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 (d; Moderate; p. 338) 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 197

e. security (c; Moderate; p. 339) 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 companys 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 (b; Moderate; p. 341) 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 (d; Moderate; p. 341) 198

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 (d; Moderate; p. 341) 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 (c; Moderate; p. 342) 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. (a; Moderate; p. 342) 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 (c; Moderate; p. 342) 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 199

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 (c; Moderate; p. 343) 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. (b; Moderate; p. 343) 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 (b; Moderate; p. 344) 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. (a; Moderate; p. 345) 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 (b; Moderate; p. 345) 200

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 e. none of the above (d; Moderate; p. 345) 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 e. none of the above (c; Moderate; p. 345) 28. On traditionally managed teams, which factor(s) seems to be important to team performance? a. the leaders expectations b. the leaders mood c. the leaders trust of the members d. A and B e. all of the above (d; Moderate; p. 345) 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 e. none of the above (d; Moderate; p. 346) 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 others behavior. c. Regardless of trust level, most individuals resist exposing vulnerabilities to their co-workers. 201

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. (b; Challenging; p. 346) 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 (b; Challenging; p. 348) 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 (b; Moderate; p. 348) 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 (c; Moderate; p. 348) 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 (b; Challenging; p. 348) 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 202

b. producer c. maintainer d. assessor e. advocate (c; Moderate; p. 348) 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 (a; Moderate; p. 351) 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 (d; Moderate; p. 351) 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. (b; Moderate; p. 352) 203

45.

Which type of conflict is almost always dysfunctional? a. task conflict b. efficacy conflict c. relationship conflict d. resource conflict e. social conflict (c; Moderate; p. 353) 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 (b; Moderate; p. 354) 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. (d; Moderate; p. 354) 50. Exercises that help individuals become team players include workshops in _____. a. negotiation b. individualism c. goal setting d. event planning e. recruiting (a; Moderate; p. 354) Teams and Quality Management 51. Employee involvement has been referred to as the linchpin of process improvement. In context, involvement most nearly means _____. 204

a. organization b. participation c. leadership d. commitment e. interaction (b; Moderate; p. 356) 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 (a; Moderate; p. 357) TRUE/FALSE 53. Teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being completed require rapid decisionmaking. (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. (False; Moderate; p. 339) 57. Work groups typically generate more positive synergy than do work teams. (False; Moderate; p. 339) 58. Work groups engage in collective endeavors that require collaborative effort. (False; Moderate; p. 339) 59. Work teams produce final results that exceed the sum of individual team member inputs. (True; Moderate; p. 339) 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. (False; Moderate; p. 340) 62. Problem-solving teams generally consist of 5 to 12 hourly employees from the same department. 205

(True; Easy; p. 340) 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. (False; Moderate; p. 341) 64. A cross-functional work team takes on many of the responsibilities of their former supervisors. (False; Moderate; p. 341) 65. Supervisory positions take on decreased importance for a problem-solving work team. (False; Moderate; p. 341) 66. As a result of self-managed teams, supervisory positions may be eliminated. (True; Moderate; p. 341) 67. Individuals on supervisory work teams report higher levels of job satisfaction. (False; Moderate; p. 341) 68. Individuals on self-managed work teams have lower absenteeism rates than employees in traditional work structures. (False; Easy; p. 341) 69. Turnover rates are higher for self-managed work teams than for employees working in traditional work structures. (True; Easy; p. 341) 70. Self-managed teams have flourished in Mexico due to that cultures low tolerance for ambiguity. (False; Moderate; p. 341) 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. (True; Easy; p. 341) 72. Membership on virtual teams is usually restricted to employees living within the same country. (False; Moderate; p. 342) 73. A task force is a temporary problem-solving team. (False; Moderate; p. 342) 74. Cross-discipline teams usually function well only in small companies. (False; Moderate; p. 342) 75. Cross-functional teams are very effective for coordinating highly complex projects. (True; Easy; p. 342) 76. One advantage of cross-functional teams is that they are easy to manage. (False; Moderate; p. 342) 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. (False; Moderate; p. 344) 206

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: problem-solving and decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills. (True; Moderate; p. 346) technical expertise,

