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

Question 24

A team player who is concerned with establishing operating procedures that turn ideas into reality and get things done is a(n)__________.

A)upholder- maintainer
B)thruster- organizer
C)linker
D)creator- innovator

Question 25

Application of Stages of Team Development
Shannon had never been a member of a team before. Her organization had always highly valued individual effort. Consequently, the switch to teams had been difficult. Furthermore, there had been no training in team development, and right now, Shannon was not certain they were ever going to get past this current stage of continuous intragroup conflict. There was a lot of conflict over who was going to lead the team. Once everyone had thought of themselves as part of the team, not just a group of individuals, Shannon had thought things would start to get better. That first stage had been very difficult, but now the second stage seemed no better. Shannon wondered if they would ever reach a stage of cohesiveness where close relationships would start to develop. Furthermore, at this point she was not sure they would ever get to the point of actually performing the task they had been set up for, which was to work across functions to develop a new piece of surgical equipment. Since the team was to be disbanded in two years, Shannon was afraid they were going to spend their whole two years becoming a team and would never actually develop the new equipment.
Which stage is Shannon afraid the group will never reach?

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

Question 26

Within the__________ team, issues such as authority, decision making, leadership, and interactions are relatively simple and clear.

A)cross- functional
B)self- managed
C)virtual
D)functional

Question 27

Application of Team Roles
Sarah has just returned from a seminar dealing with the research of Margerison and McCann where the roles of work team members was discussed. She is enthusiastic as she sets down to select members for the new team she is developing. Hopefully Sarah can avoid some problems of past teams by selecting individuals to fill the roles needed by the work team. Jim comes to mind immediately. He is one of the most imaginative people Sarah knows. He continuously comes up with new and novel ideas; however, he is very independent and likes to work at his own pace. Ruby, on the other hand, has an extreme concern for following policies and rules. She is excellent at examining details and making sure all the facts and figures will work.
Putting those two together on a team, though, may pose some interpersonal problems since they are so different. Then there is Shane. He always has such strong convictions about how things should be done. However, he will protect the group from outsiders and go to battle for them. He will help provide team stability.
Which role is the most important to have filled in order for the team to be effective?

A)linker
B)upholder- maintainer
C)concluder- producer
D)All roles are needed in order for the team to be most effective.

Question 28

The extensive use of teams creates the potential for an organization to generate

A)greater synergies with no increase of outputs.
B)the same level of inputs and outputs but higher quality.
C)less outputs with no greater inputs.
D)greater outputs and with no greater inputs.

Question 29

In the forming of a team, task accomplishment and eventual disengagement occur in the __________stage.

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

Question 30

At the__________ stage of group development group members often regress to the previous stages of group development.

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

Question 31

Teams will be difficult to introduce in the United States, Canada, and Australia because these societies are

A)highly collective.
B)highly individualistic.
C)risk- averse.
D)risk- taking.

Question 32

A__________ is a group of employees who meet regularly to discuss and plan specific ways to improve work quality.

A)focus group
B)task force
C)problem- solving team
D)quality circle

Question 33

Which of the following is not a technique a manager can use to reinvigorate mature work teams?

A)do not address maturity problems until they arise
B)offer advanced training
C)offer refresher training
D)encourage team members to treat their development as a constant learning experience

Question 34

High- performing teams have members who possess both technical and__________ skills.

A)managerial
B)nonconformity skills
C)technological
D)interpersonal

Question 35

Application of Team Roles
Sarah has just returned from a seminar dealing with the research of Margerison and McCann where the roles of work team members was discussed. She is enthusiastic as she sets down to select members for the new team she is developing. Hopefully Sarah can avoid some problems of past teams by selecting individuals to fill the roles needed by the work team. Jim comes to mind immediately. He is one of the most imaginative people Sarah knows. He continuously comes up with new and novel ideas; however, he is very independent and likes to work at his own pace. Ruby, on the other hand, has an extreme concern for following policies and rules. She is excellent at examining details and making sure all the facts and figures will work.
Putting those two together on a team, though, may pose some interpersonal problems since they are so different. Then there is Shane. He always has such strong convictions about how things should be done. However, he will protect the group from outsiders and go to battle for them. He will help provide team stability.
Who will act in the role of explorer- promoter?

