Question 1

Peter is the marketing head of DigitAdsUs, a renowned digital marketing company, known for its innovative marketing strategies. When being quizzed on his definition of a "perfect marketer," Peter responded with reference to his team members and stated that Roger's out of the box thinking, Steve's communication abilities, Jessica's innovative designs, and Jane's technical prowess would reflect the qualities of a "perfect marketer." Which of the following would best describe Peter's definition of a "perfect marketer"?

Accepted Answer

Peter's definition of a "perfect marketer" reflects the concept of synergy, where the combined efforts and strengths of a team member lead to a better outcome than individual efforts. Roger's out-of-the-box thinking, Steve's communication abilities, Jessica's innovative designs, and Jane's technical prowess all represent different strengths that, when combined, create a synergy that helps the team achieve success.

Question 2

___ or ___ bring together people from various parts of an organization to work on common problems, but on a temporary basis.

Accepted Answer

Project teams and task forces are both designed to bring together individuals from different parts of an organization to address specific issues or projects on a temporary basis. Project teams are assembled to work on particular projects, while task forces are formed to tackle specific problems or tasks, often with a broader scope than regular project teams.

Question 3

A ___ has members who come from different functional units of the organization.

Accepted Answer

A cross-functional team is made up of members who come from different functional units of the organization, such as marketing, finance, and production.

Question 4

___ are ones that emerge within organizations from "spontaneous" relationships among people rather than being officially created by the organization to serve an essential purpose.

Accepted Answer

Informal groups are formed through interpersonal relationships among employees and are not officially recognized or created by the organization. These groups are often based on shared interests or values and can have a significant impact on the culture and dynamics of the organization. The other options may or may not involve informal relationships and do not necessarily describe groups that emerge spontaneously within an organization.

Question 5

Foodoos Inc., a supermarket chain, utilizes the expertise of its employees from the marketing, design, product outlay, supply management, and inventory management teams to attract customers and drive sales. This is an example of a ___.

Accepted Answer

The scenario describes a cross-functional team, which brings together employees from different departments or functions within an organization to collaborate and achieve common goals. The mentioned teams are specifically from marketing, design, product outlay, supply management, and inventory management, which are all different functions within the organization.

Question 6

___ are indispensable to organizations that emphasize adaptation and horizontal integration.

Accepted Answer

Cross-functional teams are essential for organizations that prioritize adaptation and horizontal integration because they bring together individuals with diverse skills and perspectives from different departments or areas of expertise. This allows for more effective problem-solving, decision-making, and collaboration across the organization.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes a committee?

Accepted Answer

A committee is designated to work on a special task on a continuing basis. This is different from option A because committees can continue to exist even after completing a specific task. Option B describes a more informal group, while options D and E describe specific types of teams with distinct characteristics.

Question 8

At the headquarters of Meltdown Inc., a temporary team consisting of members from its technical department and marketing department is put together to develop a promotional plan for its new robot, "Nancy." This team is given a time limit of fifteen days to complete the task. This team is an example of a(n) ___.

Accepted Answer

The temporary team put together to complete a specific task within a specified time limit is an example of a project team. The team is formed for a specific project or objective, and its members come from different functional departments to utilize their diverse skills and knowledge for achieving the project goal.

Question 9

A newspaper company is on the brink of bankruptcy. The publishing manager, Greta, is asked to come up with a strategy to save the company. To figure out the best plan, Greta brings together the key people from Operations, Sales and Marketing, Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology. What type of team did Greta assemble?

Accepted Answer

Greta assembled a cross-functional team, which includes representatives from different functional areas in the company such as Operations, Sales and Marketing, Accounting, Finance, and Information Technology. This type of team is commonly used to solve complex problems or address strategic issues that require expertise from multiple areas.

Question 10

___ is a temporary group created to solve a specific problem.

Accepted Answer

A task force is specifically created to tackle a particular problem or project and is disbanded when the task is completed. Functional groups and autonomous work groups are more long-term teams with ongoing responsibilities, while quality control circles focus on continuous improvement in a specific area. A command group is a group of executives who make decisions for an organization.

