Chapter 8-13 Assignment Questions

Decision Making Process

(1) Recognizing the problem (2) Identifying the objective of the decision (3) Gathering information relevant to the problem (4) Listing and evaluating alternative courses of action (5) Selecting the alternative that best meets the decision objective (6) Implementing the decision (7) Monitoring the solution to see how it is working.

The average CEO reaches his or her top level of performance ___________ years after being hired.

7

The seasons model asserts that organizational performance increases during a CEO's tenure to a peak, which occurs at about

7 years

All of the following statements accurately describe positive, healthy communication EXCEPT

A downside of positive, healthy communication is that it excludes competition in the workplace.

Which of the following is an example of nonprogrammed decision making?

After a fire in her office building, Maritza works to find nearby rental space to accommodate her employees.

All of the following statements accurately describe team task functions EXCEPT

An overly familiar team enjoys reduced team coordination errors (TCEs).

Which of the following statements describes a difference between psychological intimacy and integrated involvement?

Failure to achieve psychological intimacy is particularly problematic for chief executives; failure to achieve integrated involvement is not

Which of the following statements accurately describes norms of behavior?

From an organization's perspective, performance norms are of utmost importance.

All of the following statements accurately describe manager-employee communication skills EXCEPT

Good supervisors cannot and should not be transparent in employee communication

_____________ suggests that individual group member attitudes will become more extreme following a group discussion.

Group polarization

Which of the following is an example of a subordinately defensive statement?

I'm just following orders.

All of the following statements accurately describe information communication technology (ICT) EXCEPT

ICTs tends to speed up group decision-making activities.

Masculine/Feminine

One side of this dimension, for example, in Latin America, favors quick, assertive decisions. The other side of this dimension, in countries like Scandinavia, likes decisions that reflect a concern for others.

Collectivist/Individualistic

One side of this dimension, in countries such as Japan, favors group decisions. On the other side of this dimension, in countries like the United States, people have a harder time making and accepting group decisions.

All of the following statements regarding the benefits of teams are true EXCEPT

Research shows that the old work environment was just as empowering as the new team environment.

Which of the following examples describes a group, not a work team?

The Bachelorette Bunch meets once each week to socialize and watch their favorite television program.

What do all forms of nonverbal communication have in common?

Their meanings are culture bound

Which of the following statements accurately describes team maintenance functions?

They enhance togetherness and cooperation.

Power Distance

When this is high, managers make the decisions in a company. When it is low, employees are more likely to be involved in decision making.

Uncertainty Avoidance

When this is low, decisions are seen as opportunities for change. When it is high, people accept situations as they are and don't try to change them.

All of the following statements accurately describe group formation EXCEPT

Women are more satisfied working in all-women groups.

When people in the team can both disagree about and work together on a project likely to be working in

a new team enviornment

Alex's boss has asked him to provide documentation that outlines directions for cutting Waterford's Westbridge crystal bowl. What kind of documentation should Alex prepare for his manager?

a) A policy manual b) An operations manual c) a form d) a report Answer: B

Lou is always gracious to the people he works with. He has nothing but positive things to say about his coworkers and he respects all of them. Last week, Tina came to Lou and asked him if he could teach her how to be more civil to people. What advice could Lou give Tina to help her create a more civil workplace? Check all that apply.

a) Be open about issues that are difficult to discuss. b) Write things down before you talk about them with others. c) Tell her coworkers that they are rude. d) Set enforcement guidelines for civility. Answer: a, b, and d

Which of the following represents the primary assumption of this model?

a) Decision making is done logically by reviewing all of the alternatives possible and considering the consequences of each. b) Decision making is not a logical process because constraints force people to be less than logical. c) People have different preferences in decision making, and the best decisions are made by multiple people with different preferences. Answer: A

If you don't like conflict, you may not participate in employee voice behavior, a way of making constructive changes in your organization or work group. Which of the following actions should you take to make it more likely that you will succeed in difficult conversations? Check all that apply.

a) Don't worry about your popularity b) Think about others with curiosity and respect c) Be less direct. Don't say things bluntly. d) Listen to others rather than only hearing your own arguments Answer: a, b, and d

Padrick is the manager of a team of five finance analysts. He'd like the team to become more creative. Which of the following actions should Padrick take to increase the team's creativity? Check all that apply.

