Deck 13: Teams, Groups, and Teamwork

Question 1

Cross-functional teams

A) remain in the forming stage.
B) become bored readily.
C) breed conflict because of the different points of view.
D) disband quickly.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A concern noted about too much trust within the work group is that

A) the members might not monitor each others' work carefully enough.
B) higher-level management might become suspicious.
C) group productivity might suffer.
D) group emotional intelligence is likely to decrease.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which one of the following is a characteristic of an effective work group?

A) independent (rather than interdependent) tasks and rewards
B) a feeling of empowerment
C) inexperienced rather than experienced workers
D) improvising on work processes and procedures

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A team is least likely to be a useful form of organization under which one of the following conditions?

A) speed is important
B) the organization faces a complex and rapidly changing environment
C) work processes are best handled by one functional group
D) when innovation and learning have high priority

Question 5

A distinguishing characteristic of a team (in contrast to a group) is that

A) the members are engaged in collective effort.
B) the members recognize they are a special type of group.
C) outsiders are not welcome.
D) its members have complementary skills.

Question 6

A recommended managerial action for enhancing teamwork is to

A) practice micromanagement at every opportunity.
B) emphasize the urgent purpose facing the group.
C) discourage the use of jargon.
D) use an authoritarian leadership style.

Question 7

Good relationships between the leaders of virtual teams and the team members

A) lowers team member satisfaction.
B) enhances team member satisfaction.
C) encourages turnover.
D) increases conflict.

Question 8

The CEO of one company wants to hire a team of capable people all at once so the company can quickly enter a new business. So the CEO engages in a(n)

A) lift out.
B) group polarization.
C) groupthink.
D) outdoor training.

Question 9

A key advantage of a project structure is that it

A) does not require skilled workers.
B) does not require resources from the larger organization.
C) encourages identification with the project.
D) leads to stable assignments for project members.

Question 10

To accomplish its work, videoconferencing would be the most important for a

A) top-management team.
B) cross-functional team.
C) crew.
D) virtual team.

Question 11

Cultural diversity within a group tends to enhance creativity because

A) shyness within the group is reduced.
B) different points of view are expressed.
C) conflict is minimized.
D) the group operates without a formal leader.

Question 12

The shakedown period of group development is referred to as the ____ stage.

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

Question 13

The negative results of conflict include:.

A) sidetracked goals.
B) poor physical and mental health.
C) wasted resources.
D) all of the choices

Question 14

A self-managed work team is responsible for

A) inspecting the quality of other work teams.
B) setting its own compensation.
C) a portion of a work process that delivers a product to a customer.
D) an entire work process that delivers a product to a customer.

Question 15

One form of top-management team occurs when

A) the labor union is represented on the board of directors.
B) executives share power equally with team leaders.
C) the CEO position is rotated regularly.
D) two or more top-level managers share authority equally.

Question 16

With virtual teams, managers have to trust that people will

A) fill in their time sheets correctly.
B) check in with their supervisor at the end of each day.
C) arrive at the home office on time.
D) perform well without direct supervision.

Question 17

You are a member of a group given the three-week assignment of finding a company to take operate your company's photocopying and printing operations. You are most likely a member of a

A) task force.
B) matrix structure.
C) project team.
D) top-management team.

Question 18

Group cohesiveness and commitment begin to develop during the ____ stage of group development.

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

Question 19

Team members feel pride in their work because they

A) determine the tasks.
B) set vacation schedules.
C) have broadened responsibility.
D) all of the above

Question 20

A major reason that NASA sends astronauts to wilderness training is that

A) wilderness training is conducted on a terrain resembling the moon.
B) most astronauts cannot sit still for classroom training.
C) teamwork is critical for accomplishing their mission and survival.
D) most astronauts are naturally loners rather than team players.

Question 21

A challenge for virtual teams is that members have to develop trust in each other without the benefit of face-to-face meetings.

