Deck 11: Effective Team Management

Question 1

When a member's deviant behavior leads to a positive change in the group norm, it suggests that some deviant behavior can be functional for groups.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In which of the following teams are the expertise and knowledge in different organizational departments brought together in the skills and knowledge of the team members?

A)top management team
B)task force
C)self-managed work team
D)cross-functional team

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Gunnar, the Director of Operations at Fantastic Foods, has worked with other managers over the years to set up groups and teams to handle issues. One of the recent groups, which is also a team, is the

A)dean search committee that interacts frequently by various means over a period of several months.
B)group of sales representatives for a hardware company, each with his or her own geographical territory.
C)group of factory workers who belong to a labor union that typically meets once a month.
D)board of directors of a restaurant corporation that meets quarterly.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Groupthink is when members strive to agree instead of trying to make an accurate assessment of the situation.

Question 5

All teams are groups, and all groups are teams.

Question 6

Shared rules of conduct that most group members follow are known as group roles.

Question 7

Financial rewards should not be used to motivate members of teams.

Question 8

Which of the following defines a team?

A)a group that managers or nonmanagerial employees form to help achieve their own goals or meet their own needs
B)a group whose members work intensely with one another to achieve a specific common goal or objective
C)a group composed of the CEO, the president, and the heads of the most important departments
D)a group of two or more people who interact with each other to accomplish certain goals or meet certain needs

Question 9

In terms of group performance, the idea that "the whole is more than the sum of its parts" is the fundamental point in the concept of

A)cohesiveness.
B)synergy.
C)synchronicity.
D)group roles.

Question 10

Ahmed is a project manager for an electronics company that manufactures digital camera sensors. When he is tasked with overseeing the development of a new sensor that is both larger and more energy efficient, he assembles a cross-functional team of talented and creative people from the engineering, design, marketing, finance, and information technology departments. Despite the high caliber of people working on the team, the level of innovation it is achieving is lower than Ahmed believes is possible. In order to increase the team's ability to innovate, Ahmed's best course of action would be to

A)act as a sounding board for the team's concerns and step in to reprimand any members who are impeding the group's progress.
B)supervise the team and steer it in the direction he feels it needs to go, specifically, sensors that absorb solar power.
C)give the team room to come up with its own sensor designs, while providing guidance and resources as needed.
D)organize the team members into pairs that focus on one aspect of the new sensors and require each pair to submit weekly progress reports.

Question 11

The creation and development of new products is known as synergy.

Question 12

Which of the following refers to two or more people who specifically interact with each other to accomplish certain goals or meet certain needs?

A)executives
B)group members
C)employees
D)participants

Question 13

When group cohesiveness is low, managers can often increase it by encouraging groups to develop their own identities and engage in healthy competition.

Question 14

Joanna, a manager, is responsible for organizing a team for the development of a new product. To be successful in creating synergy in the team, Joanna's top priority should be to

A)choose members of the most diverse backgrounds possible.
B)supervise the group closely and ensure that she is part of all decisions.
C)bring in members with complementary skills relevant to the work.
D)choose members who have worked together previously without any problems.

Question 15

Generally, groups must "storm" before they can "form."

Question 16

To take advantage of the potential for synergy in groups, managers should

A)create groups of similar individuals.
B)be strongly directive with the group.
C)reward individual performance.
D)appoint members with complementary skills.

Question 17

Task forces are sometimes referred to as standing committees.

Question 18

Which of the following statements captures the essence of synergy?

A)Think outside the box.
B)There is no 'I' in team.
C)Actions speak louder than words.
D)The whole is more than the sum of its parts.

Question 19

Which of the following is a characteristic that distinguishes teams from groups?

A)more member participation
B)the frequency of meetings conducted
C)the level of active member participation
D)the intensity with which members work together

Question 20

As the size of a group increases, so does the amount of social loafing that is likely to occur.

Question 21

A group of managers spend a great deal of time ensuring that they agree on important issues instead of working toward an accurate assessment of the situation. This scenario describes

A)a fundamental attribution error.
B)self-serving bias.
C)lack of synergy.
D)groupthink.

Question 22

Teams that rarely interact with each other on a face-to-face basis are referred to as ________ teams.

