Question 1

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 2

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 in an aerospace company, where multiple functional areas come together to work on a project. The project manager oversees the team, the finance expert manages the budget, the marketing specialist identifies market opportunities, the production team ensures the product can be manufactured efficiently, and the design engineers create the product design.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams consist of members from different departments or functions within an organization who work together to achieve a common goal. Shared leadership means that team members are empowered to take on leadership roles and responsibilities, leading to greater collaboration, innovation, and productivity. Therefore, cross-functional teams work well when leadership is shared.

Question 4

Matrix organizations give managers flexibility in assigning people to projects.

Accepted Answer

Matrix organizations have a flexible structure where employees are assigned to projects based on their skills and expertise rather than their job titles or departments. This allows managers to better allocate resources and respond quickly to changing project needs.

Question 5

A matrix organization produces an environment that discourages cooperation and teamwork.

Accepted Answer

A matrix organization actually promotes communication and collaboration between different departments or teams, as individuals work on projects with colleagues from different areas of expertise. While it can create some challenges in terms of power dynamics and decision-making, it does not inherently discourage cooperation and teamwork.

Question 6

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 7

A serious disadvantage of the matrix organization is the temporary nature of the teams.

Accepted Answer

The matrix organization often creates project teams that are temporary in nature, which can lead to a lack of continuity and slower decision-making as new teams are formed and disbanded for each project.

Question 8

Team participants in a matrix organization model may report to two managers.

Accepted Answer

In a matrix organization model, team participants typically report to both a functional manager and a project or product manager. This dual reporting structure allows for a better balance of resources and expertise across different projects and areas of the company.

Question 9

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 actually strategically 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. This approach is known as open innovation, and it can bring in valuable insights and ideas from external sources, leading to better products and increased customer satisfaction.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Including customers and suppliers on cross-functional teams can lead to better collaboration and innovation, ultimately benefiting the company and its stockholders in the long run. It may require some investment in the short term, but it does not necessarily violate the interests of stockholders.

Question 11

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 people from different departments and areas of expertise to work together towards a common goal or objective over a longer period of time. By working together, team members can leverage their diverse skill sets to create innovative solutions, improve communication and collaboration across the organization, and foster a culture of co-operation and teamwork.

Question 12

Matrix organization structures provide for more efficient use of organizational resources.

Accepted Answer

Matrix organization structures promote better communication, knowledge sharing, and the efficient use of resources by combining functional and project-based structures. This dual structure helps organizations achieve their goals by encouraging cross-functional collaboration and coordination, resulting in better productivity and more efficient use of organizational resources.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

By incorporating the voice of the customer, cross-functional teams can better understand customer needs and develop products/services that meet those needs. This improves teamwork, communication, and a shared focus on delivering customer satisfaction.

Question 14

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 indeed empowered to work with external stakeholders such as suppliers and customers in order to achieve organizational goals such as developing new products and delivering great service.

Question 15

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 bring together individuals from different departments with varied expertise and experiences. This allows for a more holistic and diverse approach to problem-solving, and can lead to more innovative and customer-centric solutions. By being more sensitive to social trends affecting customer preferences, companies can potentially gain a competitive edge in the market.

Question 16

The matrix organization model brings together experts from different functional units of the firm to work on specific projects.

Accepted Answer

This is correct. The matrix organization model is designed to bring together experts from different functional units of the firm to work on specific projects. This allows for increased communication and cooperation between different areas of the company, and can lead to more effective and efficient project outcomes.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are designed to break down silos and encourage collaboration across different departments or functions within an organization, with the ultimate goal of better serving customers. Therefore, they align with the trend towards customer-driven organizations.

Question 18

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 various departments and individuals within the same company to work together towards a common goal. It is not meant to be a secretive group that avoids involving external parties. In fact, cross-functional teams often collaborate with external stakeholders such as suppliers, customers, and partners to achieve their objectives.

Question 19

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 in modern organizations as they enable employees from diverse backgrounds to work together efficiently and effectively to achieve common goals. These teams often work on long-term projects and are empowered with decision-making authority to facilitate collaboration, communication, and innovation.

Question 20

The team experts in a matrix organization remain part of the traditional line-and-staff structure.

Accepted Answer

In a matrix organization, there are multiple lines of authority and team members work on multiple projects at the same time. However, experts and specialists usually remain part of the traditional line-and-staff structure, reporting to a department head in addition to their project manager.

Quiz 8: Structuring Organizations for Todays Challenges