Organizational Behavior, Version 1.1
Bauer & Erdogan
FWK Test Item File
Chapter 9
TRUE/FALSE
1. In the 1980s, General Electric showed that empowering workers to work in teams can be a profitable venture.
(True)
2. A group is a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals while a team is a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s actions have an impact on another’s.
(False)
3. Tuckman’s Group Development Stage Model sequences group evolution in the following order: forming to norming to storming to performing.
(False)
4. The forming stage of group development involves member examination of such questions as “What will my role be?” and “Will I be accepted?
(True)
5. The appointed leader is often tested during the performing phase of group development.
(False)
6. Because the storming stage is a very chaotic one, many groups get stuck in that phase of group development.
(True)
7. The norming stage of group development involves the establishment of ground rules for the group and an increased commitment to other members and the group goal.
(True)
8. The performing stage of group development involves attention to work content and process.
(True)
9. The adjourning stage of groups is seldom met with any emotional feelings or concern.
(False)
10. The punctuated equilibrium model proposed by Connie Gersick is a linear model.
(False)
11. The punctuated equilibrium model suggests that groups remain static for long periods of time experiencing only incremental change and radical, revolutionary change occurs in brief, punctuated bursts that provide opportunity for innovation.
(True)
12. Generally speaking, the more cohesive a group is, the less productive it is because the preservation of individual feelings supersedes any task oriented role.
(False)
13. The more similar group members are with regard to age, gender, education, and skill set, the more cohesive the group will be.
(True)
14. Groupthink is the tendency for individuals to put forth less effort when working in a group context.
(False)
15. Groups with high group cohesion and high task commitment generally have high performance.
(True)
16. Collective efficacy is generally influenced by verbal persuasion, group observation, and pay level.
(False)
17. Process loss is any aspect of group interaction that inhibits group functioning.
(True)
18. The key properties of a true team are collaborative action, sacrifice for the common good, and compensation based upon individual outcomes.
(False)
19. Research evidence exists to demonstrate that teams can reduce labor costs, increase product quality, and raise revenues.
(True)
20. If a variety of knowledge, skills, and abilities is needed, if feedback from different organizational groups is needed, if tasks are largely independent, and if wide cooperation is needed to achieve mutual goals, then a team is needed.
(False)
21. Idea generation tasks include coming up with plans for actions and making decisions.
(False)
22. Pooled interdependence is when team members work independently and combine their efforts to create the team’s output.
(True)
23. Reciprocal interdependence exists when team members work on tasks simultaneously.
(True)
24. Task roles in a group include consul, cooperator, and completer.
(False)
25. Social roles in a group or team include cooperator, communicator, and calibrator.
(True)
26. A task force is a temporary team charged with addressing a specific problem or issue until it is resolved.
(True)
27. Virtual teams represent special management challenges because of issues related to trust and communication.
(True)
28. A firm’s top management team often represents a variety of functional areas.
(True)
29. Succession planning is the identification of future members of a top management team.
(True)
30. Empowered teams have the responsibility and authority to achieve their goals.
(True)
31. The difference between a self-managed and self-directed team is that the leader in the self-managed team has less decision-making responsibility.
(True)
32. As a rule of thumb, a good size for a team is between two and twenty members.
(True)
33. The more diverse a team is with regard to expertise, gender, age, and background, the more likely the team is to avoid groupthink.
(True)
34. Norms are shared expectations about how things operate within a group or team.
(True)
35. An effective way of dealing with overbearing behavior is to evaluate the balance of participation by team members.
(True)
36. When team members are found to be poor performers due to a lack of ability, the team is likely to try and train the individual.
(True)
37. Research suggests that sometimes replacing a hierarchy with self-managing teams decreases control over individual workers.
(False)
38. Collectivist societies value individual achievements over interpersonal relationships.
(False)
39. People in high power distance countries expect unequal power distribution and greater stratification in economic, social, and political settings.
(True)
40. The meaning of teamwork differs across cultures.
(True)
MULTIPLE CHOICE
| OPENING SECTION: Teamwork Takes to the Sky: The Case of General Electric |
41. General Electric generated more wealth than any other company in the history of the world from the early 1980s until 2000. All of the following are contributing factors to this success EXCEPT
a. providing employees with the highest pay in the industry.
b. providing ample support to team members so that all efforts were focused on the work of the team.
c. providing high level training to teams.
d. providing teams the opportunity to “self-manage.”
