Question 1

Which of the following is the Ringelmann experiment that identified the social loafing tendency?

Accepted Answer

The Ringelmann experiment that identified the social loafing tendency involved rope pulling. Participants were asked to pull on a rope individually and then in groups, and researchers found that as the group size increased, individual effort decreased, indicating a tendency towards social loafing.

Question 2

A team with a high score for continued cooperation

Accepted Answer

A team with a high score for continued cooperation is one that continually strives to learn from mistakes. This means that they are not afraid to make mistakes, recognize them, and work together to improve their processes and outcomes. This is a key characteristic of a highly effective and productive team.

Question 3

Gary, the project leader of a team of software engineers, wanted to improve team performance. He gave each team member a checklist to complete about the project they just finished. Each team member answered these questions: "What do you think were the failures of the project? If there were failures, how can we avoid them? What are the areas that were good and what are the areas that can improve?" What kind of team intervention did Gary conduct?

Accepted Answer

Gary conducted an After-Action Review (AAR) and process checks to improve team performance. The checklist he gave to each team member encouraged them to reflect on the successes and failures of the project and identify areas for improvement. This type of intervention helps a team learn from past experiences, evaluate performance, and develop a plan for improvement.

Question 4

Which of the following should a leader consider to determine the appropriateness of competitive versus cooperative rewards when matching rewards to contribution?

Accepted Answer

The degree of task interdependence is crucial in deciding whether to use competitive or cooperative rewards. If the task at hand requires high levels of coordination and interdependence, then cooperative rewards may be more appropriate. On the other hand, if the task is more individualistic and less dependent on group effort, then competitive rewards may be more suitable. The number of members in the work group or the age group of the workers are not as relevant factors in determining the appropriateness of competitive or cooperative rewards.

Question 5

Which of the following is a competitive team reward?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is a competitive...

Question 6

Marc, a basketball team coach, gets the team to agree to work on free throws, passing patterns, new defenses, and generally all aspects needed to set and maintain the win percentage. Marc is exhibiting the teamwork KSA of

Accepted Answer

By getting the team to agree to work on specific aspects needed for setting and maintaining the win percentage, Marc is exhibiting the KSA of goal setting and performance management.

Question 7

Which of the following is an activity-based goal?

Accepted Answer

Activity-based goals focus on completing specific actions or projects rather than achieving a measurable performance metric. Reengineering the new software license process is an example of an action-oriented goal, as it involves completing a specific task or project.

Question 8

What is the best strategy to address social loafing?

Accepted Answer

Identifiability is the best strategy to address social loafing as it involves making individual contributions visible, thereby reducing the tendency for individuals to exert less effort in group tasks.

Question 9

Kara's MBA class has to work in groups for a semester-long project. Her group met for the first time this week, working out questions of what project focus the group should take, which group members have what skills, and how much time will be required. Kara's group is in the ________ stage of team development.

Accepted Answer

Kara's group is in the forming stage of team development because they are still in the process of figuring out the project focus, members' skills, and time required. This is the initial stage where team members are getting to know each other and establishing basic guidelines for the project.

Question 10

I keep putting more and more money into my car in the form of new repairs. My car itself is not worth that much money. I am a victim of

Accepted Answer

Escalation of commitment refers to the tendency to continue investing time, money or resources into a decision or project, even though it is not providing any positive returns. In this case, the individual is continuing to invest money into the car despite the fact that it is not worth much, which is a classic example of escalation of commitment.

Question 11

Randy's race car was repeatedly having mechanical failures. His team had worked with the car for months, fine-tuning the engine and upgrading all faulty components, but it still continued to develop snags. Two weeks before a big race, the owner suggested starting with a new car. The team, to a man, promised to fix the old car and failed, as it went out in the second lap. This incident illustrates the group dynamic of

Accepted Answer

The team's continued commitment to fixing the old car despite repeated failures is an example of escalation of commitment, where individuals continue to invest time, effort, or resources into a failing course of action, often due to a desire to justify prior investments or avoid feeling like a failure.

Question 12

Kara's MBA class had to work in groups for a semester-long project involving some aspects of organizational culture. Her group gave their first presentation tonight. Everyone was tense, checking that the other group members were doing their assigned roles, not leaving early, or saying the wrong thing. The major shared goal was that the group "be nice" to each other during the presentation. Kara's group is in the ________ stage of team development.

Accepted Answer

The group has established a shared goal of "being nice" to each other during the presentation, indicating that they have moved past the initial forming stage. However, they are still experiencing tension and checking on each other, which suggests that they may still be working through issues and establishing norms. This is characteristic of the norming stage.

Question 13

Which of the following is an outcome-based goal?

Accepted Answer

Outcome-based goals are specific, measurable, and have a clear objective that can be achieved within a set timeframe. Winning three new accounts in the next quarter is a specific, measurable goal with a clear outcome and timeframe, making it an outcome-based goal.

Question 14

Nathan is one of six real estate agents assigned to a local office. He is not especially good at planning or problem solving, but whenever someone needs a sounding board or has an issue to vent, Nathan is there to pay attention, nod his head, refrain from giving biased advice, and be supportive. Nathan is demonstrating the teamwork KSA of

Accepted Answer

Nathan's ability to listen attentively, show empathy, and remain unbiased while providing support indicates strong communication skills, which is one of the vital teamwork KSAs.

Question 15

Frank is a cook at a non-profit shelter, a part of a seven-member crew. The crew prepares meals from donated items, often improvising or "improving" standard recipes based on availability. The credit of this transformation goes to Frank who taught the other members of the crew to not only improvise from routine but also to cook nutritious meals with the available items. Frank is demonstrating the teamwork KSA of

Accepted Answer

Frank is demonstrating the KSA of collaborative problem solving as he is working with his team to improve and improvise standard recipes based on the availability of donated items.

Question 16

Which of the following is a discipline of high-performing teams?

Accepted Answer

Productive team norms are the discipline of high-performing teams. These productive team norms include clear communication, accountability, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to the team's goals. Individual goal attainment and individual production objectives may lead to competition and undermine team cohesion. Large size and specialized and noncomplementary skill sets may impede effective communication and collaboration.

Question 17

Why is the term "disciplines" used to describe high-performance team characteristics?

Accepted Answer

The term "disciplines" is used to describe the consistent application of high-performance team characteristics, emphasizing the importance of adherence and consistency for achieving high-performance results.

Question 18

The single most important factor for effective teams is that they have a(n)

Accepted Answer

A clear, compelling performance challenge gives teams a common goal to work towards and a reason to work together. It also provides a sense of purpose and direction, which can help to drive motivation and focus within the team. While the other factors listed are important, they are not necessarily as critical to the success of the team as having a clear performance challenge.

Question 19

Diffusion of responsibility is often linked with the ________ effect.

Accepted Answer

Diffusion of responsibility is the phenomenon in which an individual is less likely to take action or responsibility in an emergency situation when others are present. This is also known as the bystander effect, where individuals in a group are less likely to intervene or help when others are present. Therefore, the best choice is E (innocent bystander).

Question 20

Which of the following is a cooperative team reward?

Accepted Answer

In a cooperative team reward system, rewards are based on the collective performance of the group rather than individual achievements. Choice A exemplifies this by rewarding each member of the group equally based on the group's overall performance.

Quiz 12: Team Effectiveness