Deck 9: Managing Groups and Teams

Question 1

If a variety of knowledge,skills,and abilities is needed,if feedback from different organizational groups is needed,if tasks are largely independent,and if wide cooperation is needed to achieve mutual goals,then a team is needed.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The more similar group members are with regard to age,gender,education,and skill set,the more cohesive the group will be.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The key properties of a true team are collaborative action,sacrifice for the common good,and compensation based upon individual outcomes.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Process loss is any aspect of group interaction that inhibits group functioning.

Question 5

Tuckman's Group Development Stage Model sequences group evolution in the following order: forming to norming to storming to performing.

Question 6

The appointed leader is often tested during the performing phase of group development.

Question 7

Research evidence exists to demonstrate that teams can reduce labor costs,increase product quality,and raise revenues.

Question 8

The performing stage of group development involves attention to work content and process.

Question 9

A group is a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals while a team is a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person's actions have an impact on another's.

Question 10

The forming stage of group development involves member examination of such questions as "What will my role be?" and "Will I be accepted?

Question 11

Generally speaking,the more cohesive a group is,the less productive it is because the preservation of individual feelings supersedes any task oriented role.

Question 12

Collective efficacy is generally influenced by verbal persuasion,group observation,and pay level.

Question 13

Because the storming stage is a very chaotic one,many groups get stuck in that phase of group development.

Question 14

The punctuated equilibrium model proposed by Connie Gersick is a linear model.

Question 15

Groups with high group cohesion and high task commitment generally have high performance.

Question 16

In the 1980s,General Electric showed that empowering workers to work in teams can be a profitable venture.

Question 17

The adjourning stage of groups is seldom met with any emotional feelings or concern.

Question 18

The norming stage of group development involves the establishment of ground rules for the group and an increased commitment to other members and the group goal.

Question 19

The punctuated equilibrium model suggests that groups remain static for long periods of time experiencing only incremental change and radical,revolutionary change occurs in brief,punctuated bursts that provide opportunity for innovation.

Question 20

Groupthink is the tendency for individuals to put forth less effort when working in a group context.

Question 21

A task force is a temporary team charged with addressing a specific problem or issue until it is resolved.

Question 22

The more diverse a team is with regard to expertise,gender,age,and background,the more likely the team is to avoid groupthink.

Question 23

When team members are found to be poor performers due to a lack of ability,the team is likely to try and train the individual.

Question 24

The difference between a self-managed and self-directed team is that the leader in the self-managed team has less decision-making responsibility.

Question 25

Succession planning is the identification of future members of a top management team.

Question 26

Virtual teams represent special management challenges because of issues related to trust and communication.

Question 27

Research suggests that sometimes replacing a hierarchy with self-managing teams decreases control over individual workers.

Question 28

Social roles in a group or team include cooperator,communicator,and calibrator.

Question 29

As a rule of thumb,a good size for a team is between two and twenty members.

Question 30

Idea generation tasks include coming up with plans for actions and making decisions.

Question 31

Reciprocal interdependence exists when team members work on tasks simultaneously.

Question 32

The meaning of teamwork differs across cultures.

Question 33

Task roles in a group include consul,cooperator,and completer.

Question 34

Pooled interdependence is when team members work independently and combine their efforts to create the team's output.

Question 35

People in high power distance countries expect unequal power distribution and greater stratification in economic,social,and political settings.

Question 36

Norms are shared expectations about how things operate within a group or team.

Question 37

Empowered teams have the responsibility and authority to achieve their goals.

Question 38

An effective way of dealing with overbearing behavior is to evaluate the balance of participation by team members.

Question 39

A firm's top management team often represents a variety of functional areas.

Question 40

Collectivist societies value individual achievements over interpersonal relationships.

Question 41

Michael is part of an organizational behavior project group.The group decided on the overall theme of its project and individual members are now completing specific sections of the project.Michael has been e-mailing Rachel almost every day asking her opinion on various parts of his section.The group tends to sit together in class and they have even decided to go out for coffee after class next Tuesday.What phase of group development is Michael's group in?

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

Question 42

All of the following statements characterize a group at the storming stage EXCEPT

A)the group is competent,autonomous,and insightful.
B)the group's members are forming cliques
C)the group members are argumentative.
D)group discussions may be heated.

Question 43

The norming stage in Tuckman's model of group evolution features

A)uncertainty,with observant,conflict avoidant group members who are trying to achieve several goals at once.
B)competent group members who work interdependently as part of a greater entity.
C)chaos with group members exploring power and influence roles.
D)high energy with group members committed to each other and the overall goal.