(a) Easy/Knowledge
Section I: Group Dynamics
|
42. An informal work group is
a. a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s actions have an impact on the others.
b. made up of managers, subordinates, or both, with close associations among group members that influence the behavior of individuals in the group.
c. made up of two or more individuals who are associated with one another in ways not prescribed by the formal organization.
d. a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
43. A group is
a. a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s actions have an impact on the others.
b. made up of managers, subordinates, or both with close associations among group members that influence the behavior of individuals in the group.
c. made up of two or more individuals who are associated with one another in ways not prescribed by the formal organization.
d. a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve happiness.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
44. To successfully facilitate a group, a leader needs to move through a series of leadership styles over time. Which of the following styles is the FIRST a successful group leader should exhibit?
a. delegator
b. director
c. coordinator
d. coach
(b) Difficult/Synthesis
45. Which of the following leadership styles best serves a successful group as it has evolved to its final stages?
a. director
b. coordinator
c. coach
d. delegator
(b) Medium/Knowledge
46. Which of the following is the order Tuckman proposes for group development stages?
a. forming, norming, storming, performing, and adjourning
b. forming, storming, performing, norming, and adjourning
c. forming, performing, storming, norming, and adjourning
d. forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning
(d) Easy/Comprehension
47. What is the second stage in Tuckman’s four-stage map of group evolution?
a. norming
b. storming
c. forming
d. performing
(b) Easy/Knowledge
48. What was the final stage that Tuckman added to his enhanced group development model?
a. forming
b. norming
c. adjourning
d. storming
(c) Easy/Knowledge
49. Which of stage in Tuckman’s forming-storming-norming-performing model is characterized by the establishment of ground rules and operating procedures and goals by group participants?
a. forming
b. storming
c. norming
d. performing
(c) Easy/Comprehension
50. Which stage of Tuckman’s group development model is characterized by general information sharing?
a. storming
b. norming
c. performing
d. forming
(d) Difficult/Comprehension
51. Tuckman’s forming stage is characterized by
a. uncertainty, with observant, conflict avoidant group members who are trying to achieve several goals at once.
b. competent group members who work interdependently as part of a greater entity.
c. chaos with group members exploring power and influence roles.
d. high energy with group members committed to each other and the overall goal.
(a) Medium/Evaluation
52. The norming stage in Tuckman’s model of group evolution features
a. uncertainty, with observant, conflict avoidant group members who are trying to achieve several goals at once.
b. competent group members who work interdependently as part of a greater entity.
c. chaos with group members exploring power and influence roles.
d. high energy with group members committed to each other and the overall goal.
(d) Medium/Evaluation
53. Tuckman’s five stage group evolution model asks which of the following questions in the performing stage?
a. Are we using appropriate information on this task?
b. Will I be accepted?
c. Why do I have to listen to you?
d. Can you help me plan this project?
(a) Medium/Evaluation
54. Which of the following questions might be asked during the norming stage of Tuckman’s five-stage group evolution model?
a. Are we using appropriate means to address differences so that conflicts can be avoided?
b. Will I be successful at completing this task?
c. I wonder what the other people in this group are like?
d. Can you help me with this section of the project?
(a) Easy/Evaluation
55. Group members in the norming stage
a. not only get the work done, but they also pay greater attention to how they are doing it.
b. begin to explore their power and influence.
c. find it easy to establish their own ground rules.
d. try to figure out who likes whom.
(c) Medium/Analysis
56. Which of the following statements is correct with regard to the forming stage of group development?
a. Leadership does not matter at this stage.
b. Group members are trying to learn about one another.
c. Group members are cohesive and cooperative.
d. Group members are trying to clarify what needs to be done and who needs to do it.
(b) Easy/Analysis
57. All of the following statements characterize a group at the storming stage EXCEPT
a. the group is competent, autonomous, and insightful.
b. the group’s members are forming cliques
c. the group members are argumentative.
d. group discussions may be heated.
(a) Easy/Analysis
58. Michael is part of an organizational behavior project group. The group decided on the overall theme of its project and individual members are now completing specific sections of the project. Michael has been e-mailing Rachel almost every day asking her opinion on various parts of his section. The group tends to sit together in class and they have even decided to go out for coffee after class next Tuesday. What phase of group development is Michael’s group in?
a. storming
b. adjourning
c. forming
d. performing
(d) Medium/Synthesis
59. Jennifer has been very emphatic in her comments supporting the new addition to the product line. Christopher has been equally spirited in his opposition to the new item. Gordon and Antonio seem to be leaning to Jennifer’s perspective while Marques supports Christopher. The discussion about the product has consumed the last hour of the meeting of the marketing group. At what stage of Tuckman’s model does this group seem to be functioning?
a. forming.
b. storming.
c. norming.
d. performing.
(b) Medium/Comprehension
60. Which of the following is NOT a recommended step to take to avoid getting stuck in the storming phase of Tuckman’s group development?
a. Make sure to limit discussions and discussants. It is not productive to re-hash all the same points over and over.
b. Do not rush the group’s development. It takes time to get things right.
c. Normalize conflict. Conflict is normal and can be cathartic.
d. Support all group members. Do not allow anyone to feel insecure as he or she operates in the group.
