Deck 8: Groups and Teams

Question 1

A group that gets together because of a common interest is a formal group.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Roles are basically the same thing as the duties in a job description.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Maintenance roles are not important to group effectiveness, but task roles are essential.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Formal groups in organizations fulfill organizational functions but not individual functions.

Question 5

"Initiator" is a task role in groups.

Question 6

A norm is a written rule a group agrees upon that guides behavior.

Question 7

The two types of roles that are very important to effective group functioning are task and maintenance.

Question 8

The members of the management faculty in the business school go out at the end of the semester to a local restaurant for dinner and socializing. They are both a formal and informal group.

Question 9

According to Schein, a crowd is merely a large group.
E. H. Schein helps make the distinction clear:
The size of a group is . . . limited by the possibilities of mutual interaction and mutual awareness. Mere aggregates of people do not fit this definition because they do not interact and do not perceive themselves to be a group even if they are aware of each other as, for instance, a crowd on a street corner watching some event.

Question 10

Task roles enable a group to define, clarify, and pursue a common purpose.

Question 11

A norm is a set of expected behaviors for a particular position.

Question 12

Groups share norms and have goals.

Question 13

Harmonizer is a task role in groups.

Question 14

Encourager is a maintenance role in groups.

Question 15

It is clear from research that personal friendship helps organizational productivity.

Question 16

Groups routinely outperform individuals, particularly in quantitative tasks.

Question 17

The task roles of initiator, orienter, and energizer are especially important in groups because they are goal-directed roles.

Question 18

A group role is a set of expected behaviors for members of the group as a whole.

Question 19

One characteristic of a group is the potential for mutual interaction.

Question 20

One function of a formal group is to generate new or creative ideas or solutions.

Question 21

Teams composed of specialists from different areas are called self-managed teams.

Question 22

As groups move from forming into storming and then norming, the dependence of members on each other increases but team effectiveness decreases.

Question 23

Social loafing is the tendency of individual effort to decline as group size increases.

Question 24

To be a team, a group must be composed of members with complementary skills.

Question 25

Norms can apply to the group, team, or organizational level.

Question 26

The stages of group development, in order, are forming, norming, storming, performing, and adjourning.

Question 27

Teams are task groups that have matured to the performing stage.

Question 28

Teams are a cornerstone of work life in today's organizations.

Question 29

Teamwork competencies include keeping the team on track and expecting quality work.

Question 30

In a true team, leadership must be shared.

Question 31

The performing stage is characterized by a climate of open communications.

Question 32

The 3 Cs of team players are committed, collaborative, and communicative.

Question 33

All work groups progress through the stages of group development to become effective teams.

Question 34

In the adjourning stage, group members re-commit to their dependence on the other group members.

Question 35

During "forming," members tend to be anxious and uncertain.

Question 36

Norms only emerge on their own in group situations; they are not consciously formed.

Question 37

Norms have a significant effect on group behavior.

Question 38

Research has clearly indicated that self-managed teams perform better than traditional work groups.

Question 39

One effective use of virtual teams is in brainstorming ideas or solutions to problems.

Question 40

In the norming stage of group development, members are attempting to figure out what their roles are.

Question 41

Which of the following is an individual function of a group?

A) Generate new ideas
B) Provide a problem-solving mechanism for personal problems
C) Implement complex decisions
D) Socialize newcomers
E) Accomplish complex, interdependent tasks

Question 42

Trust of character is known as contractual trust.

Question 43

______ groups are assigned by organizations or managers, while _______ groups form when members' purpose of getting together is friendship or a common interest.

A) Organizational; individual
B) Departmental; divisional
C) Formal; informal
D) Focus; interest
E) Task; maintenance

Question 44

Organizations with the most effective teams typically use hybrid rewards that reward and recognize both individual and team performance.

Question 45

Formal groups perform two basic functions: __________ and __________.

A) Personal; interpersonal
B) Organizational; individual
C) Task; maintenance
D) Roles; norms
E) Forming; adjourning

Question 46

The 3 Cs of effective teams include charters and strategies, composition, and capacity.

Question 47

A person who mediates conflict through reconciliation or humor has taken on the ________ role.

A) Follower
B) Gatekeeper
C) Commentator
D) Harmonizer
E) Compromiser

Question 48

Effective teams typically have more than 10 members.

Question 49

Which of the following is not a characteristic of a group?

A) Four or more individuals
B) Shared goal
C) Common identity
D) Shared norms
E) All of the above are characteristics of a group

Question 50

Which of the following statements about groups is not true?

A) People often play multiple roles in their lives
B) Individuals frequently play more than one role in a group
C) People who do not conform to group roles are given high status by the group
D) Both task and maintenance roles are important to group effectiveness
E) Leaders can help groups function effectively by stepping in to perform roles the group has not undertaken on its own

Question 51

Which of the following is an organizational function of a group?

A) Fulfill the need for affiliation
B) Reduce anxieties
C) Build self-esteem
D) Coordinate interdepartmental efforts
E) Provide an opportunity to test perceptions of social reality

Question 52

Which of the following is not a task role?

A) Encourager
B) Energizer
C) Recorder
D) Elaborator
E) Information seeker/giver

Question 53

A person who prods the group to move along or to accomplish more has taken on the role of:

A) Energizer
B) Evaluator
C) Elaborator
D) Initiator
E) Recorder

Question 54

A person who clarifies key issues for a group has taken on the role of:

A) Evaluator
B) Initiator
C) Information seeker/giver
D) Elaborator
E) Orienter

Question 55

Team capacity refers to a team's adaptability, that is, its ability to meet changing demands and to effectively transition members in and out.

