BUAD 309 Chapter 10 TEST BANK
The current popularity of teams can be attributed to the fact that ________
they represent a better way to use employee talents
Which of the following is desirable when a crucial project is delegated to a virtual team? A) encouraging less interaction among members so they completely focus on the project B) avoiding publicity of the team's progress and success in the organization C) promoting a sense of independence over group spirit to encourage competition D) engaging in close monitoring of the work being done by the team throughout the project E) discouraging the sharing of unique information as it benefits some employees unfairly
* engaging in close monitoring of the work being done by the team throughout the project* For virtual teams to be effective, management should ensure that (1) trust is established among members, (2) team progress is monitored closely, and (3) the efforts and products of the team are publicized throughout the organization.
Which of the following reward systems is likely to reinforce team effort and commitment? A) job sharing B) gainsharing C) piece-rate pay D) merit-based pay E) skill-based pay
* gainsharing* Group-based appraisals, profit sharing, gainsharing, small-group incentives, and other system modifications can reinforce team effort and commitment.
The work of your group would be better done in teams if the members of the team are ________. A) independent B) autonomous C) individualistic D) interdependent E) reflexive
* interdependent* The work of your group would be better done in teams if the members of the team are interdependent. Using teams makes sense when there is interdependence among tasks such that the success of the whole depends on the success of each one, and the success of each one depends on the success of the others.
Nick, the director of manufacturing at a large electronics company, has created a team of eleven employees from quality control for working on high priority projects. Nick gives the team members the responsibility of planning and scheduling their own work, and making all functional decisions. Also, members of this team evaluate each other's performance. This is an example of a ________ team. A) problem-solving B) self-managed work C) cross-functional D) virtual E) task-resolution
* self-managed work* Self-managed work teams are groups of employees who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors. These tasks are planning, assigning tasks to members, making operating decisions, taking action on problems, and working with suppliers and customers.
The belief that effective teams have in their ability to succeed is called ________. A) goal specificity B) reflexivity C) mental model D) common purpose E) team efficacy
* team efficacy* Effective teams have confidence in themselves; they believe they can succeed. This is called team efficacy.
Which of the following statements is true regarding a cross-functional team? A) A cross-functional team is made up of employees from different hierarchical levels. B) A cross-functional team is made up of employees from the same department. C) Cross-functional teams have decreased in popularity in the last few decades. D) In the case of a cross-functional team, the early stages of development are typically very short. E) Cross-functional teams are used for developing new ideas and coordinating complex projects.
*Cross-functional teams are used for developing new ideas and coordinating complex projects. * Cross-functional teams are made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas. Today cross-functional teams are widely used in several organizations. Cross-functional teams are an effective means of developing new ideas and coordinating complex projects. Their early stages of development are often long, as members learn to work with diversity and complexity.
Which of the following is true with regard to the impact of diversity on team effectiveness? A) High levels of diversity among team members benefit the group from the stage of forming. B) Race and gender diversity bear the highest positive impact on team performance. C) Leadership has a negligible role to play in diverse teams because the members manage themselves autonomously. D) Elements of diversity are undesirable as they interfere with team processes in the long run. E) Cultural diversity serves as an asset for tasks that call for a variety of viewpoints once the team has worked out its differences.
*Cultural diversity serves as an asset for tasks that call for a variety of viewpoints once the team has worked out its differences.* Cultural diversity does seem to be an asset for tasks that call for a variety of viewpoints. But culturally heterogeneous teams have more difficulty learning to work with each other and solving problems. The good news is that these difficulties seem to dissipate with time.
Jason Jones has been asked to assemble an eight-member self-managed work team of experienced employees to work on a project that combines the functional areas of research, production, marketing, and distribution. Jason is apprehensive about managing a team so large; he knows from prior experience that larger teams do not always result in greater productivity. Jason has also been informed by the management that this team is being established as the project must progress according to the predetermined timeline. The work lagging behind by one division will cause a cumulative delay in all the successive stages of the project's execution. Jason plans to implement a group-based incentive that he feels would motivate each of the team members to work efficiently. Which of the following is an assumption made by Jason in implementing this plan? A) Increasing the number of experienced employees in the team will reduce the need for supervision. B) Each employee in the team is motivated to work equally hard to ensure that the group's performance is satisfactory. C) Since the team is comprised of employees who are highly skilled in their respective areas, the output of the group will be of high quality. D) Each employee will work well within the boundaries of their divisional functions and conflicts will be relatively fewer. E) Each employee will be committed to working within the resources allocated.
*Each employee in the team is motivated to work equally hard to ensure that the group's performance is satisfactory.* The assumption that increasing the number of experienced employees in the team will reduce the need for supervision does not have an impact on Jason's decision to implement a group-based incentive. The assumption that each employee in the team is motivated to work equally hard to ensure that the group's performance is satisfactory is implicit in Jason's belief that this group-based incentive plan will work. The assumption that since the team is comprised of employees who are highly skilled in their respective areas, the output of the group will be of high quality is not implicit in Jason's decision to implement a group-based incentive for the team. The assumption that each employee will work well within the boundaries of their divisional functions and conflicts will be relatively fewer is not implicit in Jason's decision to implement a group-based incentive for the team. The assumption that each employee will be committed to working within the resources allocated is not implicit in Jason's decision to implement a group-based incentive for the team.
Which of the following statements is true with regard to team processes? A) This category comprises variables that relate to how teams should be staffed. B) Effective teams invest time and effort to discuss and agree on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and individually. C) Once a specific goal is chosen, effective teams resist making any changes in them so as to maintain the momentum of the team. D) Effective teams do not engage in task and relationship conflicts. E) Effective teams begin by selecting the right kind of people to be members of the team.
