Deck 10: Using Teams in Organizations

Question 1

Why does working in teams result in enhanced performance?

A)Waste and errors are spread across multiple individuals.
B)Managers lower their performance standards.
C)Team members spend less time in direct contact with customers.
D)Teams pool individual efforts in new ways and strive for continuous improvement.
E)Taller hierarchies improve communication processes.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is not an example of an organizational enhancement arising from team environments?

A)Taller organizational hierarchy
B)Quicker reaction
C)Increased innovation
D)Higher creativity
E)Improved flexibility

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Teams differ from groups in that teams

A)place more emphasis on concerted action than groups do.
B)are usually larger than groups.
C)are usually temporary.
D)place little emphasis on common objectives.
E)pursue multiple goals.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Teams that may never actually meet together in the same room are called

A)non-contact teams.
B)infrastructure teams.
C)virtual teams.
D)crisis teams.
E)quality improvement teams.

Question 5

William is a member of a small group of employees from the same work area.They meet once each week to discuss and recommend solutions to workplace problems.This group is probably a

A)problem-solving team.
B)interdisciplinary team.
C)work team.
D)management team.
E)quality circle.

Question 6

The cost of teams includes all of the following except

A)the difficulty of changing to a team-based organization.
B)an increase in innovation and creativity.
C)employees may feel like losers during the change.
D)the slowness of the process to full team development.
E)premature abandonment of the change.

Question 7

The primary job of is to coach and counsel other teams to be self-managing.

A)interdisciplinary teams
B)quality circles
C)problem-solving teams
D)work teams
E)management teams

Question 8

Which of the following statements best reflects the costs of teams to organizations?

A)The increased bureaucracy
B)The loss of creativity
C)The difficulty of changing to a team-based organization
D)Increased worker compensation claims
E)Increased distance between employees and top management

Question 9

The best reason to create teams in an organization is because

A)they can increase productivity almost immediately.
B)teams are always well received by employees.
C)teams are increasing in popularity.
D)the competition is also implementing teams.
E)teams make sense for that organization.

Question 10

A team is characterized by all of the following except

A)complementary skills.
B)profit motive.
C)mutual accountability.
D)small number of people.
E)commitment to a common purpose.

Question 11

What is (are) the new role(s) of managers in teams?

A)Supervisors and evaluators
B)Top managers
C)Team members
D)Technical specialists
E)Coaches and facilitators

Question 12

Why do younger workers seem to benefit from team environments?

A)Supervision in teams is increased.
B)Workers receive higher wages in team environments.
C)Individuals receive more recognition in team environments.
D)Teams give them freedom to grow and manage themselves.
E)Teams increase employees' respect for authority.

Question 13

A combination of a work team and a problem-solving team is called a

A)virtual team.
B)quality circle.
C)cross-functional team.
D)product development team.
E)management team.

Question 14

What is the difference between work groups and teams with regard to job categories?

A)Teams have fewer and broader job categories than groups.
B)Job categories for teams and groups depend on the reward system.
C)Teams and groups have the same number of job categories.
D)Groups have fewer and narrower job categories than teams.
E)The authority structure in teams is much more hierarchical.

Question 15

Having common performance goals affects teams by

A)selecting the defining purpose of the team.
B)lowering commitment to the team's purpose.
C)increasing team-based compensation.
D)setting the tone and direction of the team.
E)making the team similar to other groups and teams.

Question 16

A team that solves a problem and then is usually disbanded is called a/an .

A)interdisciplinary team
B)work team
C)management team
D)problem-solving team
E)quality circle

Question 17

John is on a temporary team that attacks specific problems in the workplace.This team is probably a

A)quality circle.
B)product development team.
C)management team.
D)problem-solving team.
E)work team.

Question 18

Susan works with four other employees via computer and telephone, but they have never actually sat down together in one room.Susan is on a

A)problem-solving team.
B)virtual team.
C)management team.
D)product development team.
E)work team.

Question 19

Which of the following is not an example of cost reductions arising from team environments?

A)Reduced absenteeism
B)Reduced scrap
C)Lower turnover
D)Fewer errors
E)Lower commitment

Question 20

The positive benefits of a team-based environment include all of the following except

A)enhanced performance.
B)employee benefits.
C)gain-sharing plans.
D)reduced costs.
E)organizational enhancements.

