Question 1

Due to the competitive nature of companies that compete for the same customers,cross-functional teams never consist of individuals from more than one firm.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams can consist of individuals from different companies, especially in cases where collaboration and partnership are necessary for achieving business goals. While there may be certain limitations such as information security concerns, it is not uncommon to see members of cross-functional teams coming from different firms.

Question 2

Cross-functional self-managed teams are groups of employees empowered to work with suppliers and customers to develop new products and give great service.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional self-managed teams are designed to work collaboratively with various stakeholders, including suppliers and customers, to achieve shared goals and objectives. This approach is designed to promote innovation, creativity, and flexibility, while also improving quality, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Therefore, the statement is true.

Question 3

Cross-functional teams serve as advisory committees offering their expertise to line decision makers.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are composed of members from different departments or areas of expertise working together towards a common goal, not just serving as advisory committees. They actively participate in projects or tasks rather than solely offering advice.

Question 4

The cross-functional team concept has resulted in lots of unhappy employees because less than 25% of employed workers do favor working with others.

Accepted Answer

There is no statistical evidence to support the claim that the cross-functional team concept has resulted in lots of unhappy employees. The statement about less than 25% of employed workers favoring working with others is also unsubstantiated. Therefore, the statement is false.

Question 5

Cross-functional teams consist of employees from different departments who work together on a long-term basis.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are designed to bring together diverse expertise and knowledge from different departments in order to work collaboratively towards a common goal or project.

Question 6

By structuring the company with cross-functional teams,there is a greater chance that a business is more responsive to social trends affecting customer preferences.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams allow for a more holistic approach to addressing customer preferences, as different departments and expertise may be involved in decision-making and implementing changes. This can result in greater responsiveness to social trends affecting customer preferences.

Question 7

A recent trend in organization models is the development of cross-functional,self-managed teams of employees who work together on a long-term basis.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Cross-functional, self-managed teams have become increasingly popular as organizations seek to become more efficient and responsive to changing market conditions. These teams are typically made up of employees from different departments or functions who are able to collaborate and make decisions independently, without the need for constant supervision from managers.

Question 8

Cross-functional teams that go beyond company boundaries share production information but seldom market information.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are transparent. They share as much information as necessary to succeed in building a product that is needed by the marketplace. These teams go outside of the boundaries of one company. Sometimes the team will share information with government employees and/or employees from around the globe.

Question 9

Joel,an employee of the engineering department,was temporarily assigned to work with specialists from other departments to develop a new product.Upon completion of this project,Joel returned to his position in the engineering department.This arrangement illustrates the use of a cross-functional team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Joel,an employee of the engineering department,was temporarily...

Question 10

Cross-functional teams work best when the "voice of the customer" is brought into organizations.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams rely on collaboration and communication, and incorporating feedback from the customer ensures that the team is working towards meeting their needs and expectations. This improves the overall effectiveness of the team and helps to deliver products or services that are valuable to the customer.

Question 11

Cross-functional teams avoid involving groups outside of the firm to ensure their plans are not leaked to their competitors.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams involve members from different departments within the same firm to work together towards a common goal. They may also involve external consultants, customers or partners depending on the project requirements. The goal of cross-functional teams is to enhance collaboration, improve decision-making and increase the chances of successful project completion. The concern of leaking plans to competitors is addressed through non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or by carefully selecting team members who have a proven track record of maintaining confidentiality.

Question 12

Including customers and suppliers on cross-functional teams violates the interests of stockholders.

Accepted Answer

Including customers and suppliers on cross-functional teams can improve communication, collaboration, and innovation, ultimately benefiting the company and its stockholders in the long run.

Question 13

A matrix team for an aerospace company may consist of a project manager,a finance expert,a marketing specialist,a member of production,and two design engineers.

Accepted Answer

This is a typical example of a matrix team composition for an aerospace company, which includes multidisciplinary experts from different departments or functional areas of the organization.

Question 14

Cross-functional teams defy the trend towards customer-driven organizations.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams actually support the trend towards customer-driven organizations as they bring together employees from various departments to work towards a common goal of meeting customer needs and delivering customer value.

Question 15

Julie is an attorney that works for Worldwide Food Science,Inc.that provides legal advice and assistance to the firm's managers.Julie's job with WFS,Inc.would be classified as a staff position.

Accepted Answer

Julie's job involves providing support and expertise to the managers of WFS, Inc. rather than being directly involved in the production or delivery of the company's products, which would classify her as a staff position.

Question 16

Wizard Manufacturing makes small consumer electronics like mixers and toasters.The industry is relatively stable,having few new advances in product development.Wizard should use a line or line-and-staff organizational structure to ensure efficient operations.

Accepted Answer

A line or line-and-staff organizational structure is often used in stable industries with little product development as it allows for efficient operations and clear communication.

Question 17

Cross-functional teams work well when leadership of the team is shared.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams bring together individuals from different departments and areas of expertise. Sharing leadership within the team helps ensure that all perspectives are represented and that communication and decision-making are collaborative.

Question 18

One disadvantage of the matrix style of organization is that it is more difficult to keep development projects on schedule.The model slows down the time from design,to production,and then to market.

Accepted Answer

Matrix style organization was purposely designed to expedite projects from conception to market. The model eliminates the communication problems that line and line-and-staff models experience when trying to develop a product and get it to market.

Question 19

It is strategically not sensible for a firm to consider asking suppliers and customers to join a cross-functional self-managed team that is testing iterations of future products.

Accepted Answer

It is strategically sensible for a firm to involve suppliers and customers in cross-functional self-managed teams for testing future products because it allows for greater collaboration, input, and feedback, ultimately leading to better products and customer satisfaction.

Question 20

Buzzoff Corporation is a medium sized organization,organized with well-defined lines of authority and responsibility.Each employee reports to only one boss.The managers at Buzzoff complain that they have no expert support staff available to offer legal advice.Lately opportunities are slipping through the cracks due to inefficient long lines of communication.These characteristics suggest that Buzzoff employs a matrix organization.

Accepted Answer

The characteristics described suggest that Buzzoff employs a traditional, hierarchical organizational structure, not a matrix organization. In a matrix organization, there is typically more than one boss and employees may report to multiple managers or project leaders. Additionally, a matrix organization is designed to promote efficient communication and cross-functional collaboration, whereas the situation described at Buzzoff suggests ineffective communication and lack of collaboration.

Quiz 8: Structuring Organizations for Todays Challenges