*Effective teams invest time and effort to discuss and agree on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and individually. * Effective teams begin by analyzing the team's mission, developing goals to achieve that mission, and creating strategies for achieving the goals. Teams that consistently perform better have established a clear sense of what needs to be done and how. Members of successful teams put a tremendous amount of time and effort into discussing, shaping, and agreeing on a purpose that belongs to them both collectively and individually.
Specificity refers to the degree to which a team reflects on and adjusts its master plan when necessary.
*FALSE* Effective teams show reflexivity, meaning they reflect on and adjust their master plan when necessary.
For creating good team players, an organization's reward system must be reworked to encourage competitive efforts rather than cooperative ones.
*FALSE* For creating good team players, an organization's reward system must be reworked to encourage cooperative efforts rather than competitive ones.
Lower-ability teams are more adaptable to changing situations than high-ability teams.
*FALSE* High-ability teams are more adaptable to changing situations than lower-ability teams.
Work that creates a common purpose or set of goals, must be assigned to individuals, not groups.
*FALSE* If the work creates a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals, then it must be assigned to a group.
FDS is a government agency which holds its yearly appraisals in December and provides employees with merit-based incentives based on their individual performance ratings. Merit is the only criterion for incentives at FDS and this is likely to have a strong positive impact on group performance.
*FALSE* Individual performance evaluations and incentives may interfere with the development of high-performance teams. So, in addition to evaluating and rewarding employees for their individual contributions, performance rewards must recognize and promote group performance through incentive programs like gainsharing.
Research has shown that the larger the team, the more effective its performance.
*FALSE* Keeping teams small is a key to improving group effectiveness. Generally speaking, the most effective teams have five to nine members.
Nancy is a part of a group at work which stresses a lot on collective goals and performance. Nancy is amazed at how well the members of the team use their skills to benefit themselves and their team members. Whenever a problem arises, the team, as a whole, provides reasons and solutions for the same. She enjoys working in this group as there is a lot of positive energy. This group that Nancy is a part of is a work group.
*FALSE* Nancy is a part of a work team. A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. The individual efforts result in a level of performance greater than the sum of those individual inputs.
Problem-solving teams discuss a problem, generate potential solutions, and implement them successfully.
*FALSE* Problem-solving teams rarely have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.
Problems such as lack of trust or lack of sharing information among team members in a competitive group can be swiftly changed by rewarding collective performance over individual performance.
*FALSE* Teams that switch from a competitive to a cooperative system do not immediately share information, and they still tend to make rushed, poor-quality decisions. Apparently, the low trust typical of the competitive group will not be readily replaced by high trust with a quick change in reward systems. These problems are not seen in teams that have consistently cooperative systems.
Using teams makes sense when the assignment involves independent tasks.
*FALSE* Using teams makes sense when there is interdependence among tasks such that the success of the whole depends on the success of each one, and the success of each one depends on the success of the others.
Social loafing illustrates a process gain from using teams.
*FALSE* When each member's contribution is not clearly visible, individuals tend to decrease their effort. Social loafing illustrates a process loss from using teams.
Which of the following statements is true regarding a culturally diverse team? A) Elements of diversity do not interfere with team processes. B) Culturally homogeneous teams have more difficulty learning to work with each other and solving problems than culturally heterogeneous teams. C) Generally, newly formed culturally diverse teams underperform as compared to newly formed culturally homogeneous teams. D) Cultural diversity within a team is not advisable for those tasks that call for a variety of viewpoints. E) Culturally diverse teams are more affected by surface-level diversity than by deep-level diversity.
*Generally, newly formed culturally diverse teams underperform as compared to newly formed culturally homogeneous teams.* Evidence indicates these elements of diversity interfere with team processes, at least in the short term. Cultural diversity does seem to be an asset for tasks that call for a variety of viewpoints. But culturally heterogeneous teams have more difficulty learning to work with each other and solving problems. Although newly formed culturally diverse teams underperform as compared to newly formed culturally homogeneous teams, the differences disappear after about 3 months.
Which of the following statements is true regarding team composition? A) A team's performance is merely the summation of its individual members' abilities. B) High-ability teams find it hard to adapt to changing situations. C) Agreeableness is the only personality dimension that aids the ability to work in groups. D) In successful teams, members should be selected to ensure all the various roles are filled. E) A high-ability team will function well irrespective of the deficits in the abilities of the leader.
*In successful teams, members should be selected to ensure all the various roles are filled.* Teams have different needs, and members should be selected to ensure all the various roles are filled. Successful work teams have selected people to play all these roles based on their skills and preferences. On many teams, individuals will play multiple roles.
Which of the following statements is true regarding self-managed work teams? A) Self-managed work teams typically consist of forty to fifty employees. B) Self-managed work teams typically manage conflicts well. C) Members of self-managed work teams typically report lower job satisfaction. D) Self-managed work teams are typically composed of employees from different departments who work independent of each other. E) In the case of self-managed work teams, supervisory positions take on decreased importance.
*In the case of self-managed work teams, supervisory positions take on decreased importance. * Self-managed work teams are groups of employees (typically ten to fifteen in number) who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors. Supervisory positions take on decreased importance and are sometimes even eliminated. Self-managed teams do not typically manage conflicts well. Members of this team report higher levels of job satisfaction than other individuals.