Question 21

Susan is the senior manager at her company.Susan made the choice to go to teams because she went to a seminar on teams, but she will be on a two-year foreign assignment when teams are actually implemented.Which of the following is likely to occur?

A)The teams will be performing well by the time she returns.
B)The teams will be more broad spread than normal.
C)The teams will become self-managing more quickly than normal.
D)A complete organizational culture revolution is likely to occur.
E)The teams are likely to fail.

Question 22

During the phase of team implementation, teams usually long for a system that resembles the old manager-centered organizational structure.

A)tightly formed teams
B)start-up
C)leader-centered teams
D)self-managing teams
E)reality and unrest

Question 23

The best initial site for implementing teams is one that

A)is removed from the core operations of the business.
B)includes workers who accept the idea of using teams.
C)is chosen to reward a successful manager.
D)needs the most improvement.
E)includes workers from only one job category.

Question 24

The first thing managers should do before deciding whether to change to a team-based organization is to

A)conduct a feasibility study.
B)establish the leadership for the change.
C)determine whether competitors are using teams.
D)prepare for implementation.
E)develop a steering committee.

Question 25

In the phase of team implementation, enthusiasm runs high and the anticipation of employees is quite positive.

A)self-managing teams
B)start-up
C)leader-centered teams
D)tightly formed teams
E)reality and unrest

Question 26

Shortly after implementation, team performance often before returning to previous levels.

A)fluctuates unpredictably
B)ceases completely
C)increases slightly
D)declines
E)dramatically increases

Question 27

During the phase of team implementation, managers should provide encouragement, monitor performance, and sometimes protect teams from those who want to see the team fail.

A)self-managing teams
B)tightly formed teams
C)leader-centered teams
D)reality and unrest
E)start-up

Question 28

The start-up phase of team implementation includes which of the following?

A)Frustration and confusion about the new situation
B)Extreme confidence and cohesion
C)Intense team loyalty
D)Teams thinking of themselves as a unit
E)Informational or "awareness" training

Question 29

Besides the two essential issues discuss in the text, another interesting team issue is

A)team work.
B)fear of change.
C)the commitment of team members to each other.
D)norm conformity.
E)the team sets new records for performance.

Question 30

The is simply an expression of purpose that summarizes the long-range benefits the company hopes to gain by moving to a team environment.

A)strategic plan
B)transfer of authority plan
C)design team statement
D)mission statement
E)None of these are correct.

Question 31

During the phase of team implementation, teams become tightly formed to the point that their internal focus can become detrimental to other teams and to the organization as a whole.

A)start-up
B)reality and unrest
C)tightly formed teams
D)leader-center teams
E)self-managing teams

Question 32

To assist in making the decision whether to change to a team-based organization, what a steering committee does includes all of the following except

A)visit with successful teams.
B)explore the organization's readiness for the team environment.
C)strongly advocate the use of teams.
D)gather and analyze data.
E)visit potential team sites.

Question 33

The last stage of planning the implementation is to write the tentative plan for the initial work teams.The draft plan includes all of the following except

A)it recommends a process for selecting people.
B)it describes roles and responsibilities.
C)it explains who will be responsible for overall performance.
D)it explains what training the groups will need.
E)it lays out a preliminary master schedule for the next 2-3 years.

Question 34

Implementation of self-managing work teams is a long and difficult process, often taking to years.

A)three; four
B)one; two
C)four; five
D)two; five
E)three; five

Question 35

The person leading the change to a team-based organization must

A)not be swayed by the steering committee.
B)be an external consultant, so as to avoid any organizational bias.
C)have a strong belief that employees want to be responsible for their work.
D)allow the teams to create their own unique visions.
E)make a gut-level feasibility estimate.

Question 36

Teams differ from groups because their members hold themselves mutually accountable.

Question 37

The draft plan, which guides the continuing work of the design teams and the first work teams, includes all of the following except

A)describes roles and responsibilities of all team members.
B)recommends a process for selecting team members.
C)explains what training the groups will need.
D)identifies which work processes will be involved.
E)recommends team incentives and bonuses.

Question 38

The most important phase of planning the implementation to teams is

A)planning the transfer of authority from management to teams.
B)drafting the preliminary plan for team rewards.
C)clarifying the organization's team-based mission.
D)making the decision to implement teams.
E)preparing the design team.