(a) Easy/Analysis
61. Which of the following statements regarding Gersick’s punctuated equilibrium model is INCORRECT?
a. The model views group development as a linear process.
b. Generally groups are static in their orientation.
c. For most periods of time in groups, change is incremental.
d. While disruption, chaos and conflict are seen as inevitable in a group, those events can represent opportunities for innovation.
(a) Difficult/Comprehension
62. According to Gersick’s punctuated equilibrium model, groups repeatedly cycle through which two stages?
a. storming and norming.
b. forming and performing.
c. forming and norming.
d. storming and performing.
(d) Easy/Comprehension
63. Which of the following statements regarding Gersick’s study of punctuated equilibrium is correct?
a. Most change in groups is characterized by periods of revolutionary chaos.
b. All groups are able to readily adapt to new environments that arise due to change.
c. The punctuated equilibrium model is cyclical in nature.
d. Groups generally cycle through the Storming and Norming stages of group development.
(c) Medium/Comprehension
64. A group where there is a great deal of camaraderie is a group experiencing
a. group action.
b. cohesion.
c. social loafing.
d. collective efficacy.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
65. Characteristics of cohesive groups include all of the following EXCEPT
a. having a collective identity.
b. working together on a meaningful task.
c. having a random pattern of communication.
d. having a desire to remain as a member of the group.
(c) Easy/Comprehension
66. Which of the following is NOT a fundamental factor impacting a group’s cohesion?
a. size
b. height
c. support
d. stability
(b) Easy/Knowledge
67. Which of the following statements related to fundamental factors affecting a group’s cohesion is correct?
a. The larger a group, the more cohesive it is likely to be.
b. The more similar group members are, the more cohesive the group is likely to be.
c. The more coaching group members receive, the less cohesive the group is likely to be.
d. The less time a group has stayed together, the more cohesive a group is likely to be.
(b) Medium/Analysis
68. Marina is encouraging her sorority sisters to function as a cohesive group. She lists all of the following as benefits EXCEPT
a. you will have greater self-confidence and self-esteem if you are a regular part of the group.
b. if you are experiencing stress, as you might during finals week, you can depend on your sisters to help get you through.
c. if you experience a personal tragedy or challenge, your sisters will help you cope.
d. If you are part of the sorority, you do not have to attend meetings and events often because you can depend on your sisters to cover for you.
(d) Easy/Evaluation
69. Eduardo is the new manager of Great Corporation. He is sitting at his desk and writing down a list of steps that he can follow to create and maintain a cohesive work group. Which of the following does NOT appear on that list?
a. Celebrate differences so each individual’s contribution is noticed.
b. Give praise sparingly; if it is given too often, it loses its luster.
c. Create some regular, common rituals like Friday morning coffee.
d. Let group members have choices in setting their goals.
(b) Easy/Analysis
70. NASA endured the Challenger disaster when group members conformed with top managers’ decisions that launching the space shuttle in freezing temperatures was better than missing the launch window. This is an example of what group process?
a. social loafing
b. cohesion
c. collective efficacy
d. groupthink
(d) Difficult/Synthesis
71. Symptoms of too much cohesion include
a. failures are blamed on external factors.
b. internal pressures to question the status quo.
c. greater questioning of external constraints.
d. tolerance for deviants.
(a) Difficult/Evaluation
72. Which group would be the most effective from a performance standpoint?
a. A group with low task commitment and low group cohesion.
b. A group with high group cohesion and low task commitment.
c. A group with high task commitment and low group cohesion.
d. A group with high group cohesion and high task commitment.
(d) Easy/Analysis
73. Michael’s group is very cohesive and very committed to the task at hand. What is their likely performance level?
a. low performance
b. high performance if they do not value performance
c. average performance
d. high performance if they value performance
(d) Medium/Application
74. The Ringelmann effect is also known as
a. group cohesion.
b. collective efficacy.
c. social loafing.
d. groupthink.
(c) Medium/Comprehension
75. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT with regard to the concept of social loafing?
a. The incidence of social loafing declines as group size increases.
b. A tendency for social loafing develops when a perception of inequity in regard to rewards and/or blame arises in a group.
c. Social loafing is a consistent effect across groups.
d. Social loafing is a consistent effect across cultures.
(a) Medium/Analysis
76. Maria strongly disliked working in groups in college because she always felt there was someone who did not “pull his weight.” However, now that she is a manager, she must organize teams in her firm. Which of the following is NOT a tip to prevent social loafing she has received from other managers in her company?
a. Design and communicate to all group members how they will be evaluated.
b. Assign engaging, challenging and rewarding tasks to group members.
c. Choose a larger number of employees for each team.
d. Define each individual’s tasks in front of the group.