a) Encourage the team to use electronic brainstorming to help them come up with new ideas. b) Add some team members who are nothing like the people on the original team. c) Tell the team that they must have at least three new, creative ideas by the end of next week or they will be fired. d) Train at least one of the team members to act as a facilitator during team meetings. Answer: a, b, and d

You want your teammates to use more nondefensive communication. Which of the following actions will help your team accomplish this goal? Check all that apply.

a) Getting angry at your teammates when they use defensive communication. b) Giving your teammates explicit instructions on how to do their work. c) Asking your teammates to listen carefully when someone gives them feedback on their behavior. d) Telling your teammates that they can accomplish their goals in any way they like. Answer: c and d

A team that fulfills both task and maintenance functions effectively can expect to experience which of the following? Check all that apply.

a) Greater numbers of team disagreements b) Increased integrated involvement c) Increased psychological intimacy d) Improved status structure within the team Answer: b and c

The disadvantages of group decision making include which of the following? Check all that apply.

a) Groups can pressure individuals to conform and fit in so that they don't contribute their own unique information to the group. b) Group decision making takes longer than individual decision making. c) Groups have a lower understanding of the decision making process because team members are involved too many different stages of the process. d) The group can be dominated by one forceful member or a clique. Answer: a, b, and d

As a manager, you want to enhance creativity in your organization. Which of the following activities will be helpful in this regard? Check all that apply.

a) Have employees focus on how their work will be evaluated. b) Give workers creative coworkers and supervisors. c) Put workers in teams with diverse skills. d) Closely monitor people while they are working. Answer: b, c

Amanda can only engage her employees in three of the five levels of decision making. Which of the following levels should she allow them to participate in? Check all that apply.

a) Identifying the problem b) Generating alternatives c) Selecting solutions d) Planning implementation e) Evaluating results Answer: b, d, and e

Which of the following are advantages of information communication technology (ICT)? Check all that apply.

a) It is less rich than other forms of communication. b) It makes communication more likely to be influenced by a dominant person. c) It equalizes participation in a group. d) It allows people in different time zones to work together more effectively. Answer: a, c, and d

Last week you went to go pick up your neighbor's child from the park and you heard her say to another little girl, "You're so retarded!" You know that the girl she was talking to does not have a medical diagnosis of retardation. Your neighbor's child was using ___________ as a form of defensive communication.

a) Labeling b) a hostile joke c) misleading information d) a power play Answer: a

Which of the following actions are essential to reflective listening? Check all that apply.

a) Paying attention to the speaker's feelings b) Taking a personal interest in the speaker c) Thinking about your reaction to the speaker's comments d) Responding to what the speaker is saying Answer: a, b, and d

Which of the following statements is true? Check all that apply.

a) People who work in teams put aside individual interests in favor of group unity. b) People who work in teams use self-reliance and competition to get their work done. c) Teams who are working on complex problems should have members with different specialties. d) Teams are more effective when all of their members have the same background knowledge. Answer: a, b, and c

Which of the following are part of honest, healthy communication? Check all that apply.

a) Persuasiveness b) Truthfulness c) Honest Competition d) Defensiveness Answer: b and c

You have just been told that you are being sent to Dubai to lead a team of gas turbine technicians. You only graduated from college last year, and you haven't spent any time with people from Dubai before. What should you do to overcome the communication barriers you will face in Dubai? Check all that apply.

a) Review a guide about Dubai's culture before leaving to take your new job. b) Assume that your Dubai teammates will adapt their communication to fit your culture. c) Don't worry about communication difficulties based on culture. d) Pay attention to the context of communication, as well as paying attention to its content. Answer: a and d

An introverted manager who doesn't like to speak up during meetings is likely to be less effective because she lacks which of the following skills?

a) Sensitivity b) Empathy c) Expressiveness d) Persuasiveness Answer: C

Which of the following make it likely that you will engage in healthy communication? Check all that apply.

a) Speaking simply b) Having personal integrity c) Having an ethical character d) Using technical language Answer: a, b and c

Which of the following statements is true? Check all that apply.

a) Supervisors who use open communication with their employees are less effective than supervisors who give their employees less information. b) Good supervisors may not have all of the communication skills discussed in this chapter. c) The more communication skills a supervisor has, the more effective he or she is likely to be. d) Supervisors must use subtle persuasion in the case of emergencies and crises. Answer: A and C