Question 11

Informal groups that emerge for a wide variety of personal reasons (including shared non-work interests) are called ___.

Accepted Answer

Friendship groups are informal groups that emerge based on personal relationships and shared non-work interests. Interest groups are more commonly associated with professional or political affiliations, while support groups and enabling groups typically focus on specific issues or behaviors. Autonomous groups may have a variety of purposes but are generally defined by their independence from formal organizational structures.

Question 12

Which of the following statements does not accurately describe an implication of informal groups for organizations?

Accepted Answer

Informal groups are not primarily established to perform tasks essential to the accomplishment of key operating objectives; this is more characteristic of formal groups. Informal groups primarily form for social and personal reasons, and while they can positively impact work performance and workflow, their main purpose is not to fulfill organizational objectives directly.

Question 13

Interest groups, friendship groups, and support groups are examples of ___.

Accepted Answer

Interest groups, friendship groups, and support groups are all examples of informal groups, which are formed by individuals who share common interests, goals, or characteristics. These groups are not created by the organization, and they do not have assigned roles or formal structures.

Question 14

The sales team of Zapp Electronics comprises members who decide collectively if a member should focus on indoor or outdoor sales. The team also decides the strategies to be adopted apart from evaluating each other's performances. This is an example of ___.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a self-managing team as the sales team decides collectively on member's focus, strategies, and performance evaluation. They have the autonomy to manage their own tasks and responsibilities.

Question 15

A project team or task force is

Accepted Answer

A project team or task force is convened for a specific purpose and disbands when its task is completed. In contrast to option B, it is not designated to work on a special task on a continuing basis. Option C refers to a virtual team and option D refers to social loafing, which is not specific to project teams or task forces. Option A is partially correct, as a project team can emerge from relationships and shared interests, but it is still convened for a specific purpose.

Question 16

According to the perspective that organizations are interlocking networks of groups, managers and leaders serve as ___.

Accepted Answer

According to the perspective that organizations are interlocking networks of groups, managers and leaders serve as "linking pins" because each manager or leader acts as a superior in one work group and as a subordinate in the next higher-level one. This means that they serve as a connecting point between different groups within the organization, helping to facilitate communication and collaboration between them.

Question 17

Google Canada's workforce has grown from thirty "Googlers" to over 400. Steve Woods, the company's director of engineering in Canada has stated, "We are a very empowering organization, with a very flat hierarchical model where small teams work on products and the teams make their decisions." Google Canada is enjoying which benefit working as team?

Accepted Answer

By working in small teams with a flat hierarchical model, Google Canada is likely experiencing more member motivation. This can be due to several factors such as increased autonomy, a sense of ownership over projects, and the ability to collaborate and contribute to the team's success.

Question 18

Which of the following is true of committees?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is true of...

Question 19

The trend toward ___ in organizations is associated with new developments in the use of teams.

Accepted Answer

The trend toward greater empowerment in organizations is associated with new developments in the use of teams. This is because teams rely on trust, communication, and collaboration to achieve their goals, and empowering team members can improve these factors and lead to greater success. The other answer choices are not directly related to the use of teams.

Question 20

Orlando's company is concerned about the recent decline in sales of one of its best-selling products. The company has decided to permanently put a group of people in charge of analyzing competitive products and determining new features that should be added to their products. All the people in this group work in the marketing department of the company. The people in this group will perform these new tasks in addition to the ones they already have. Which of the following terms would best describe the newly formed group?

Accepted Answer

This group is best described as a committee because it is a permanent group of people from the marketing department tasked with ongoing responsibilities, including analyzing competitive products and determining new features for their own products. Unlike a project team or task force, which are typically temporary, or a cross-functional team, which includes members from different departments, a committee is a standing group with a specific, ongoing function within its own department. A functional chimney refers to siloed communication within a department, not a group formed for a specific purpose.

Quiz 17: Teams and Teamwork

_ or _ bring together people from various parts of an organization to work on common problems, but on a temporary basis.