Ob chp10

Chapter 10 Understanding Work Teams
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Why Have Work Teams Become So Popular?
1. Teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being completed _____.
a. require multiple skills
b. require judgment
c. require experience
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
(d; Moderate; p. 338)
2. Which of the following helps explain the current popularity of teams? Teams _____.
a. are easier to manage
b. are a way to better utilize employee talents
c. are less expensive
d. promote socialization
e. are very efficient
(b; Easy; p. 338)
3. Which of the following does not explain the current popularity of teams? Teams _____.
a. outperform individuals when the tasks require multiple skills
b. enable organizations to better utilize employee talents
c. are a means to increase employee motivation
d. allow employee independence in making operating decisions
e. outperform individuals when the tasks require experience
4. Teams generally have a(n) _____ impact on employee motivation.
a. inconsistent
b. unknown
c. positive
d. discouraging
e. neutral
(c; Moderate; p. 339)
Differences Between Groups and Teams
5. Which of the following statements best defines a work group?
a. The performance of a work group is generally greater than the sum of its inputs from individual
members.
b. A work group interacts primarily to share information, rather than to engage in work that
requires joint effort.
c. A work group consists of 3 or more people who take on self-supervising responsibilities.
d. A work group consists of 3 or more people from across departmental or functional lines.
e. A work group is a group comprised of 10 or more people.
(b; Challenging; p. 339)
6. Which of the following qualities is not found in work groups?
a. energy
b. enthusiasm
c. synergy
d. objectives
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e. security
7. _____ results in a level of performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs.
a. Synergy
b. Enthusiasm
c. Energy
d. Initiative
e. Inversion
(a; Moderate; p. 339)
Types of Teams
8. Which is not one of the most common types of teams?
a. problem-solving
b. interdepartmental
c. self-managed
d. virtual
e. cross functional
(b; Easy; p. 340)
9. Which type of team meets to discuss ways to improve quality, efficiency, and the work
environment?
a. self-managed
b. virtual
c. problem-solving
d. cross-functional
e. committee
(c; Easy; p. 340)
10. Which of the following types of teams would most likely be assembled to improve the efficiency of
a company’s production process?
a. cross-functional
b. problem-solving
c. self-managed
d. virtual
e. co-evolving
(b; Moderate; p. 340)
11. Which of the following types of teams would most likely empower its team members to make
work-related decisions?
a. technical
b. self-managed
c. problem-solving
d. management
e. reactive
12. Self-managed teams are typically comprised of how many members?
a. 2-5
b. 5-10
c. 8-12
d. 10-15
e. over 100
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13. Which of the following best demonstrates the effectiveness of self-managed teams?
a. an increase in the number of teams required to manufacture a product
b. a reduction in the number of employees qualified to participate on the teams
c. an increase of complaints from team members regarding the lack of team leadership
d. a significant reduction in response time for resolving customer concerns
e. an increase in the technology budget for connecting team members
14. Which of the following statements best characterizes self-managed teams?
a. Their team members often have low levels of job satisfaction.
b. Their team members prefer to work alone.
c. Their productivity is generally low.
d. They perform poorly during times of employee layoffs.
e. They tend to operate best in non-hierarchical societies.
(d; Challenging; p. 341)
15. _____ teams are made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level.
a. Problem-solving
b. Self-managed
c. Cross-functional
d. Multifaceted
e. Star matrix
(c; Easy; p. 341)
16. A _____ is a temporary cross-functional team.
a. quality circle
b. work group
c. task force
d. TQM group
e. hierarchical team
17. A committee represents _____.
a. an example of a cross-functional team.
b. an example of a work group.
c. a type of management structure for virtual teams.
d. an example of a task force.
e. a specialized type of problem-solving team.
18. _____teams are an effective way to allow people from diverse areas within an organization to
exchange information, develop new ideas and solve problems, and coordinate complex projects.
a. Self-managed
b. Problem-solving
c. Cross-functional
d. Multifaceted
e. Star matrix
19. The early stages of development of a cross-functional team are time-consuming because _____.
a. most cross-functional team members are comprised of individuals from similar backgrounds
b. members must research the causes of problems which they are assigned to solve
c. most cross-functional team members have already established trust
d. members have to learn how to perform new functional tasks
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e. members must learn to work with diversity and complexity
(e; Challenging; p. 342)
20. Which of the following types of teams allows for collaboration between team members who are
physically dispersed?
a. Local
b. Interactive
c. Real-time
d. Virtual
e. Global
(d; Easy; p. 342)
21. Which is not one of the primary factors that differentiate virtual teams from face-to-face teams?
a. the absence of nonverbal cues
b. limited social context
c. decreased satisfaction with work processes
d. the ability to overcome time and space constraints
e. limited paraverbal cues
22. Which of the following is not true about virtual teams?
a. There is an absence of paraverbal cues.
b. Members report greater satisfaction with the group process.
c. There is limited social context.
d. They are more task-oriented.
e. Members are more focused on production.