A)top management
B)command
C)virtual
D)cross-functional

Question 23

Active Appliances, an electrical appliance firm, forms a group to design a new software application. This group consists of a systems designer, a programmer, and a user representative. This is an example of a(n)

A)informal team.
B)ad hoc committee.
C)cross-cultural team.
D)cross-functional team.

Question 24

The salespersons who report to a common sales manager are known as a(n)________ group.

A)formal
B)command
C)interest
D)virtual

Question 25

Teams that are empowered to take responsibility for acting autonomously in order to complete identifiable pieces of work are referred to as

A)formal groups.
B)research and development teams.
C)command groups.
D)self-managed work teams.

Question 26

Blue Bay International has formed a virtual team to improve quality in its five plants, which are located across three continents. In order to give this team the best chance of succeeding, what could the management do?

A)insist that the team use only asynchronous technologies to communicate
B)expect that the team will be less cohesive than face-to-face teams and live with it
C)trust the team to do its job without any supervision
D)schedule periodic face-to-face meetings for all team members

Question 27

Command groups are also known as

A)cross-cultural groups.
B)self-managed work groups.
C)friendship groups.
D)departments.

Question 28

Managers in technology-based industries often employ what kinds of teams specifically to create new products?

A)top management teams
B)cross-cultural teams
C)self-managed work teams
D)research and development teams

Question 29

Marco is the vice president of an athletic apparel company that sells clothing for bicyclists. Recently, the company has identified problems of cost control in all of its offices. Marco formed a team composed of the sales managers of all the four regions, along with some staff members from the company's informational technology and administration departments, to study the problem and make recommendations over a four-month period. This team is an example of a

A)functional group.
B)task force.
C)virtual assembly.
D)command group.

Question 30

The group who is responsible for developing the strategies that result in an organization's competitive advantage is the

A)informal group.
B)cross-cultural team.
C)top management team.
D)virtual team.

Question 31

Another name for a task force is a(n)

A)cross-cultural group.
B)top management team.
C)ad hoc committee.
D)cross-functional group.

Question 32

While on his lunch break, Jamal, who works in IT at a kitchen appliance manufacturer, was talking with his friend Carolina from accounting about how long his daily commute was and how much worse traffic had gotten in the past couple of years. Carolina confessed she had the same experience and was frustrated at how long it took her to get to and from work. Although they were from different departments, they both had the same 8:00 A.M. start time, as did a majority of the company's staff. Jamal imagined how nice it would be to come to work at 7:00 A.M. and leave at 4:00 P.M., which would allow him to miss both the morning and evening peak rush hours. Carolina thought it was a great idea, as did other employees sitting nearby who were listening to their discussion. In order to have a good shot at persuading the management team to institute earlier start times, it makes the most sense for Jamal and his co-workers to

A)stage a "slow-in" by arriving late to work on purpose every day for a week and blame it on the traffic.
B)organize with other like-minded employees and present their ideas to management as a group.
C)approach each of their managers independently for approval to arrive at and leave work early.
D)go on strike and refuse to return to work until their demands for alternate hours are met.

Question 33

The strategic planning committee at Comfort Fabric Clothing Company consists of managers from engineering, R&D, production, marketing, and finance. This is an example of a(n)

A)cross-functional team.
B)informal group.
C)virtual team.
D)command group.

Question 34

In an attempt to promote innovation in a work group, the supervisor should

A)provide little guidance to the group, and let the group members self-guide themselves.
B)provide detailed procedures to the group.
C)let group members self-coach within the group.
D)provide for only outside the organization resources for the group.

Question 35

A major problem that self-managed work teams can encounter is

A)selection of members with the right skills and ability to work with others.
B)disciplining team members.
C)being given work that is sufficiently complex.
D)managers who are too "hands off".

Question 36

Managers choose members of research and development teams based on their

A)institutional knowledge.
B)expertise and experience.
C)departmental seniority.
D)cultural background.

Question 37

When team leaders of various cross-functional groups report to the same manager, the team leaders form a ________ group.

A)research and development
B)command
C)virtual
D)self-managed work

Question 38

What is one of the biggest challenges faced by members of virtual teams?

A)choosing team leaders
B)collaborating on projects
C)building trust and camaraderie
D)synchronizing communications

Question 39

Who takes part in cross-functional teams?

A)subordinates who report to the same supervisor
B)members from different cultures
C)the CEO, the president, and the heads of departments
D)members from different departments

Question 40

Which of the following enables managers to disregard geographic distances?

