Chapter 13 Groups, Teams, and Conflict Complete Test Bank

Management, 9e (Kinicki)

Chapter 13 Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict

1) A group is defined as two or more freely interacting individuals who share norms, share goals, and have a common identity.

2) Thirty-two new employees from Market Enterprises are attending orientation, receiving information about company policies, and filling out various forms. These employees comprise a group.

3) The majority of workplace learning is informal.

4) During the storming stage of Tuckman's five-stage model, the leader of a team should allow members the empowerment they need to concentrate on solving problems and completing the assigned task.

5) An example of a maintenance role is an initiator, someone who suggests new goals or ideas.

6) Norms are typically explicit and are often discussed openly.

7) Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another.

8) A moderate level of conflict can induce creativity and initiative, thereby raising performance.

9) Andrew and Kane went to the same college, and they have never liked each other. Andrew thinks Kane is a loudmouth, while Kane thinks Andrew is arrogant and self-impressed. If Andrew and Kane end up working for the same company, they are likely to experience a multicultural conflict.

10) Devil's advocacy is the process of assigning someone to play the role of critic to voice possible objections to a proposal.

11) Which of the following is the best way to manage virtual teams?

A) Make sure that the majority of your team members are junior-level staffers who have no more than a year's tenure at the company.

B) Check in regularly, but resist the urge to micromanage.

C) Require all team members to work on the same schedule—say, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.

D) Meet with each individual member of the team at least twice a week.

E) Avoid face-to-face communication and convey information primarily through e-mail and texts.

12) In managing virtual workers, a manager should

A) give directions only by phone or in person.

B) make sure the worker is keeping to a fixed schedule of hours.

C) set goals that focus on team members' personal enrichment.

D) meet regularly, face-to-face.

E) set up large teams composed of employees from different departments across the organization.

13) Which of the following is NOT a benefit of teamwork in an organization?

A) increased speed

B) increased stress

C) reduced costs

D) improved workplace cohesiveness

E) reduced destructive internal competition

14) Two or more freely interacting individuals who share norms, share goals, and have a common identity form a

A) cluster.

B) self-managing work team.

C) group.

D) quality circle.

E) collaborative unit.

15) A ________ is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.

A) quality circle

B) group

C) panel

D) collaborative unit

E) team

16) A(n) ________ group is created to do something productive for the organization and is headed by a leader. For example, this group may be created to develop a new line of skin-care products specifically for people with sensitive skin.

A) dynamic

B) informal

C) normative

D) formal

E) network

17) Amber organized several teachers to discuss the school's interior painting scheduled for the summer. They looked at several brands and heard a presentation by a designer who then helped them choose a color palette to recommend to school administrators. In this instance, the teachers made up a(n)

A) self-managed team.

B) formal group.

C) cross-functional team.

D) informal group.

E) virtual team.

18) Which of the following is true of informal groups?

A) Informal groups have appointed leaders.

B) A temporary committee is an example of an informal group.

C) Members of an informal group are assigned to it by the skills they possess.

D) Informal groups can advance or undercut the plans of formal groups.

E) Informal groups are primarily created to solve an organizational problem.

19) In all but the worst weather, Sarah and three coworkers met each day at 12:45 to walk the river trail behind their office building. The four coworkers are an example of a(n)

A) continuous improvement team.

B) formal group.

C) self-managed team.

D) virtual team.

E) informal group.

20) A team composed of people from different departments who are pursuing a common objective is called a ________. For example, Hasbro may bring together employees from manufacturing, design, sales, marketing, and market research to brainstorm new board games for adults.

A) quality circle

B) problem-solving team

C) virtual team

D) cross-functional team

E) workforce

21) Ronin is on a(n) ________ team that consists of members who work together over time and distance via electronic media to combine effort and achieve common goals.

A) remote

B) E-

C) self-managed

D) virtual

E) quality improvement

22) At Parks and Helms Designers, a group of architects are developing the first drawings for a proposed multiuse office development in an older section of a large city that is being revitalized. What type of work team is this group?

A) virtual team

B) production team

C) product team

D) project team

E) advice team

23) Self-managed teams are groups of workers who have been given ________ for their task domains.

A) individual incentives

B) reduced responsibility

C) administrative oversight

D) complete freedom

E) no technology

24) Administrative oversight given to self-managed teams does NOT typically include

A) work scheduling.

B) customer interaction.

C) shop-floor procedures.

D) customer service.

E) hiring and firing.

25) When using a self-managed team, a manager should

A) delegate administrative oversight of work scheduling and customer interaction.