Question 56

The lack of face-to-face contact actually helps virtual teams to establish strong cohesion.

Question 57

A ______ is a set of expected behaviors for member of the group as a whole.

A) Norm
B) Individual role
C) Task role
D) Maintenance role
E) Group role

Question 58

A _____ is a set of expected behaviors for a particular position.

A) Role
B) Norm
C) Task role
D) Maintenance role
E) Competency

Question 59

A person who serves as a passive audience has taken on the role of:

A) Gatekeeper
B) Standard setter
C) Encourager
D) Follower
E) Harmonizer

Question 60

The size of a group is limited by:

A) Physical space
B) The potential for mutual interaction and awareness
C) Geographic distance
D) Internet capabilities
E) Psychological distance

Question 61

As a manager Laurel has established a new work group to tackle a particular project. She has introduced all the members to each other and the group has elected a leader. However, lately Laurel has noticed that some group members are procrastinating on their duties. Two cliques have formed within the group and they are frequently arguing with and challenging the group leader's opinions. Which of the following stages of group development process is Laurel observing?

A) Forming
B) Storming
C) Performing
D) Norming
E) Adjourning

Question 62

Which of the following statements is not true about group development?

A) All the stages of group development are not necessarily of the same duration
B) All the stages of group development are not necessarily of the same intensity
C) Tuckman's theory of group development stages has been strongly supported by empirical testing
D) Effective groups and teams go through a maturation process
E) The storming stage may be particularly long, depending on the goal clarity and commitment and maturity of members

Question 63

Group cohesiveness, when it occurs, tends to develop during which stage of the group development process?

A) Forming
B) Storming
C) Norming
D) Conforming
E) Performing

Question 64

A person in the encourager role will:

A) Foster group solidarity by accepting and praising various points of view
B) Encourage all group members to participate
C) Serve as a passive audience
D) Mediate conflict through reconciliation or humor
E) Evaluate the quality of group processes

Question 65

The first stage of the group development process is:

A) Forming
B) Storming
C) Norming
D) Performing
E) Conforming

Question 66

In which stage of the group development process do group members resolve their power struggles so that something can be accomplished?

A) Forming
B) Storming
C) Norming
D) Conforming
E) Performing

Question 67

In which stage of the group development process do group members try to determine how they fit into the power structure?

A) Forming
B) Storming
C) Norming
D) Conforming
E) Performing

Question 68

Peter is part of a newly formed work group. He has been introduced to all the group members, but he still feels like he cannot trust them. The group has not yet chosen a leader, and Peter feels unsure about his exact role within the group. According to Tuckman's five-stage model of group development, which of the following stages is Peter's group currently in?

A) Norming
B) Forming
C) Storming
D) Performing
E) Adjourning

Question 69

Which three roles are especially important to groups?

A) Energizer, harmonizer, gatekeeper
B) Initiator, orienter, energizer
C) Coordinator, procedural technician, gatekeeper
D) Compromiser, commentator, evaluator
E) Opinion seeker/giver, standard setter, initiator

Question 70

Which of the following is not a group maintenance role?

A) Procedural technician
B) Commentator
C) Follower
D) Standard setter
E) Encourager

Question 71

A person in the gatekeeper role will:

A) Foster group solidarity by accepting and praising various points of view
B) Encourage all group members to participate
C) Serve as a passive audience
D) Mediate conflict through reconciliation or humor
E) Evaluate the quality of group processes

Question 72

In which stage of the group development process are group members uncertain about their roles, who's in charge, and the group's goals?

A) Forming
B) Storming
C) Norming
D) Conforming
E) Performing

Question 73

A person in the orienter role will:

A) Clarify pertinent values
B) Keep the group headed toward its stated goals
C) Prod the group to move along
D) Pull together ideas and suggestions
E) Suggest new goals or ideas

Question 74

A person in the standard setter role will:

A) Foster group solidarity by accepting and praising various points of view
B) Encourage all group members to participate
C) Serve as a passive audience
D) Mediate conflict through reconciliation or humor
E) Evaluate the quality of group processes

Question 75

A person in the initiator role will:

A) Clarify pertinent values
B) Keep the group headed toward its stated goals
C) Prod the group to move along
D) Pull together ideas and suggestions
E) Suggest new goals or ideas

Question 76

A person in the coordinator role will:

A) Clarify pertinent values
B) Keep the group headed toward its stated goals
C) Prod the group to move along
D) Pull together ideas and suggestions
E) Suggest new goals or ideas

Question 77

The roles of initiator, orienter, and energizer are particularly important to groups because they:

A) Are interpersonally oriented
B) Are goal-oriented
C) Keep the group operating together
D) Allow for effective record-keeping
E) Provide a way for leadership to emerge

Question 78

Which of the following statements about norms is not true?

A) Norms are shared phenomena and may apply to the group, team, or organizational level
B) Norms are typically written down and discussed openly by groups
C) Norms clarify behavioral expectations
D) Norms help group members avoid being embarrassed
E) Norms clarify central values and unique identity of a group

Question 79

The stages of the group development process, in order, are:

A) Forming, norming, storming, performing, adjourning
B) Forming, conforming, storming, performing, adjourning
C) Forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning
D) Forming, performing, storming, norming, adjourning
E) Forming, storming, performing, norming, adjourning

Question 80

Tracy has been part of a work group for some weeks now. She has slowly become well-acquainted with the other members and even made some new friends. Although in the beginning there were a few arguments and fights, they were resolved with time and Tracy feels a definite sense of team spirit that gets her excited about work. According to Tuckman's five-stage model of group development, which of the following stages is Tracy's group experiencing?

A) Norming
B) Storming
C) Performing
D) Adjourning
E) Forming