Deck 9: Managing Teams

Question 1

Companies are making greater use of teams because teams have been shown to increase (1)customer satisfaction, (2)product and service quality, (3)speed and efficiency in product development, and (4)employee job satisfaction.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Norms are informally agreed-upon standards that regulate team behavior. They are valuable because they let team members know what is expected of them.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Teams are typically required when tasks are complex, require multiple perspectives, or require repeated interaction with others to complete.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

One of the disadvantages of project teams is their lack of flexibility.

Question 5

The autonomy continuum shows how five kinds of teams differ in terms of autonomy. The correct sequence from low team autonomy to high team autonomy is (1)traditional work groups, (2)employee involvement groups, (3)semi-autonomous work groups, (4)self-designing teams, and (5)self-managing teams.

Question 6

Cohesiveness refers to the extent to which members of a team are experiencing job satisfaction.

Question 7

Employee involvement teams not only provide advice and suggestions to management but also have the authority to make decisions and solve problems related to the major tasks required to produce a product or service.

Question 8

The three significant disadvantages that teams and teamwork are prone to are initially high turnover, social loafing, and legal risk.

Question 9

The presence of someone with expertise in a group will often cause other group members to withhold efforts.

Question 10

Team norms may be associated with either positive or negative outcomes for the company.

Question 11

Since teams should be an end in themselves, it is appropriate to use them in most situations.

Question 12

Cross-functional teams are purposefully composed of employees from different functional areas of the organization.

Question 13

Virtual teams are often, but not necessarily, temporary teams that are set up to accomplish a specific task.

Question 14

Cognitive conflict is strongly associated with improvements in team performance, and affective conflict is strongly associated with decreases in team performance.

Question 15

Autonomy is the degree to which workers have the discretion, freedom, and independence to decide how and when to accomplish their jobs.

Question 16

A work team is a small number of people who have been assigned responsibility for pursuing a common purpose, achieving performance goals, and improving interdependent work processes.

Question 17

In the decision-making process, teams can do a much better job than individuals in defining the problem and generating alternative solutions.

Question 18

A company engaged in cross training is using individual team members to teach other members how to do all or most of the jobs they can perform.

Question 19

Self-designing teams have all the characteristics of self-managing teams, but they can also control and change the design of the teams themselves, the tasks they do and how they do them, and who belongs to the teams.

Question 20

In many industries, teams are growing in importance because they help organizations respond to specific problems and challenges.

Question 21

To enhance work team effectiveness, managers should carefully set team goals and priorities and take care when selecting, training, and compensating team members.

Question 22

How are organizations using teams to help increase customer satisfaction?

A)by instituting a system of increased formalization throughout the organization
B)by creating problem-solving teams to study ways to improve customer satisfaction and make recommendations for improvements
C)by creating outsourcing opportunities that improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency by creating economies of scale
D)by developing ideal solutions to organizational problems through the use of information management systems (most notably expert systems)
E)by taking direct responsibility for service quality

Question 23

A preference for teamwork (i.e., collectivism), team level, and team diversity can help companies choose the right team members.

Question 24

E-Lab (the "E" stands for experience)has project teams perform field research for its clients. These project teams are composed of students of theology, actors, and musicians as well as the more traditional marketing experts and statisticians. Each member of the group is trained to conduct observational research, interview clients, and understand the marketing impact of what they learn. E-Lab uses ____ to make its project teams more efficient.

A)synergistic goals
B)stretch goals
C)cross training
D)vestibule training
E)OJT training

Question 25

The most common type of training provided to members of work teams is training in leadership skills.

Question 26

Structural accommodation means giving teams the ability to change organizational structures, policies, and practices if it helps them meet their stretch goals.

Question 27

Allen-Edmonds is keeping its shoe manufacturing business in the United States by investing in new machinery and creating new processes. The strategy is a gamble and the outcome is uncertain. To cut costs and improve efficiency, the company's old assembly line is being replaced by a system of employees working in groups, with each person doing several jobs, and each trained to do the others' tasks. Allen-Edmonds is using ____.

A)semi-structured teams
B)ad hoc committees
C)work teams
D)functional departments
E)venture teams

Question 28

When teams are used properly and in the right settings, work teams can ____.

A)help organizations respond to specific problems and challenges
B)dramatically improve company performance
C)instill a sense of vitality in the workplace that is otherwise difficult to achieve
D)increase customer satisfaction and service quality
E)do all of these

Question 29

An organization engaged in ____ its work team members is training them in how to do all or most of the jobs performed by the other team members.