(c) Medium/Analysis
77. Collective efficacy is
a. a tendency of individuals to put in less effort when working in a group context.
b. a group’s perception of its ability to perform well.
c. a group pressure phenomenon that increases the risk of the group making flawed decisions.
d. the degree of camaraderie within the group.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
78. Collective efficacy is
a. the tendency of individuals to put in less effort when working in a group context.
b. the degree of camaraderie within the group.
c. any aspect of group interaction that inhibits group functioning.
d. a group’s perception of its ability to successfully perform well.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
79. Collective efficacy is influenced by all of the following factors EXCEPT
a. how a person feels about the team.
b. ties to the organization
c. watching others.
d. verbal persuasion.
(b) Medium/Comprehension
Understanding Team Design Characteristics
|
80. A group is
a. a temporary team that addresses a specific problem or issue until it is resolved.
b. a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals.
c. a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s actions have an impact on the others.
d. teams where members are not located in the same physical space.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
81. How does a group differ from a team?
a. A group is a cohesive coalition of people; a team is a collection of people.
b. In a group, individuals have personal agendas. In a team, personal agendas are totally suppressed.
c. Groups are smaller than teams.
d. A group is often a collection of people working independently on their own goals; a team is assembled to accomplish complex goals.
(d) Difficult/Synthesis
82. How does a team differ from a group?
a. A team is focused on joint goals; a group often has a collection of individual goals.
b. A team involves the simple sum of independent actions of individuals; a group involves the integrated, collaborative actions of the collective of people.
c. A team has personal agendas; a group has a shared vision.
d. A team has compensation based upon individual outcomes; a group has compensation based upon shared outcomes.
(a) Difficult/Synthesis
83. Process loss
a. is a group pressure phenomenon that increases the risk of the group making a flawed decision.
b. is a group’s perception of its ability to successfully perform well.
c. refers to any aspect of group interaction that inhibits group functioning.
d. is the tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group context.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
84. All of the following are key properties of a team EXCEPT
a. compensation based on shared outcomes.
b. collaborative action.
c. clear simple goals.
d. sacrifice for the common good.
(c) Medium/Analysis
85. Analyses of companies that utilize teams indicate some impressive results. Team-based organizations tend to show all the following results but
a. an increase in productivity.
b. a reduction in costs.
c. an increase in revenue.
d. an increase in marketing.
(d) Difficult/Synthesis
86. Which of the following is a situation where a team will NOT be needed in the organization?
a. Tasks to be performed are independent of one another.
b. The organization benefits from shared goals.
c. A variety of skills and abilities are needed.
d. Wide cooperation is needed.
(a) Difficult/Evaluation
87. Teams differ by all of the following task classes EXCEPT
a. production tasks.
b. idea generation tasks.
c. development tasks.
d. problem-solving tasks.
(c) Easy/Comprehension
88. Arielle is part of a team charged with developing a new name for a product. This is a(n) ________________ task.
a. development
b. production
c. idea generation
d. problem-solving
(c) Medium/Application
89. Hank is part of a team doing engineering design on a new hybrid automobile. Hank’s team has completed designing the vehicle. His team is now ready to hand off to another team who will be dealing with _____________ tasks.
a. development
b. production
c. idea generation
d. problem
(b) Medium/Application
90. Problem solving tasks
a. include actually making something such as a building, product or marketing plan.
b. deal with creative tasks such as brainstorming a new direction or creating a new process.
c. refer to coming up with plans for actions and making decisions.
d. involve team members working on each task simultaneously.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
91. Idea generation tasks
a. include actually making something such as a building, product or marketing plan.
b. deal with creative tasks such as brainstorming a new direction or creating a new process.
c. refer to coming up with plans for actions and making decisions.
d. involve team members working on each task simultaneously.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
92. Task interdependence
a. exists when team members work independently and simply combine their efforts to create a team’s outputs.
b. refers to one individual’s output becoming another’s input.
c. involves team members working on each task simultaneously.
d. refers to the degree that team members are dependent upon one another to get information, support or materials from other team members to be effective.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
93. An organizational behavior class has students working in teams. The teams have a final paper due. Maria’s group has divided the paper up into sections making each group member responsible for one section. Maria is responsible for integrating all those sections. The group is organizing these tasks by using
a. sequential interdependence.
b. pooled interdependence.
c. reciprocal interdependence.
d. outcome interdependence.
(b) Medium/Application
94. Nathan’s group is responsible for a presentation on their Human Resource project. The group is meeting this evening to prepare the presentation. Nathan has never prepared a presentation as part of a group before, and he is hoping that using such ________________ interdependence will not take a great deal of time because of side conversations and general camaraderie among group members.
a. reciprocal
b. outcome
c. sequential
d. pooled
(a) Medium/Application
95. Outcome interdependence
a. exists when team members may work independently and simply combine their efforts to create the team’s output.
b. involves team members working on each task simultaneously.
c. refers to the degree that team members are dependent upon one another to get information, support or materials from other team members to be effective.
d. is when the rewards that an individual receives depend on the performance of others.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
96. Task roles include contractor, creator, and
a. cooperator
b. consul.
c. coordinator.
d. completer.
