Chapter 13
Teams and Team Building
1. Classic organizational structures are essentially mechanistic in their attempts to get people to
act as efficiently and predictably as machines.
2. The classical structure is strong in psychological support and weak in task support.
3. Organic forms work well if the environment is stable, not requiring any change within the
organization.
4. Since the structure of a matrix organization is more flexible than traditional hierarchy, it can
better handle the changes that occur in complex projects.
5. The classical organizational process, when applied on a large scale across internal
organizational boundaries, creates cross-functional teams.
6. The stages of team development are rigidly followed.
7. Adjourning is typically the last step in the life cycle of a team.
8. Social loafing is a potential team problem.
9. A supportive environment is an ingredient of effective teams.
10. A superordinate goal is a higher goal that integrates the efforts of two or more persons.
11. Team members are likely to feel more motivated and empowered when they share a sense of
potency.
12. Team building encourages team members to examine how they work together, identify their
weaknesses, and develop more effective ways of cooperating.
13. Collection of relevant data is typically the first stage in team building.
14. Negotiation between conflicting parties is an example of a presentation skill.
15. Public speaking is an example of a consultation skill.
16. Planning and conducting a study is as an example of a research skill.
17. Self-managing teams are natural work groups that are given substantial autonomy and in
return are asked to control their own behavior and produce significant results.
18. Reduced flexibility of staff is a disadvantage of self-managing teams.
19. Boundary spanners keep communication channels open and active by constantly sharing
information with other units in the organization and with people at other levels.
20. Virtual teams are groups of individuals from around the globe that meet through the use of
technological aids without all of their members being present in the same location.
1. Modern organizations differ from classical organizational structures in that modern
organizations:
A) are flexible, organic, and open.
B) are strong in task support but weak in psychological support.
C) are essentially mechanistic in their attempts to get people to act as predictably as machines.
D) exemplify the centralized decision-making process.
2. Which of the following is a disadvantage of classical organizational structures?
A) It cannot support people.
B) It provides minimum task support.
C) It is weak in psychological support.
D) It has less rigid tasks and roles.
3. A _____ organization is an overlay of one type of organization on another so that two chains
of command are directing individual employees.
A) bureaucratic
B) matrix
C) divisional
D) functional
4. Which of the following is a reason for the use of the matrix structure?
A) Its teams focus on many projects.
B) Its structure is more closed and rigid.
C) It decreases employee autonomy.
D) It can better handle complex changes.
5. Which of the following statements differentiates teams from groups?
A) Unlike groups, the focus of activity for teams is on efficient task performance rather than
problem solving.
B) Teams have a dysfunctional and discouraged view of conflict, whereas groups have a
functional and encouraged view of conflict.
C) Unlike groups, teams exemplify a single rather than a shared approach to leadership.
D) Teams are measured on the basis of their collective output, whereas groups are measured on
the basis of their individual outputs.
6. Which of the following is typically the first stage in the life cycle of a team?
A) Norming
B) Forming
C) Storming
D) Performing
7. Which of the following is typically the next stage of team development after a team is
formed?
A) Adjourning
B) Storming
C) Norming
D) Performing
8. During the _____ stage, members compete for status, jockey for positions of relative control,
and argue about appropriate directions for the group.
A) storming
B) norming
C) performing
D) forming
9. Jake is a manager at TriColors Inc. He forms a team for a new research project. His team
members work collaboratively and follow the established group norms. According to the life
cycle of a team, which of the following is typically the next stage for Jake’s team?
A) Norming
B) Forming
C) Performing
D) Adjourning
10. Sara is part of an experienced team that mainly handles complex tasks. The team executes its
functional roles and accomplishes the tasks efficiently. According to the life cycle of a team,
which of the following stages is being illustrated in this scenario?
A) Performing
B) Norming
C) Forming
D) Adjourning
11. Which of the following is a cause of social loafing?
A) Low achievement motivation
B) High competence
C) Drive for success
D) Fair division of labor
12. Which of the following is a potential team problem?
A) Deferred judgment
B) Group cohesiveness
C) Cognitive dissonance
D) Social loafing
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written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Ans: D
Page: 353
Difficulty: Medium
13. Which of the following is an ingredient of effective teams?
A) Changing composition
B) Supportive environment
C) Social loafing
D) Deferred judgment
14. In a firefighting team, all members respond to a crisis collaboratively. Their mutual
recognition of the emergency alerts them to the need for simultaneous action and coordinated
response. Each knows what the others can do and trusts them to perform capably. Which of the
following ingredients of effective teams is being illustrated in this scenario?