Which of the following is an example of a task conflict? A) Will and Hilda have been removed from the team they worked with after they were overheard making derogatory comments about one of their colleague's racial origin. B) Henry and Solomon have been reprimanded by their project lead for spending too much time using the Internet for personal use at work. C) Linda and Dorothy had a disagreement over which of their employees should be assigned to work on a high-priority project. D) Sally and her manager have just had a heated argument because Sally feels she has been overlooked for a promotion that was her rightful due. E) The company head has resigned after longstanding conflict between him and his top management employees.
*Linda and Dorothy had a disagreement over which of their employees should be assigned to work on a high-priority project. * When teams are performing nonroutine activities, disagreements about task content stimulate discussion, promote critical assessment of problems and options, and can lead to better team decisions. Such conflicts are called task conflicts.
________ are defined as organized cognitive representations of the key elements within a team's environment that team members share. A) Path-goal models B) Task models C) Mental models D) Individual models E) Specific models
*Mental models* Effective teams share accurate mental models which are organized mental representations of the key elements within a team's environment that team members share.
________ teams are defined as groups of employees who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors. A) Independent B) Self-managed work C) Cross-functional D) Problem-solving E) Traditional
*Self-managed work* Self-managed work teams are groups of employees who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors.
________ illustrates a process loss from using teams. A) Organizational demography B) Role conflict C) Social loafing D) Multitasking E) Profit-sharing
*Social loafing* In the case of a team, when each member's contribution is not clearly visible, individuals tend to decrease their effort. This is known as social loafing. Social loafing illustrates a process loss from using teams.
The goal of a work group is to share information.
*TRUE* A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and make decisions to help each member perform within his or her area of responsibility.
More and more organizations are resorting to teams as they represent a better way to use employee talents.
*TRUE* As organizations have restructured themselves to compete more effectively and efficiently, they have turned to teams as a better way to use employee talents.
Cross-functional teams consist of employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
*TRUE* Cross-functional teams consist of employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
Low levels of virtuality in teams result in higher levels of information sharing.
*TRUE* Low levels of virtuality in teams result in higher levels of information sharing, but high levels of virtuality hinder it. This is because virtual teams are better at sharing unique information (information held by individual members but not the entire group), but they tend to share less information overall.
Conscientiousness and openness to experience are two personality dimensions of the Big Five personality model that predict better performance in teams.
*TRUE* Many of the dimensions identified in the Big Five personality model are also relevant to team effectiveness; a review of the literature identified three. Specifically, teams that rate higher on mean levels of conscientiousness and openness to experience tend to perform better.
In self-managed teams, supervisory positions may be eliminated.
*TRUE* Self-managed work teams are groups of employees who perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors. Supervisory positions take on decreased importance and are sometimes even eliminated.
A climate of trust among team members is a contextual factor relating to team effectiveness.
*TRUE* The four contextual factors most significantly related to team performance are adequate resources, effective leadership, a climate of trust, and a performance evaluation and reward system that reflects team contributions.
When teams have excess members, cohesiveness and mutual accountability decline.
*TRUE* When teams have excess members, cohesiveness and mutual accountability decline, social loafing increases, and more people communicate less.
Which of the following is true with regard to use of individuals and teams? A) Teams and individuals can be used interchangeably for all kinds of jobs without any significant impact seen on effectiveness. B) Team work requires less time and resources when compared to individual work. C) Individuals have increased communication, supervision, and conflict-management demands when compared to teams. D) Individuals are bound by a collective common purpose that is organizationally determined and this typically reduces their performance. E) Task complexity and requirement of different perspectives must be used as criteria when assigning work to teams over individuals and vice versa.
*Task complexity and requirement of different perspectives must be used as criteria when assigning work to teams over individuals and vice versa. * Teamwork takes more time and often more resources than individual work. Teams have increased communication demands, conflicts to manage, and meetings to run. A good indicator is the complexity of the work and the need for different perspectives. Simple tasks that don't require diverse input are probably better left to individuals.
Elle Appliances has recently released its "Elite" cooking range. The cooking appliances were advertised extensively with offers for early-bird buyers and assured refunds if the goods were found defective. This resulted in a lot of hype surrounding the goods and high levels of projected demand in the market. However, after its release in the market, the products failed to substantially add to the company's profits. When the venture failed to recover even the minimum projected returns, the marketing manager blamed the production department for the delays in production, while the production manager claimed that he was doing his best to dispatch stock on the predetermined days. Which of the following best explains the failure of this venture by Elle? A) The company priced the "Elite" cooking range at relatively low rates. B) The company minimized its operating costs by using efficient production techniques. C) The company followed a low inventory system. D) Elle was a reputed company which enjoyed the loyalty of customers. E) Elle had recently acquired one its major rival firms.
*The company followed a low inventory system. * The fact that the company priced the "Elite" cooking range at relatively low rates does not explain its failure. The fact that the company minimized its operating costs by using efficient production techniques does not explain its failure. The fact that the company followed a low inventory system does explain its failure. The production and the marketing teams had faulty mental models of their group's key elements. The fact that Elle was a reputed company which enjoyed the loyalty of customers does not explain this failure. The fact that Elle had recently acquired one its major rival firms does not explain this failure.