B) control the team's staffing and scheduling.

C) offer lucrative individual bonuses.

D) allow members to fire their team members.

E) provide elaborate retreats for team discussions.

26) Which of the following is NOT one of the five stages of team development?

A) norming

B) storming

C) performing

D) adjourning

E) reforming

27) What question does a group ask during the forming stage of group development?

A) What's next?

B) Why are we here?

C) Can we do the job properly?

D) Why are we fighting about who does what?

E) Can we agree on roles and work as a team?

28) During the forming stage of a group or team, the leader should

A) allow people to socialize.

B) establish permanent control.

C) empower team members.

D) encourage disagreement.

E) work through team conflicts.

29) ________, the second stage of team development, is characterized by the emergence of individual personalities and roles and conflicts within the group.

A) Norming

B) Forming

C) Storming

D) Performing

E) Adjourning

30) The group development stage in which individuals test the leader's policies and assumptions as they try to determine how they fit into the power structure is the ________ stage.

A) forming

B) norming

C) performing

D) storming

E) adjourning

31) Nick's team was not making much progress on defining a new production process. Tarek was being very uncooperative. He did not agree with Nick's direction, and he has not completed his tasks. This team is in what stage of group development?

A) performing

B) storming

C) adjourning

D) forming

E) norming

32) During the ________ stage of team development, close relationships develop as unity and harmony emerge.

A) norming

B) storming

C) performing

D) forming

E) adjourning

33) Which question do individuals ask during the norming stage of group development?

A) How do I fit in here?

B) What do the others expect me to do?

C) How can I best perform my role?

D) What's next?

E) What's my role here?

34) The stage of team development during which a group sets guidelines about issues like attendance and punctuality is the ________ stage.

A) forming

B) storming

C) norming

D) adjourning

E) performing

35) How do groups make it through storming?

A) They develop groupthink.

B) Someone wins the political battle and dominates the group.

C) They work together until the work gets done.

D) A respected member challenges the group to resolve power struggles.

E) The focus generally is on social loafing.

36) The principal by-product of the norming stage of team development is

A) adjournment.

B) uncertainty.

C) empowerment.

D) conflict.

E) group cohesiveness.

37) ________ is a "we feeling" that binds group members together.

A) Group cohesiveness

B) Groupthink

C) Norming

D) Social loafing

E) Maintenance

38) Because hard feelings about group leadership and assignments have passed, the members of Maya's group now seem to be relating much better. At the meeting tomorrow, she should take advantage of this moment by

A) encouraging members to voice disagreements.

B) helping the team identify group goals and values.

C) helping people get to know one another.

D) empowering the members.

E) throwing a thank-you party.

39) In the performing stage of group development, members

A) prepare for disbandment.

B) develop close relationships.

C) test the leader's policies.

D) concentrate on solving problems and completing tasks.

E) hold back to see what will happen.

40) During the performing stage of team development, the group answers the question

A) "Can we agree on roles and work as a team?"

B) "Why are we here?"

C) "Why are we fighting?"

D) "Who's in charge?"

E) "Can we do the job properly?"

41) Lamar led a team that just finished up a very challenging research project that will assist management in developing long-range plans. Despite the stress of the past few months, most participants seem sad the project ended. Now Lamar should

A) emphasize unity.

B) have an awards ceremony.

C) get the group disbanded quickly to free people up for new things.

D) provide opportunities for people to get to know one another better now.

E) ensure those members can work on similar tasks going forward.

42) Which of the following is NOT considered an essential consideration in building a group into an effective team?

A) trust

B) collaboration

C) roles

D) unanimity

E) norms

43) Individuals are said to be collaborating when

A) they have reciprocal faith in others' intentions and behaviors.

B) they have a sense of togetherness and unity.

C) they have ceased to be competitive with one another and prefer harmony.

D) their motivation comes from a desire to please a supervisor or the seeking of a tangible reward.

E) they are sharing information and coordinating efforts to achieve a collective outcome.

44) ________ is defined as reciprocal faith in others' intentions and behaviors.

A) Cooperation

B) Cohesiveness

C) Trust

D) Unity

E) Fairness

45) Trust is based on ________, which in turn is based on past acts of integrity and follow-through on promises.

A) cooperation

B) credibility

C) unity

D) honesty

E) cohesiveness

46) Based on expectations of the team, of the organization, and of themselves, what do the members of the team often develop?

A) resources

B) norms

C) groupthink

D) roles

E) social fit

47) A(n) ________ role is behavior that concentrates on getting the team's work done. For example, one team member's role may be to generate daily sales information at the end of each working day.

