C715 Organizational Behavior Critical Chapters Multiple Choice

Ch 9 Foundations of Group Behavior C715 WGU

Which of the following is true regarding formal groups?

• They are natural formations that arise in response to the need for social contact

• They lack clearly defined structures and roles for their members

• They are negligible impact on employee performance and behavior

• They are marked by stipulated behaviors in pursuit of organizational goals

Answer explanation

Formal groups are created by organizations with specific roles and behaviors designed to achieve organizational goals.

Ch9 Foundations of group behavior C715 WGU

"A" is devout and very active in a church. "A" is also a very dedicated employee. "A" manager offers "A" a promotion but the new role will require work on Sundays. "A" would like the promotion but it would require missing some church activities. In this situation, "A" is most likely to experience

• Role conflict

• social loafing

• groupthink

• role fuzziness

Answer explanation

"A" faces conflicting demands between their church activities and the new job role that requires working on Sundays. This creates a conflict between their religious and work responsibilities.

Ch 9 Foundations of Group Behavior C715 WGU

Which of the following is an effective means of countering social loafing?

• Increasing the rewards the group is given if it succeeds

• Increasing the amount by which the progress is monitored

• Ensuring that individual contributions to the groups outcome.

• Increasing the size of the group

Answer explanation

To counteract social loafing, its effective to make sure each person's contributions are visible and accountable. When people know their individual efforts are being tracked, they are less likely to reduce their effort.

Ch9 Fundamentals of Group Behavior C715 WGU

Which of the following statements is true regarding the effect of group cohesiveness and performance norms on group productivity?

• The positivity of a group is affected by the performance norms but not by the cohesiveness of the group

• If cohesiveness is high and performance norms are low productivity will be high

• If cohesiveness is low and performance norms are high productivity will be low

• When both cohesiveness and performance norms are high productivity will be high

Answer explanation

When group members are closely bonded (high cohesiveness) and have high standards for work (high performance norms) they are more productive

Ch 9 Foundations of group behavior C715 WGU

Which of the following steps can be taken by a manager so as to minimize group think?

• Increasing the group size

• encouraging group leaders to develop a stranger sense of group identity

• Asking the group members to first focus on the positives of an alternative rather than the negatives

• Seeking input from employees before the group leader presents opinions

Answer explanation

This step minimizes groupthink by encouraging diverse opinions and preventing the group from just agreeing with the leader's ideas. It ensures that all perspectives are considered leading to better decision making.

Ch 9 Foundations of Group Behavior C715 WGU

Which term describes an unspoken and unwritten set of rules that govern Individual behaviors in a group?

• Group Interaction

• Group decision making

• Group norms

• Group Think

Answer explanation

Group Norms are the unspoken and unwritten rules that guide how members of a group are expected to behave. They help set the standard for what is acceptable within the group.

Ch 9 Foundations of Group Behavior C715 WGU

What is the outcome of social loafing in the workplace?

• A synergy is created that contributes to higher productivity.

• Employee satisfaction is lower when working in a group.

• Employees expect that effort will lead to a higher level of productivity.

• Group productivity does not equal the productivity of each individual working alone.

Answer explanation

In social loafing people put in less effort in a group than they would alone, so the group's total productivity is lower than the sum of each individual's effort.

Ch 9 Foundation of Group Behavior C715 WGU

Which approach is considered problematic for a team attempting to arrive at a decision?

• Group Think

• Felt Conflict

• Role disintegration

• Norm disintegration

Answer explanation

Group Think is problematic because it makes teams prioritize agreement over making the best decision often leading to poor outcomes.

Ch 10 Understanding Work Teams C715 WGU

A company is about to begin a new project and it has been determined they should include employees from multiple different departments working in a cross-functional team. Which employees should make up this team?

• Members from about the same hierarchical level

• Individuals with the same level of expertise

• Individuals from group directed teams who are assigned to tasks

• Members of a wide array of related divisions in the company

Answer explanation

Involving employees from different divisions bring diverse skills and perspectives which is essential for the success of a new project.

Ch 10 Understanding of work teams C715 WGU

Which characteristic is unique to virtual teams as compared with face-to-face teams?

• The use of impromptu meetings to discuss improvements

• Their tendency to utilize their technical skills to stay on task

• The wide variety of skills they possess to support diverse teaming

• Their ability to remain engaged with limited face to face supervision.

Answer explanation

Virtual teams are unique because they often lack the spontaneous impromptu meetings that naturally happen in face -to -face teams which can impact communication and decision making.