Hank Murphy was selected to develop an advanced personal communication device with his own self-managed work team. Hank was assured that resource allocation and timelines were flexible for this project provided the work was a cut above that provided by the rest of the employees. As a part of the project guidelines, Hank included the demand that the device being developed by the team should also be marketed exclusively by them without resorting to franchising or cobranding. This was to ensure that customers recognized the product as reflecting the values of their company. Work on this project began with a lot of vigor and once the device was developed, Hank's team implemented their marketing strategy. However, even three months after the product's release, visibility remained low in the market and many reviewers did not consider the device to be much of an innovation. Which of the following statements, if true, would indicate a lack of reflexivity in Hank's self-managed work team? A) Hank's team members developed multiple blueprints of the device which were thoroughly discussed, improvised, and synthesized into the final plan for the product. B) In the first few weeks of the project, Hank had witnessed a moderate level of conflict between the team members as each one had his own idea about how best to go about this high-priority project. C) The device was later marketed as a part of a national level tie-up with E-store outlets and did remarkably well in its second stint in the market. D) In Hank's team, the members took accountability for the group's performance as a whole and reported their individual progress to him as well. E) Hank's team used e-mail and instant messaging to communicate unique information when some of the team members were not available for face-to-face interactions.
*The device was later marketed as a part of a national level tie-up with E-store outlets and did remarkably well in its second stint in the market.* The fact that Hank's team members developed multiple blueprints of the device which were thoroughly discussed, improvised, and synthesized shows that the team was flexible in its approach,which in turn shows high reflexivity. The fact that Hank witnessed a moderate level of conflict between the team members on this project initially shows healthy task conflict which is good for teams and encourages reflexivity. The fact that the device was later marketed as a part of a national level tie-up with E-store outlets and did remarkably well in its second stint in the market shows that Hank's team lacked reflexivity. This is because the team did not deviate from its own marketing strategy which ultimately proved unsuccessful for them. The fact that Hank's team members reflected accountability at group and individual levels is a sign of efficiency in group performance and does not indicate a lack of reflexivity. The fact that Hank's team used e-mail and instant messaging to communicate unique information when some of the team members were not available for face-to-face interactions does not reflect the lack of reflexivity.
Which of the following statements represents a strategy that is desirable for making effective teams? A) Combining people with extremely high and extremely low abilities helps make a balanced team. B) Individuals should ideally have one role in a team as multiple roles reduce their effectiveness and efficiency. C) Diversity should be avoided as diverse teams involve a lot of conflict in day-to-day functioning. D) If a natural work unit is larger, its size must be maintained for the nature of the job requires large teams. E) The preference of individual members to work as a part of groups must be considered when forming teams.
*The preference of individual members to work as a part of groups must be considered when forming teams.* Not every employee is a team player. When people who prefer to work alone are required to team up, there is a direct threat to the team's morale and to individual member satisfaction. When selecting team members, managers should consider individual preferences along with abilities, personalities, and skills.
Diane Fielding, owner of the famous "Mint" chain of restaurants, planned to revamp the whole concept and structure of her outlets. With this purpose in mind, she selected five managers from her existing outlets based on their performance in relation to targets, experience, and motivation. Each manager was asked to take up an aspect of the restaurant's functioning like menu, décor, and customer service measures. Diane was sure that this group of high performers possessed a clear understanding of the ground realities which made them the best candidates to contemplate and implement the required changes. In order to reward them, she announced a hefty bonus for their collective performance. Six months later, after the changes were implemented, Diane realized that the group had made many questionable decisions which were resulting in problems. Which of the following, if true, would best explain this outcome? A) The team members had skills that were complementary to each other and added value to the project. B) The team members had high levels of affective commitment to their jobs as Diane was a good leader. C) Typically, these managers viewed each other as competition as Diane only rewarded the highest earning outlet with incentives. D) Two of the branches of "Mint" were located in the suburbs, while the other three outlets were located in busy areas and witnessed more customers. E) The team members were clear about their duties and role ambiguity was minimal.
*Typically, these managers viewed each other as competition as Diane only rewarded the highest earning outlet with incentives. * The fact that the team members had skills that were complementary to each other and added value to the project would not explain the problems encountered by Diane. The fact that the team members had high levels of affective commitment to their jobs as Diane was a good leader would not explain the poor implementation of the changes Diane sought. The fact that these managers typically viewed each other as competition as Diane only rewarded the highest earning outlet with incentives would explain the failure of this project. This is because the low trust typical of the competitive group is not readily replaced by high trust with a quick change in reward systems. The fact that two branches of "Mint" were located in suburbs, while the others were located in busy areas does not explain the failure of Diane's move to revamp her restaurant chain. The fact that the team members were clear about their duties and role ambiguity was minimal does not explain their failure.
Which of the following statements is true regarding size of teams? A) The most effective teams have twelve to fifteen members. B) When teams have excess members, cohesiveness declines. C) As team size increases, social loafing decreases. D) When teams have excess members, mutual accountability increases. E) Members of large teams coordinate work better when pressed for time.
*When teams have excess members, cohesiveness declines.* Generally speaking, the most effective teams have five to nine members. When teams have excess members, cohesiveness and mutual accountability decline, social loafing increases, and more people communicate less.
Which of the following accurately differentiates between work groups and work teams? A) Work groups are used by top-management employees, while work teams are used by lower-level workers. B) Work groups are used for functions relating to areas of the external environment, while work teams are exclusively used for departmental problems and issues. C) Work groups involve members who have complementary skills, while work teams use employees who have random and varied skills. D) Work teams generate a potential for an organization to generate greater outputs with no increase in inputs, while work groups cannot perform this function. E) Work teams represent the mere accumulation of individual efforts, while work groups generate a positive synergy within the organization.
*Work teams generate a potential for an organization to generate greater outputs with no increase in inputs, while work groups cannot perform this function.* A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. The individual efforts result in a level of performance greater than the sum of those individual inputs. Work teams aim at the goal of collective performance, apply complementary skills, and promote individual and mutual accountability for group results.