(d) Easy/Knowledge
97. Boundary spanning roles include coordinator and
a. consul.
b. cooperator.
c. contributor.
d. critic.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
98. Which of the following is a social role?
a. consul.
b. coordinator.
c. calibrator.
d. contractor.
(c) Easy/Knowledge
99. Eduardo always challenges team members’ positions on various issues discussed in the weekly meeting. Nannette told Eduardo yesterday, “I always have to be prepared when I present ideas to our team because I know you will question everything and make us see the other side of every issue.” Eduardo performs the task role of ____________________ on the team.
a. creator
b. contributor
c. critic
d. completer
(c) Medium/Application
100. The superintendent of the school district is writing a new mission statement for the district. He is engaged in the _____________ role.
a. creator
b. contractor
c. communicator
d. calibrator
(a) Medium/Application
101. The _____________ role in a team creates deadlines for the team, schedules production, and sequences tasks.
a. contractor
b. contributor
c. completer
d. creator
(a) Easy/Knowledge
102. Which of the following is NOT correct about the nature of social roles in a team?
a. If social roles are filled in a firm, groups are more prone to suffer process losses.
b. If social roles are filled in a firm, groups are more cohesive.
c. If social roles are filled in a firm, group members are less likely to engage in social loafing.
d. If social roles are filled in a firm, group members are less likely to have biases.
(a) Medium/Analysis
103. The calibrator role
a. keeps the team on track by suggesting any needed changes to the team’s process.
b. supports those with expertise toward the team’s goals.
c. uses good listening skills and humor to defuse tense situations.
d. helps transform ideas into action.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
104. Mike listens carefully to the exchanges between team members during meetings and is particularly adept at using humor to lighten any tense situations that arise between team members because of those exchanges. Mike plays the
a. completer role.
b. communicator role.
c. cooperator role.
d. calibrator role.
(b) Medium/Analysis
105. Because the ________ role involves gathering information from the larger organization and informing those within the organization about team goals, activities and success, it is often filled by the team manager.
a. coordinator
b. completer
c. consul
d. contractor
(c)
106. All of the following are examples of temporary teams EXCEPT
a. cross-functional team
b. product development team
c. task force
d. self-managed team
(d) Easy/Comprehension
107. The special challenges that virtual teams pose for a manager include all of the following EXCEPT
a. building trust with virtual team.
b. not being physically seen by managers.
c. nature of decision making by virtual team.
d. nature of communication used with virtual team.
(c) Medium/Analysis
108. All of the following statements are correct about top management teams EXCEPT
a. Top teams are most effective when there is limited diversity in their composition.
b. Top management teams generally function without formal rules for team design or structure.
c. Top management teams are important for their symbolic roles.
d. Top management teams make decisions on new products, markets and expansions and divestitures.
(a) Difficult/Analysis
109. Self-managed teams
a. increase the hierarchy in an organization.
b. operate under goals provided by top level management and passed down through the chain of command.
c. have an appointed leader, but can select individual team members.
d. can be found at all levels in an organization.
(d) Difficult/Evaluation
110. Self managed teams typically have all the following goals EXCEPT
a. increased profitability.
b. improved quality.
c. cost reduction.
d. meeting deadlines.
(a) Medium/Comprehension
111. Empowerment means
a. having the responsibility to reach goals.
b. having the authority to reach goals.
c. having the ability to make decisions.
d. having the responsibility and authority to reach goals.
(d) Medium/Knowledge
112. A self-directed team
a. manages itself but still has a team leader and has the potential for low, medium or high autonomy.
b. has a leader who resides outside the team and has the potential for low, medium or high autonomy.
c. has a leader that resides outside the team and has the potential for low autonomy.
d. makes all decisions internally about leadership and how the work is done and has the potential for high autonomy.
(d) Difficult/Evaluation
113. An effective team can be ensured when decisions are made on all of the following items but
a. team composition.
b. team diversity
c. team size.
d. All of the above.
(b) Medium/Knowledge
114. Research on team size suggests
a. groups larger than 20 members are highly effective.
b. teams with fewer members are less effective at working through differences.
c. larger groups are generally required for very complex tasks.
d. there is little relationship between team size and performance.
(c) Medium/Evaluation
115. Which of the following statements regarding team size and diversity is correct?
a. The more diverse the team, the more likely the team is to engage in groupthink.
b. The rule of thumb for team size is between 10 and 20 members.
c. Teams that believe in the value of diversity perform better than those which do not.
d. Teams whose members have complementary skills are less successful than those with specialized skills.