Creating Effective Teams
23. There are four contextual factors that appear to be most significantly related to team
performance. Which of the following is not one of those factors?
a. adequate resources
b. work autonomy
c. effective leadership
d. a performance evaluation and reward system that reflects team contributions
e. all of the above are contextual factors
24. Which of the following statements best characterizes the use of work teams?
a. Teams are unnecessary if an individual can do the job better.
b. Teams are necessary for encouraging individuals to work independently.
c. Within a company, teams perform best if they are structured similarly.
d. Employees are usually responsible for suggesting that teams be created.
e. In successful companies, teamwork is always preferable to individual work.
25. Which of the following is not one of the key components of effective teams?
a. effective work design
b. recognized company identity
c. supportive contextual influences
d. well-managed team processes
e. appropriate team membership
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26. To provide teams with adequate resources, a company must supply which of the following?
a. proper equipment
b. adequate staffing
c. encouragement
d. all the above
27. To succeed in achieving their goals, teams must _____.
a. have strong leadership
b. have autonomy
c. receive support from management
d. all of the above
28. On traditionally managed teams, which factor(s) seems to be important to team performance?
a. the leader’s expectations
b. the leader’s mood
c. the leader’s trust of the members
d. A and B
e. all of the above
29. In addition to evaluating and rewarding employees for their individual contributions, management
should consider using which of the following to reinforce team effort and commitment?
a. personalized incentives
b. consistent wages for all team members
c. individual performance evaluations
d. fixed hourly wages
e. profit sharing
(e; Moderate; p. 346)
30. Effective teams require which of the following skills?
a. problem-solving skills
b. technical expertise
c. interpersonal skills
d. all of the above
31. Team members with good listening, feedback, and conflict resolution skills possess _____.
a. technical expertise
b. problem-solving skills
c. decision-making skills
d. interpersonal skills
e. cognitive appraisal skills
(d; Easy; p. 346)
32. Which of the following statements best serves to WEAKEN the argument that trust contributes to
team effectiveness?
a. The most cooperative teams are those that share the greatest amount of trust.
b. Team members who trust each other tend to spend less time monitoring each other’s
behavior.
c. Regardless of trust level, most individuals resist exposing vulnerabilities to their co-workers.
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d. Research shows that trust among team members is directly linked to members’ willingness to
take risks.
e. Teams with the highest trust ratings for their leadership tend to outperform teams with lower
leadership trust ratings.
33. One stream of research has identified potential team roles the people prefer to play. The “creator”
role is one who _____.
a. champions ideas
b. initiates new ideas
c. provides structure
d. coordinates and integrates
e. manages subordinates
34. Of the nine key roles on teams, the “promoter” is the group member most likely to _____.
a. develop original ideas
b. defend and support newly-developed ideas
c. provide structure for the team
d. fight battles with those outside of the team
e. conflict with other team members
35. Which of the following is not one of the nine potential team roles identified for successful teams?
a. organizer
b. allocator
c. controller
d. maintainer
e. promoter
(b; Easy; p. 348)
36. You find that in a team situation you prefer to be the one who examines details and is concerned
with enforcing rules and regulations. Your role is that of the _____.
a. maintainer
b. linker
c. controller
d. promoter
e. resource allocator
37. On her work team, Michelle develops detailed tasks lists and work flow charts to help her team
members understand the steps involved in each project. She also maintains the project calendar
and receives periodic updates from each team member to ensure that projects are progressing
on schedule. Which role does Michelle most likely fill on her team?
a. assessor
b. organizer
c. maintainer
d. creator
e. promoter
38. Sharon has an assertive personality and naturally tends to stand up for her team in conflicts with
other teams or departments. She is a strong defender and is fiercely loyal to the other members
on her team. Sharon is most likely suited for which of the following team roles?