A)Ruby
B)Shane
C)Jim
D)none of the above

Question 36

__________like to take new ideas and champion their cause.

A)Assessor- developers
B)Concluder- producers
C)Creator- innovators
D)Explorer- promoters

Question 37

High- performance teams generally share several characteristics.__________ is one of these commonly shared characteristics.

A)a task- driven structure
B)members who work hard and play hard
C)mutual trust among members
D)cross- functional membership

Question 38

During the__________ stage of the team formation, there is an integration of team members as they engage in creative ways of working together to solve complex tasks and resolve interpersonal conflicts.

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

Question 39

Application of Characteristics of High- Performance Work Teams
Richard knew that just switching to teams was not going to necessarily increase productivity. He knew that there were some characteristics he needed to ensure that the group possessed in order for the group to be most effective. Richard knew that the group members needed the requisite technical skills, but wondered if there were any other skills he needed to ensure every group member also had. He knew the group must be willing to put aside individual goals and focus on the success of the team goals. He also knew the group would need to be characterized by dedication to the team's goals and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy in order to achieve the goals. Some individual work skills would have to be readjusted in order to benefit the team.
Which of the following is not a characteristic the group needs in order to be effective?

A)unified commitment
B)groupthink
C)effective leadership
D)clear understanding of the goal

Question 40

Which of the following is not a way in which managers can assure that individuals are team players?

A)employee training
B)rewarding the appropriate team behaviors
C)rewarding the appropriate individual behaviors
D)proper selection

Question 41

Application of Characteristics of High- Performance Work Teams
Richard knew that just switching to teams was not going to necessarily increase productivity. He knew that there were some characteristics he needed to ensure that the group possessed in order for the group to be most effective. Richard knew that the group members needed the requisite technical skills, but wondered if there were any other skills he needed to ensure every group member also had. He knew the group must be willing to put aside individual goals and focus on the success of the team goals. He also knew the group would need to be characterized by dedication to the team's goals and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy in order to achieve the goals. Some individual work skills would have to be readjusted in order to benefit the team.
The willingness of the group to do what it takes to help the group succeed is known as

A)unified commitment.
B)goal attainment.
C)team commitment.
D)team loyalty.

Question 42

The role of __________ on work teams is usually held by a person who is imaginative and good at initiating ideas or concepts.

A)assessor- developer
B)creator- innovator
C)concluder- producer
D)explorer- promoter

Question 43

__________teams rely on the use of information technology and a strong commitment to the group instead of frequent personal exchange and face- to- face meetings.

A)Self- managed
B)Cross- functional
C)Virtual
D)Transnational

Question 44

Effective team leaders today can best be described by which of the following terms?

A)the boss
B)dictatorial
C)the team leader
D)a coach or facilitator

Question 45

Reward systems for teams should focus on

A)effectiveness as a team member.
B)individual contribution to the team goals.
C)longevity.
D)individual contribution.

Question 46

A(n)__________is a team player who is a good listener and encourages team members to seek additional information before making decisions.

A)upholders- maintainer
B)reporter- advisor
C)thruster- organizer
D)creator- innovator

Question 47

The essence of continuous improvement programs is process improvement, and __________is the linchpin of process improvement.

A)technology
B)employee participation
C)top management
D)communication

Question 48

Cross- functional teams are expected to do all of the following except

A)focus on solving departmental or functional problems.
B)communicate cross- functionally.
C)explore new ideas.
D)share information.

Question 49

Application of Stages of Team Development
Shannon had never been a member of a team before. Her organization had always highly valued individual effort. Consequently, the switch to teams had been difficult. Furthermore, there had been no training in team development, and right now, Shannon was not certain they were ever going to get past this current stage of continuous intragroup conflict. There was a lot of conflict over who was going to lead the team. Once everyone had thought of themselves as part of the team, not just a group of individuals, Shannon had thought things would start to get better. That first stage had been very difficult, but now the second stage seemed no better. Shannon wondered if they would ever reach a stage of cohesiveness where close relationships would start to develop. Furthermore, at this point she was not sure they would ever get to the point of actually performing the task they had been set up for, which was to work across functions to develop a new piece of surgical equipment. Since the team was to be disbanded in two years, Shannon was afraid they were going to spend their whole two years becoming a team and would never actually develop the new equipment.
The first stage the group worked through was

A)adjourning.
B)performing.
C)storming.
D)forming.