(c) Difficult/Evaluation
Section III: Organizing Your Team
|
116. Norms are
a. agreements on established ground rules, goals and roles.
b. shared expectations about how things operate within a group or team.
c. formal approaches to decision making in the group or team.
d. measures of camaraderie in the group or team.
(b) Easy/Knowledge
117. To make a team contract meaningful, include all the following sections EXCEPT
a. team compensation.
b. team decision making.
c. team performance.
d. team values.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
118. Which of the following items is not a key aspect to ensuring the success of a meeting during the course of that meeting?
a. Start the meeting on time.
b. Don’t worry about group dynamics.
c. Manage the group dynamic for full participation.
d. Summarize the meeting with action items.
(b) Easy/Comprehension
Section IV: Barriers to Effective Teams
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119. All of the following are barriers to effective teams EXCEPT
a. overly helpful team members.
b. challenges of knowing where to begin.
c. poorly managed team conflict.
d. poor performance of team members.
(a) Medium/Comprehension
120. Rodney is a new project team leader. Jerome is chatting with him about some of the problems that could arise and prevent his team from being successful. Jerome offers all the following pieces of advice to overcome barriers to team success EXCEPT
a. floundering often results from a lack of clear goals; clarify goals from the outset of the project.
b. disagreements among team members may be the result of long simmering personality conflicts; be aware of them and be prepared to facilitate interaction between them.
c. dominant personalities can only help a group; let those that are the most vocal have their say.
d. poor performance by a group member could be due to a lack of ability; be prepared to train any group members needing it.
(c) Difficult/Evaluation
Section V: The Role of Ethics and Culture in Teams
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121. Which of the following statements regarding ethics and teams is INCORRECT?
a. Research demonstrates that hierarchical systems always constrain team members more than a self- managed team does.
b. Self- managed teams are viewed as a technique to overcome the negative aspects of bureaucracy.
c. Team pressure can be more powerful than managerial control.
d. Team pressure can result in unethical behavior by team members.
(a) Difficult/Synthesis
122. Collectivist societies
a. value individual achievement over interpersonal relationships.
b. have employees who adapt readily to working in different teams.
c. have employees who evaluate their group members higher than their counterparts in individualistic societies do.
d. value loyalty much less than individualistic societies do.
(c) Difficult/Evaluation
123. Which of the following statements regarding power distance and teams is correct?
a. People in high power distance countries expect unequal power distribution in the social, political and economic areas.
b. Countries with high power distance tend to use participative decision making.
c. Countries high in power distance tend to use sports metaphors more often in training than family metaphors.
d. Countries with high power distance define the roles of team members very clearly.
(a) Difficult/Evaluation
| CLOSING SECTION: Green Teams at Work: The Case of New Seasons |
124. New Seasons is an example of a company with _________.
a. providing teams the opportunity to “self-manage.”
b. extensive rules driving change.
c. pay for performance.
d. profits driving decisions.
(a) Easy/Knowledge
FILL IN THE BLANK
125. A ___________ is a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s actions have an impact on the others.
(group)
126. Two or more individuals who are associated with one another in ways not prescribed by the formal organization are a(n) _____________ _____________.
(informal group)
127. Tuckman’s four-stage model of group development features the forming- ___________-_____________ and performing stages.
(storming, norming)
128. In the _________ stage, group members can be defensive, competitive or jealous.
(storming)
129. Many groups get stuck in the _____________ phase.
(storming)
130. Group members establish ground rules and define operating procedures during the ___________ phase of Tuckman’s model.
(norming)
131. The _________ stage was added to Tuckman’s original model and can feature participant emotions ranging from victory to grief to insecurity.
(adjourning)
132. The _______ ____________ model is a cyclical theory that suggests that change in groups occurs in radical spurts rather than incrementally over time.
(punctuated equilibrium)
133. ____________ groups have a collective identity, share a sense of purpose, work together on meaningful tasks, and establish a structured pattern of communication.
(Cohesive)
134. __________ is a group pressure phenomenon that increases the risk of the group’s making flawed decisions by allowing reductions in mental efficiency, reality testing and moral judgment.
(Groupthink)
135. The Ringelmann effect, or ________ ________ is the tendency of individuals to put in less effort when working in a group context.
(social loafing)
136. A group’s perception of its ability to successfully perform well is _________ _______.
(collective efficacy)
137. A ________ is a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals.
(team)
138. Team tasks include __________ tasks, ________ __________ tasks and _____________ tasks.
(production, idea generation, problem-solving)
139. __________ _____________ is where team members work independently on items and then combine their efforts for a final product while _________ ___________ is where team members work on each task simultaneously.
(Pooled interdependence, reciprocal interdependence)
140. The Team Role Typology suggests that ___________ and ____________ are boundary spanning roles.
(consul, coordinator)
141. ___________, ______________, and _______________ are three task roles in the Team Role Typology.