a. controller
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b. producer
c. maintainer
d. assessor
e. advocate
39. Which of the following represents an advantage of diversity on teams?
a. reduced conflict
b. increased expediency
c. increased conflict
d. increased creativity
e. reduced effectiveness
(d; Easy; p. 349)
40. The most effective teams tend to have _____ members.
a. 3 to 5
b. 5 to 15
c. less than 10
d. less than 15
e. more than 15
(c; Challenging; p. 351)
41. Process variables include all of the following except _____.
a. climate of trust
b. member commitment to a common purpose
c. team efficacy
d. minimized social loafing
e. specific goals
42. Effective teams usually have a common and meaningful purpose. In context, “common” most
nearly means _____.
a. ordinary
b. plain
c. routine
d. shared
e. mundane
43. Effective teams have confidence in themselves and believe they can succeed. This confidence is
termed _____.
a. social facilitation
b. goal congruence
c. social loafing
d. team efficacy
e. self serving bias
(d; Challenging; p. 352)
44. Which of the following is most likely to increase team efficacy?
a. Providing measurable goals.
b. Helping the team achieve small successes.
c. Limiting time spent in training.
d. Ensuring that team goals are challenging.
e. Reducing the number of members on a team.
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45. Which type of conflict is almost always dysfunctional?
a. task conflict
b. efficacy conflict
c. relationship conflict
d. resource conflict
e. social conflict
46. Coasting on the group effort is termed ____.
a. inconsistency
b. incompetence
c. social loafing
d. dysfunction
e. half-focus bias
(c; Easy; p. 353)
47. Your company is considering implementing work teams in your Vietnam facility. You should find
this relatively easy because those employees will have strong _____ values.
a. acculturation
b. collectivist
c. creative
d. cultural
e. capitalistic
48. Which of the following strategies would managers find least helpful for turning individuals into
team players?
a. selecting appropriate candidates
b. setting goals
c. providing training
d. rewarding cooperative efforts
e. encouraging mentorship
(b; Challenging; p. 354-355)
49. If an employee is considered “untrainable” as a team member, he or she most likely_____.
a. will be willing to undergo training in order to learn team skills.
b. can be successfully transferred from one team to another.
c. lacks the technical skills necessary for a team position.
d. will find it difficult to transition to working in teams.
e. comes from a culture that upholds collectivist values.
50. Exercises that help individuals become team players include workshops in _____.
a. negotiation
b. individualism
c. goal setting
d. event planning
e. recruiting
Teams and Quality Management
51. Employee involvement has been referred to as the linchpin of process improvement. In context,
“involvement” most nearly means _____.
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a. organization
b. participation
c. leadership
d. commitment
e. interaction
52. Teams require individuals with high scores on all of the following personality characteristics
except _____.
a. introversion
b. agreeableness
c. conscientiousness
d. emotional stability
e. extroversion
TRUE/FALSE
53. Teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being completed require rapid decision-
making.
(False; Easy; p. 338)
54. Compared to traditional departments, teams tend to be less flexible and less responsive to
changing events.
(False; Moderate; p. 338)
55. Establishing teams provides an effective means for increasing democratic practices within an
organization.
(True; Moderate; p. 339)
Differences Between Groups and Teams
56. Unlike work teams, work groups are most effective when their synergy is strongest.
57. Work groups typically generate more positive synergy than do work teams.
58. Work groups engage in collective endeavors that require collaborative effort.
59. Work teams produce final results that exceed the sum of individual team member inputs.
Types of Teams
60. The extensive use of teams creates the potential for an organization to generate greater outputs
with no increase in inputs.
(True; Easy; p. 340)
61. The four most common forms of teams are: problem-solving, self-managed, cross-functional, and
global.
62. Problem-solving teams generally consist of 5 to 12 hourly employees from the same department.
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63. You are a member of a team of eight individuals from the same department who meet for a few
hours each week to discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment. You
are most likely a member of a self-managed work team.
64. A cross-functional work team takes on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors.
65. Supervisory positions take on decreased importance for a problem-solving work team.
66. As a result of self-managed teams, supervisory positions may be eliminated.
67. Individuals on supervisory work teams report higher levels of job satisfaction.
68. Individuals on self-managed work teams have lower absenteeism rates than employees in
traditional work structures.
69. Turnover rates are higher for self-managed work teams than for employees working in traditional
work structures.
70. Self-managed teams have flourished in Mexico due to that culture’s low tolerance for ambiguity.
71. Cross-functional teams are made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level, but
from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task.
