Student Resource
Johnson, Organizational Ethics, 5e
Sage Publications, 2021
d. empathetic
42. What is it called when individuals feel they can speak up without fear of being
embarrassed or rejected? This is a byproduct of open, supportive communication.
a. psychological safety
b. psychological capital
c. collective rationalization
d. mismanaged agreement
43. The tragic explosions of the Challenger and Columbia space shuttles are important
lessons where people placed unanimous agreement ahead of reasoned problem-
solving. Which theory does this demonstrate?
a. polythink
b. groupthink
c. excessive control
d. mismanaged agreement
44. Which is NOT a sign of group pressure?
a. pressure on dissenters
b. self-censorship
c. the illusion of unanimity
d. pre-appointed third party “mind guards”
45. When many fragmented groups bring many different viewpoints, goals, and
perspectives to the decision-making process, this is called ______.
a. polythink
b. groupthink
c. excessive control
d. mismanaged agreement
46. Which management professor developed the concept of mismanaged agreement?
a. Irving Janus
b. Alex Mintz
c. Jerry Harvey
d. Carly Wayne
47. “The Abilene Paradox” refers to when a(n) ______.
a. group embarks on a trip
b. organization takes action contrary to what they want to do and defeats their original
purpose
c. organization takes small steps to achieve a civil dialogue and collective agreement
d. organization achieves its best potential to make the best decision possible
48. Rachel led her group project, however no one was thrilled with the final project
because they all wished they had completed their project on the subject of tax reform
rather than on health care reform. This is an example of ______.
a. the Abilene Paradox
b. the Pygmalion Effect
c. polythink
d. groupthink
49. An example of escalation of commitment is when ______.
a. two coworkers cannot agree nor proceed with civil dialogue
b. a project goes over budget, but members continue to pour too many resources into it
and yet the project still fails
c. the group is ahead of target and decides to expedite the final details in order to
achieve the goal before the deadline
d. a team decides they need to improve upon their commitment to one another
otherwise failure is inevitable
50. Brett storms into Mario’s office and leans over Mario’s desk. He demands Mario turn
over the file for a potential client because Brett believes he is better able to secure the
client. Brett is exhibiting which of the following?
a. strategic communication
b. empathy
c. control
d. spontaneity
1. Valence refers to the desirability of group outcomes for individual members.
2. Minority opinion improves group decision-making effectiveness only if the group
changes its collective mind.
3. Team defense mechanisms can be compared to the body’s immune system.
4. Groups have the tendency to take more risks than individuals.
5. As a leader, state your position on an issue early in the group’s discussion.
6. In groupthink, putting pressure on dissenters is a sign of closed-mindedness.
7. Defensive routines help groups reach their true potential.
8. Bringing in outsiders is one way to stop the escalation of commitment.
Student Resource
Johnson, Organizational Ethics, 5e
Sage Publications, 2021
9. The best groups strike a balance between unity and disunity.
10. Groups can abandon projects too soon as well as too late.
11. Researchers have found that large groups are better for efficiency and for
generating the best ideas.
12. Openness and supportiveness are two important characteristics that need to work
together for any effective ethical team member.
13. To solicit better openness and supportiveness, supervisors often find that when
spontaneity is truly spontaneous, it can reduce defensiveness.
14. Cooperative orientation is important for team dynamics, however outside of healthy
boundaries, the team can suffer from Groupthink dynamics.
15. Polythink is marked by excessive conformity, while Groupthink is marked by
extreme disunity.
1. Individuals who reduce their efforts when working in a group are engaged in ______.
2. ______ refers to the expectation that my individual effort will lead to high group
performance.
3. ______ refers to an individual’s willingness to talk about problems while ______
describes the desire to help others succeed.
4. In ______, group members take more chances than they would on their own.
5. In ______, members publicly support decisions they oppose in private.
6. In project teams, effective leaders require that members ______ their work through
memos and reports.
7. Mismanaged agreement is also referred to as ______.
8. Continuing in a failed course of action is called ______.
9. A common defensive routine is ______.
10. Genocide, human rights violations, and other atrocities are often the product of
______.
11. ______ group members achieve their objectives at the expense of others in the
group.
12. ______ leaders have frequent contact with members of more than one team.
13. Why is it hard to get organizational subgroups to cooperate?
14. Identify and explain the five psychological factors that contribute to mismanaged
agreement (the Abilene Paradox).
15. How do you know if a group is caught in the Abilene Paradox?
16. What is your greatest fear of standing alone?
17. One way to overcome team defense mechanisms is by encouraging ______ instead
of blaming.
18. One way to overcome team defense mechanisms is to ask questions about ______.
19. How does minority opinion benefit a small group?
1. You have been assigned to lead a new project team at work. What steps can you
take to foster a cooperative climate in this group?
2. Develop a strategy for reducing social loafing in a work group or class project team.
3. Explain how groupthink undermines ethical problem-solving.
4. Which group danger sign poses the most danger? Groupthink or mismanaged
agreement? Defend your choice.
5. Use the symptoms of groupthink to determine if a group is in danger of putting
unanimous agreement ahead of reasoned problem-solving.
6. What suggestions would you make to a group or team to help it avoid escalation of
commitment?
7. What strategies might you use to overcome team defense mechanisms?
8. Compare and contrast groupthink and polythink.
9. Describe an example of moral exclusion in an organizational setting. How can the
group become more inclusive?
10. Provide an example and description where a team’s minority perspective of
influence was beneficial or harmful in a group decision-making process.