(Contractor, creator, contributor, completer, critic)
142. The task role of ____________ is includes “devil’s advocate” behavior.
(critic)
143. The social role of ________________ serves to keep the team on track with regard to needed changes in team process.
(calibrator)
144. A _________ ____________ is a temporary team that is created to address a specific problem or issue until it is resolved.
(task force)
145. __________ teams are those where members are not located in the same physical place.
(Virtual)
146. Empowered teams have the ___________ as well as the __________ to achieve their goals.
(responsibility, authority)
147. _______________________ teams make all decisions internally about leadership and how work is done and have the potential for high autonomy.
(Self-directed)
148. Shared expectations of how things operate with a group or team are _________.
(norms.)
149. _______ ___________ include agreements on established ground rules, goals and roles.
(Team contracts)
SHORT ANSWERS
150. List the stages in Tuckman’s model of group development including the phase added later in his work. Briefly describe the nature of each stage.
The stages are forming, storming, norming and performing with adjourning added later.
Forming is the initial stage where the group comes together for the first time.
Storming is the second stage where group members keep up their guard but become more argumentative. Also, during this phase, group members explore their power and influence and stake out their territory by differentiating themselves from others.
Norming is the phase where group members establish their own ground rules and define operating procedures and goals.
Performing is the phase where participants are getting the work done and paying attention to how they are doing it.
Adjourning is the phase added later which is focused on how a group ends. Endings are often accompanied by emotions that can range from relief to grief.
151. Briefly discuss the punctuated equilibrium model.
The punctuated equilibrium model was developed by Connie Gersick. The model suggests that groups remain fairly static for long periods of time where change is largely incremental. At some point, however, revolutionary change occurs in a brief, punctuated burst that shakes the very essence of the organization and poses a real opportunity for innovation and creativity to take root.
152. List and describe three factors which affect group cohesion.
Any of these factors impact group cohesion:
Similarity: The more similar group members are with regard to gender, age, education, skills, attitudes and values, the more likely the group will bond.
Stability: The longer a group stays together, the more cohesive it becomes.
Size: The smaller the group, the more cohesive the group.
Support: When group members support their fellow team members, their group
identity strengthens.
Satisfaction: Cohesion is correlated with how pleased group members are with
each other’s performance, behavior and conformity to group norms.
153. What is the difference between a group and a team?
A group is a collection of individuals who interact with each other such that one person’s actions have an impact on the others. A team is a cohesive coalition of people working together to achieve mutual goals. The difference is that teams are focused on a joint goal that gives them a common purpose, performance goal and approach for which they are mutually accountable.
154. Hackman identified three major classes of tasks. List those classes and describe them.
Production tasks are those involved with making something.
Idea generation tasks deal with creative tasks like brainstorming.
Problem-solving tasks refer to coming up with plans for action and making decisions.
155. Describe task interdependence levels as they relate to teams.
Task interdependence is the degree to which team members are dependent upon one another to get information, support, or materials from other team members to be effective. The three types of task interdependence are: pooled interdependence, sequential interdependence and reciprocal interdependence.
Pooled interdependence exists when team members work independently and combine their efforts to create a team’s output. Sequential interdependence exists when one person’s output is another’s input. Reciprocal interdependence exists when team members work on a task simultaneously.
Outcome interdependence is not specific to a task but exists when rewards received by an individual are dependent on the performance of others.
156. Describe the three general categories of work team roles and then give an example of each. Describe the nature of each example role given.
The three categories of team roles are: task roles, social roles and boundary spanning roles.
Task roles include: critic, completer, contributor, creator and contractor.
A critic is a “devil’s advocate”; a completer is one who transforms ideas into action; a contributor brings information and expertise to the team; a creator deals with changes in the team’s process and a contractor organizes the team’s work.
Social roles include: calibrator, communicator, and cooperator.
A cooperator supports those with expertise to aid in the team’s goals; a communicator includes behaviors targeted at collaboration like humor and good listening skills; and a calibrator keeps the team on track in terms of any changes needed to the team’s process.
Boundary spanning roles include: consul and coordinator.
A consul gathers information from the larger organization and informs those within the organization about the team’s activities, goals and successes; and a coordinator interfaces with others so that the team’s efforts are in line with other individuals and teams within the organization.
157. There are several types of temporary teams. Describe one such temporary team.
A task force is one designed to address a specific issue or problem until it is resolved.
A product development team is one that develops a product.
A cross functional team involves individuals from different parts of the organization staff.
158. Teams vary in the manner in which they are led. Choose one type of team leadership and briefly describe it.
Traditional manager led teams have a manager who is outside the team. The manager assigns work to team members and has the power to hire and fire team members. Manager led teams have little potential for autonomy.