Question 44

General Electric generated more wealth than any other company in the history of the world from the early 1980s until 2000.All of the following are contributing factors to this success EXCEPT

A)providing employees with the highest pay in the industry.
B)providing ample support to team members so that all efforts were focused on the work of the team.
C)providing high level training to teams.
D)providing teams the opportunity to "self-manage."

Question 45

Tuckman's five stage group evolution model asks which of the following questions in the performing stage?

A)Are we using appropriate information on this task?
B)Will I be accepted?
C)Why do I have to listen to you?
D)Can you help me plan this project?

Question 46

To successfully facilitate a group,a leader needs to move through a series of leadership styles over time.Which of the following styles is the FIRST a successful group leader should exhibit?

A)delegator
B)director
C)coordinator
D)coach

Question 47

Which of stage in Tuckman's forming-storming-norming-performing model is characterized by the establishment of ground rules and operating procedures and goals by group participants?

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

Question 48

An informal work group is

A)a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person's actions have an impact on the others.
B)made up of managers,subordinates,or both,with close associations among group members that influence the behavior of individuals in the group.
C)made up of two or more individuals who are associated with one another in ways not prescribed by the formal organization.
D)a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals.

Question 49

Which of the following is NOT a recommended step to take to avoid getting stuck in the storming phase of Tuckman's group development?

A)Make sure to limit discussions and discussants.It is not productive to re-hash all the same points over and over.
B)Do not rush the group's development.It takes time to get things right.
C)Normalize conflict.Conflict is normal and can be cathartic.
D)Support all group members.Do not allow anyone to feel insecure as he or she operates in the group.

Question 50

A group is

A)a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person's actions have an impact on the others.
B)made up of managers,subordinates,or both with close associations among group members that influence the behavior of individuals in the group.
C)made up of two or more individuals who are associated with one another in ways not prescribed by the formal organization.
D)a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve happiness.

Question 51

Which of the following questions might be asked during the norming stage of Tuckman's five-stage group evolution model?

A)Are we using appropriate means to address differences so that conflicts can be avoided?
B)Will I be successful at completing this task?
C)I wonder what the other people in this group are like?
D)Can you help me with this section of the project?

Question 52

Tuckman's forming stage is characterized by

A)uncertainty,with observant,conflict avoidant group members who are trying to achieve several goals at once.
B)competent group members who work interdependently as part of a greater entity.
C)chaos with group members exploring power and influence roles.
D)high energy with group members committed to each other and the overall goal.

Question 53

Which stage of Tuckman's group development model is characterized by general information sharing?

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

Question 54

Which of the following statements is correct with regard to the forming stage of group development?

A)Leadership does not matter at this stage.
B)Group members are trying to learn about one another.
C)Group members are cohesive and cooperative.
D)Group members are trying to clarify what needs to be done and who needs to do it.

Question 55

Jennifer has been very emphatic in her comments supporting the new addition to the product line.Christopher has been equally spirited in his opposition to the new item.Gordon and Antonio seem to be leaning to Jennifer's perspective while Marques supports Christopher.The discussion about the product has consumed the last hour of the meeting of the marketing group.At what stage of Tuckman's model does this group seem to be functioning?

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

Question 56

Group members in the norming stage

A)not only get the work done,but they also pay greater attention to how they are doing it.
B)begin to explore their power and influence.
C)find it easy to establish their own ground rules.
D)try to figure out who likes whom.

Question 57

Which of the following leadership styles best serves a successful group as it has evolved to its final stages?

A)director
B)coordinator
C)coach
D)delegator

Question 58

What is the second stage in Tuckman's four-stage map of group evolution?

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

Question 59

Which of the following is the order Tuckman proposes for group development stages?

A)forming,norming,storming,performing,and adjourning
B)forming,storming,performing,norming,and adjourning
C)forming,performing,storming,norming,and adjourning
D)forming,storming,norming,performing,and adjourning

Question 60

What was the final stage that Tuckman added to his enhanced group development model?

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

Question 61

Characteristics of cohesive groups include all of the following EXCEPT

A)having a collective identity.
B)working together on a meaningful task.
C)having a random pattern of communication.
D)having a desire to remain as a member of the group.

Question 62

Collective efficacy is

A)a tendency of individuals to put in less effort when working in a group context.
B)a group's perception of its ability to perform well.
C)a group pressure phenomenon that increases the risk of the group making flawed decisions.
D)the degree of camaraderie within the group.

Question 63

The Ringelmann effect is also known as

A)group cohesion.
B)collective efficacy.
C)social loafing.
D)groupthink.