72. Membership on virtual teams is usually restricted to employees living within the same country.
73. A task force is a temporary problem-solving team.
74. Cross-discipline teams usually function well only in small companies.
75. Cross-functional teams are very effective for coordinating highly complex projects.
76. One advantage of cross-functional teams is that they are easy to manage.
77. Virtual teams can carry out all of the same activities that other types of teams do.
(True; Challenging; p. 342)
78. Virtual teams have been used by some institutions, but have not yet proven themselves in the
commercial world.
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Creating Effective Teams
79. Work design is more important than team composition for ensuring effective teams.
(False; Challenging; p. 344-351)
80. To perform effectively, a team requires three different types of skills: technical expertise,
problem-solving and decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.
81. On a team, the role of the “creator” describes the person who analyzes decision options.
82. The role of the “linker” describes the person within the work team who coordinates and integrates
the work of team members.
83. Your analytical skills are very good and you enjoy the role of integrating creative ideas for your
group. You will find that you are most effective in the role of the “promoter.”
84. Susan is well organized and enjoys providing structure for the group. Her role within the work
team may be described as the “maintainer.”
85. Competitive reward structures reinforce the importance of collaboration in work teams.
86. Diversity on a team is likely to increase the technical competence of that team.
87. Diversity typically makes a team more conflict-laden and less expedient.
88. Cohorts are groups of individuals who share a common attribute, such as entering a team at the
same time.
89. Given the option, many employees will select themselves out of team participation.
90. The highest performing team members are usually employees who thrive on being rewarded for
their personal achievements.
(False; Challenging; p. 351)
91. “Social loafing” is most likely to occur within a team whenever one team member’s contributions
are invisible to the rest of the team.
Turning Individuals Into Team Players
92. Teams tend to operate well within countries that score high on collectivism.
93. Canadians would most likely have more difficulty using work teams than the Japanese.
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94. Work teams are easy for American workers because Americans grow up learning the importance
of teamwork through sports.
95. Teams that are devoid of conflict are likely to become apathetic and stagnant.
96. Task conflict increases the likelihood of groupthink.
97. Communication and the ability to sublimate one’s personal goals are important for individuals who
are members of work teams.
98. Introducing work teams into new organizations will generally be more difficult than introducing
them into more mature organizations.
99. A large proportion of people raised on the importance of individual accomplishment can be
trained to become team players.
100. Work teams often provide intrinsic rewards, such as camaraderie.
Contemporary Issues In Managing Teams
101. One of the central components of effective quality management involves using teams to improve
work processes.
102. Teamwork takes more time and often more resources than individual work.
103. The most effective teams have between ten and fifteen members.
104. Teams make most sense to employ when the tasks to be accomplished are independent of one
another.
SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS
Application of Types of Teams
You are the vice-president of a division of a large, multi-national company that makes electronic
equipment for consumers and the military. You have several managers that have created some teams.
Also, there are several projects underway and you need to decide what types of teams to use for each
situation.
105. Joan, your director of accounting, has created a team of seven employees from the accounts
payable department who meet for three hours a week to discuss ways of improving quality,
efficiency, and the work environment. This is an example of a ____ team.
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a. problem-solving
b. self-managed
c. cross-functional
d. virtual
e. task-resolution
106. Jack, your director of manufacturing, has decided to create a team of eleven employees from
quality control. Jack gives the team members the responsibility of scheduling their own work and
evaluating each other’s performance. This is an example of a _____ team.
a. problem-solving
b. self-managed
c. cross-functional
d. virtual
e. task-resolution
(b; Moderate; p. 340-341)
107. Your company has recently landed a contract to design and manufacture a new state-of-the-art
electronic device for the military. This will be a very complex project, requiring many different
types of skills. Which of the following types of teams is most suited for the project?
a. problem-solving
b. self-managed
c. cross-functional
d. virtual
e. task-resolution
(c; Moderate; p. 341-342)
108. Janice is your director of sales. Since her employees are located in Europe, Asia, and North
America, she has decided to use instant messaging to tie her employees together in order to
develop a marketing strategy for a new product line. This is an example of a _____ team.
a. problem-solving
b. self-managed
c. cross-functional
d. virtual
e. task-resolution
(d; Easy; p. 342-343)
Application of Beware! Teams Aren’t Always The Answer
You are the plant manager of a manufacturing facility. Your plant has been experiencing a number of
problems and you have been directed to solve these issues. One of the problems concerns the low
quality of the manufactured product. Many products have failed to pass quality inspection, and your
superiors feel that the failure rate is unacceptably high. Another problem concerns the college
recruitment process. The current recruitment process has repeatedly brought unqualified candidates to
the plant.