A)virtual team
B)command team
C)informal team
D)task force

Question 41

A new product development team for Fountain Cards Limited includes an artist whose job it is to draw the illustrations that will accompany new cards. This artist is acting according to his or her

A)virtual role.
B)interest group.
C)group role.
D)wishful thinking.

Question 42

Formal leaders of groups and teams are

A)self-appointed.
B)appointed by team members.
C)appointed by managers.
D)hired as leaders.

Question 43

During the first stage of group development, managers should

A)make sure that conflict does not arise between members.
B)make sure that each member feels like a valued part of the group.
C)encourage the formation of group norms.
D)give the group a lot of responsibility and authority.

Question 44

Sophia works as a project manager for a growing software company and oversees a group of 40 people. Recently she has noticed that the team is communicating less effectively than it has in the past, and she has overheard more than one employee confess to feeling that their ideas go unheeded in group meetings. Which of the following actions would best help Sophia turn the situation around?

A)requiring each person to contribute at least one new software idea at weekly meetings
B)hosting mandatory after-hours game nights where group members are free to vent their frustrations
C)assigning a new group leader on a weekly rotating basis so that each member has a chance to lead
D)splitting the employees into five distinct groups and giving each smaller group its own workspace

Question 45

The head of a group who emerges naturally from within the group is called a(n)

A)interim manager.
B)organizational leader.
C)team captain.
D)informal leader.

Question 46

The set of behaviors and tasks that a member of the group is expected to perform because he or she is a member of the group is known as

A)a group role.
B)virtual teamwork.
C)group polarization.
D)a group norm.

Question 47

Informal groups of workers who enjoy one another's company and meet socially either on or off the job are referred to as

A)cross-functional groups.
B)friendship groups.
C)command groups.
D)task forces.

Question 48

Managers frequently assume a leadership role in which of the following groups or teams?

A)command groups and top management teams
B)research and development teams
C)task forces
D)standing committees

Question 49

Which of the following aspects of a group includes the characteristics and processes from which the group derives its function and effectiveness?

A)dynamics
B)norms
C)tasks
D)development

Question 50

The members of a task force have disagreements because some members do not want to do what some of the other members want them to do. This stage of group development is known as

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

Question 51

A manager of a group encourages members of the group to take on additional responsibilities as they see the need. This is an example of

A)group polarization.
B)role making.
C)synergy.
D)virtual teamwork.

Question 52

What type of group helps satisfy employees' needs for interpersonal interaction and can provide needed social support in times of stress?

A)interest
B)formal
C)friendship
D)virtual

Question 53

The members of a particular group are getting to know one another and attempting to reach an understanding of how each of them should act within the group. This stage of group development is known as

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

Question 54

Splitting the work to be performed into particular tasks and assigning tasks to individual workers is called

A)division of labor.
B)performance.
C)role making.
D)formation.

Question 55

A group of college professors from the Jackson Business School meets once a week for lunch to discuss the college's accreditation efforts. This is an example of a(n)

A)formal group.
B)virtual team.
C)interest group.
D)command group.

Question 56

Tom, the marketing manager, who is a member of a task force for new product development, is expected to represent the marketing department's concerns to the task force. Tom and his involvement with the task force describe

A)formal leadership.
B)a group role.
C)a self-managed role.
D)group conformity.

Question 57

Task forces and standing committees are often led by

A)managers.
B)non-managers.
C)team captains.
D)executives.

Question 58

In which stage of group development is it particularly important for managers to strive to make each member feel that he or she is a valued part of the group?

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

Question 59

A number of people in the customer service department of Amazing Online Items have expressed their desire to be able to telecommute one day a week and believe this will increase their productivity and offer relief from the stress of traveling to the office in dense traffic. Sergei suggests they talk to their manager about instituting this change. Forming which type of group increases the likelihood of success when these employees approach their manager with their proposal?

A)interest
B)formal
C)command
D)virtual

Question 60

A group of employees at Swift Motors has initiated a marathon run with the aim of raising funds for the maintenance of a children's park in Chicago. This group can be defined as a(n)________ group.

A)virtual
B)formal
C)command
D)interest

Question 61

What do teams need to balance in order to effectively help an organization gain a competitive advantage?

A)behavior and group norms
B)conformity and deviance
C)performance and cohesiveness
D)tolerance and polarization

Question 62

Which of the following is the correct order of the stages of group development?

