Deck 8: Group Dynamics and Work Teams

Question 1

The most basic form of a group is the:

A) formal and informal group.
B) work group, cross-functional team.
C) intact group, self-managed team.
D) temporary work team.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

By bonding together to meet mutual goals, people can ________.

A) achieve security
B) fill social needs
C) fill the need for self-esteem
D) satisfy mutual interests

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following constitutes a group?

A) Students waiting in line to sell their textbooks at the end of the semester
B) The office support staff of a sales office
C) Students working on a final project which determines if they pass or fail
D) All of these are groups.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In what stage of group development do group members come to resist control of leaders and show hostility?

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

Question 5

Which of the following characterizes a group?

A) Members pursue diverse goals
B) Independence of membership
C) The ability to solve problems
D) The perception that they are a group

Question 6

When thinking about the five stages of group development, it is important to remember that:

A) most groups spend approximately the same amount of time in each stage.
B) all groups progress through the five stages in order.
C) each stage will have a clear beginning and ending.
D) it is a general framework for group formation.

Question 7

A group that is determined by the connections between individuals on an organizational chart is known as a/n:

A) command group.
B) task group.
C) standing committee.
D) informal group.

Question 8

The emergence of the roles that different group members play is:

A) group roles.
B) group structure.
C) role expectations.
D) role differentiation.

Question 9

Groups that are created by the organization and are intentionally designed to direct its members toward some important organizational goal are known as:

A) informal groups.
B) formal groups.
C) role-structured groups.
D) self-managed teams.

Question 10

A formal group that is composed of individuals with some special interest or expertise in a specific area, regardless of their positions in the organization, is known as a/n:

A) command group.
B) task group.
C) standing committee.
D) informal group.

Question 11

By forming groups, people realize the opportunity to:

A) share their mutual interests.
B) enhance their self-monitoring skills.
C) satisfy self-actualization needs.
D) do all of these.

Question 12

The ________ asserts that groups go through two stages marked by the mid-point of the group's time together.

A) group contingency schematic
B) punctuated-equilibrium model
C) socialization transfer model.
D) congruence-productivity paradigm

Question 13

Sushani is observing group functioning as part of her OB studies. The group she's observing seems to be fairly cohesive, is developing close interpersonal relationships and a feeling of camaraderie, etc. This group is in the ________ stage of group development.

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

Question 14

In what stage of group development do group members work toward getting their jobs done?

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

Question 15

People join groups for a number of reasons including:

A) to gather information.
B) being forced to by circumstances.
C) to satisfy a basic need to be with others.
D) the desire to have control over others by being a leader.

Question 16

The beliefs that people have about what someone occupying a certain office is supposed to do are:

A) group roles.
B) group structure.
C) role expectations.
D) role differentiation.

Question 17

________ focuses on the nature of groups, the variables that govern their development, formation, structure, performance, etc.

A) Group dynamics
B) Teamwork
C) Social facilitation
D) Drive theory

Question 18

Susan belongs to a social club where members get together to see movies, play cards or just talk. This type of group is a/an:

A) task group.
B) interest group.
C) friendship group.
D) ad-hoc group.

Question 19

Groups that tend to form naturally among an organization's personnel are called:

A) interest groups.
B) friendship groups.
C) task groups.
D) informal groups.

Question 20

The interrelationships between the individuals constituting a group are called:

A) group roles.
B) group structure.
C) role expectations.
D) role differentiation.

Question 21

Evaluation apprehension is the fear of ________.

A) jobs that require repetitive motion
B) being evaluated or judged by another person
C) being required to evaluate others
D) introspection and soul-searching

Question 22

Jamie is trying to get the church board to make a decision, as most members are just tired of the debate. He has taken on the group member role of:

A) initiator-contributor.
B) encourager.
C) energizer.
D) expediter.

Question 23

The relative social position or rank given to a social unit is called:

A) precedents.
B) status.
C) structure.
D) social facilitation.

Question 24

When a group of people perform an additive task together, there is a tendency for each individual to contribute less to the group's product than when they perform alone. This effect is known as:

A) role ambiguity.
B) social facilitation.
C) distraction-conflict theory.
D) social loafing.

Question 25

When task performance of a group is determined by pooled efforts, it is known as:

A) an additive task.
B) a disjunctive task.
C) a social task.
D) conjunctive task.

Question 26

The typical behaviors that characterize a person in a social context are called:

A) roles.
B) norms.
C) expectations.
D) status.

