Chapter 10-Understanding Work Teams

Question 1

Which of the following helps explain the current popularity of teams? Teams ________.
A) are easier to manage
B) better utilize employee talents
C) are less expensive
D) promote socialization and cohesion
E) increase the speed of decision making.

Answer 1

B) better utilize employee talents

Explanation: B) As organizations have restructured themselves to compete more effectively and efficiently, they have turned to teams as a better way to use employee talents.

Question 2

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 who belong to the same department.

Answer 2

B) A work group interacts primarily to share information, rather than to engage in work that requires joint effort.

Explanation: B) A group consists of two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. A work group is defined as a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility. They have no need or opportunity to engage in collective work that requires joint effort.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true regarding a work team?
A) Today teams are rarely used in organizations.
B) Teams are less flexible than traditional departments.
C) A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort.
D) Work teams are less responsive to changing events than traditional departments.
E) Teams impedes employee participation in decision making.

Answer 3

C) A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort.

Explanation: C) Today most of the organizations use teams. Teams are more flexible and responsive to changing events than traditional departments or other forms of permanent groupings. A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. Teams facilitate employee participation in operating decisions.

Question 4

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ results in a level of performance that is greater than the sum of the individual inputs.
A) Synergy
B) Positive affect
C) Emotional labor
D) Cognitive dissonance
E) Emotional dissonance

Answer 4

A) Synergy

Explanation: A) A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated effort. The individual efforts result in a level of performance greater than the sum of those individual inputs.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true regarding a work group?
A) Individuals working in a workgroup are dependent on each other.
B) Work groups primarily engage in collective work that requires joint effort.
C) Work groups do not generate any positive synergy through coordinated effort.
D) Information sharing is not the primary function of a work group.
E) The performance level of the workgroup is greater than the summation of each group member’s individual contribution.

Answer 5

C) Work groups do not generate any positive synergy through coordinated effort.

Explanation: C) A work group consists of two or more individuals, interacting and interdependent, who have come together to achieve particular objectives. The primary function of workgroup is sharing information. Work groups have no need or opportunity to engage in collective work that requires joint effort. So their performance is merely the summation of each group member’s individual contribution. There is no positive synergy that would create an overall level of performance greater than the sum of the inputs.

Question 6

Which of the following is not a difference between work groups and work teams? Work groups ________, and work teams ________.
A) shave neutral synergy, have positive synergy
B) rely on independent accountability, rely on mutual and independent accountability
C) require joint efforts, are the summation of the individual contribution
D) have random and varied skills, have complimentary skills
E) share information, rely on collective performance

Answer 6

C) require joint efforts, are the summation of the individual contribution

Explanation: C) Work groups have no need or opportunity to engage in collective work that requires joint effort. Work group performance is merely the summation of each group member’s individual contribution making (C) the false answer. All other answer choices accurately describe the difference between work groups and work teams.

Question 7

A team consists of employees from the same department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving the work environment but they do not have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions. This is most likely to be a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ team.
A) cross-functional
B) virtual
C) self-managed
D) problem-solving
E) task

Answer 7

D) problem-solving

Explanation: D) In a problem-solving team, members share ideas or suggest how work processes and methods can be improved; they rarely have the authority to unilaterally implement any of their suggestions.