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189 Copyright © (2009) Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as (Prentice Hall)

CHAPTER 11: GROUPS AND TEAMS Multiple Choice Questions 1. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

a. In the flatter, leaner organizations of the twenty-first century, groups and teams are even more important than in the past.

b. Organizations of all types and sizes are less likely to use groups and teams now than even a few years ago.

c. Utilizing teams and groups requires a change in the mindset of managers and their subordinates.

d. Not all individuals adapt equally well to a group-oriented environment. Answer: b (p. 309, moderate, integration) 2. Which of the following is NOT true regarding groups?

a. A group is a set of people, limited in number. b. All teams are groups; likewise, all groups are teams. c. Groups involve some degree of mutual interaction and shared objectives. d. Most people who work in organizations are a part of at least one group.

Answer: b (p. 309 – 310, moderate, integration) 3. According to your textbook, the members of a team _____.

a. rely on unilateral action b. rarely identify with team objectives c. take personal responsibility for specified outcomes d. have some degree of interaction and shared objectives

Answer: c (p. 310, easy, recall) 4. As the basic work units of an organization, _____ consist of a supervisor or manager

and all those who report to that person. a. committees b. command groups c. project groups d. task forces

Answer: b (p. 310, easy, recall) 5. All of the following pertain to command (supervisory) groups EXCEPT _____.

a. they are relatively enduring. b. group membership changes relatively slowly. c. once the project has been completed, the group will disband. d. they consist of a supervisor/manager and those who report to that person.

Answer: c (p. 310, moderate, recall)


6. Which of the following is true regarding the “Group” oval in the Individuals-to-

Group-to-Team Continuum? a. It intersects with the “Individuals” oval. b. It does not intersect with any oval. c. It intersects with the “Individuals” oval and the “Team” oval. d. It intersects with the “Team” oval.

Answer: d (p. 310, easy, recall) 7. A marketing group for an office supply company meets with their supervisor on the

first Friday of every month to review advertising programs and create special promotional activities. This group is probably a _____. a. committee b. command group c. project/task force d. self-managed work group

Answer: b (p. 310, moderate, application) 8. ICE, Inc. has called upon a group of MIS employees to oversee the design and

implementation of a new companywide information system. This group is an example of a _____. a. committee b. command group c. project/task force d. cross-functional team

Answer: c (pp. 310 – 311, easy, recall) 9. ABC Enterprises plans to assign the duty of reviewing its quarterly budget to six of

its employees. These employees will be members of a _____. a. committee b. task force c. work group d. command group

Answer: a (pp. 311 – 312, easy, application) 10. Which of the following is NOT a formal group?

a. an ad hoc committee b. an autonomous group c. a compensation committee d. a friendship group

Answer: d (p. 312, moderate, recall)


11. _____ are designated, created, and sanctioned by the organization to carry out its

basic work and fulfill its overall mission a. Formal groups b. Informal groups c. Workplace groups d. Process groups

Answer: a (p. 312, easy, recall) 12. _____ influence the formation of groups in an organization.

a. The goals of the organization b. The opportunities for interacting and sharing knowledge c. The psychological needs of potential group members d. all of the above

Answer: d (p. 312, moderate, recall) 13. During the _____ of group development, members cautiously exchange information

and conflicts begin to emerge. a. forming stage b. storming stage c. norming stage d. performing stage

Answer: b (p. 315, moderate, recall) 14. During the _____ of group development, a consensus about the group’s issues and

norms begins to emerge. a. forming stage b. storming stage c. norming stage d. performing stage

Answer: c (p. 315, moderate, recall) 15. Which of the following is NOT an essential structural feature of a group?

a. norms b. composition c. differentiated roles d. differentiated status

Answer: a (p. 316, easy, recall)


16. A review of studies conducted in the United States found that as groups got larger members’ satisfaction levels _____ and leaders’ behaviors became _____. a. decreased; more task-oriented b. increased; more people-oriented c. remained constant; less task-oriented d. decreased; more people-oriented

Answer: a (p. 316, moderate, integration) 17. The optimal size for a group in the workplace _____.

a. is the largest number of people who can do the task b. has a neutral effect on each member’s level of participation c. varies based on the types of tasks facing the group d. increases exponentially as the organization grows

Answer: c (p. 317, difficult, recall) 18. “Social loafing” in work groups is_____.

a. unrelated to the size of the group b. prevalent in collectivist cultures c. less likely to occur in individualistic cultures d. less evident when individual contributions are easy to identify

Answer: d (p. 317, moderate, recall) 19. According to Hitt, Black, and Porter, when do process costs increase?

a. when interpersonal conflicts increase within a group b. when the cost of raw materials increases c. when the cost of employee benefits rises d. when groups become larger