109. Your management team suggests that the college recruitment process could be improved by
creating a cross-functional team to conduct the on-campus interviews. Based on your
understanding of team functioning, you reply that this solution is most likely:
a. an inappropriate use of teams, because individual interviews are better conducted by one
person.
b. an appropriate use of teams, because recruitment is a quality issue.
c. an inappropriate use of teams, because interviewing teams rarely have a common purpose.
d. an appropriate use of teams, because interviewing is a highly complex task.
e. an inappropriate use of teams, because team interviews risk breaking confidentiality.
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(a; Challenging; p. 342)
110. Your company’s director of human resources suggests that the problem with the college
recruitment process is not the interviewers, but rather the fact that the interviewers lack a clear
understanding of the traits and skills required for each position. Which type of team would you be
most likely to assemble to compile a list of the required skills?
a. virtual team
b. self-managed team
c. task force
d. problem-solving team
e. no team, because this task is better performed by an individual
(c; Challenging; p. 342)
111. Your manufacturing process is fairly complex, requiring skills drawn from multiple knowledge
areas. Given this complexity, which approach would likely be most effective for determining the
cause of the quality problems?
a. hiring a consultant, because the causes could be better analyzed by one person
b. forming a cross-functional team, because of the multiple knowledge areas involved
c. forming a homogenous team, to assure an aggressive resolution to the problem
d. forming a culturally diverse team, because of the need for team creativity
e. forming self-managed team, because of the need for team autonomy
(b; Challenging; p. 341-342)
Application of Key Roles on Teams
You have been assigned to a problem-solving team. You have never met any of the team members
before, but you have been given their resumes. It is your job to match the team members to the various
roles that are needed for successful completion of your project.
Your team consists of the following members. Iris is a recent college graduate with a degree in
mathematics. She likes to keep an eye on the big picture and enjoys coordinating the work of others.
James has been with the company for 15 years and has had experience in several areas within the
company. He has a reputation for strong leadership and effective follow-through. Betty is highly motivated
and intelligent. She has several advanced degrees and is able to view situations from differing viewpoints.
You have decided that you are willing to take on any group role that is handed to you, but you are more
comfortable with implementing of ideas than with initiating them.
112. The role that might best suit Iris is that of:
a. creator.
b. assessor.
c. linker.
d. maintainer.
e. adviser.
113. James is best suited to which role?
a. organizer
b. maintainer
c. linker
d. adviser
e. producer
114. The person best suited for the role of adviser is probably:
a. Betty.
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b. James.
c. Iris.
d. you.
e. none of the above are suited for the role of advisor.
Application of Team Composition
You have been working for several years as a member of a team that is very diverse. You have team
members from several ethnic backgrounds, from varying age groups, and from vastly different
educational backgrounds. The manager of your team has been promoted and you have just been
introduced to your new manager, Ms. Yuko. Ms. Yuko has been hired because it is believed that her
extensive experience in the industry will be an asset to your team. Ms. Yuko has asked for your advice
and help in understanding the problems associated with managing a diverse team.
115. Because the team is diverse, Ms. Yuko should most likely expect that:
a. the team will be less expedient than homogeneous teams.
b. the team will be less creative than homogeneous teams.
c. communication within the team will be relatively easy.
d. the group may be less open to new ideas.
e. the team members will experience relatively little conflict.
116. The team is most likely to excel in which of the following areas?
a. its ability to communicate
b. its decision-making tasks
c. its technical skills
d. its ability to reach an agreement
e. its comprehension abilities
117. Ms. Yuko’s team will most likely be recognized as:
a. highly creative.
b. unusually collaborative.
c. free from communication problems.
d. limited in its viewpoints.
e. overly aggressive with other teams.
118. Ms. Yuko could most likely improve the performance of her team by:
a. hiring new team members who prefer to work alone.
b. hiring more team members of different nationalities.
c. replacing team members who value flexibility.
d. hiring older team members to provide additional diversity.
e. cross-training team members to do each other’s jobs.
Application of Team Process
You are the manager of a software design firm that develops software projects using teams of specialists.
One of your most successful teams has been together for nearly 5 years. In the past, this team has
performed effectively, and you have been very satisfied with the team’s output. Recently, however, you
have noticed a marked decrease in the team’s performance. You investigate to determine the problem.