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

Question 63

As group cohesiveness increases,

A)participation of members decreases.
B)members share more information.
C)members are less open with each other.
D)communication effectiveness declines.

Question 64

To ensure that dysfunctional norms are discarded and replaced with functional ones, the group should require

A)some deviance.
B)social loafing.
C)group polarization.
D)conformity.

Question 65

A high-performing group is most likely the result of

A)low conformity/high deviance.
B)moderate conformity/moderate deviance.
C)moderate conformity/low deviance.
D)high conformity/low deviance.

Question 66

Deviance is functional for a group when

A)a group member gets punished for not acting consistently with the group norm.
B)a group member gets away with not acting consistently with the group norm on more than one occasion.
C)it causes group members to evaluate norms that may be ineffective but are taken for granted by the group.
D)it causes a group member to get suspended or expelled from the group.

Question 67

Close ties between the members of the group typically are formed during which stage of group development?

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

Question 68

Which of the following stage of group development applies only to groups that eventually are disbanded, such as task forces?

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

Question 69

To ensure that the group can control their members' behavior and channel them in the direction of high performance and group goal accomplishment, the group should require

A)unanimity.
B)conformity.
C)norms.
D)consistency.

Question 70

When a member of a group fails to act consistently with a group norm, this is known as

A)synergy.
B)deviance.
C)groupthink.
D)group polarization.

Question 71

When there is high conformity and low deviance in a group, the group's performance is likely to be

A)high because the group is well balanced.
B)low because the group cannot control its members' behaviors.
C)low because the group fails to change dysfunctional norms.
D)high because the group is satisfied.

Question 72

The degree to which the members of a group are attracted to membership in the group is known as group

A)organization.
B)cohesiveness.
C)uniformity.
D)tolerance.

Question 73

Who determines the extent of conformity and reactions to deviance within groups?

A)top management teams
B)executives
C)group members
D)friendship teams

Question 74

Regarding organizational effectiveness, the best level of cohesiveness in groups is

A)low.
B)moderate.
C)high.
D)extremely high.

Question 75

When Sylvia recently left town on personal work, members of her team at TicketTime did not have issues getting in touch with her because she had left a number they could call in case of an emergency. This arrangement best represents

A)groupthink.
B)a group norm.
C)a synergistic requirement.
D)group polarization.

Question 76

A task force submits its report supporting its recommendations on the project that the group has been working on. At which stage is this group operating?

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

Question 77

Shared guidelines or rules of behavior that most group members follow are called group

A)deviance.
B)dynamics.
C)norms.
D)cohesiveness.

Question 78

When Julie started as customer service manager at a call center six months ago, she instituted a new policy insisting that no more than two group members could be off the phones at any one time. To that end she wrote a schedule that staggered break and lunch times throughout the day. At first, her team demonstrated total compliance, but lately she has noticed that group members are breaking the rule and gathering in larger groups at lunch time. Despite repeatedly disciplining her subordinates, the behavior continues. Based on what you know about conformity and deviance, which of the following actions best ensures that Julie's team regains its efficiency and competitive advantage?

A)After asking her team about their actions and learning that they miss chatting as a group over lunch, she should revise her policy to allow larger groups to congregate provided there are at least four people manning the phones at all times.
B)She should increase the punishment for those who leave their posts at unsanctioned times, including terminating any group member caught breaking the rule more than five times in a 30-day period.
C)She should set up a tiered system of rewards for employees, granting extra breaks to those who adhere to the policy for one or more consecutive weeks, and a full day off with pay for those with a month-long spotless record.
D)She should rescind the policy completely and let the chaos that she believes will ensue be a lesson to the group, thereby teaching her employees the value of discipline and the need for rules, particularly in a business setting.

Question 79

Managers promote organizational identity and make the organization the focus of the group's efforts when groups are

A)heading in different directions.
B)less cohesive.
C)at the point of breaking up.
D)too cohesive.

Question 80

Angela took over as manager of a group of warehouse order-pickers about a month ago. While the employees' performance is satisfactory, she has noticed that the group seems to squash any new ideas about how they might do their work more effectively. What should Angela do to increase tolerance for deviance?

A)take steps, such as weekly group lunches, to increase the cohesion of the group
B)order the group to accept at least half of the new ideas that are proposed
C)set up an incentive system for employees' suggestions about procedure changes
D)create competition between members of the group