A) maintenance

B) performance

C) administrative

D) production

E) task

48) Javier points out during the meeting that the group has fallen a half hour behind schedule according to the agenda and should get back to the important work at hand. He is performing a ________ role.

A) relational

B) production

C) maintenance

D) social

E) task

49) Someone at a team meeting who says, "Let's hear from those who oppose this plan," is performing a ________ role.

A) task

B) social

C) coordinator

D) reorientation

E) maintenance

50) Tension was apparent as the management team discussed changes to promotion requirements. But then Colby made a joke about Jesse's white-knuckled grip on his pen, and the laughter seemed to lighten the mood. Colby was acting in a ________ role.

A) relational

B) task

C) production

D) social

E) maintenance

51) Why would a group or team NOT typically enforce norms?

A) There is a no need to clarify role expectations.

B) They don't want to help the group survive.

C) There is a need to create a written document of guidelines for new employees.

D) They do not see a reason to emphasize the group's important values.

E) There is no need to help individuals avoid embarrassing situations.

52) The Nordstrom department store chain emphasizes the great lengths to which it goes in customer service. In fact, when it moves into a mall, all the other stores have to improve their own models of customer service. How is Nordstrom using norms?

A) to clarify role expectations

B) to emphasize the organization's important values and identity

C) to create cohesiveness

D) to help the group survive

E) to help individuals avoid embarrassing situations

53) Dysfunctional conflict is sometimes called ________ conflict.

A) apathetic

B) irregular

C) destructive

D) aggressive

E) negative

54) Which of the following is NOT characteristic of workgroups with excessive conflict?

A) dissatisfaction

B) indecision

C) political infighting

D) lack of teamwork

E) creativity

55) Which of the following is a manifestation of excessive conflict in the workplace?

A) apathy

B) violence and workplace aggression

C) missed deadlines

D) indecision

E) lack of creativity

56) Workplace performance is maximized when conflict

A) is at a moderate level.

B) is at a very low level.

C) is absent.

D) is at a high level.

E) occurs only at nonmanagerial levels.

57) ________ conflict is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike, disagreement, or differing styles. For example, Bailey and Tai, who both work as salespeople at a local boutique, may simply not like each other.

A) Competitive

B) Personality

C) Dysfunctional

D) Communication

E) Programmed

58) Which of the following is a source of intergroup conflict in the workplace?

A) excessive communication

B) inconsistent goals or reward systems

C) too many resources

D) lack of diversity

E) strict job boundaries

59) Bruce, whose primary job is supervising a small production group, is not getting cooperation from all members on the cross-functional team he leads. In particular, Keylani, a senior marketing manager, seems to resist his direction and tries to influence team members to go in another direction. The source of conflict in this case may be

A) status differences.

B) a personality clash.

C) communication failure.

D) time pressure.

E) ambiguous jurisdictions.

60) ________ is ordering an outcome, when a manager relies on his or her formal authority and power to resolve a conflict, but the needs of the other party are largely ignored.

A) Accommodating

B) Compromising

C) Problem solving

D) Forcing

E) Avoiding

61) ________ is the conflict-handling style in which a person neglects his or her own concerns and allows the concerns of another to prevail.

A) Forcing

B) Avoiding

C) Accommodating

D) Collaborating

E) Compromising

62) When issues causing conflict are trivial and cooling off would be helpful, what is the best way for handling the situation?

A) use avoiding

B) use forcing

C) use accommodation

D) use collaboration

E) use compromise

63) Grace missed another deadline and her boss, Louisa, is very upset. She will have to explain to the client again why the project is behind. Louisa thinks she may say something she'll regret if she talks to Grace about this now, so she decides to wait a while. Louisa is using the ________ conflict-handling style.

A) forcing

B) collaborating

C) compromising

D) avoiding

E) accommodating

64) Brad proposed the purchase of a new Toshiba copier to his boss, Chin. Chin said that he has always used and liked Xerox copiers, but when he thinks about it later, he realizes he does not really feel strongly about the brand of copy machine used in the office. Chin should probably adopt a(n) ________ conflict-handling style when trying to resolve this matter with Brad.

A) avoiding

B) accommodating

C) compromising

D) forcing

E) collaborating

65) Ricky told his team that he is moving forward with a change to the bonus structure, despite vocal objections from several team members. Ricky is using the ________ conflict-handling style.

A) avoiding

B) collaborating

C) compromising

D) accommodating

E) dominating

66) ________ is the conflict-handling style in which both parties give up something to gain something.