Answer: d (p. 317, easy, recall) 20. Although _____ groups may demonstrate fewer conflicts because the members

possess fewer differences, _____ groups may produce more creative work because the members consider a wider range of options. a. heterogeneous; homogenous b. homogenous; heterogeneous c. permanent; temporary d. temporary; permanent

Answer: b (pp. 317 – 320, moderate, integration, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity)


21. The potential affective consequences of diversity on a group or team would include all of the following EXCEPT _____. a. satisfaction b. conflict within the group c. identification with the group d. amount and quality of new ideas

Answer: d (p. 318, moderate, integration, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity) 22. The types of diversity in groups can be classified as _____.

a. observable attributes and underlying attributes b. relationship consequences and affective attributes c. cognitive consequences and process attributes d. social attributes and communication-related consequences

Answer: a (p. 318, moderate, integration, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity) 23. According to “A Manager’s Challenge: Diversity,” the interactions of the randomly

assigned Logica crew in an around-the-world yacht race illustrate that _____. a. the crew was highly dysfunctional b. the crew began as a group then became a team c. crew members performed more efficiently as a group than as a team d. the crew enjoyed a high degree of interaction but shared few objectives

Answer: b (p. 319, difficult, recall, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity) 24. Which of the following does NOT exemplify the impact of increased diversity on the

functioning and performance of a group? a. It promotes the discussion of a wider range of opinions and ideas. b. It leads to increased frequency of communication within the group. c. It has somewhat negative effects on reactions and interactions in the group. d. It reduces the frequency of communication with people outside the group.

Answer: b (p. 320, difficult, integration, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity) 25. How can managers decrease role ambiguity in groups?

a. enforce homogeneity in all work groups b. define clearly expected behaviors for group members c. discourage the development of group norms d. all of the above

Answer: b (p. 321, moderate, application)


26. Alice Jones finds it difficult to spend ample time with customers when she is also required to meet a quota of customers during her shift. She is experiencing _____. a. role reversal b. role conflict c. role ambiguity d. role overload

Answer: b (p. 321, moderate, application) 27. Which of the following statements is NOT true regarding status issues in groups?

a. Status differences can strongly influence group interactions. b. Members with higher status tend to receive more communications than members

with lower status receive. c. Lower-status members often defer to higher-status members when groups are

making decisions. d. Extreme status differences expedite communication and decision making.

Answer: d (p. 321, easy, recall) 28. Which of the following is NOT a valid statement about group norms?

a. Norms do not necessarily apply to all group members. b. Norms vary in the degree to which group members accept them. c. Norms are usually established to address minor issues in the group. d. Norms vary in how much deviation members are permitted in following them.

Answer: c (p. 321 – 322, moderate, recall) 29. Because of illness, the chairperson of a budget committee yields his position to a new

hire who had served many years on the budget committee in her previous organization. The new chair’s first act is to email a new set of committee procedures to other members. In this case, the committee’s norms are about to be affected most

clearly by _____ and _____. a. early behaviors; critical events b. early behaviors; explicitly stated standards c. explicitly stated standards; imported behaviors d. imported behaviors; early behaviors

Answer: c (p. 322 – 323, difficult, application)


30. When “rate busters” work faster than group members think they should, they are not _____ group norms. a. aware of b. acknowledging c. conforming to d. responding to

Answer: c (p. 323, easy, application) 31. Which of the following will tend to increase conformity in a group?

a. limited communication b. close adherence to the norms of the group c. divergent actions by members of the group d. disagreement over the relevance of the group’s norms

Answer: b (p. 323, difficult, integration) 32. What is the most important factor in developing group cohesion?

a. small group size b. a high level of competition with other groups c. successful past performance of the group d. strong interpersonal attraction among group members

Answer: d (p. 324, difficult, recall) 33. In NASA’s Challenger disaster, one group ignored the recommendations of another.

This demonstrates the danger of _____. a. formal groups b. groupthink c. process costs d. relationship conflict

Answer: b (p. 324, moderate, application) 34. High levels of group cohesion can lead to _____.

a. potential decrease in intergroup cooperation b. strengthened adherence to group norms c. increased quality and quantity of group interactions d. all of the above

Answer: d (p. 324, moderate, recall)


35. A/An_____ has no formally appointed supervisor; however, the group manages itself on behalf of the organization’s objectives, and its members usually appoint their own

informal leaders. a. command group b. informal workgroup c. self-managed workgroup d. none of the above

Answer: c (p. 325, difficult, integration) 36. Within the context of global teams, _____ build on their differences and use them to

enhance creativity, whereas _____ channel their efforts into unproductive conflicts and interpersonal attacks. a. destroyer teams; equalizer teams b. creator teams; destroyer teams c. creator teams; equalizer teams d. equalizer teams; destroyer teams

Answer: b (p. 326, moderate, integration, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity) 37. In order to develop new financial instruments for sale to its clients, a bank brings

together a cross-functional team, consisting of members from finance, legal, marketing, and other units. Which of the following is a problem that is likely to arise from such a cross-functional team? a. The widely varying initial perspectives of team members can increase conflicts. b. The team will not have sufficient responsibility to complete the project. c. The team will not have sufficient technical knowledge for the project. d. The diverse backgrounds of team members will stifle creativity.