Question 27

If the activities of an individual in a group, more than anyone else, helps the group reach its goal, then that person is playing a ________.

A) a socioemotional role
B) a self-oriented role
C) a task-oriented role
D) relations-oriented role

Question 28

Group cohesion can have a number of consequences, including:

A) leading a group to work against organizational interests.
B) enjoyment of group membership at the expense of productivity.
C) self-destruction due to infighting for control of the group.
D) All of these.

Question 29

Social loafing seems to occur because:

A) of the individual's concern for the group over him/herself.
B) of the distraction caused by the presence of others and concerns for their evaluation of the individual's performance.
C) the responsibility for doing the job is diffused over more people.
D) culture has little impact on task performance and it is part of human nature to relax effort when it is possible.

Question 30

According to ________, the effect of any social force acting on a group is divided among its members.

A) social facilitation theory
B) social impact theory
C) drive theory
D) team development theory

Question 31

When group members are attracted to each other, accept the group's goals, and work together toward meeting them, it may be said that the group has high:

A) cohesiveness.
B) role differentiation.
C) social facilitation.
D) status.

Question 32

Which of the following is an important factor that influences cohesiveness?

A) The severity of group initiation
B) High external threat
C) High competition
D) All of these.

Question 33

Bill has taken a job with another accounting firm. He quickly discovers that the norms from his previous employer (maximum billable hours, 80 hours weeks, etc.) are the same here. This is an example of a norm developing because of:

A) carryovers from other situations.
B) an explicit statement by a superior.
C) precedents set over time.
D) critical events in the group's history.

Question 34

An example of a self-oriented group role would be:

A) opinion giver.
B) expeditor.
C) information-seeker.
D) blocker.

Question 35

Suppose that you have studied piano for many years and have practiced a certain Mozart concerto diligently every day for six months. Now, you are about to perform it in front of an audience. According to the drive theory of social facilitation, you would be expected to:

A) play better than you did while practicing alone.
B) play worse than you did while practicing alone.
C) relax and ride on the efforts of others in the recital group.
D) Do none of the above.

Question 36

A norm that guides behavior that should be avoided is known as a:

A) differentiated norm.
B) prescriptive norm.
C) proscriptive norm.
D) precedent norm.

Question 37

Sometimes the presence of others enhances task performance, and sometimes it impairs it. This phenomenon is known as:

A) role ambiguity.
B) social facilitation.
C) group cohesion.
D) social loafing.

Question 38

Tami shifts her own opinions to harmonize with the group and suggests ways the group can operate more efficiently. She is fulfilling the:

A) relations-oriented role
B) self-oriented role.
C) task-oriented role.
D) ancillary role.

Question 39

A study of computerized performance monitoring showed that:

A) monitoring resulted in a drive theory effect and increased performance.
B) monitoring had no impact on task performance.
C) it reduced evaluation apprehension to the point where monitored performance increased over non-monitored performance.
D) social facilitation occurs even when the "observer" is present only electronically.

Question 40

Status symbols:

A) remind organizational members of their roles.
B) provide a sense of identification with a group.
C) provide assurance of rewards available to those who perform well.
D) All of these.

Question 41

The management team is discussing whether to use self-managing teams or more traditional work groups. The team dimension they are debating is:

A) the mission or purpose of the team.
B) the duration of the team.
C) the authority structure of the team.
D) the degree of operational autonomy.

Question 42

Some companies are structured such that people work together on certain projects all the time and do not apply their specialty to a wide range of products. These companies are utilizing:

A) intact teams.
B) cross-functional teams.
C) temporary teams.
D) improvement teams.

Question 43

________ represent common understanding among team members regarding how their team operates.

A) Shared mental models
B) Cross-functional representations
C) Intrapersonal schematics
D) Symbiotic interrelationships

Question 44

In contrast to groups, teams are ________.

A) a loose collection of individuals
B) empowered to make their own decisions
C) designed around specific workplace functions
D) trained in one area of expertise

Question 45

Which of the following can cause a team to fail?

A) Members do not share a common vision.
B) Managers are reluctant to relinquish control.
C) Members do not want to cooperate with other teams
D) All of the above

Question 46

The determination of whether or not to use a team is the ________ stage of team creation.

A) creating performance conditions
B) prework
C) forming and building the team
D) providing support

Question 47

Research has shown that social loafing may be combated by:

A) using only additive tasks.
B) building more effective team incentives.
C) threatening to punish people for not performing up to standards.
D) creating a more individualistic culture in the organization.