Which of the following is required for participative decision making? Check all that apply.

a) Team-oriented work design b) Flexible work structure c) High job satisfaction d) Supportive organizational culture Answer: a and d

Which of the following steps could a manager take if he or she wanted to deescalate commitment in a group of employees? Check all that apply.

a) Tell the team that their next performance review will be based on the quality of their decision making. b) Allow people who have made poor decisions to back away from those decisions without having their image threatened. c) Give different people on the team responsibility for making decisions at different points in the project. d) Train the team in mindfulness meditation. Answer: b, c, and d

Which of the following activities would be most effective for enhancing social relationships in your team?

a) Testing ideas b) Summarizing Ideas c) Joking behaviors d) Diagnosing problems Answer: C

When you arrive for your first day at work, your coworkers greet you with warm smiles. When you introduce yourself, they look you in the eye attentively. What message are your coworkers expressing nonverbally? This is an example of how __________ changes communications.

a) They are telling you that they are uncomfortable with you. b) They are telling you that they are actively engaged in meeting you. c) They are telling that they wish you hadn't been hired. Answer: B 2) face and eye behavior

Soo Lin works in a highly cohesive group having high performance standards. Soo Lin's teammates work hard and they contribute to the best of their ability on every project. Which of the following would you expect from Soo Lin's team? Check all that apply.

a) They will manage their membership well. b) They will speak up against their managers. c) They will have high job satisfaction. d) They will have high productivity. Answer: a, c, and d

If a team leader wanted to help a team such as Felix's get through the storming stage of team development, he or she should take which of the following actions? Check all that apply.

a) Watch for blocking, or disruptive, behaviors and help prevent them. b) Help the team discourage free riding. c) Encourage participation by all team members. d) Disband the team. Answer: a and c

When a group works in different locations and is made up of people of different sexes and different cultures, it will have more __________ to communication than groups that do not have these characteristics.

a) barriers b) gateways Answer: A

Tara just started working as a marketing assistant at a large frame manufacturer. Tara has always been shy, and she typically asks her boss if it's okay before she does anything new. Tara is most likely to be a ______ person.

a) dominantly defensive b) subordinately defensive Answer: b

To encourage risk taking, failure

a) must be allowed b) must be forbidden Answer:

Trish is laying out a new garden. Her mind swirls with colors as she considers all the different plants she can use, but she'll use her intuition to pick out exactly the right colors for her client, Mrs. Palmer. Trish is not thinking in words. Instead, her mind sees pictures of how different plants might look in different locations. Trish is using the ________ side of her brain for this planning.

a) right b) left Answer: A

A CEO's peak may be extended by

adding diversity to the executive's support team.

By definition, a message has two primary components: content and

affect

When listening reflectively, which level of verbal response reassures the speaker in the early stages of expression?

affirming contact

Which of the following demographic factors most influences the proportion of structural holes in a work team?

age

What is a virtual team?

an official group that does not work face-to-face

In the team for your organizational behavior class, Jim is a devil's advocate. He is always asking hard questions, and he expects the rest of the group to give him good answers to those questions. Jim is contributing to the team by taking on the style of the ____________.

challenger

Which of the following terms is defined as communication and behavior that respects the integrity and dignity of the individual?

civility

New employees show fewer ________ skills than experienced employees, so they are less likely to be empowered.

competence

Which of the following is the first set of skills required for work team empowerment?

competence

Bernadette is a data warehouse specialist on a cross-functional work team. She analyzes and synthesizes data supplied by team members and provides the group with updated reports weekly. Bernadette is contributing to the collective effort by acting as a

contributor.

Which of the following is the preferred method of workplace communication?

electronic mail

Ashley is a supervisor at a call center. Her employees are comfortable approaching her with their suggestions and complaints. Which of the manager-employee communication skills does Ashley most likely exhibit?

empathy and sensitivity

Which of the following is the best way to counter social loafing?

employ a self-evaluation system

Research shows that self-managed teams have a positive impact on

employee attitudes.

