Question 1

Kate's supervisor called her to talk about her participation in a new product development team.The supervisor told Kate she had been engaging in social loafing.This meant that Kate

Accepted Answer

Social loafing refers to a situation where a person puts less effort into a task because they believe their contribution is not necessary or will not be recognized. Therefore, choice C is the best option because it aligns with the definition of social loafing. The other options are not related to the concept of social loafing.

Question 2

Andrew has put together a functional new product development team.Which of the following is most likely to be true about this team?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Andrew has put together a functional new...

Question 3

Dr.Askew was the Chairman of the Freshman Program Committee at Mountain Home University.This committee was designing a new curriculum for freshman.When he heard that the department chair of the Business department doubted the effectiveness of the committee,Dr.Askew went to meet with the chair and assure her of the committee's progress.Dr.Askew is performing a(n)_____ activity,which is a boundary-spanning activity.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Askew is acting as an ambassador by representing the Freshman Program Committee and addressing the concerns of the Business department chair. As the chairman of the committee, he is taking on a boundary-spanning role by bridging communication and relationships between different departments.

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true regarding the various boundary-spanning activities in new product development teams?

Accepted Answer

Developing a project schedule is a task coordination activity, where team members work together to ensure that tasks are completed on time and meet the project's goals. Ambassador activities involve communicating with internal and external stakeholders and reinforcing a positive image of the team, while scouting activities involve searching for new opportunities, knowledge, or resources outside the team's immediate environment. Identifying journals that can enhance team members' knowledge is a learning and information sharing activity, which can help team members stay up-to-date with the latest research and best practices.

Question 5

Virtual teams are adept at exchanging tacit knowledge.

Accepted Answer

Virtual teams may have difficulty exchanging tacit knowledge due to communication barriers and lack of face-to-face interactions. Tacit knowledge is often shared through informal means, such as observing and imitating others, which can be more challenging in a virtual setting.

Question 6

Sam works at Waterways Inc.and will be heading a team of individuals to work on improving the cost,quality,and performance of the company's award winning water purifying system.Based on this information,which of the following is most likely to be true?

Accepted Answer

Sam has been placed in charge of improving a crucial aspect of the company's product, indicating that he has a high level of power within the company.

Answer: B 
 It is suggested that team members will be located in their respective functions, meaning that they will work within their existing roles and departments rather than being brought together in a separate team.

Therefore, the most likely true statements are C and B.

Question 7

Bill is looking for a team leader for a heavyweight new product development team.He told his administrative assistant that he needs someone with multilingual skills.By this he means someone who

Accepted Answer

Multilingual skills in this context likely refers to the ability to understand and communicate effectively with different functional groups, such as marketing, engineering, and manufacturing. It goes beyond just being able to speak multiple languages.

Question 8

In constructing new product development teams,

Accepted Answer

As the size of the team increases, the potential for social loafing increases. This means that individuals may feel less responsibility for the team's overall success and may contribute less to the project. Therefore, it is important to keep team sizes optimal to avoid social loafing. The other options are not necessarily true. A larger team may actually lead to difficulties in fostering a shared sense of identity, cross-functional communication is important to ensure a good fit between product attributes and customer requirements, and homophily (a tendency for people to associate with those who are similar to themselves) can sometimes be beneficial for team cohesion.

Question 9

Frank tells his son about when he was part of the Macintosh team at Apple Computer.The team had its own building,own dress,and behavior code.They had their own operating procedures and even their own flag (skull and crossbones to show they were rebels).This sounds like a(n)_____ team.

Accepted Answer

The description of the team having its own building, dress code, behavior code, operating procedures, and flag indicates that it was an autonomous team. Autonomous teams are self-managed and have control over their own goals and resources, enabling them to work independently and innovate more freely. The other options do not fit the description given, as functional teams are organized around specific functions or tasks, lightweight teams are small and flexible, and heavyweight teams are typically large and complex.

Question 10

Which of the following are the advantages of collocation?

Accepted Answer

Collocation provides opportunities for rich face-to-face communication, which can improve collaboration and strengthen relationships among team members.