A) Avoiding

B) Forcing

C) Accommodating

D) Collaborating

E) Compromising

67) In which of the following conditions should constructive conflict be stimulated?

A) Managers want to achieve work objectives.

B) The group seems to be afflicted with inertia and apathy.

C) The group is adapting to change.

D) Managers are in charge of self-managed teams.

E) There is a lot of internal competition.

68) ________ is designed to elicit different opinions without inciting people's personal feelings.

A) Groupthink

B) Storming

C) Social loafing

D) Programmed conflict

E) Dysfunctional conflict

69) Roseanna asked Henry, one of her team members, to purposefully think of and voice criticisms as the group discussed a popular idea to open a branch office in another state. This is an example of the use of

A) groupthink.

B) devil's advocacy.

C) the dialectic method.

D) storming.

E) dysfunctional conflict.

70) ________ is the process of having two people or groups play opposing roles in a debate to better understand a proposal.

A) The dialectic method

B) Positive conflict

C) Devil's advocacy

D) Groupthink

E) Storming

71) When Men's Wearhouse fired a salesperson who wasn't sharing walk-in customer traffic, and total clothing sales volume among all salespeople increased significantly, the company

A) reduced destructive internal competition.

B) increased productivity.

C) increased speed.

D) reduced costs.

E) improved quality.

72) When Cisco Systems told executives they would gain or lose 30 percent of their bonuses based on how well they worked with peers, and in three years had record profits, the company

A) reduced destructive internal competition.

B) increased productivity.

C) increased speed.

D) reduced costs.

E) improved workplace cohesiveness.

73) What is the difference between a group and a team?

A) A team is a collection of people, and a group is a powerful unit of collective performance.

B) A group is a collection of people, and a team is a powerful unit of collective performance.

C) A group can also be considered an organization, whereas a team cannot.

D) Teams share norms, but groups don't.

E) A group does not necessarily have a shared goal, and teams always have a shared goal.

74) Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of teamwork?

A) a career readiness competency desired by employers

B) the ability to work effectively with diverse people

C) the ability to build collaborative relationships with people

D) management of personal conflict

E) work within a structure

75) Which type of group can be highly productive?

A) a service club

B) a committee

C) a department

D) a division

E) a work group

76) Which teams are usually permanent?

A) project teams

B) cross-functional teams

C) work teams

D) self-managed teams

E) virtual teams

77) Which type of team is expected to foster increased productivity and employee quality of life?

A) project teams

B) cross-functional teams

C) work teams

D) self-managed teams

E) virtual teams

78) ________ teams have been found to have a positive effect on productivity and attitudes of control, yet no impact on job satisfaction or organizational commitment.

A) Project

B) Cross-functional

C) Work

D) Self-managed

E) Virtual

79) At which stage in Tuckman's Model, is trust low?

A) forming

B) storming

C) norming

D) performing

E) adjourning

80) Beau was leading a project when a conflict erupted. He did not know what to do, so he did nothing, which allowed Noel to emerge as the leader. This group was still in the________ stage.

A) forming

B) storming

C) norming

D) performing

E) adjourning

81) It was the third meeting, but the group had finally agreed on the roles for each member. Cathy felt good about how things were progressing. It seemed that the conflicts had been resolved; Bella and Lewis had actually arrived on time with their tasks completed. Cathy felt they were now a team. They were now in the ________ stage.

A) forming

B) norming

C) performing

D) adjourning

E) storming

82) How is mutual accountability fostered?

A) Team leaders have authority over how goals are met.

B) Team members share accountability for the work.

C) Individuals take ownership of information.

D) Managers have knowledge related to the work.

E) Supervisors have discretion over resources used.

83) Finn likes it when her days are unpredictable and filled with problems to solve. She thrives on solving puzzles and then testing out the different solutions in search of the "right fit." How would you describe Finn's personality?

A) She is extremely conscientious.

B) She is very trusting and open.

C) She is not very extraverted and willing to change.

D) She has a low tolerance for working in teams.

E) She has a high tolerance for uncertainty.

84) If you have a team that is low on conscientiousness, which of the following would you recommend?

A) They need to engage in team reflectivity.

B) They need a team charter.

C) They need to follow the norms they created.

D) They need to give each member a voice.

E) They need to define the task and maintenance roles.

85) Which of the following is an example of a dysfunctional conflict?

A) two colleagues loudly discussing how to move forward on a project

B) a manager telling an employee that his work visa can be revoked at anytime

C) a small group anxiously sharing an idea with a new manager

D) meeting members openly discussing divergent perspectives

E) a younger and older employee assigned to work on a project

86) Becoming a team member requires you to integrate your efforts with others in the pursuit of achieving a common goal. Which of the following actions may require you to sacrifice your individual recognition in the process?