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119. After interviewing all 7 team members, you determine that one of the team members performs
routine administrative tasks that are rarely visible to any of the other team members. You suspect
that this team member may be loafing off and lagging in his duties. You could most likely improve
that team member’s output by:
a. encouraging him to work more independently.
b. making his work clearly visible to the other team members.
c. hiring other team members who perform similar tasks.
d. providing him with administrative training.
e. giving him additional assignments to complete.
120. During an interview with one team member, you learn that several members of the team have
had conflicts regarding the content of a task to which the team was recently assigned. Are these
conflicts likely to be reducing the group’s productivity?
a. Yes, because interpersonal conflicts always hurt a team’s performance.
b. No, because conflicts based on personal animosity rarely affect team operations.
c. Yes, because task-related conflicts lead to poor team decisions.
d. No, because task-related conflicts usually benefit the performance of a team.
e. Yes, because disagreements about tasks usually lessen groupthink.
Application of Turning Individuals into Team Players
You work for an international company that has offices around the world. You have been asked to pull
together a global virtual team to handle a specific project. The project is expected to take 3 – 5 years to
complete. You are free to include individuals from any of the company’s offices, which are located in the
United States, Canada, Mexico, Britain, Australia, and Japan.
121. Provided that all of the team members are equally qualified, which of the following teams is likely
to be the LEAST challenging to manage?
a. A team comprised of members drawn equally from all of the company’s offices, because
culturally diverse teams tend to operate with minimal conflict.
b. A team comprised primarily of members from the United States, because employees from
countries with individualistic values tend to function well in teams.
c. A team comprised primarily of members from Canada, Britain, and Australia, because
employees from these countries usually grow up learning how to function in teams.
d. A team comprised of members from both Japan and Mexico, because employees from these
countries tend to focus on individual accomplishments.
e. A team comprised primarily of members from either Japan or Mexico, because employees
from countries with collectivist values tend to adjust easily to team structures.
(e; Challenging; p. 353)
Application of Teams and Quality Management
The CEO of your company recently assigned you the task of overseeing quality management for five
different production teams. Four of the teams manufacture individual components for an optical device.
The fifth team then assembles the components into the final product. The final products currently suffer
from some notable quality flaws.
122. Which of the following strategies is most likely to improve the quality of the optical device?
a. requiring all five teams to implement quality improvement ideas developed by senior
management
b. encouraging the members of all five teams to participate in the quality improvement process
c. discouraging communication between teams so that each team can focus on its own specific
tasks
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d. replacing 50% of the team membership with new team members who are more qualified
e. training each member in specific techniques for tracking the performance of his or her team
SHORT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
123. Why have teams become so popular?
Teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being done require multiple skills,
judgment, and experience. As organizations have restructured themselves to compete
more effectively and efficiently, they have turned to teams as a way to better utilize
employee talents. Management has found that teams are more flexible and responsive to
changing events than are traditional departments or other forms of permanent groupings.
Teams have the capacity to quickly assemble, deploy, refocus, and disband. Teams
facilitate employee participation in operating decisions. Teams, then, are an effective
means for management to democratize their organizations and increase employee
motivation.
(Page 338)
124. Discuss the difference between a work group and a work team.
A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make
decisions to help each member performs within his or her area of responsibility. There is
no positive synergy that would create an overall level of performance that is greater than
the sum of the inputs. A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated
effort. Their individual efforts result in a level of performance that is greater than the sum
of those individual inputs. (Page 339)
125. Describe and discuss self-managed work teams.
Self-managed work teams are groups of employees (typically 10 to 15 in number) who
perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of
their former supervisors. Typically, this includes planning and scheduling of work,
assigning tasks to members, collective control over the pace of work, making operating
decisions, taking action on problems, and working with suppliers and customers. Fully
self-managed work teams even select their own members and have the members evaluate
each other’s performance. As a result, supervisory positions take on decreased
importance and may even be eliminated. (Pages 340-341)
126. What is a cross-functional team?
Cross-functional teams are made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level,
but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task. This is an
effective means for allowing people from diverse areas within an organization to exchange
information, develop new ideas and solve problems, and coordinate complex projects.
(Pages 341-342)
127. What is a virtual team?
Virtual teams use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in
order to achieve a common goal. They allow people to collaborate online using
communication links like wide-area networks, video conferencing, or e-mail, whether
they’re only a room away or continents apart. Virtual teams can do all things that other
teams do – share information, make decisions, complete tasks. (Page 342)
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128. What is team efficacy?
