Question 1

The teams of team-oriented problem solving in total quality management are essentially the same as the teams once referred to as quality circles.

Accepted Answer

Both team-oriented problem solving in total quality management and quality circles are collaborative approaches involving groups of employees who work together to identify, analyze, and solve work-related problems, aiming to improve quality, efficiency, and the work environment.

Question 2

Depending on the issues addressed, there are potential legal problems with teams that consist entirely of managers.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 3

The popularity of total quality management programs spurred increased emphasis on consultative management approaches.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

There is always a risk that an employee team or committee might be considered an employer-dominated illegal labor organization.

Accepted Answer

Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), an employer cannot dominate or interfere with the formation or administration of any labor organization, including employee teams or committees, as this could be considered an illegal employer-dominated labor organization.

Question 5

It is generally a matter of individual opinion as to whether "quality" committees or committees established to serve as communications channels to improve quality are labor organizations under the law.

Accepted Answer

The passage states that it is a matter of individual opinion whether quality committees are labor organizations, so it is not possible to say definitively whether they are or not.

Question 6

There is a direct relationship between employee commitment and an employee's sense of being included as part of a team.

Accepted Answer

Employee commitment often increases when employees feel included and valued as part of a team, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty to the organization.

Question 7

The supervisor who clearly identifies with higher management conveys a sense of strength that is conducive to the success of employee teams.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The supervisor who clearly identifies with higher...

Question 8

The development and maintenance of a mature, functioning team requires a strongly focused production-centered approach to management.

Accepted Answer

A mature, functioning team requires a balance between a production-centered approach and a people-centered approach, focusing on both task accomplishment and team member needs to foster collaboration, motivation, and effectiveness.

Question 9

Motivation always remains individual, so individual identity and individual motivation must be perpetuated as the heart of an effective work team.

Accepted Answer

Individual motivation is crucial for team effectiveness, as it drives personal contributions and engagement, which collectively enhance team performance.

Question 10

Team maturity is the ultimate goal of the team-building process.

Accepted Answer

Team-building aims to enhance communication, trust, and collaboration among team members, but team maturity is a related yet distinct concept that refers to the team's development stage and ability to perform effectively, which is not the sole or ultimate goal of team-building.

Question 11

In the disequilibrium phase of team building:
A) Assigned and invited participants readily come to regard themselves as team members.
B) The team and its members exhibit the maximum synergistic effect.
C) The group begins to function as a productive team.
D) Most people in the group are having their effects as individuals according to their own needs and desires.

Accepted Answer

In the disequilibrium phase of team building, individuals often act according to their own needs and desires rather than functioning cohesively as a team. This phase is characterized by adjustment and realignment as members learn to work together.

Question 12

To Improve the motivational climate in the department so it is conduce to team activity, the supervisor can:
A) Avoid cross-training and other means of moving people around and focus on creating specialists in needed skills.
B) Get serious about proper delegation, using the process to provide some opportunity for employee growth.
C) Centralize all important activities,
D) Take seriously the principles of true consultative management.

Accepted Answer

The answer of To Improve the motivational climate in the...

Question 13

The supervisor who would endeavor to build and maintain an effective team must first and foremost:
A) Lean toward a Theory X approach to management until a cohesive group has been established.
B) Recruit and select employees who are well experienced specialists at what they do.
C) Generally hold an optimistic view of employees overall and exhibit a Theory Y approach to management.
D) None of the above.

Accepted Answer

Theory Y management style, which is part of Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y, posits that employees are naturally motivated and enjoy working. It suggests that if given the opportunity, employees will seek out and accept responsibility and solve problems creatively. This approach is conducive to building and maintaining an effective team because it fosters a positive, collaborative, and empowering environment.

Question 14

One of the most significant shortcomings of teams or committees is:
A) Some members are often unwilling to set aside position and power for the sake of the team.
B) A team essentially cannot function unless all of its members are approximately equal in knowledge and ability.
C) Team members cannot work well together unless all are of equivalent organizational status.
D) Most team members are unlikely to cooperate if they do not receive equal credit for participation.

Accepted Answer

Teams or committees often face challenges when some members are unwilling to set aside their personal positions and power for the collective good of the team. This can hinder collaboration and the effectiveness of the team as a whole. Options B, C, and D are not universally true and do not represent the most significant shortcomings of teams or committees.

Question 15

In utilizing employee teams, it is necessary for those assembling and guiding a team to:
A) Establish some means by which the team can communicate its recommendations on pay and benefits to management.
B) Avoid allowing the team to deal with terms and conditions of employment.
C) Maintain an open channel for receiving and addressing legitimate complaints that come up during team activity.
D) Make certain that no employees known to be union advocates are invited onto the team.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In utilizing employee teams, it is necessary...

Question 16

Although they may function individually, all teams are actually _________________ with other organizational elements.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Although they may function individually, all teams...

Question 17

It only makes sense to try to account for employees' needs and desires in determining the shape of a _________ program.

Accepted Answer

The answer of It only makes sense to try to...

Question 18

An employee team might be seen as an illegal labor organization if its suggestions or recommendations result in _____________ decisions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of An employee team might be seen as...

Question 19

Employee participation may well be the key to continuing increases in quality, efficiency, and _____________ .

Accepted Answer

The answer of Employee participation may well be the key...

Question 20

In the _____________ stage of team building, individual commitment is tentative and a number of people are likely to adopt a "wait-and-see" attitude.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the _____________ stage of team building,...

Quiz 23: Teams, Team Building, and Teamwork