Question 48

In one large study that surveyed 1,000 companies in the United States it was found that ________ of them used some work teams.

A) 64%
B) 13%
C) 47%
D) 89%

Question 49

The case studies reported in your text:

A) seem to show that teams are not as effective as thought.
B) indicate that some U.S. companies have achieved outstanding results with teams.
C) show a clear pattern against team effectiveness.
D) show that teams are most effective in small companies and less effective in larger corporations.

Question 50

The CEO is considering implementing teams. During the discussion the question is raised about whether they should use intact teams or cross-functional teams. This discussion is about the ________ dimension of teams.

A) operational autonomy
B) mission or purpose
C) time
D) authority structure

Question 51

At stage 3 of creating a team, forming and building, a manager should:

A) provide the resources necessary to function.
B) note exactly what work is to be done.
C) establish who is on the team and clarify its mission.
D) do all of these.

Question 52

Social loafing can be lessened by:

A) specializing tasks and making them more routine.
B) rewarding individuals for contributions to group performance.
C) identifying the group to its social peers.
D) doing all of the above.

Question 53

Research on the use of teams shows that:

A) manufacturers like GM experience high levels of success with teams.
B) teams have succeeded in the service industry as well as manufacturing.
C) there isn't a clear and convincing case for the overall effectiveness of teams.
D) All of these are true.

Question 54

Which of the following characterizes teams?

A) Common commitment to purpose
B) Mutual accountability
C) Complementary skills
D) All of these.

Question 55

Teams differ according to five dimensions, including:

A) the number of members.
B) their cultural diversity and gender mix.
C) physical presence.
D) their performance level: low, medium, or high.

Question 56

One way a team differs from a group has to do with:

A) the mutual accountability a team has.
B) the different developmental stages a team goes through.
C) the higher level of cohesiveness a group has.
D) the types of roles played by members.

Question 57

Teams that are primarily oriented toward the mission of increasing organizational effectiveness are:

A) improvement teams.
B) work teams.
C) temporary teams.
D) quality teams.

Question 58

Research into social loafing and group performance showed that countries like China and Israel with collectivist cultures found that:

A) social loafing occurs as much as in individualistic cultures like the U.S.
B) workers performed better in groups than they did alone.
C) workers performed well in small groups but loafed in larger groups.
D) individuals outperformed groups in all but a very few tasks.

Question 59

A manager should insure that a team has the proper resources to function at which stage in the creation of the team?

A) Creating performance conditions
B) Prework
C) Forming and building the team
D) Providing support

Question 60

An international study of social loafing showed that:

A) culture has an influence on people's tendency to engage in social loafing.
B) culture has no influence on people's tendency to engage in social loafing.
C) collectivist cultures are more prone to social loafing than other cultures.
D) None of these.

Question 61

Table 8.1
Introduction to Business class is to observe the use of groups in a large manufacturing business. The students notice that most groups are arranged by reporting relationships. Bill discovers a group of managers who have been placed together to study and recommend a course of action on a flextime schedule for employees. Jane finds that the executives of the company have formed a team consisting of themselves, some middle managers, and a few hourly employees to work on improving work processes and efficiency within the company. This group has been in existence for 5 years and is going strong.
Refer to Table 8.1. Jane's group appears to be what type of group?

A) Task group
B) Formal command group
C) Ad hoc committee or task force
D) Self-managing group

Question 62

Table 8.4
Nermina is preparing to implement teams in her functional area. Currently she is studying how to create a team. In her past experience she often found that groups of people did less work than just one or two people could do. It is now two weeks later. Nermina is well into the process of creating teams. She is ensuring the correct resources, both human and material are available for the team.
Refer to Table 8.4. Nermina's original experience with groups is an example of:

A) social loafing.
B) common goals within work groups.
C) social facilitation.
D) distraction-conflict effect.

Question 63

A manager can promote high performance in teams by:

A) promoting cooperation within and between teams.
B) communicating the urgency of the team's mission.
C) providing training in team-building skills.
D) doing all of these.

Question 64

Table 8.2
As a consultant of group processes, you are observing B.C.H.C., Inc.'s self-managing teams and work groups, which are in different stages of development in this medium-sized manufacturing business. You have named the teams and groups A, B, C, D, and E, to conceal their names and get the most honest information possible. Group D has resolved its issues of leadership and is devoting all of its energy to getting the task done. Team C, on the other hand, shows significant resistance to its appointed leader's guidance, and there is a lot of argument over roles within the group. The members of Group A are still getting acquainted in their meetings. They are setting their formal norms and clarifying expectations.Team B is full of hostility. At least one group member has 'withdrawn' by sitting quietly and no longer participating in the discussions/arguments.
Refer to Table 8.2. Group A appears to be at which stage of team development?