Which of the following statements is true regarding a work team? A) Work teams are rarely used in organizations today. B) Work teams are generally less flexible than traditional departments. C) Work teams generate positive synergy through coordinated effort. D) Work teams are less responsive to changes in the internal and external environment of the company. E) Work teams involve members of random and varied skill sets.
*Work teams generate positive synergy through coordinated effort.* Today most of the organizations use teams. Teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events than traditional departments or other forms of permanent groupings. A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. Teams facilitate employee participation in operating decisions.
Jean Wills, a trainer with Leverage Inc., is infuriated because the conference hall that she had booked for her morning session with a new batch of trainees will be occupied by the HR team for the day. Jean feels that the company only superficially commits to training and that it is not a priority as this lack of facilities for training is a recurring phenomenon. Recently, she had asked the HR department to supply printed copies of her material for the orientation and training modules to the new trainees, and HR refused, saying the soft copies available on the systems would suffice. Which of the following contextual areas is the source of problem between the training department and the HR department in this scenario? A) performance evaluation B) reward systems C) adequate resources D) leadership E) structure
*adequate resources* Teams are part of a larger organization system; every work team relies on resources outside the group to sustain it. A scarcity of resources directly reduces the ability of a team to perform its job effectively and achieve its goals. This support includes timely information, proper equipment, adequate staffing, encouragement, and administrative assistance.
Jason Jones has been asked to assemble an eight-member self-managed work team of experienced employees to work on a project that combines the functional areas of research, production, marketing, and distribution. Jason is apprehensive about managing a team so large; he knows from prior experience that larger teams do not always result in greater productivity. Jason has also been informed by the management that this team is being established as the project must progress according to the predetermined timeline. The work lagging behind by one division will cause a cumulative delay in all the successive stages of the project's execution. Which of the following measures, if adopted by Jason, would best ensure that the team members are working efficiently? A) implementing a training program to provide the team members with the necessary technical and human relations skills for the project B) discouraging team members from restricting themselves to their own functional areas by experimenting with and learning the job done by other members of the team C) instructing the team members to finalize the plan for the project right at the beginning and ensuring that it is implemented without any changes D) assigning the specific tasks of the project to each team member by keeping in mind their preference and abilities E) implementing a group-based incentive he has planned for this team
*assigning the specific tasks of the project to each team member by keeping in mind their preference and abilities* Implementing a training program for experienced employees is not directly going to help ensure efficiency. Discouraging team members from restricting themselves to their own functional areas is not going to contribute to team efficiency directly; it may reduce efficiency in actuality. Instructing the team members to finalize the plan for the project right at the beginning and ensuring that it is implemented without any changes may actually hamper team efficiency because of the lack of reflexivity. Assigning the specific tasks of the project to each team member by keeping in mind their preference and abilities is likely to ensure that team members are working efficiently. Implementing a group-based incentive for this team is likely to provide greater opportunity for some employees of the group to coast on the group's effort because of the lack of individual roles and accountability.
Araceli is a team member in a large corporation. She never speaks in team meetings because she has seen members talk behind each others' backs after the meetings. Members are constantly monitoring the other members' work and looking for mistakes to point out in a meeting. According to the information provided, which contextual factor is lacking in Araceli's team? A) adequate resources B) climate of trust C) team structure D) performance evaluations E) leadership
*climate of trust * Araceli doesn't contribute because she does not feel like the group has a climate of trust. Interpersonal trust facilitates cooperation, reduces the need to monitor each others' behavior, and bonds members around the belief that others on the team won't take advantage of them.
With reference to the team effectiveness model, which of the following is one of the key components of an effective team, included under the category of contextual factors? A) team efficacy B) climate of trust C) common purpose D) social loafing E) specific goals
*climate of trust* Climate of trust is a contextual factor that affects the effectiveness of teams. Team efficacy, social loafing, specific goals, and common purpose are process-related factors that affect the effectiveness of the team.
Which of the following is not one of the key components of effective teams? A) team efficacy B) company reputation C) adequate resources D) member flexibility E) leadership and structure
*company reputation* A well-established company reputation is not one of the key components of effective teams.
Which of the following pairs of personality dimensions contribute to high team effectiveness? A) introversion and reflexivity B) type A and type B C) reflexivity and submissiveness D) conscientiousness and openness to experience E) perfectionism and rule consciousness
*conscientiousness and openness to experience* Many of the dimensions identified in the Big Five personality model are also relevant to team effectiveness; a review of the literature identified three. Specifically, teams that rate higher on mean levels of conscientiousness and openness to experience tend to perform better, and the minimum level of team member agreeableness also matters.
People scoring high on ________ are valuable in teams because they're good at backing up fellow team members and at sensing when their support is truly needed. A) conscientiousness B) positivity C) emotional stability D) agreeableness E) openness to experience
*conscientiousness* Conscientious people are valuable in teams because they're good at backing up other team members, and they're also good at sensing when that support is truly needed.
Which of the following represents the three general categories into which the key components of effective teams are grouped? A) internal, external, and peripheral factors B) basic, functional, and strategic factors C) cardinal, central, and secondary factors D) context, composition, and process factors E) standard, segregated, and advanced factors
*context, composition, and process factors* The key components of effective teams can be organized into three general categories. First are the resources and other contextual influences that make teams effective. The second relates to the team's composition. Finally, process variables are events within the team that influence effectiveness
GoAir, a low-cost airline, has created a team made up of employees from production, planning, quality control, tooling, design engineering, and information systems to automate the company's C-17 program. This team is most likely to be an example of a ________ team. A) command B) cross-functional C) self-managed work D) problem-solving E) task
*cross-functional Cross-functional teams are teams made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task. They are an effective means of allowing people from diverse areas to exchange information, develop new ideas, solve problems, and coordinate complex projects.
