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

Question 1

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

Answer 1

True
Explanation: Conflict, an enduring feature of the workplace, is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. It includes subtle, nonviolent forms like opposition, criticism, and arguments.

Question 2

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.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: A group is defined as (1) two or more freely interacting individuals who (2) share norms, (3) share goals, and (4) have a common identity.

Question 3

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

Answer 3

True
Explanation: A group is defined as (1) two or more freely interacting individuals who (2) share norms, (3) share goals, and (4) have a common identity.

Question 4

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 5

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

Question 6

The majority of workplace learning is informal.

Question 7

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 8

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

Question 9

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 10

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 e-mail and texts.

Question 11

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

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

In all but the worst weather, Sarah and three coworkers met each day at 12:45 to walk the river trail behind their office building. The four coworkers are an example of a(n)

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

Question 14

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 15

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 with sensitive skin.

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

Question 16

Norms are typically explicit and are often discussed openly.

Question 17

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

Question 18

A team composed of people from different departments who are pursuing a common objective is called a ________. For example, Hasbro 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 19

Thirty-two new employees from Market Enterprises are attending orientation, receiving information about company policies, and filling out various forms. These employees comprise a group.

Question 20

Amber 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 21

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 22

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 23

What question does a group ask during the forming stage of group development?

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 24

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

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

Question 25

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 26

Which question do individuals ask during the norming stage of group development?

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 27

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 28

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

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

Question 29

Because hard feelings about group leadership and assignments have passed, the members of Maya'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 30

Nick's team was not making much progress on defining a new production process. Tarek was being very uncooperative. He did not agree with Nick's direction, and he has not completed his tasks. This team is in what stage of group development?

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

Question 31

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 32

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 33

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 34

At Parks and Helms Designers, a group of architects 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 35

________, 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 36

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

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

Question 37

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

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

Question 38

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 39

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 40

How do groups make it through storming?

A) They develop groupthink.
B) Someone wins the political battle and dominates the group.
C) They work together until the work gets done.
D) A respected member challenges the group to resolve power struggles.
E) The focus generally is on social loafing.

Question 41

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 42

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

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

Question 43

Lamar led a team that 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 the project ended. Now Lamar 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 44

Bruce, 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, Keylani, 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 45

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 46

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 47

Javier 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 48

________ conflict is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike, disagreement, or differing styles. For example, Bailey and Tai, 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

Question 49

Based on expectations of the team, of the organization, and of themselves, what do the members of the team often develop?

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

Question 50

The Nordstrom department store chain emphasizes the great lengths to which it goes in customer service. In fact, when it moves into a mall, all the other stores have to improve their own models of customer service. How is Nordstrom using norms?

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 51

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 52

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 53

Workplace performance is maximized when conflict

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

Question 54

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 55

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 56

________ 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 57

Why would a group or team NOT typically enforce norms?

A) There is a no need to clarify role expectations.
B) They don't want to help the group survive.
C) There is a need to create a written document of guidelines for new employees.
D) They do not see a reason to emphasize the group's important values.
E) There is no need to help individuals avoid embarrassing situations.

Question 58

Dysfunctional conflict is sometimes called ________ conflict.

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

Question 59

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 60

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

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

Question 61

Which type of team is expected to foster increased productivity and employee quality of life?

A) project teams
B) cross-functional teams
C) work teams
D) self-managed teams
E) virtual teams

Question 62

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

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

Question 63

When issues causing conflict are trivial and cooling off would be helpful, what is the best way for handling the situation?

A) use avoiding
B) use forcing
C) use accommodation
D) use collaboration
E) use compromise

Question 64

________ teams have been found to have a positive effect on productivity and attitudes of control, yet no impact on job satisfaction or organizational commitment.

A) Project
B) Cross-functional
C) Work
D) Self-managed
E) Virtual

Question 65

What is the difference between a group and a team?

A) A team is a collection of people, and a group is a powerful unit of collective performance.
B) A group is a collection of people, and a team is a powerful unit of collective performance.
C) A group can also be considered an organization, whereas a team cannot.
D) Teams share norms, but groups don't.
E) A group does not necessarily have a shared goal, and teams always have a shared goal.

Question 66

________ 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 67

Ricky told his team that he is moving forward with a change to the bonus structure, despite vocal objections from several team members. Ricky is using the ________ conflict-handling style.

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

Question 68

Beau was leading a project when a conflict erupted. He did not know what to do, so he did nothing, which allowed Noel to emerge as the leader. This group was still in the________ stage.

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

Question 69

________ 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 70

At which stage in Tuckman's Model, is trust low?

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

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of teamwork?

A) a career readiness competency desired by employers
B) the ability to work effectively with diverse people
C) the ability to build collaborative relationships with people
D) management of personal conflict
E) work within a structure

Question 72

________ 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 73

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 74

Roseanna asked Henry, 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 75

Which type of group can be highly productive?

A) a service club
B) a committee
C) a department
D) a division
E) a work group

Question 76

________ 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 77

Which teams are usually permanent?

A) project teams
B) cross-functional teams
C) work teams
D) self-managed teams
E) virtual teams

Question 78

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 79

Brad proposed the purchase of a new Toshiba copier to his boss, Chin. Chin 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. Chin should probably adopt a(n) ________ conflict-handling style when trying to resolve this matter with Brad.

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

Question 80

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.