Effective teams have confidence in themselves. They believe they can succeed. This is
called team efficacy. Teams that have been successful raise their beliefs about future
success, which in turn, motivates them to work harder. (Page 352)
129. Discuss strategies an organization might use to turn individuals into team players.
Managers have several options to turn individuals into team players. When hiring team
members, in addition to the technical skills required to fill the job, care should be taken to
ensure that candidates can fulfill their team roles as well as technical requirements. A
large proportion of people raised on the importance of individual accomplishment can be
trained to become team players. Training specialists conduct exercises that allow
employees to experience the satisfaction that teamwork can provide. The reward system
needs to be reworked to encourage cooperative efforts rather than competitive ones.
Promotions, pay raises, and other forms of recognition should be given to individuals for
how effective they are as a collaborative team member. (Pages 353-354)
130. Why are teams an essential part of quality management?
The essence of quality management is process improvement, and employee involvement
is the linchpin of process improvement. In other words, quality management requires
management to give employees the encouragement to share ideas and act on what they
suggest. Teams provide the natural vehicle for employees to share ideas and to
implement improvements. (Page 355-356)
MEDIUM LENGTH DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
131. Teams can be classified based on their objectives. Identify and discuss the four most common
forms of work teams.
Teams can do a variety of things. They can make products, provide services, negotiate
deals, coordinate projects, offer advice, and make decisions. The four most common
types of team are problem-solving teams, self-managed teams, cross-functional teams,
and virtual teams.
On problem-solving teams, members share ideas or offer suggestions on how work
processes and methods can be improved. They meet for a few hours each week to
discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment. Rarely,
however, are these teams given the authority to unilaterally implement any of their
suggested actions.
Self- managed work teams are groups of employees (typically 10 to 15 in number) who
perform highly related or interdependent jobs and take on many of the responsibilities of
their former supervisors. Typically, this includes planning and scheduling of work,
assigning tasks to members, collective control over the pace of work, making operating
decisions, taking action on problems, and working with suppliers and customers. Fully
self-managed work teams even select their own members and have the members evaluate
each other’s performance. As a result, supervisory positions take on decreased
importance and may even be eliminated.
Cross-functional teams are made up of employees from about the same hierarchical level,
but from different work areas, who come together to accomplish a task. This is an
effective means for allowing people from diverse areas within an organization to exchange
information, develop new ideas and solve problems, and coordinate complex projects.
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Virtual teams use computer technology to tie together physically dispersed members in
order to achieve a common goal. They allow people to collaborate online using
communication links like wide-area networks, video conferencing, or e-mail, whether
they’re only a room away or continents apart. Virtual teams can do all things that other
teams do – share information, make decisions, complete tasks. (Pages 340-344)
132. What are the three factors that make a virtual team different from a face-to-face team? Explain
each of the factors.
The three primary factors that differentiate virtual teams from face-to-face teams are the
absence of paraverbal and nonverbal cues, limited social context, and the ability to
overcome time and space constraints. In face-to-face conversation, people use paraverbal
(tone of voice, inflection, voice volume) and nonverbal (eye movement, facial expression,
hand gestures, and other body language) cues. These help clarify communication by
providing increased meaning, but aren’t available in online interactions. Virtual teams
often suffer from less social rapport and less direct interaction among members. They
aren’t able to duplicate the normal give and take of face-to-face discussion. Especially
when members haven’t personally met, virtual teams tend to be more task-oriented and
exchange less social–emotional information. Not surprisingly, virtual team members
report less satisfaction with the group interaction process than do face-to-face teams.
Finally, virtual teams are able to do their work even if members are thousands of miles
apart and separated by a dozen or more time zones. It allows people to work together who
might otherwise never be able to collaborate. (Pages 342-343)
133. The team effectiveness model identifies four categories of key components making up effective
teams. What are these four categories? Give examples of each category.
The key components making up effective teams can be subsumed into four general
categories. The first category is work design. Work design characteristics enhance
motivation and increase team effectiveness. These characteristics motivate because they
increase members’ sense of responsibility and ownership over the work and because they
make the work more interesting to perform. The second relates to the team’s composition.
To perform effectively, a team requires three different types of skills – technical expertise,
problem-solving and decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills. No team can
achieve its performance potential without developing all three types of skills. Third is the
resources and contextual influences that make teams effective. The four contextual
factors that appear to be most significantly related to team performance are the presence
of adequate resources, effective leadership, a climate of trust, and a performance
evaluation and reward system that reflects team contributions. Finally, process variables
reflect the things that go on in the team that influence effectiveness. These include
member commitment to a common purpose, establishment of specific team goals, team
efficacy, a managed level of conflict, and minimizing social loafing. (Pages 344-353)
134. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of diversity on teams.