A) bringing positive emotions to the team

B) supporting team members

C) leading by example

D) spontaneous collaboration

E) committing to the team

87) How is collaboration different from teamwork?

A) Collaboration requires some formal structure.

B) There is no difference; it is the same thing.

C) Collaboration needs a team leader, agendas for meetings, and organization.

D) Having the same perspective is essential for collaboration.

E) Collaboration is more spontaneous, less structured, and less hierarchical.

88) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, what benefits can teamwork achieve?

Second, suppose the dean of your college or university asked you to assemble a team of five people (plus yourself) to examine the parking problem on campus (too many students, not enough parking spaces). Describe five people you would choose to be on your team, explaining why each is qualified to serve on the team.

89) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, define a virtual team and explain some of its benefits.

Second, suppose you are the leader of a virtual team that writes test questions for the SAT test. Your team is composed of six members who live and work in three different countries—question writers, question testers, and administrative assistants. What are some of the challenges you might face in leading the team, and what techniques might you use to face those challenges?

90) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, explain the five stages of group development.

Second, imagine you are assembling a work group whose goal is to create a business model for a transportation service that will compete with taxis, limousines, Uber, and Lyft. Discuss what you would do to facilitate group development at each stage.

91) Explain how the development of car-sharing services in major urban areas, such as ZipCar, punctuated the equilibrium for well-established car-rental companies like Hertz and Avis. Note: With ZipCar, people pay a monthly fee to join the service; they can then reserve cars by the hour or by the day, and pick them up in convenient locations. The process is much easier, with much less hassle, than going through a traditional car-rental company.

92) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, name at least four of the major considerations when building a group into an effective team.

Next, imagine that you are building a team of eight people who will design a new type of baby stroller with a built-in entertainment system that will allow the baby to listen to music. Explain how you would apply each of these considerations as you build your team.

93) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, describe the relationship between the amount of conflict in a department or organization and that department or organization's performance. At what level of conflict is performance maximized?

Second, suppose that you are the manager of a store that sells medical supplies. You see three major sources of conflict at the store: (1) many of the staff members who work the front desk do not like one another, (2) those who stock the shelves and work with the customers are resentful that they are not paid more, and (3) all employees are required to work nights and weekends, which cuts into their family and personal time. Explain how you would manage each source of conflict.

94) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, explain the conflict-handling styles a manager might adopt and the circumstances under which each style is appropriate.

Next, imagine that you run a small diner that serves breakfast and lunch. A major company, with thousands of employees, has moved into the neighborhood. You need to open your diner two hours earlier each day (at 5 a.m. instead of 7 a.m.), but the staff is unwilling to come into work so early, and many have refused to do so. Which method would you use to manage the conflict? Explain the rationale for your solution.

95) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, list the four devices for stimulating constructive conflict.

Next, suppose that you own a small hardware store in the downtown area. You have watched your business get drained away by huge retailers like The Home Depot and Lowe's. You decide you want to "explode" your business model and make some drastic changes. Explain how you would use two of these devices within your organization to brainstorm a way to remain in business and return to profitability.

96) List and explain the three main types of conflict in the workplace.

97) What are the differences between groups and teams? Provide an example of each in order to illustrate their differences.

98) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, list and describe five basic behaviors that enable a manager to work on disagreements and keep them from flaring into out-of-control personality conflicts.

Second, suppose that you are dealing with a very unhappy assistant. He has worked for you for three years, and he has done excellent work, going above and beyond the call of duty. However, the company has placed a freeze on hiring and promotions, and for the last three years no employee has received more than a 2 percent raise. Your assistant is frustrated at his ever-increasing workload, and he wants to be promoted to a position with more responsibility and creativity. You suspect that he may be looking for another job. Which of the behaviors that you listed would you use to manage the conflict with your assistant? Be specific, and explain your answer.

99) This question contains two parts; be sure to answer both.

First, define conflict and distinguish between dysfunctional conflict (bad) and functional conflict (good).

Second, imagine that you manage a high-volume bar/restaurant with many different types of employees: servers, hosts and hostesses, bartenders, bussers, cooks, porters, and so on. Explain two types of dysfunctional conflict that you might encounter in the restaurant, as well as two types of functional conflict. How would you resolve the dysfunctional conflict and use the functional conflict to the advantage of the employees and the restaurant?

100) Think back on a time you were part of a team and describe how you will become a more effective team member in the future. What did you do wrong or right?