Question 11

Jan is the member of a new product development team.Her supervisor asked her how she likes the experience and she replied,"Our team seems to be suffering from homophily." This means that

Accepted Answer

Homophily refers to the tendency of people to associate with others who are similar to them in some way. In the context of a new product development team, Jan's comment suggests that the team members may not be engaging with those who are different from them, potentially missing out on valuable perspectives and ideas.

Question 12

Dr.Askew was the Chairman of the Freshman Program Committee at Mountain Home University.This committee was designing a new curriculum for freshman.When he did an Internet search of the websites of other colleges and universities to discover what type of freshman curriculum they have developed,he was performing a(n)_____ activity.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Askew's search of other universities' websites to gather information about freshman curricula is an example of scouting, which refers to the process of collecting data or information about a specific topic or area for analysis and evaluation. The other options (ambassador, task coordination, and paternalism) do not accurately describe the activity being performed by Dr. Askew in this scenario.

Question 13

Dr.Askew was the Chairman of the Freshman Program Committee at Mountain Home University.This committee was designing a new curriculum for freshman.When he negotiated with the Dean of the University that committee members have no other service assignments so they could concentrate on this project and that the team be given 12 months to complete its goals,he was performing a(n)_____ activity.

Accepted Answer

Dr. Askew was coordinating tasks among the committee members and negotiating with the Dean to ensure they have the necessary resources, time and focus to complete the new curriculum for freshman. This falls under task coordination activity. The other options are not applicable in this context.

Question 14

The Vice President of Fortune Computers is trying to decide on the composition of a new product development team.If he chooses members who are from different backgrounds,the positive effects will be

Accepted Answer

Choosing members from different backgrounds will result in a broader knowledge base which can lead to more creative and innovative ideas for the new product. It increases the chances of bringing in different perspectives and expertise to the team. Option B is not necessarily a positive effect of having a diverse team, as it depends on the individuals in the team and how they interact. Option C is not a guaranteed outcome and will depend on various team dynamics. Option D, social loafing, is a negative effect that can occur in any team, regardless of their backgrounds.

Question 15

Your boss does not favor the use of cross-functional teams.How would you respond to this?

Accepted Answer

By bringing together individuals from different functions, cross-functional teams can provide a broader perspective on product development and therefore help ensure a product's quality and price. This can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the user's experience and can help the team avoid blind spots.

Question 16

Karen is a member of a new product development team.She still reports to her manager,the marketing director,but spends about 25 percent of her time on the project.Her team has a project manager.This sounds like a(n)_____ team.

Accepted Answer

This is a lightweight team because Karen is only spending 25 percent of her time on the project and there is a separate project manager. A heavyweight team would involve more dedicated resources and a higher level of priority for the project. Functional teams are organized by department or function and would not typically have a separate project manager. Autonomous teams have a high degree of decision-making authority and self-direction, which is not indicated in this scenario.

Question 17

Susan is the member of a new product development team.She no longer reports to her manager,the engineering director,and spends all of her time on the project.However,the team will disband once the new product is on the market.This sounds like a(n)_____ team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Susan is the member of a new...

Question 18

The Vice President of Biogyn Lifesciences is trying to decide on the composition of a new product development team.If she chooses members who are from different backgrounds,one of the disadvantages will be

Accepted Answer

While a diverse team can bring in different perspectives and ideas, it can also lead to communication and coordination problems. The team members may have different working styles, communication patterns, and cultural backgrounds that can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, which can harm the team's productivity and performance.

Question 19

Apple Computers reported that once the Macintosh computer was successfully launched,many of the people on the development team had trouble adjusting to the corporate culture again and some even left the company.This is one drawback of the _____ team.

Accepted Answer

An autonomous team operates independently and often develops its own culture, which can lead to difficulties reintegrating into the larger corporate environment once a project is completed.

Question 20

John was serving in an autonomous team and was asked to sign a document honoring the project plan and pledging to work towards the goals specified.This document is called a

Accepted Answer

The answer of John was serving in an autonomous team...

Quiz 12: Managing New Product Development Teams