As previously noted, most team activities require a variety of skills and knowledge. Given
this requirement, it would be reasonable to conclude that heterogeneous teams—those
composed of dissimilar individuals—would be more likely to have diverse abilities and
information and should be more effective. Research studies generally substantiate this
conclusion, especially on cognitive, creativity-demanding tasks. When a team is diverse
in terms of personality, gender, age, education, functional specialization, and experience,
there is an increased probability that the team will possess the needed characteristics to
complete its tasks effectively. The team may be more conflict-laden and less expedient as
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varied positions are introduced and assimilated, but the evidence generally supports the
conclusion
that heterogeneous teams perform more effectively than do those that are homogeneous.
Essentially, diversity promotes conflict, which stimulates creativity, which leads to
improved decision making. But what about diversity created by racial or national
differences? The evidence indicates that these elements of diversity interfere with team
processes, at least in the short term. Cultural diversity seems to be an asset for tasks that
call for a variety of viewpoints. But culturally heterogeneous teams have more difficulty
in learning to work with each other and in solving problems. The good news is that these
difficulties seem to dissipate with time. Although newly formed culturally diverse teams
underperform newly formed culturally homogeneous teams, the differences disappear
after about three months. The reason is that it takes culturally diverse teams a while to
learn how to work through disagreements and different approaches to solving problems.
(Page 349)
COMPREHENSIVE ESSAYS
135. What conditions make it most difficult to create team players? Explain how organizations can
create team players.
To perform well as team members, individuals must be able to communicate openly and
honestly, to confront differences and resolve conflicts, and to sublimate personal goals
for the good of the team. For many employees, this is a difficult—sometimes impossible—
task. The challenge of creating team players will be greatest when (1) the national culture
is highly individualistic and (2) the teams are being introduced into an established
organization that has historically valued individual achievement. Some firms prospered by
hiring and rewarding corporate stars, and they bred a competitive climate that encouraged
individual achievement and recognition. Employees in these types of firms can be jolted
by this sudden shift to the importance of team play. A veteran employee of a large
company, who had done well working alone, described the experience of joining a team:
“I’m learning my lesson. I just had my first negative performance appraisal in 20 years.”
The primary options managers have for trying to turn individuals into team players
include:
Selection. Some people already possess the interpersonal skills to be effective team
players. When hiring team members, in addition to the technical skills required to fill the
job, care should be taken to ensure that candidates can fulfill their team roles as well as
technical requirements. Many job candidates don’t have team skills. This is especially
true for those socialized around individual contributions. When faced with such
candidates, managers basically have three options. The candidates can undergo training
to “make them into team players.” If this isn’t possible or doesn’t work, the other two
options are to transfer the individual to another unit within the organization, without teams
(if this possibility exists); or don’t hire the candidate. In established organizations that
decide to redesign jobs around teams, it should be expected that some employees will
resist being team players and may be un-trainable. Unfortunately, such people typically
become casualties of the team approach.
Training. On a more optimistic note, a large proportion of people raised on the importance
of individual accomplishments can be trained to become team players. Training
specialists conduct exercises that allow employees to experience the satisfaction that
teamwork can provide. They typically offer workshops to help employees improve their
problem-solving, communication, negotiation, conflict-management, and coaching skills.
Employees also learn the five-stage group development model described in Chapter 8.
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Rewards. The reward system needs to be reworked to encourage cooperative efforts
rather than competitive ones. Promotions, pay raises, and other forms of recognition
should be given to individuals for how effective they are as a collaborative team member.
This doesn’t mean individual contributions are ignored; rather, they are balanced with
selfless contributions to the team. Examples of behaviors that should be rewarded include
training new colleagues, sharing information with teammates, helping to resolve team
conflicts, and mastering new skills that the team needs but in which it is deficient. (Pages
353-355)
136. What are some of the cautions to be aware of when using teams?
Teams have increased communication demands, conflicts to be managed, and meetings
to be run. It has been suggested that three tests be applied to see if a team fits the
situation. First, can the work be done better by more than one person? 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. Second, does the work
create a common purpose or set of goals for the people in the group that is more than the
aggregate of individual goals? The final test to assess whether teams fit the situation is:
Are the members of the group interdependent? Teams make sense where there is
interdependence between tasks; where 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. (Pages
356-357)
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