Question 50

__________is the stage of group development that is characterized by the resolution of conflict and the development of roles.

A)Forming
B)Performing
C)Conflict
D)Norming

Question 51

Application of Characteristics of High- Performance Work Teams
Richard knew that just switching to teams was not going to necessarily increase productivity. He knew that there were some characteristics he needed to ensure that the group possessed in order for the group to be most effective. Richard knew that the group members needed the requisite technical skills, but wondered if there were any other skills he needed to ensure every group member also had. He knew the group must be willing to put aside individual goals and focus on the success of the team goals. He also knew the group would need to be characterized by dedication to the team's goals and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy in order to achieve the goals. Some individual work skills would have to be readjusted in order to benefit the team.
Richard knew that effective leadership could help a team through difficult situations by

A)representing top management in having final authority over all group actions.
B)job- morphing.
C)making the decision for the group.
D)clarifying goals.

Question 52

Application of Team Roles
Sarah has just returned from a seminar dealing with the research of Margerison and McCann where the roles of work team members was discussed. She is enthusiastic as she sets down to select members for the new team she is developing. Hopefully Sarah can avoid some problems of past teams by selecting individuals to fill the roles needed by the work team. Jim comes to mind immediately. He is one of the most imaginative people Sarah knows. He continuously comes up with new and novel ideas; however, he is very independent and likes to work at his own pace. Ruby, on the other hand, has an extreme concern for following policies and rules. She is excellent at examining details and making sure all the facts and figures will work.
Putting those two together on a team, though, may pose some interpersonal problems since they are so different. Then there is Shane. He always has such strong convictions about how things should be done. However, he will protect the group from outsiders and go to battle for them. He will help provide team stability.
Shane is well suited to the team role of

A)assessor- developer.
B)controller- inspector.
C)upholder- maintainer.
D)reporter- advisor.

Question 53

Teams are used in about __________of all Fortune 500 companies.

A)50%
B)80%
C)95%
D)30%

Question 54

Deborah's work team does its own hiring and scheduling and is even responsible for evaluating each other's performance. Deborah is part of a __________team.

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

Question 55

The __________stage of team development is complete when members have begun to think of themselves as part of a team.

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

Question 56

Which of the following is not one of the benefits of using teams?

A)lower productivity
B)quality improvements
C)lower costs
D)speed

Question 57

Which of the following is a correct description of the team role identified?

A)Creator-offers insightful analysis of options.
B)Controller-provides structure.
C)Promoter-champions ideas after they have been initiated.
D)Maintainer-coordinates and integrates.

Question 58

In the late 1980s, major automobile manufacturers turned to__________ teams in order to coordinate complex projects.

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

Question 59

For team efforts to work, entrepreneurs must shift from the traditional __________style of managing to a__________ style.

A)command- and- control; coach- and- collaboration
B)uniform; relaxed
C)coach- and- collaboration; command- and- control
D)none of the above

Question 60

A group that engages in collective work that requires joint effort and generates a positive synergy is a __________.

A)functional team
B)quality circle
C)work group
D)work team

Question 61

Which of the following is a characteristic of work teams?

A)individual accountability
B)complementary skills
C)neutral synergy
D)interacts to share information

Question 62

Which of the following is not a stage in group development?

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

Question 63

A team whose members are at different locations, who work together and solve problems through computer- assisted exchange rather than personal, face- to- face meetings are operating as a__________ .

A)quality circle
B)cross- functional team
C)virtual team
D)self- directed team

Question 64

Teams that meet weekly to discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment are called__________ teams.

A)functional
B)quality circle
C)problem- solving
D)self- managed

Question 65

The phases or stages and sequence involved in team formation and development are

A)problem definition, problem analysis, solution generation, solution implementation, and evaluation.
B)forming, norming, performing, and satisfying.
C)forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
D)introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.

Question 66

Teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being done require all of the following except

A)quick decisions.
B)judgment.
C)multiple skills.
D)experience.

Question 67

Which of the following does not accurately describe virtual teams?