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

Question 65

When putting a team together, it is essential that members have:

A) the individual desire to succeed.
B) the skills needed to succeed.
C) the ability to work alone and unsupervised.
D) strong technical skills.

Question 66

Table 8.1
Introduction to Business class is to observe the use of groups in a large manufacturing business. The students notice that most groups are arranged by reporting relationships. Bill discovers a group of managers who have been placed together to study and recommend a course of action on a flextime schedule for employees. Jane finds that the executives of the company have formed a team consisting of themselves, some middle managers, and a few hourly employees to work on improving work processes and efficiency within the company. This group has been in existence for 5 years and is going strong.
Refer to Table 8.1. The majority of groups in this business appear to be:

A) informal interest groups.
B) formal command groups.
C) ad hoc committees or task forces.
D) self-managing groups.

Question 67

Table 8.4
Nermina is preparing to implement teams in her functional area. Currently she is studying how to create a team. In her past experience she often found that groups of people did less work than just one or two people could do. It is now two weeks later. Nermina is well into the process of creating teams. She is ensuring the correct resources, both human and material are available for the team.
Refer to Table 8.4. Two weeks into the implementation of her teams, Nermina is at what stage in team creation?

A) Prework
B) Creating performance conditions
C) Forming and building the team
D) Providing ongoing support for the team

Question 68

Sometimes managers can cause teams to fail by:

A) giving them too much freedom.
B) not designing adequate team performance incentives.
C) not cooperating with the team.
D) failing to relinquish control to the team.

Question 69

Table 8.2
As a consultant of group processes, you are observing B.C.H.C., Inc.'s self-managing teams and work groups, which are in different stages of development in this medium-sized manufacturing business. You have named the teams and groups A, B, C, D, and E, to conceal their names and get the most honest information possible. Group D has resolved its issues of leadership and is devoting all of its energy to getting the task done. Team C, on the other hand, shows significant resistance to its appointed leader's guidance, and there is a lot of argument over roles within the group. The members of Group A are still getting acquainted in their meetings. They are setting their formal norms and clarifying expectations.Team B is full of hostility. At least one group member has 'withdrawn' by sitting quietly and no longer participating in the discussions/arguments.
Refer to Table 8.2. Team C, on the other hand, seems to be at the:

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

Question 70

Table 8.3
Management is considering the implementation of teams in the company. Several issues come up during the initial discussion. First, should the teams be permanent or established simply for specific projects and terminated when the project is completed? Second, do we want self-managing teams, supervisor led teams, or a mix? Third issue, do we want teams within departments or should we use some cross-functional teams? The discussion concludes with a fourth issue, do we want teams focused on improving our processes or simply accomplishing the work we are already doing?
Refer to Table 8.3. The second issue discussed focuses on the ________ dimension of teams.

A) time
B) authority structure
C) degree of autonomy
D) purpose or mission

Question 71

Bobbie Joe's team has information that Billie Jean's team needs but Bobbie Joe's team won't provide it because they are upset about how the other team took credit for one of their projects in the past. Billie Jean's team has some extra resources that Bobbie Joe's team needs but can't requisition but they won't share them since Bobbie Joe's team won't give up the information. It looks like these teams may fail because:

A) the two teams are failing to cooperate with each other.
B) they haven't seen enough soap operas to know this doesn't work.
C) there is a lack of support from management.
D) neither team has sufficient resources or autonomy to accomplish their tasks.

Question 72

Table 8.1
Introduction to Business class is to observe the use of groups in a large manufacturing business. The students notice that most groups are arranged by reporting relationships. Bill discovers a group of managers who have been placed together to study and recommend a course of action on a flextime schedule for employees. Jane finds that the executives of the company have formed a team consisting of themselves, some middle managers, and a few hourly employees to work on improving work processes and efficiency within the company. This group has been in existence for 5 years and is going strong.
Refer to Table 8.1. The group of managers that Bill discovers is an example of:

A) an informal interest group.
B) a formal command group.
C) an ad hoc committee or task force.
D) a self-managing group.