Question 39

Selection of the first site for implementing teams is crucial because

A)it sets the tone for the success of the total program.
B)the first site should be the one with the lowest performance.
C)it should be hidden from other workers.
D)location is the most important consideration in establishing teams.
E)it should be a site that spans the entire organization.

Question 40

The two essential issues that must not be overlooked when implementing teams are

A)team performance and starting at the top.
B)implementation and team performance.
C)starting at the top and member loyalty.
D)team performance and team motivation.
E)team motivation and reward systems.

Question 41

Gain-sharing usually rewards all team members from all teams based on the performance of the organization, division, or plant.

Question 42

Probably the greatest cost of teams is premature abandonment of the change to a team-based organization.

Question 43

Perhaps the biggest benefit of moving to a team-based system is that the change to teams occurs quickly and is usually welcomed by employees.

Question 44

Once the go/no-go decision has been made, team implementation can begin immediately.

Question 45

Virtual work teams are teams that may never actually meet together in the same room, but instead rely on teleconferencing and other electronic information systems.

Question 46

Mutual accountability is a promise that members make to each other to do everything possible to achieve their goals, and it requires the commitment and trust of all members.

Question 47

Team bonus plans is similar to gain-sharing plans except that the unit of performance and pay is the team rather that a plant, division, or the entire organization.

Question 48

The change to a team-based organization is such a drastic departure from the traditional hierarchy that significant planning, preparation, and training are prerequisites.

Question 49

Some U.S.companies are returning work in-house that was formerly outsourced overseas.This process is called back-sourcing.

Question 50

Having a common purpose and common performance goals sets the tone and direction of the team.

Question 51

The benefits of working in teams include enhanced performance, employee benefits, and reduced costs.

Question 52

The collection of people who happen to report to the same supervisor or manager in an organization can be called a work group.

Question 53

Implementing teams in organizations is not easy; it takes a lot of hard work, time, training, and patience.

Question 54

Problem-solving teams are teams that make recommendations for others to implement.

Question 55

Teams can provide the sense of self-control, human dignity, identification with work, and sense of self-worth and self-fulfillment for which current workers seem to strive.

Question 56

Teams include people with a mix of skills appropriate to the tasks to be done.

Question 57

Mature, fully developed teams are self-directing, self- managing, and autonomous.

Question 58

Managers and experts agree that using teams can be among the best ways to organize and manage successfully in the 21st century.

Question 59

Demanding, high performance goals challenge members to create a real team, as opposed to being merely a group.

Question 60

Product development teams are combinations of work teams and problem-solving teams that create new designs for products or services that will satisfy customer needs.

Question 61

- systems require team members to acquire a set of the core skills needed for their particular team plus additional special skills, depending on career tracks or team needs.

Question 62

are teams that make recommendations.

Question 63

Use of teams can reduce redundant layers of and
the hierarchy in large organizations.

Question 64

Before deciding to change to a team-based organization, top management needs to establish leadership, develop a steering committee, and conduct a .

Question 65

Teams hold themselves mutually for results.

Question 66

The plan combines the work of the steering and design committees and becomes the document that guides the continuing work of the new work team.

Question 67

The team is a select group of employees, supervisors, and managers who work out the staffing and operational details to make teams perform well.

Question 68

In the start-up phase of team implementation, team members and managers often report frustration and confusion about the new situation.

Question 69

Implementation of teams is a long and difficult process, often taking
to years.

Question 70

The studies other areas where teams are in place, analyzes data from site visits, and makes recommendations to top management about the change.

Question 71

Tightly formed teams may become overconfident and reduce their communication with other teams in the organization.

Question 72

Implementation of self-managing work teams often takes two to five years.

Question 73

In a team, all team members are committed to a common .

Question 74

Product-development teams are similar to _-_ teams because when the product is fully developed and in production, the team may be disbanded.

Question 75

The statement is simply an expression of purpose that summarizes the long-range benefits the company hopes to gain by moving to a team environment.

Question 76

Teams must be initiated for performance-based business reasons.

Question 77

The second most important task of management teams is to
interdependent work between work teams that are in

Question 78

High-performing problem-solving teams are often -
, meaning that team members come from many different functional areas.

Question 79

Teams include people with a of skills appropriate to the tasks to be done.

Question 80

teams may never actually meet together in the same room;
their activities take place via computer.