To retain its edge in the organic health food market, Natura has established a high-priority team comprised of senior executives from the company's production, marketing, and research divisions. These employees work together closely to study consumer attitudes about organic health foods and come up with a closely monitored development and marketing strategy for new products. This ensures that each division is informed of the specific needs, timelines, and expected outcomes of the strategy. It also makes Natura a company that adapts to changes in market trends swiftly. The team Natura uses here is of the ________ type. A) problem-solving B) self-managed work C) cross-functional D) traditional E) departmental
*cross-functional Cross-functional teams are teams made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
Which of the following teams is more likely to be made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas? A) problem-solving B) self-managed work C) cross-functional D) traditional E) departmental
*cross-functional* Cross-functional teams are teams made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level but different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
The existence of dissimilar mental models is likely to lead to ________. A) diverse but appropriate decisions being made by the team B) decisions being made on the basis of unanimous judgments C) specific and accurate goals being pursued by all team members D) disagreements over the methods to be applied for task completion E) higher levels of objectively rated performance
*disagreements over the methods to be applied for task completion* If team members have different ideas about how to do things, the team will fight over methods rather than focus on what needs to be done.
With a deadline approaching, all seven members of Sharon's product development team were working round-the-clock and still the work was not completed in time. After the project was completed, Sharon spoke individually with the members to determine the cause for this delay. Many members complained saying the work given to them was not in accordance with their roles, some were unclear about which team member to approach when faced with a problem, and many underestimated the time and effort the project demanded. This team is characterized by ________. A) a clear role allocation for all team members B) dissimilar mental models C) high degree of role clarity D) excessively large team size E) a strong climate of trust
*dissimilar mental models* Effective teams share accurate mental models which are organized mental representations of the key elements within a team's environment that team members share. If team members have the wrong mental models, which is particularly likely with teams under acute stress, their performance suffers.
The adviser role in a team is responsible for ________. A) providing structure B) fighting external battles C) offering insightful analysis of options D) coordinating and integrating group tasks E) encouraging the search for more information
*encouraging the search for more information* The adviser role in a team is responsible for encouraging the search for more information.
The controller role in a team is responsible for ________. A) initiating creative ideas B) examining details and enforcing rules C) offering insightful analysis of options D) coordinating and integrating group tasks E) providing directions and following up with implementation
*examining details and enforcing rules* The controller role in a team is responsible for examining details and enforcing rules.
The extensive use of work teams benefits organizations by ________. A) generating neutral synergy among all employees of the team B) eliminating the need for mutual accountability for results C) developing the various team member's skills such that they are random and varied D) generating a potential for creating greater outputs without increasing inputs E) ensuring that the mere accumulation of individual efforts is used for group work
*generating a potential for creating greater outputs without increasing inputs* Organizations are looking for positive synergy that will allow the organizations to increase performance. The extensive use of teams creates the potential for an organization to generate greater outputs with no increase in inputs.
Which of the following is most likely to increase team efficacy? A) providing vast and generic goals B) helping the team achieve small successes C) creating a team such that it has diverse members D) ensuring that team goals are substantially difficult E) reducing the number of members on a team drastically
*helping the team achieve small successes * Efficacy means that a team believes it can succeed in the job and goal that is placed before them. There are two ways to increasing efficacy: 1) provide training to improve skills and increase confidence, and 2) help the team achieve small, incremental successes.
According to the concept of organizational demography, if team members have dissimilar experiences, it will lead to ________. A) increased employee satisfaction B) decreased level of conflicts C) higher employee motivation D) higher employee turnover E) higher team efficacy
*higher employee turnover* Organizational demography suggests that attributes such as age or the date of joining should help us predict turnover. The logic goes like this: turnover will be greater among those with dissimilar experiences because communication is more difficult. Conflict and power struggles are more likely and are more severe when they occur. Increased conflict makes membership less attractive, so employees are more likely to quit.
A software development firm has witnessed substantial growth and seeks to expand and reorganize its structure to meet the demands from clients in a better manner. HR has been given a clear directive that one of the major criteria for selection of recruits would be the candidate's ability to function as a team player. This is because the company is revamping all its major functions from the traditional departmental model to an arrangement of flexible teams. Joe Sanchez is one of their oldest and most experienced employees who demonstrated considerable ability in developing the best programs but the problem with him is that he prefers to work alone. The company does not wish to lose resources like him and others who lack the ability to work in groups but team work is essential in their reorganization. Which of the following strategies will help rectify this problem? A) encouraging the formation of more diverse teams B) informing all employees that ability to work in teams will be major determinant for promotions and bonuses C) increasing the size of teams so the contribution of people like Joe will not affect team performance overall D) applying merit-based compensation systems instead of gainsharing E) encouraging employees like Joe to work more independently Answer: B Explanation: B) Promotions, pay raises, and other forms of recognition should be given to individuals who work effectively as team members by training new colleagues, sharing information, helping resolve team conflicts, and mastering needed new skills.
*informing all employees that ability to work in teams will be major determinant for promotions and bonuses* Promotions, pay raises, and other forms of recognition should be given to individuals who work effectively as team members by training new colleagues, sharing information, helping resolve team conflicts, and mastering needed new skills.