A)Because of information technology, virtual teams provide a problem- free approach to dealing with issues among team members at geographically dispersed locations.
B)Interpersonal difficulties that might occur in face- to- face meetings could be minimized or eliminated.
C)Team members from geographically dispersed locations can deal with issues in a time- efficient fashion.
D)Working relationships can become depersonalized.

Question 68

A group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions that will help each group member perform within his/her area of responsibility is a__________ .

A)work team
B)quality circle
C)functional team
D)work group

Question 69

Self- managing teams possess all of the following characteristics except

A)members have discretion in distributing tasks within the team.
B)members have discretion in scheduling work within the team.
C)members determine the compensation of its members.
D)members hire other members.

Question 70

Robert is a procurement specialist who belongs to a team with members representing different functional units. The team meets to share information regarding specific problems facing the whole organization. Jim is a member of a __________.

A)delphi team
B)quality circle team
C)problem- solving team
D)cross- functional team

Question 71

__________is a potential barrier to using work teams.

A)Open communication
B)Speed of decision- making
C)Group cohesiveness
D)Group conflict

Question 72

Application of Characteristics of High- Performance Work Teams
Richard knew that just switching to teams was not going to necessarily increase productivity. He knew that there were some characteristics he needed to ensure that the group possessed in order for the group to be most effective. Richard knew that the group members needed the requisite technical skills, but wondered if there were any other skills he needed to ensure every group member also had. He knew the group must be willing to put aside individual goals and focus on the success of the team goals. He also knew the group would need to be characterized by dedication to the team's goals and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy in order to achieve the goals. Some individual work skills would have to be readjusted in order to benefit the team.
The willingness of the group to do what it takes to help the group succeed is known as

A)goal attainment.
B)team loyalty.
C)unified commitment.
D)team commitment.

Question 73

Which of the following statements is not true about diverse teams?

A)Diverse teams have more difficulty working together.
B)Diverse teams are less cohesive.
C)Diverse teams are more creative.
D)Diverse teams spend less time discussing issues.

Question 74

Application of Team Roles
Sarah has just returned from a seminar dealing with the research of Margerison and McCann where the roles of work team members was discussed. She is enthusiastic as she sets down to select members for the new team she is developing. Hopefully Sarah can avoid some problems of past teams by selecting individuals to fill the roles needed by the work team. Jim comes to mind immediately. He is one of the most imaginative people Sarah knows. He continuously comes up with new and novel ideas; however, he is very independent and likes to work at his own pace. Ruby, on the other hand, has an extreme concern for following policies and rules. She is excellent at examining details and making sure all the facts and figures will work.
Putting those two together on a team, though, may pose some interpersonal problems since they are so different. Then there is Shane. He always has such strong convictions about how things should be done. However, he will protect the group from outsiders and go to battle for them. He will help provide team stability.
Which team role will Jim effectively play?

A)reporter- advisor
B)controller- inspector
C)linker
D)creator- innovator

Question 75

Application of Characteristics of High- Performance Work Teams
Richard knew that just switching to teams was not going to necessarily increase productivity. He knew that there were some characteristics he needed to ensure that the group possessed in order for the group to be most effective. Richard knew that the group members needed the requisite technical skills, but wondered if there were any other skills he needed to ensure every group member also had. He knew the group must be willing to put aside individual goals and focus on the success of the team goals. He also knew the group would need to be characterized by dedication to the team's goals and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy in order to achieve the goals. Some individual work skills would have to be readjusted in order to benefit the team.
What other type of skill is needed by the group members besides the requisite technical skills?

A)nonconformity
B)interpersonal
C)environmental
D)technological

Question 76

Effective teams are characterized by __________, that is, members believe in the integrity, character, and ability of one another.

A)high mutual trust
B)job- morphing
C)groupthink
D)unified commitment

Question 77

On a team, which member coordinates and integrates?

A)the linker
B)the thruster- organizer
C)the upholder- maintainer
D)the controller producer

Question 78

A__________ is a type of team that has the authority to make decisions that are normally reserved for managers.

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

Question 79

A specific group of accountants at an accounting firm that meets regularly to develop better auditing procedures for the firm can be referred to as__________ .

A)a cross- functional team
B)a functional team
C)a virtual team
D)a task force

Question 80

At the __________stage of group development members try out various forms of behavior in an attempt to test the water and see what will be accepted by the group.

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