A)cross training
B)job enlargement
C)job specialization
D)Venn training
E)overlapping training

Question 30

In general, gainsharing is most effective for self-managing and self-directing teams performing complex tasks, while skill-based pay works best in relatively stable environments where employees can focus on improving the productivity, cost savings, or quality of their current work system.

Question 31

As teams develop and grow, they pass through three stages of development. These three stages are 1)perceived team, 2)felt team, and 3)manifest team.

Question 32

Since teams that get stuck in the storming stage will be strained but productive, it is important for team leaders to focus the team on balancing cognitive and affective conflict.

Question 33

A local hospital ran into a funding problem when it tried to build a new state-of-the-art pediatric unit. The hospital management asked a group of physicians, hospital volunteers, and administrative staff to develop and implement a plan to raise the necessary money. This group of people with complementary skills formed a(n)____.

A)semi-structured team
B)autonomous unit
C)work team
D)functional department
E)venture team

Question 34

Sincere attempts to reach agreement on a difficult issue can quickly deteriorate from cognitive to affective conflict.

Question 35

Once teams have made it to the performing stage, they no longer need fear a decline in performance.

Question 36

According to the text, a(n)____ is a small number of people with complementary skills who hold themselves mutually accountable for pursuing a common purpose, achieving performance goals, and improving interdependent work processes.

A)work team
B)venture group
C)semi-structured team
D)autonomous unit
E)ad hoc team

Question 37

Conflicts and disagreements often characterize the second stage of team development, which is called storming.

Question 38

In general, skill-based pay is most effective for managing the performance of self-managing and self-directing teams.

Question 39

Allen-Edmonds is keeping its shoe manufacturing business in the United States by investing in new machinery and creating new processes. The strategy is a gamble and the outcome is uncertain. To cut costs and improve efficiency, the company's old assembly line is being replaced by a system of employees working in groups, with each person doing several jobs, and each trained to do the others' tasks. Allen-Edmonds' teams are using ____.

A)cross training
B)job enlargement
C)job specialization
D)Venn training
E)overlapping training

Question 40

Which of the following is a reason teamwork can be more satisfying than traditional work?

A)Teamwork often allows teams to receive proprietary business information that is only available to managers.
B)Teamwork provides team members with unique work opportunities.
C)Teamwork gives workers a chance to improve their skills.
D)Teamwork gives workers unique leadership responsibilities which enable them to build individual leadership skills.
E)All of these are reasons why teamwork can be more satisfying than traditional work.

Question 41

____ is one of the disadvantages associated with the use of work teams.

A)Storming behavior
B)Social loafing
C)Group negation
D)Outsourcing
E)Stonewalling

Question 42

Many orthopedic parts are almost identical in size and shape. Stryker Howmedica Osteonics in New Jersey used a semi-autonomous work group to develop Product Recognition Technology that makes sure parts are identified correctly and orders are filled correctly. This group ____.

A)provided advice to the company's functional departments
B)controlled all of the major production tasks for manufacturing orthopedic parts
C)controlled the design and membership of the team
D)had the authority to solve problems related to the correct identification of orthopedic parts
E)did all of these

Question 43

Teams can be broadly classified as either ____.

A)functional or departmental
B)local or national
C)line or staff
D)centralized or decentralized
E)functional or cross-functional

Question 44

The kind of team known as a(n)____ not only provides advice and suggestions to management but also has limited authority to make decisions and solve problems related to the major tasks required to produce a product or service.

A)traditional work group
B)employer-monitored group
C)semi-autonomous work group
D)self-managing team
E)employee involvement team

Question 45

Team rewards that depend on ____ are the key to rewarding team behaviors and efforts.

A)team performance rather than individual performance
B)individual efforts rather than team performance
C)someone taking the role of group leader
D)the elimination of social loafing
E)the use of groupthink

Question 46

Which of the following statements about semi-autonomous work groups is true?

A)Semi-autonomous work groups are not typically cross-trained.
B)Semi-autonomous work groups have low team autonomy.
C)Semi-autonomous work groups can control and change the design of the team.
D)Semi-autonomous work groups have the authority to make decisions and solve problems related to the major tasks of producing a good or service.
E)Semi-autonomous work groups are accurately described by none of these.

Question 47

Which of the following statements describe an advantage teams have over individuals in the decision-making process?

A)Teams can identify problems more efficiently and more quickly.
B)Teams are able to view problems from multiple perspectives.
C)Teams generate more commitment to making the decisions work.
D)Teams generate more alternative solutions.
E)All of these describe advantages teams have over individuals in the decision-making process.

Question 48

Teams are typically required when ____.