Virtual teams are characterized by ________ in comparison to teams which interact face-to-face. A) low popularity among companies B) low social rapport and direct interaction C) low sharing of unique information D) low need for supervision E) low need for publicizing throughout the organization
*low social rapport and direct interaction* Virtual teams tend to be more task oriented and exchange less socio-emotional information than face-to-face teams do. Not surprisingly, their members report less satisfaction with the group interaction process than do face-to-face teams. In the case of virtual teams, there is less social rapport and direct interaction among members.
Shane Dermott is a manager at a software design firm that develops software programs for clients using multiple teams of specialists. One of his most successful teams has been performing very well for years and so it came as a surprise to Shane when he noticed a sharp drop in the team's performance. He decided to speak with the team individually and find a solution. After interviewing all 7 team members, he determined that one of the team members performed routine administrative tasks that were hardly visible to any of the other team members and understood that this was a case of social loafing which demotivated the entire group. Which of the following would most likely improve the performance of the employee who was social loafing? A) encouraging him to work more independently B) making him individually responsible for definite and crucial tasks C) empowering him to make decisions autonomously D) providing him with administrative training E) giving him additional assignments to complete
*making him individually responsible for definite and crucial tasks * This team member is engaging in social loafing. Effective teams undermine this tendency by making members individually and jointly accountable for the team's purpose, goals, and approach. Therefore, members should be clear on what they are individually responsible for and what they are jointly responsible for on the team.
In which of the following teams is leadership of most importance to coordinate the efforts of various teams in order to produce a desired outcome? A) technical teams B) self-managed work teams C) problem-solving teams D) management teams E) multiteam systems
*multiteam systems* Leadership is especially important in multiteam systems. Here, leaders need to empower teams by delegating responsibility to them, and then play the role of facilitator, making sure the teams work together rather than against one another.
Which of the following will be useful in creating team players? A) technical training B) professional training C) job rotation D) cross-training E) negotiation training
*negotiation training* Training specialists conduct exercises that allow employees to experience the satisfaction teamwork can provide. Workshops help employees improve their problem-solving, communication, negotiation, conflict-management, and coaching skills.
Which of the following terms describes the degree to which members of a work unit share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service? A) social conformity B) organizational value C) organizational demography D) diversity E) organizational multiculturalism
*organizational demography* Organizational demography refers to the degree to which members of a work unit share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service in an organization, and the impact of this attribute on turnover
The team effectiveness model classifies the key components of effective teams into three general categories: context, composition, and process. Which of the following variables belongs to the composition category? A) adequate resources B) conflict level C) team efficacy D) performance evaluation system E) personality of team members
*personality of team members* The personality of team members is a key component that affects the effectiveness of teams and it belongs to the composition category.
Organizational demography suggests that attributes such as age or the date of joining should help the organization in ________. A) promoting diversity and multiculturalism B) reducing discrimination in the workplace C) determining appropriate compensation packages D) assessing the training needs at an occupational level E) predicting employee turnover in the company
*predicting employee turnover in the company* Organizational demography refers to the degree to which members of a work unit share a common demographic attribute, such as age, sex, race, educational level, or length of service in an organization, and the impact of this attribute on turnover., 13,12,
The supervisors of the production division of one of the branches of Georgia Mills have been informed of some irregularities noticed in inventory of raw materials by some trusted subordinates. To get a clearer picture, the supervisors had a quick meeting with the subordinates who reported the matter over lunch. The subordinates recommended rotating the schedule of employees who account for the incoming and used up stock so as to pinpoint the defaulting employee. The supervisors agreed that this was a good strategy but admitted that the matter must be escalated to the production manager before such a change can be implemented. They followed up this meeting with subsequent sessions to evaluate how the change worked. The supervisors and subordinates form a(n) ________ team in this scenario. A) cross-functional B) independent C) problem-solving D) virtual E) self-managed
*problem-solving In a problem-solving team, members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved; they rarely have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.
A team consists of employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving the work environment but they do not have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions. This is most likely to be a(n) ________ team. A) cross-functional B) virtual C) self-managed work D) problem-solving E) independent
*problem-solving* In a problem-solving team, members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved; they rarely have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.
Problem-solving teams can ________. A) implement the recommended changes to resolve a problem B) assume responsibility for the outcomes of a solution they implemented C) provide recommendations after a discussion amongst department members D) resolve problems of different departments in an organization simultaneously E) combine the expertise of employees across different divisions and organizational levels
*provide recommendations after a discussion amongst department members* In a problem-solving team, members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved; they rarely have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions. Problem-solving teams only make recommendations.
A team that has a good plan, but is also willing to adjust their master plan and adapt when conditions call for it demonstrates high ________, an important variable in successful team processes. A) goal specificity B) goal congruency C) conformity D) diversity E) reflexivity
*reflexivity * Reflexivity is the team characteristic of reflecting on and adjusting the master plan when necessary. It is considered part of the process variables.
While discussing their marketing campaign for a new product, the members of the cross-functional team responsible for Carver Inc. realized that a couple of changes relating to their prior plan would be beneficial. The offer of a franchising that had earlier been brushed off by the company head was discussed thoroughly and it was decided that it would be implemented on a trial basis initially, and on full scale if found to work well. From the information provided, it can be concluded that this cross-functional team has a high degree of ________. A) demography B) reflexivity C) conformity D) diversity E) uncertainty
*reflexivity * Reflexivity is the team characteristic of reflecting on and adjusting the master plan when necessary. It is considered part of the process variables.