Antonio supervises the art department at a major magazine. In a recent meeting, he told his employees that he didn't care for sculpture chosen for the cover art because it felt too depressing and heavy for that month's light-hearted content. Which of the manager-employee communication skills does Antonio most likely exhibit in this example?

expressiveness

Which of the following is a team maintenance function?

following others' leads

Of the following, which is considered the shortest form of written communication?

forms

You realize that a decision must be made and have identified the objective of your decision. Which of the following would you do next?

gather information as to why the problem occurred

Which of the following has the most calming effect on team members?

high group cohesion

Mikko works at Burgess, Incorporated. Mikko has been there for a year and she has noticed that all changes in policy have to have approval from a member of the executive team before they can be implemented. This indicates that Burgess is operating at a ______ level of ________.

high, power distance

If you have equal numbers of men and women in a group, the group will have _________ job satisfaction than a group that is made up of all men.

higher

Nasli is a member of a cross-functional, self-managed team, but she prefers to work autonomously and does not feel obliged to contribute to team efforts. Which of the following terms best describes Nasli's orientation to cooperation?

individualistic

Musashi has been working as a machinist for 30 years. In his heart, he knows how to file a part so that it fits perfectly into a machine. He doesn't even have to think about what he is doing anymore. Musashi can just hold the piece in his hand, and his __________ tells him what to do.

intuition

Which of the following terms refers to the study of body movements and posture?

kinesics

Teledoca is a small medical transcription company with a firm policy. Every year, all of the employees of the company are evaluated, including the top executives, and the bottom 10% of employees are fired. Teledoca's CEO believes that this policy helps the company stay ahead of the competition. Given what you know about top management teams, Teledoca should be __________ successful than other companies.

less

Drew is a wild turkey—he constantly challenges his CEO's ideas and offers ideas that are different from the CEO's during team discussions. Drew's presence is likely to make his CEO's team __________ effective.

more

Which of the following is emphasized by work teams?

mutual accountability

During which of Tuckman's five-stage model of group development do groups require facilitative leadership?

norming

Alice's team has decided that they want to improve their customer satisfaction this year. They are going to send out a customer satisfaction survey to anyone who comes into their store to find out how well they are doing. This customer satisfaction survey is what part of the work team structure?

performance measures

From an organization's perspective, ________ are the most important.

performance norms

All of the SOMA water filter team members share the same goal, to produce an innovative water filter, and they are working together optimally to accomplish that goal. The SOMA water filter team is operating in the __________ stage right now.

performing

Which of the following terms includes the ability to play fair and be a good winner or loser?

positive competitive teamwork skills

Priya is assigned to mentor Neil, a new employee. When an e-mail regarding an upcoming staff meeting is sent, Priya notices that Neil was not included but decides to remain silent. Neil misses the meeting and important information. Which defense tactic is Priya using in this example?

power play

What is workplace telepressure?

pressure to prioritize all workplace communication similarly, no matter the format

The _________ model of group development says that teams alternate between periods of inertia and periods of productive energy bursts.

punctuated equilibrium

Lane is precise and detail-oriented. When he makes a decision, he takes the time to consider every option that might be available, and his decisions are always logical and based on the probability of success for each option he considers. Lane is using the __________ model of decision making.

rational

Which of the following is the first step in the decision-making process?

recognize the problem

According to James Lynch, what is the cure for communicative disease?

reengaging in conversations balanced by thoughts and emotions

You would like to facilitate communication with Ming, your coworker. Which seating dynamic will help you succeed?

seat Ming so that she is at a right angle from you

Which of the following denotes a gateway through the gender barrier in communication?

seek clarification of the person's meaning rather than interpreting it from one's own frame of reference

The absence of heartfelt communication in relationships leads to

social isolation

There's something wrong with Reggie. He comes to all of your team meetings, but he never seems to pay very much attention to what's going on. Last week, he was supposed to find three research articles on compensation, and today he said he just forgot about the assignment. Sounds like Reggie is a good example of __________

social loafing

When working with self-managed teams, it is more effective to use _______ influence tactics.

soft

Which of the following is not a barrier to communication?

status similarities

Summarizing ideas is a __________ function.

task

Which of the following terms is defined as joint action by a group of people in which individual interests are subordinated to group unity?

teamwork

Research shows that groups are more cohesive and exhibit higher levels of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) when

there is a fit between group values and organizational values.

Which of the following denotes a gateway through the language barrier in communication?

use simple, direct, and declarative statements

In the George W. Bush administration, Secretary of State Collin Powell provided counterpoint arguments during debates. In upper echelon theory, Powell could be called a

wild turkey