Question 1

Informal groups that emerge because members basically help one another do their jobs are called support groups.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Support groups are informal groups that form to help each other do their jobs. They provide emotional and practical support to one another, and often arise within a specific department or team within an organization.

Question 2

Informal groups are always detrimental to the growth of an organization as they are mostly involved in spreading rumors.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not always true. Informal groups can also play a positive role in an organization by promoting camaraderie, providing support, and creating a sense of belonging among employees. However, if the informal group engages in negative behavior, such as spreading rumors or undermining management, it can be detrimental to the organization's growth. It ultimately depends on the behavior and goals of the informal group.

Question 3

An autonomous work group is a temporary group created to solve a specific problem.

Accepted Answer

An autonomous work group is typically a permanent or semi-permanent team designed to manage tasks and processes independently with minimal supervision, rather than a temporary group formed for a specific problem.

Question 4

Informal groups can help satisfy social needs otherwise left unmet.

Accepted Answer

Informal groups provide a sense of belonging, companionship, and social support that can help satisfy individuals' social needs that may not be met through formal organizations or relationships.

Question 5

Some key problems typically associated with meetings are: the discussion lacks candour; people are unwilling to tell the truth; and the right information isn't available, so decisions get postponed.

Accepted Answer

These are common problems that can arise in meetings.

Question 6

Social imperfection refers to the presence of "free riders" who slack off because responsibility is diffused in teams and others are present to do the work.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Social imperfection refers to the presence of...

Question 7

Project teams or task forces work on common problems on a permanent basis.

Accepted Answer

Project teams or task forces are typically assembled to work on specific problems or projects for a limited time, not on a permanent basis.

Question 8

Nothing happening when the meeting is over and no one putting decisions into action are key problems typically associated with meetings.

Accepted Answer

Meetings that don't result in any action or decisions being put into practice are often seen as a waste of time and resources. It is essential to have a plan of action and assign responsibilities for follow-up after the meeting is over.

Question 9

Committees, project teams, task forces, and cross-functional teams are used relatively infrequently in the modern workplace, whereas employee involvement teams enjoy extensive, widespread usage in the modern workplace.

Accepted Answer

This statement is not accurate. Committees, project teams, task forces, and cross-functional teams are commonly used in many workplaces, especially in larger organizations, while employee involvement teams may not be as widespread.

Question 10

A cross-functional team operates with members who come from different functional units of an organization.

Accepted Answer

In a cross-functional team, members come from different functional units of an organization, such as marketing, finance, and operations. This diversity of perspectives and expertise can lead to more innovative solutions and better decision-making.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

The statement is correct. Friendship groups are informal groups that arise from personal connections and often involve shared non-work interests.

Question 12

Meetings can and should be places where information is shared, decisions get made, and people gain understanding of each other.

Accepted Answer

Meetings are meant to facilitate communication and collaboration among team members in order to achieve specific goals and objectives. Through effective communication, team members can share information, exchange ideas, make decisions, and build trust and understanding. It is important for meetings to be structured and well-organized, with clearly defined goals and objectives, in order to be productive and beneficial for everyone involved.

Question 13

The functional chimneys problem is more prominent in the case of cross-functional teams.

Accepted Answer

The term "functional chimneys problem" typically refers to issues arising within siloed departments or functions that do not communicate or collaborate well with each other. Cross-functional teams, by design, aim to mitigate this problem by bringing together members from different departments to work towards common goals, thereby enhancing communication and collaboration across traditional functional boundaries.

Question 14

People arriving early and leaving late or taking things too seriously are some of the key problems typically associated with meetings.

Accepted Answer

These behaviors are not typically considered key problems associated with meetings. Key problems often include lack of clear objectives, poor planning, lack of engagement, and ineffective use of time.

Question 15

If we consider that organizations are interlocking networks of groups, then 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.

Accepted Answer

Managers and leaders serve as linking pins in interlocking networks of groups within an organization because they act as a superior in one work group and as a subordinate in the next higher-level one, facilitating communication and coordination between groups.

Question 16

The trend toward greater empowerment in organizations is associated with new developments in the use of face-to-face interaction techniques.

Accepted Answer

The trend toward greater empowerment in organizations involves giving employees more autonomy and decision-making power, which often requires effective communication and collaboration through face-to-face interaction techniques such as brainstorming, team building, and coaching.

Question 17

Members of informal groups can satisfy needs that are otherwise unmet in their formal work assignments.

Accepted Answer

Informal groups can provide social support, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for personal growth that may not be fulfilled by formal work assignments.

Question 18

Formal groups emerge from relationships and shared interests among the members.

Accepted Answer

Formal groups are created by an organization to accomplish specific tasks or goals, not from relationships and shared interests among the members.

Question 19

Project teams or tasks forces bring together people from various parts of an organization to work on common problems, but do so on a temporary basis.

Accepted Answer

Project teams or task forces are formed for a specific purpose and for a limited duration of time, usually until the task or project is completed. Once their goal is achieved, the team is disbanded and its members return to their respective departments or functions within the organization.

Question 20

Considering that organizations are interlocking networks of groups, managers and leaders serve as "group processors" because they make the whole team function properly.

Accepted Answer

Yes, managers and leaders are responsible for processing and coordinating the work of different groups within an organization, ultimately helping the whole team function effectively.

Quiz 17: Teams and Teamwork