Question 22

When experiencing task conflict, team members are likely to

A) point out each other's personal faults.
B) engage in personality clashes.
C) critically examine alternative solutions to problems.
D) try to outsmart each others intellectually.

Question 23

The collaboration style of conflict resolution emphasizes

A) achieving win-win solutions.
B) appeasing the other side.
C) indifference to the outcome of conflict.
D) power struggles as a way of winning.

Question 24

An employee is likely to be assigned to a project team longer than on a departmental assignment.

Question 25

The members of a virtual team are people from the same organizational unit who meet regularly but fall short of being an effective team.

Question 26

An example of emotionally intelligent behavior by a group would be to build relationships both within and outside the group.

Question 27

The arrangement of work opposite to a self-managing work team is a manufacturing setting is an assembly line.

Question 28

A motivational advantage of self-managed work teams is that the members sometimes feel like they are operating a small business.

Question 29

Positive consequences of conflict include:

A) increased diagnostic information.
B) increased creativity
C) increased effort.
D) all of the choices

Question 30

Cross-functional teams, work teams, committees, and task forces tend to be the most productive with 15 to 20 members.

Question 31

One component of empowerment is seeing the impact of the work group's effort on other interested parties.

Question 32

Chris is assigned to a product development team. Whenever there is heavy work to do, Chris creates an excuse about having other more urgent work. The situation with Chris illustrates which potential problem with group effort?

A) group polarization
B) social loafing
C) groupthink
D) the risky shift

Question 33

All teams are groups, but not all groups are teams.

Question 34

A large corporation has a health and recreation department in which employees can exercise during breaks and after work. This health and recreation department should be classified as an informal group.

Question 35

An important organizational advantage of a project is that it can be disbanded easily without having committed enormous resources.

Question 36

A high-level managerial skill is to help two or more group members resolve conflict between or among them.

Question 37

When a group deals with creative tasks, it is best to have a homogeneous group.

Question 38

Groups of top-level managers are teams in the sense that they make most major decisions collaboratively with all members of the top-management group included>

Question 39

An accountability problem noted with groups is that they

A) poorly document their accomplishments.
B) poorly document their failures.
C) are often given credit for success but rarely blamed for failures.
D) are often blamed for failures but rarely given credit for success.

Question 40

The forcing, or competitive, style of conflict resolution is based on the desire to win one's own concerns at the expense of the other party, or to dominate.

Question 41

A corporate lift-out takes place when top management fires an entire low-performing team.

Question 42

Trying too hard to be a good team player can retard a person's career because the person may fail to gain individual recognition.

Question 43

Describe the people-related activities of a good team player.

Question 44

A concern noted about teams is that they tend to be blamed for failures, whereas individuals receive credit for the team's success.

Question 45

When Kristy was asked to explain the drop in crime and complaints about the police department, she attributedmuch of the success to improved teamwork. In her words: "Our police team can't take credit for the total drop in crime. I am saying that I have been fortunate to assemble a great team. We all have key roles to play, and we cooperate totally with each other."
1. What does this story illustrate about teamwork?
2. Why is it important to understand teams?

Question 46

During the forming stage the group starts to come together as a coordinated unit, and harmony prevails.

Question 47

A micromanager enhances teamwork because he or she takes care of so many important details for the group.

Question 48

What factors contribute to team effectiveness?

Question 49

During the performing stage issues concerning interpersonal relations and task assignments are put aside as the group becomes a well-performing unit.

Question 50

A recommended approach to resolving conflict between two individuals is confrontation and problem solving.

Question 51

A natural starting point in developing teamwork is to have a mission that is accepted by the team, such as one that relates to providing an outstanding experience for customers.

Question 52

To make virtual teams more successful, managers should invest in an online resource where team members can readily learn about each other.

Question 53

Relationship conflict focuses on personalized, individually oriented issues.

Question 54

Describe what actions a team leader might take to resolve conflict within the team.