Self-managed teams are those that manage themselves and do not report directly to a supervisor. Team members select their own leader and can even take turns in the leadership role. A self-managed team has the potential for low, medium or high autonomy.
Self-directed teams are a special form of self managed teams where members determine who will lead them with no external oversight. Thus, the team makes all decisions internally about how work is done. There is the potential for high autonomy in this team.
ESSAY
159. Think about a group that you belong or belonged to. Describe the phases of the Tuckman model that the group progressed through or the current phase at which it is now functioning.
Answers will vary. Students might discuss a group they are part of from one of their classes. Students are often quite willing to discuss the formation problems many groups have. The initial, and indeed early meetings are characterized by members being very polite and very general and noncommittal in most of their comments as they observe what is going on to figure out the direction the group might be headed. If a leader has been appointed for the group, that leader might be tested.
The group might have progressed to the storming stage and here the stories will really flow. As the name suggests there are battles fought during the storming stage as group members explore power and influence. There may be cliques, they may take sides, but whatever occurs, there will be chaos.
Though many groups in the workplace may not get out of the storming stage, class groups must progress because terms end and final projects or papers are ultimately due. So, while a group may get its project out while functioning in the storming phase, class groups move to adjournment. Some of the leave-taking in the groups is bittersweet, some joyful.
If a class group progressed out of the storming stage to norming, the analysis will discuss the ground rules and procedures agreed upon by the group. In the performing stage there will be discussion of how the work is getting done and the manner in which process issues or items that may impact the process (like conflicts) are addressed so the work of the group moves forward.
160. Marta has just been appointed a project team leader for the first time. She is interested in understanding key characteristics that could impact the success of her team. You are her supervisor and she is coming to see you tomorrow for advice. What are some of the key elements you will mention to her and what impact do they have upon a team?
One item you could mention is the notion of building cohesion in the team. Cohesive groups have a common identity, and members want to be part of the group. Help Marta understand how to build that notion in the team members.
Share with Marta that similarity, stability, size, support and satisfaction are all issues connected to cohesion. Discuss with her how groups that are similar in terms of gender, age, background, skills, attitudes and beliefs are more cohesive, but warn her of going too far that the group becomes involved in a groupthink situation. Stable groups are more cohesive. Small groups are easier for building cohesion.
161. One of the biggest complaints about college courses is often the requirement to work in groups. Many students are uncomfortable with group work because some of their colleagues do not fully participate in the assignments leaving individual members with extra work to do. What are some actions you can take the next time you are assigned to a group that will help prevent such social loafing in your group?
Carefully choose the number of people you work with if that number is not assigned by the instructor of the course. Obviously, the larger the group, the easier it is for a student to “hide.”
During the initial meetings, make certain that all members are aware of their roles and publicly acknowledge those roles. Be specific about the tasks assigned and make sure to assign them to individuals. Specificity provides for greater accountability.
Have a way to evaluate each person’s contribution to the group. Many courses create group feedback forms so individuals are aware of the expectations they must fulfill as well as the evaluation provided for completion of such.
Build a cohesive group. Recognize that mutual goals bond people. Work on building that shared experience.
Assign tasks that are engaging and rewarding.
Make sure everyone feels needed.
With these tips in mind, social loafing should be minimized in the group.
162. As part of a Fundamentals of Business Communication course, students are placed in four-person teams to engage in various team activities throughout the course. The first exercise the groups are required to complete is the development of a team contract. Discuss what some key elements of that team contract should be, given that work produced by the team will be evaluated and will impact the individual grade achieved by a student.
Some categories to include are:
Team goal: A mutually shared goal is paramount to building cohesion.
Team roles: Who is responsible for what in the team? When assigning roles, first ensure that the team covers all three key categories of roles (boundary spanning, task and social).
Team decisions: How are decisions made in the team?
Team communication: Who will be the individual to inform all group members of meetings or cancellations? What medium will be used to communicate?
Team performance: What criteria will you use to evaluate your team members? What is good performance of a team?
163. A second assignment for the Fundamentals of Business Communication is to be the leader of a team meeting held for a project. Offer some advice to a student taking the Fundamentals class on how to make his meeting the most effective possible.
The very first step is to ascertain whether a meeting actually needs to be held. While in the scenario above it will take place because a grade is awarded for the meeting project, in the workplace, sometimes meetings simply do not need to be held. If one is needed, before the meeting, make sure everyone has an agenda. And don’t forget to remind people of the meeting.
During the meeting make sure the meeting opens on time and that the meeting agenda is followed. If there is a time limit indicated for each agenda item, honor it. Make sure you get equitable participation from all group members. Summarize the meeting with specific action items. End the meeting on time.
After the meeting, follow up on action items. Send minutes of the meeting in a timely manner.
Thanks for the quizzes. They have helped me in answering some questions on team behaviour in business management.
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