A)tasks are simple
B)tasks require multiple perspectives
C)synergy will complicate the problem solution process
D)the company has very limited resources
E)any of these conditions are met

Question 49

In the autonomy continuum (which shows how five kinds of teams differ in terms of autonomy), the correct sequence, from low team autonomy to high team autonomy, is ____.

A)employee involvement teams, traditional work groups, semi-autonomous work groups, self-managing teams, and self-designing teams
B)traditional work groups, employee involvement teams, self-managing teams, semi-autonomous work groups, and self-designing teams
C)traditional work groups, employee involvement teams, self-designing teams, and self-managing teams
D)traditional work groups, employee involvement teams, semi-autonomous work groups, self-managing teams, and self-designing teams
E)employer-mandated teams, traditional work groups, employee involvement teams, project teams, and self-managing teams

Question 50

____ occurs when workers withhold their efforts and fail to perform their share of the work.

A)Self-limiting behavior
B)Social loafing
C)De-forming
D)Stonewalling
E)Mental atrophy

Question 51

The highest level of team autonomy is found in ____.

A)self-managing teams
B)self-designing teams
C)semi-autonomous work groups
D)employee involvement teams
E)reciprocal work teams

Question 52

Which of the following is a potential disadvantage associated with the use of work teams?

A)commitment to finding an ideal solution that does not exist
B)initially high employee turnover
C)lack of creativity in decision making
D)decreased employee satisfaction
E)all of these

Question 53

____ do NOT have the authority to make decisions.

A)Self-designing teams
B)Employee involvement teams
C)Semi-autonomous work groups
D)Self-managing teams
E)Sequential teams

Question 54

Boeing's operation in Macon, Georgia was named one of the ten best manufacturing plants in North America by IndustryWeek magazine. The company maintains an employee involvement team to track the plant's goals and performance metrics. This team ____.

A)determines who belongs to the team
B)provides advice to management concerning areas that needed change or improvements
C)has the authority to solve problems related to marketing and manufacturing issues
D)controls all of the major production tasks at Boeing
E)does none of these

Question 55

Which of the following statements describes a circumstance under which teams ought to be used?

A)Rewards are provided for individual effort and performance.
B)Ample resources are available.
C)Management will continue to monitor and influence how work gets done.
D)The job can be done by people working independently.
E)All of these describe circumstances under which teams ought to be used.

Question 56

The least amount of team autonomy is found in ____.

A)traditional work groups
B)employee involvement teams
C)semi-autonomous work groups
D)self-managing teams
E)ad hoc committees

Question 57

Which of the following statements about social loafing is true?

A)Social loafing only occurs in organizational settings.
B)The consequences of social loafing include a loss of efficiency.
C)Social loafing creates an accommodative decision-making climate.
D)Social loafing preempts the usefulness of brainstorming.
E)Social loafing cannot occur if there is a group leader.

Question 58

Which of the following types of teams has the authority to change their composition as well as all of their tasks and work methods?

A)self-designing teams
B)sequentially interdependent teams
C)semi-autonomous work groups
D)self-managing teams
E)self-autonomous teams

Question 59

As a member of a typical traditional work group, Joshua should expect to be responsible for ____.

A)doing what he is told to do
B)giving advice and making suggestions to management
C)making decisions and solving problems regarding major production/service tasks
D)cross training employees who are not part of his work team
E)creating ideas through processes like brainstorming

Question 60

Which of the following is the only type of responsibility given to traditional work groups?

A)execute the task
B)give advice/make suggestions
C)make decisions and solve problems
D)manage and control all major production tasks
E)receive and process organizational information

Question 61

The group of medical specialists that work in the neonatal unit of a large teaching hospital has assumed that one of the ____ they should follow is to explain to students the "whys" of specific procedures as they are performed. There is no hospital rule mandating that the students be told an explanation.

A)heuristics
B)norms
C)behavioral policies
D)codes of ethics
E)operational guides

Question 62

Which of the following is a useful guideline for successful management of virtual teams?

A)Pick group members with diverse backgrounds and personalities.
B)Keep team interaction upbeat and action-oriented.
C)Avoid asking the team members for their assessment of the team.
D)Limit feedback.
E)Establish nonspecific stretch goals to test the creativity of the team.

Question 63

The job of the concepts managers at Starbucks is to use a cross-functional team to develop four to six new beverages annually. Starbucks uses a cross-functional team because it ____.

A)allows the company to use employees from various departments with varying perspectives to attack the task
B)creates a means for outsourcing new-product development
C)allows Starbucks to use an aggregated product plan
D)ensures that Starbucks will always have products in each stage of the product life cycle
E)allows the company to get input from all of its external stakeholders

Question 64

Team norms in an organization can create ____.