A) Deferred judgment
B) Groupthink
C) Skills and role clarity
D) Superordinate goals
15. Which of the following is typically the first stage in team building?
A) Problem-solving experience
B) Data feedback and confrontation
C) Collection of relevant data
D) Identification of a problem
16. Luke, a senior operations manager, is responsible for team building in his department. He
has identified a problem. Which of the following is most likely to be Luke’s next step toward
team building?
A) On-the-job application and follow-up
B) Collection of relevant data
C) Data feedback and confrontation
D) Problem-solving experience
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written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Page: 358
Difficulty: Medium
17. Carol is responsible for team building in her organization. She has identified a problem and
has collected relevant data about it. Which of the following is most likely to be Carol’s next step
toward team building?
A) On-the-job application
B) Data feedback and confrontation
C) Problem-solving experience
D) Follow-up after on-the-job application
18. Which of the following is typically the last step in team building?
A) On-the-job application and follow-up
B) Problem-solving experience
C) Data feedback and confrontation
D) Identification of a problem
19. Which of the following is classified as a consultation skill?
A) Diagnosing issues
B) Preparing reports
C) Building trust
D) Speaking in public
20. Which of the following is an interpersonal skill?
A) Preparing reports
B) Diagnosing issues
C) Building trust
D) Designing programs for change
21. Which of the following is classified as a presentation skill?
A) Diagnosing issues
B) Building trust
C) Designing programs for change
D) Speaking in public
22. The _____ helps team members see themselves in action by focusing on what is currently
happening around them.
A) negotiator
B) process consultant
C) market maven
D) product expert
23. Which of the following is most likely to be an employee territory?
A) Cubicles
B) Conference room
C) Library
D) Parking space
24. _____ are natural work groups that are given substantial autonomy and in return are asked to
control their own behavior and produce significant results.
A) Leader-managed teams
B) Supervisor-managed teams
C) Self-managing teams
D) Management-led teams
25. Which of the following is an advantage of self-managing teams?
A) Improved flexibility of staff
B) Higher turnover rates
C) Lower training investment
D) Short period of implementation
26. Which of the following is a disadvantage of self-managing teams?
A) Reduced flexibility of staff
B) Higher turnover rates
C) Extended implementation time
D) Lower organizational commitment levels
27. Which of the following is a typical supervisory role in a traditional structure?
A) Facilitator
B) Resource allocator
C) Champion and cheerleader
D) Problem solver
28. Which of the following is a typical supervisory role in a self-managing team structure?
A) Coordinator
B) Facilitator
C) Expert
D) Teacher
29. Boundary spanners often have little or no authority, and so their task is best accomplished
through skills such as _____.
A) avoiding external support
B) social loafing
C) social awareness
D) withdrawal from group activities
30. _____ are groups of individuals from around the globe that meet through the use of
technological aids without all of their members being present in the same location.
A) Process consultants
B) Product consultants
C) Virtual teams
D) Boundary spanners
1. Distinguish between the classical organization theory and the matrix organization theory.
2. What are cross-functional teams?
3. List the various stages in the life-cycle of a team.
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning
Difficulty: Easy
4. Describe any three potential problems of a team.
5. List the ingredients of effective teams.
6. List the conditions most likely to motivate and empower employees.
Copyright © 2014 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior
written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Ans: Team members will likely feel more motivated and empowered when they:
• Share a sense of potency (have a can-do attitude)
• Experience meaningfulness (have a commitment to a worthwhile purpose)
• Are given autonomy (have freedom and discretion to control resources and make
decisions)
• See their impact on results (can assess, monitor, and celebrate their contributions and
results)
Page: 356
Difficulty: Medium
7. List the signals that indicate when it is more appropriate to devote attention to the team-
building process.
8. List the different stages in team building.
1. Identification of a problem
2. Collection of relevant data
3. Data feedback and confrontation
4. Problem-solving experience
5. On-the-job application and follow-up
Difficulty: Medium
9. List the disadvantages of self-managing teams.
10. List the skills needed for boundary spanners.