Question 73

There are a number of ways to promote high performance in teams, including:

A) encouraging intrateam competition.
B) basing compensation on performance only.
C) communicating the urgency of the team's mission.
D) discouraging competition between teams.

Question 74

Table 8.3
Management is considering the implementation of teams in the company. Several issues come up during the initial discussion. First, should the teams be permanent or established simply for specific projects and terminated when the project is completed? Second, do we want self-managing teams, supervisor led teams, or a mix? Third issue, do we want teams within departments or should we use some cross-functional teams? The discussion concludes with a fourth issue, do we want teams focused on improving our processes or simply accomplishing the work we are already doing?
Refer to Table 8.3. The fourth and final issue discussed relates to the ________ dimension of teams.

A) time
B) authority structure
C) degree of autonomy
D) purpose or mission

Question 75

Table 8.2
As a consultant of group processes, you are observing B.C.H.C., Inc.'s self-managing teams and work groups, which are in different stages of development in this medium-sized manufacturing business. You have named the teams and groups A, B, C, D, and E, to conceal their names and get the most honest information possible. Group D has resolved its issues of leadership and is devoting all of its energy to getting the task done. Team C, on the other hand, shows significant resistance to its appointed leader's guidance, and there is a lot of argument over roles within the group. The members of Group A are still getting acquainted in their meetings. They are setting their formal norms and clarifying expectations.Team B is full of hostility. At least one group member has 'withdrawn' by sitting quietly and no longer participating in the discussions/arguments.
Refer to Table 8.2. Team B is where in the stages of team development?

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

Question 76

Table 8.2
As a consultant of group processes, you are observing B.C.H.C., Inc.'s self-managing teams and work groups, which are in different stages of development in this medium-sized manufacturing business. You have named the teams and groups A, B, C, D, and E, to conceal their names and get the most honest information possible. Group D has resolved its issues of leadership and is devoting all of its energy to getting the task done. Team C, on the other hand, shows significant resistance to its appointed leader's guidance, and there is a lot of argument over roles within the group. The members of Group A are still getting acquainted in their meetings. They are setting their formal norms and clarifying expectations.Team B is full of hostility. At least one group member has 'withdrawn' by sitting quietly and no longer participating in the discussions/arguments.
Refer to Table 8.2. Group D seems to be in the development stage of:

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

Question 77

Table 8.4
Nermina is preparing to implement teams in her functional area. Currently she is studying how to create a team. In her past experience she often found that groups of people did less work than just one or two people could do. It is now two weeks later. Nermina is well into the process of creating teams. She is ensuring the correct resources, both human and material are available for the team.
Refer to Table 8.4. What management mistake could Nermina make that would cause her teams to fail?

A) Linking individual rewards to team performance
B) Diversifying the team membership
C) Emphasizing the urgency of the team's tasks
D) Failing to relinquish control to the team

Question 78

Table 8.3
Management is considering the implementation of teams in the company. Several issues come up during the initial discussion. First, should the teams be permanent or established simply for specific projects and terminated when the project is completed? Second, do we want self-managing teams, supervisor led teams, or a mix? Third issue, do we want teams within departments or should we use some cross-functional teams? The discussion concludes with a fourth issue, do we want teams focused on improving our processes or simply accomplishing the work we are already doing?
Refer to Table 8.3. The third issue discussed relates to the ________ dimension of teams.

A) time
B) authority structure
C) degree of autonomy
D) purpose or mission

Question 79

Table 8.3
Management is considering the implementation of teams in the company. Several issues come up during the initial discussion. First, should the teams be permanent or established simply for specific projects and terminated when the project is completed? Second, do we want self-managing teams, supervisor led teams, or a mix? Third issue, do we want teams within departments or should we use some cross-functional teams? The discussion concludes with a fourth issue, do we want teams focused on improving our processes or simply accomplishing the work we are already doing?
Refer to Table 8.3. The first issue discussed by the team is dealing with the ________ dimension of teams.

A) time
B) authority structure
C) degree of autonomy
D) purpose or mission

Question 80

Table 8.4
Nermina is preparing to implement teams in her functional area. Currently she is studying how to create a team. In her past experience she often found that groups of people did less work than just one or two people could do. It is now two weeks later. Nermina is well into the process of creating teams. She is ensuring the correct resources, both human and material are available for the team.
Refer to Table 8.4. How could she have prevented the problem?

A) By stressing individual effort.
B) By developing commitment to a common purpose.
C) By making each person working identifiable.
D) By doing all of these.