A)stronger organizational commitment
B)more trust in management
C)negative behaviors, such as breaking rules
D)increased job satisfaction
E)all of these

Question 65

Which of the following kinds of team is always temporary?

A)cross-functional team
B)project team
C)standing committee
D)self-managing team
E)virtual team

Question 66

E-Lab (the "E" stands for experience)has project teams perform field research for its clients. Project teams at E-Lab have designed a new over-the-counter cold medicine by studying the process of how people get sick; they have helped create a new station wagon for a major carmaker; and they have helped backpack maker JanSport design a completely new way of displaying its products in sporting goods stores. You can expect E-Lab's project teams to be ____.

A)composed of employees from different functional areas
B)created to complete specific, one-time projects in a limited time
C)led by a project manager
D)flexible in their ability to move to another project
E)all of these

Question 67

Which of the following team sizes usually provides the best performance?

A)2 to 3
B)6 to 9
C)15 to 20
D)more than 20
E)All sizes tend to perform equally well.

Question 68

The ____ is purposefully composed of employees from different functional areas of the organization.

A)cross-functional team
B)ad hoc team
C)semi-autonomous team
D)self-managing team
E)horizontally organized team

Question 69

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the construction of tunnels is one of the greatest challenges encountered during road construction. The technique of tunneling has not kept pace with the development of other technical fields. The USDOT has created a national team of tunnel experts to develop road tunnel engineering principles and maintenance practices in the United States through the use of telecommunications and information technology. This group of tunnel experts will comprise a(n)____.

A)self-directed team
B)normative team
C)virtual team
D)multifunctional team
E)ad hoc team

Question 70

Which of the following is an advantage associated with the use of project teams?

A)flexibility
B)reduction or elimination of communication barriers
C)increased cooperation among separate departments
D)faster design process
E)all of these

Question 71

____ are informally agreed-on standards that regulate team behavior.

A)Heuristics
B)Norms
C)Behavioral policies
D)Codes of ethics
E)Operational guides

Question 72

Many orthopedic parts are almost identical in size and shape. Stryker Howmedica Osteonics in New Jersey used a semi-autonomous work group to develop Product Recognition Technology that makes sure parts are identified correctly and orders are filled correctly. This group would be classified as a(n)____.

A)ad hoc committee
B)virtual team
C)multifunctional team
D)project team
E)product-oriented team

Question 73

A group of workers in a medical examiner's office decided that they would not wear blue jeans to work because such casual wear seemed unprofessional. This informal agreement was made even though the office did not have a dress code. The workers created a(n)____.

A)heuristic
B)norm
C)behavioral policy
D)code of ethics
E)operational guide

Question 74

The ____ is created to complete specific, one-time projects or tasks within a limited time.

A)cross-functional team
B)project team
C)virtual team
D)self-managing team
E)standing committee

Question 75

The major drawback to the use of virtual teams is ____.

A)members must learn to express themselves in new contexts
B)inflexibility
C)the absence of autonomy
D)too much autonomy
E)the establishment of group norms

Question 76

____ is the extent to which team members are attracted to a team and motivated to remain with it.

A)Accommodation
B)Synergy
C)Autonomy
D)Cohesiveness
E)Empathy

Question 77

Virtual teams ____.

A)are also called illusionary focus groups
B)are very flexible
C)require all communication among group members to be sent through a senior manager who acts as a filter
D)are always self-managing teams
E)regularly meet face-to-face in informal group meetings

Question 78

A leading coatings and paints manufacturer established a team that resulted in a significant increase in plant availability and a decrease in plant downtime. Previously, the plant had lost considerable time daily because the assembly line had to be cleaned whenever the production schedule called for a different color, etc. to be produced. This team, which was composed of employees from several different departments, exemplifies a(n)____.

A)multifunctional team
B)normative team
C)virtual team
D)cross-functional team
E)ad hoc team

Question 79

A group in Great Britain has been established to improve the employment, retention, and promotion prospects of blacks and other ethnic minorities as well as women in the Fire and Rescue Service, which at present has a largely white, male demographic. This ____ team has two years to gather information and create a plan.

A)self-designing
B)project
C)virtual
D)cross-functional
E)ad hoc

Question 80

A(n)____ is defined as a team composed of geographically and/or organizationally dispersed coworkers who use telecommunications and information technologies to accomplish an organizational task.

A)cross-functional team
B)project team
C)virtual team
D)international group
E)self-managing team