81. On a team, the role of the creator describes the person who analyzes decision options. (False; Moderate; p. 348) 82. The role of the linker describes the person within the work team who coordinates and integrates the work of team members. (True; Moderate; p. 348) 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. (False; Moderate; p. 348) 84. Susan is well organized and enjoys providing structure for the group. Her role within the work team may be described as the maintainer. (False; Moderate; p. 348) 85. Competitive reward structures reinforce the importance of collaboration in work teams. (False; Moderate; p. 348) 86. Diversity on a team is likely to increase the technical competence of that team. (False; Moderate; p. 349) 87. Diversity typically makes a team more conflict-laden and less expedient. (True; Moderate; p. 349) 88. Cohorts are groups of individuals who share a common attribute, such as entering a team at the same time. (True; Easy; p. 350) 89. Given the option, many employees will select themselves out of team participation. (True; Easy; p. 351) 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 members contributions are invisible to the rest of the team. (True; Moderate; p. 353) Turning Individuals Into Team Players 92. Teams tend to operate well within countries that score high on collectivism. (True; Easy; p. 353) 93. Canadians would most likely have more difficulty using work teams than the Japanese. 207

(True; Easy; p. 353) 94. Work teams are easy for American workers because Americans grow up learning the importance of teamwork through sports. (False; Moderate; p. 353) 95. Teams that are devoid of conflict are likely to become apathetic and stagnant. (True; Moderate; p. 353) 96. Task conflict increases the likelihood of groupthink. (False; Moderate; p. 353) 97. Communication and the ability to sublimate ones personal goals are important for individuals who are members of work teams. (True; Easy; p. 354) 98. Introducing work teams into new organizations will generally be more difficult than introducing them into more mature organizations. (False; Easy; p. 354) 99. A large proportion of people raised on the importance of individual accomplishment can be trained to become team players. (True; Moderate; p. 354) 100. Work teams often provide intrinsic rewards, such as camaraderie. (True; Moderate; p. 355) Contemporary Issues In Managing Teams 101. One of the central components of effective quality management involves using teams to improve work processes. (True; Easy; p. 356) 102. Teamwork takes more time and often more resources than individual work. (True; Moderate; p. 356) 103. The most effective teams have between ten and fifteen members. (False; Moderate; p. 357) 104. Teams make most sense to employ when the tasks to be accomplished are independent of one another. (False; Moderate; p. 357) 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. 208

a. problem-solving b. self-managed c. cross-functional d. virtual e. task-resolution (a; Moderate; p. 340) 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 others 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 Arent 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. 209

(a; Challenging; p. 342) 110. Your companys 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. (c; Moderate; p. 348) 113. James is best suited to which role? a. organizer b. maintainer c. linker d. adviser e. producer (e; Moderate; p. 348) 114. The person best suited for the role of adviser is probably: a. Betty. 210

b. James. c. Iris. d. you. e. none of the above are suited for the role of advisor. (a; Moderate; p. 348) 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. (a; Moderate; p. 349) 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 (b; Moderate; p. 349) 117. Ms. Yukos 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. (a; Moderate; p. 349) 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 others jobs. (e; Moderate; p. 351) 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 teams output. Recently, however, you have noticed a marked decrease in the teams performance. You investigate to determine the problem.

211

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 members 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. (b; Moderate; p. 352)

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 groups productivity? a. Yes, because interpersonal conflicts always hurt a teams 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. (d; Moderate; p. 353) 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 companys 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 companys 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 212

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 (b; Challenging; p. 356) 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 others 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 theyre 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) 213

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 others 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. 214

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 theyre 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 arent available in online interactions. Virtual teams often suffer from less social rapport and less direct interaction among members. They arent able to duplicate the normal give and take of face-to-face discussion. Especially when members havent personally met, virtual teams tend to be more task-oriented and exchange less socialemotional 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 teams 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 teamsthose composed of dissimilar individualswould 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 215

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 difficultsometimes 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: Im 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 dont 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 isnt possible or doesnt work, the other two options are to transfer the individual to another unit within the organization, without teams (if this possibility exists); or dont 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. 216

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 doesnt 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 dont 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)

217