Question 64

Which of the following statements regarding Gersick's punctuated equilibrium model is INCORRECT?

A)The model views group development as a linear process.
B)Generally groups are static in their orientation.
C)For most periods of time in groups,change is incremental.
D)While disruption,chaos and conflict are seen as inevitable in a group,those events can represent opportunities for innovation.

Question 65

Symptoms of too much cohesion include

A)failures are blamed on external factors.
B)internal pressures to question the status quo.
C)greater questioning of external constraints.
D)tolerance for deviants.

Question 66

Eduardo is the new manager of Great Corporation.He is sitting at his desk and writing down a list of steps that he can follow to create and maintain a cohesive work group.Which of the following does NOT appear on that list?

A)Celebrate differences so each individual's contribution is noticed.
B)Give praise sparingly; if it is given too often,it loses its luster.
C)Create some regular,common rituals like Friday morning coffee.
D)Let group members have choices in setting their goals.

Question 67

A group is

A)a temporary team that addresses a specific problem or issue until it is resolved.
B)a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals.
C)a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person's actions have an impact on the others.
D)teams where members are not located in the same physical space.

Question 68

Collective efficacy is influenced by all of the following factors EXCEPT

A)how a person feels about the team.
B)ties to the organization
C)watching others.
D)verbal persuasion.

Question 69

Which of the following statements regarding Gersick's study of punctuated equilibrium is correct?

A)Most change in groups is characterized by periods of revolutionary chaos.
B)All groups are able to readily adapt to new environments that arise due to change.
C)The punctuated equilibrium model is cyclical in nature.
D)Groups generally cycle through the Storming and Norming stages of group development.

Question 70

Which group would be the most effective from a performance standpoint?

A)A group with low task commitment and low group cohesion.
B)A group with high group cohesion and low task commitment.
C)A group with high task commitment and low group cohesion.
D)A group with high group cohesion and high task commitment.

Question 71

Marina is encouraging her sorority sisters to function as a cohesive group.She lists all of the following as benefits EXCEPT

A)you will have greater self-confidence and self-esteem if you are a regular part of the group.
B)if you are experiencing stress,as you might during finals week,you can depend on your sisters to help get you through.
C)if you experience a personal tragedy or challenge,your sisters will help you cope.
D)If you are part of the sorority,you do not have to attend meetings and events often because you can depend on your sisters to cover for you.

Question 72

Which of the following statements is INCORRECT with regard to the concept of social loafing?

A)The incidence of social loafing declines as group size increases.
B)A tendency for social loafing develops when a perception of inequity in regard to rewards and/or blame arises in a group.
C)Social loafing is a consistent effect across groups.
D)Social loafing is a consistent effect across cultures.

Question 73

Michael's group is very cohesive and very committed to the task at hand.What is their likely performance level?

A)low performance
B)high performance if they do not value performance
C)average performance
D)high performance if they value performance

Question 74

Maria strongly disliked working in groups in college because she always felt there was someone who did not "pull his weight." However,now that she is a manager,she must organize teams in her firm.Which of the following is NOT a tip to prevent social loafing she has received from other managers in her company?

A)Design and communicate to all group members how they will be evaluated.
B)Assign engaging,challenging and rewarding tasks to group members.
C)Choose a larger number of employees for each team.
D)Define each individual's tasks in front of the group.

Question 75

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental factor impacting a group's cohesion?

A)size
B)height
C)support
D)stability

Question 76

Collective efficacy is

A)the tendency of individuals to put in less effort when working in a group context.
B)the degree of camaraderie within the group.
C)any aspect of group interaction that inhibits group functioning.
D)a group's perception of its ability to successfully perform well.

Question 77

According to Gersick's punctuated equilibrium model,groups repeatedly cycle through which two stages?

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

Question 78

A group where there is a great deal of camaraderie is a group experiencing

A)group action.
B)cohesion.
C)social loafing.
D)collective efficacy.

Question 79

NASA endured the Challenger disaster when group members conformed with top managers' decisions that launching the space shuttle in freezing temperatures was better than missing the launch window.This is an example of what group process?

A)social loafing
B)cohesion
C)collective efficacy
D)groupthink

Question 80

Which of the following statements related to fundamental factors affecting a group's cohesion is correct?

A)The larger a group,the more cohesive it is likely to be.
B)The more similar group members are,the more cohesive the group is likely to be.
C)The more coaching group members receive,the less cohesive the group is likely to be.
D)The less time a group has stayed together,the more cohesive a group is likely to be.