Which of the following must be avoided if one wants to create and maintain an effective team? A) task conflicts B) reflexivity C) specific goals D) relationship conflicts E) congruent mental models
*relationship conflicts* Relationship conflicts are those based on interpersonal incompatibilities, tension, and animosity toward others; these are almost always dysfunctional. However, when teams are performing nonroutine activities, disagreements about task content (called task conflicts ) stimulate discussion, promote critical assessment of problems and options, and can lead to better team decisions.
Diversity is an asset for teams where tasks ________. A) require a variety of viewpoints B) are simple and routine C) involve emotional labor D) are highly technical E) required for completing the work are highly independent
*require a variety of viewpoints* Cultural diversity does seem to be an asset for tasks that call for a variety of viewpoints. However, in other circumstances, diversity seems to interfere with team processes in the short term.
The goal of work groups is ________. A) generating positive synergy B) improving collective performance C) inculcating a climate of trust D) sharing relevant information E) enhancing team efficacy
*sharing relevant information* A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and make decisions to help each member perform within his or her area of responsibility. They are characterized by neutral synergy, individual accountability, and the presence of random and varied skill sets.
Gerald Murphy is a manager at Wright & Wayner, a publishing house which is a very employee-friendly company. The demarcation between managers and subordinates is flexible and the nature of these reporting relationships is flexible and informal. Gerald recently assigned five of eight of his subordinates to work on a new publication project with a fairly tight deadline because he believed that these efficient employees would function even better with each other's support. A week before the deadline, however, Gerald realized that the group had been shirking work as each of the members thought that the project was not just his/her responsibility. Additionally, under the guise of working together, the team was actually doing their personal work, surfing the Internet, or just socializing. This scenario reflects ________. A) gainsharing B) high process gains C) reflexive goal-setting D) jobsharing E) social loafing
*social loafing* In the case of a team, when each member's contribution is not clearly visible, individuals tend to decrease their effort. This is known as social loafing. Social loafing illustrates a process loss from using teams.
When individuals engage in ________, they coast on the group's effort because their particular contributions cannot be identified. A) task conflicts B) gainsharing C) retaliating D) process gains E) social loafing
*social loafing* When individuals engage in social loafing, they coast on the group's effort because their particular contributions cannot be identified. Effective teams undermine this tendency by making members individually and jointly accountable for the team's purpose, goals, and approach.
Effective teams translate their common purpose into ________ goals. A) universal B) generic C) vast D) specific E) diverse
*specific* Successful teams translate their common purpose into specific, measurable, and realistic performance goals. Specific goals facilitate clear communication. They also help teams maintain their focus on getting results.
Alberto's team is developing a database for the water pollution data of three cities. Before he begins on this intensive project, he wants to improve the team efficacy of his team. Which of the following actions can Alberto take to increase team efficacy before the project starts? A) plan a team outing for the team members B) make sure that his team is not comprised of more than nine people C) spend considerable time evaluating team members and allocating proper roles for each D) provide client's software and database training for all the team members E) create team goals that are very challenging
*spend considerable time evaluating team members and allocating proper roles for each* Efficacy means that a team believes it can succeed in the job and goal that is placed before them. There are two ways of increasing efficacy: 1) provide training to improve skills and increase confidence, and 2) help the team achieve small, incremental successes.
When teams are performing nonroutine activities, ________ stimulate discussion, promote critical assessment of problems and options, and can lead to better team decisions. A) task conflicts B) disciplinary conflicts C) relationship conflicts D) resource allocation conflicts E) discriminatory conflicts
*task conflicts* When teams are performing nonroutine activities, disagreements about task content stimulate discussion, promote critical assessment of problems and options, and can lead to better team decisions. Such conflicts are called task conflicts.
According to the team effectiveness model, which of the following is a process variable that influences effectiveness of a team? A) leadership and structure B) team efficacy C) member flexibility D) performance evaluation and reward systems E) abilities of members
*team efficacy* Process variables are events within the team that influence effectiveness. Team efficacy is a process variable that influences effectiveness of a team.
A work team is characterized by ________. A) the goal of sharing information B) the presence of neutral to negative synergy C) the availability of complementary skills among members D) the individual accountability for outcomes and results E) the mere accumulation of individual efforts
*the availability of complementary skills among members* A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. The individual efforts result in a level of performance greater than the sum of those individual inputs. Work teams aim at the goal of collective performance, apply complementary skills, and promote individual and mutual accountability for group results.
Work groups are characterized by ________. A) the emphasis on generating positive synergy B) the goal of sharing information among members C) the mutual and team-based accountability for results D) the need to attain collective performance E) the availability of complementary skill sets
*the goal of sharing information among members* A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and make decisions to help each member perform within his or her area of responsibility. They are characterized by neutral synergy, individual accountability, and the presence of random and varied skill sets.
Work should be performed by an individual if ________. A) the work is complex and requires different perspectives B) the work creates a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals C) the work is simple and does not require diverse input D) several tasks that are interdependent are to be performed for completing the work E) performing the work requires learning a new technology or understanding a new system
*the work is simple and does not require diverse input* If the tasks are simple and do not require diverse input, then individuals must be used to complete them. A team should be used when the work creates a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of individual goals. Using teams makes sense when there is interdependence between tasks — the success of the whole depends on the success of each one, and the success of each one depends on the success of the others.
Which of the following types of teams allows for collaboration between team members who are physically dispersed? A) problem-solving teams B) self-managed work teams C) task teams D) virtual teams E) command teams
*virtual teams* Virtual teams use computer technology to unite physically dispersed members and achieve a common goal.
Which of the following statements best defines a work group?
A work group interacts primarily to share information, rather than to engage in work that requires joint effort