Answer: a (p. 326, moderate, recall) 38. A team was set up by a group of Asian, Australian, and North American universities

in order to allow students to transfer easily between each institution. However, the team achieved little, with the members from different nations accusing each other of being bullying, insensitive, and unprofessional. Which one of the following terms characterizes this global team? a. creators b. paralyzers c. equalizers d. destroyers

Answer: d (p. 326, moderate, integration, AACSB: Multicultural and Diversity)


39. Within the context of teamwork competencies, all of the following EXCEPT _____ are examples of skills. a. shared vision and mutual trust b. adaptability and flexibility c. decision making and problem solving d. coordination and task integration

Answer: a (p. 327, moderate, recall) 40. Members of virtual teams are often geographically dispersed, so _____.

a. communication can be incomplete and subject to misinterpretation b. trust among team members may be hard to develop c. management supervision may be more difficult than in a typical group d. all of the above

Answer: d (p. 327, difficult, recall) 41. A _____ is probably the most difficult type of team to manage.

a. project team b. command team c. virtual team d. project/task team

Answer: c (p. 327, easy, recall) 42. As noted in “A Manager’s Challenge: Technology,” researchers associated with the

University of North Carolina found that the forming-storming-norming-performing description of a group’s lifecycle _____. a. was well adapted to the development of virtual teams b. had limited applicability to the development of virtual teams c. was irrelevant to the development of virtual teams d. was somewhat relevant to the development of virtual teams

Answer: a (p. 328, moderate, recall, AACSB: Information Technology) 43. _____ can be beneficial to a group, especially for less routine or more complex tasks.

a. Task conflict b. Intergroup conflict c. Relational conflict d. Process conflict

Answer: a (p. 329, moderate, recall)


44. _____ arises when group members possess divergent ideas or approaches to attaining goals. a. Task conflict b. Emotional conflict c. Relational conflict d. Process conflict

Answer: d (pp. 329 – 330, easy, recall) 45. Conflict arises in a corporate training firm between sales staff and the educational

designers. The sales staff wants courses to be customized according to each client’s

specifications, while the designers prefer to produce general courses that can be sold to a wide range of companies. Which of the following would probably be the best way to reduce the conflict between these groups? a. Focus both groups on an issue that they have in common, such as improving

customer satisfaction. b. Require everyone to attend company-sponsored anger management classes. c. Give managerial support to the group whose goals best fit the overall strategic

direction of the company. d. Focus on relational conflicts, rather than relevant substantive differences.

Answer: a (p. 330, difficult, application) 46. All of the following EXCEPT _____ are potential causes of task and process conflicts

in groups. a. scarcity of resources to accomplish group goals b. ambiguities regarding the task to be accomplished c. differences in the interpersonal styles of group members d. differences in goals, objectives, and perspectives among group members

Answer: c (p. 330, difficult, integration) 47. Where does intragroup conflict occur?

a. between groups b. within groups c. between departments d. across the organizational hierarchy

Answer: b (p. 330, easy, recall)


48. _____ discourages rather than encourages group members from considering multiple points of view and openly discussing ideas and solutions. a. Task conflict b. Substantive conflict c. Relational conflict d. Process conflict

Answer: c (p. 330, moderate, recall) 49. Which of the following is NOT a significant indicator of group effectiveness?

a. The group’s outputs are highly valued by those who use them. b. The group’s capacity for cooperation increases over time. c. Group members experience satisfaction from group membership. d. Group members are well compensated in financial returns.

Answer: d (p. 331, moderate, recall) 50. Which of the following is NOT necessary for groups to be effective?

a. high inter-group competition b. adequate effort to accomplish tasks c. appropriate strategies to accomplish tasks d. sufficient knowledge to accomplish tasks

Answer: a (p. 332, moderate, recall) True/ False 51. According to the text, organizations based on individual employees, rather than on

groups and teams, will fail to compete in the twenty-first century. Answer: True (p. 309, moderate, recall) 52. A command group can be formal or informal within the organization. Answer: False (p. 310, moderate, integration) 53. A command group consists of a supervisor or manager and all those who report to

that person. Answer: True (p. 310, easy, recall) 54. Ad hoc committees are designed to be temporary, but other committees can be

designed to be permanent. Answer: True (p. 311, moderate, recall)


55. Informal groups have little effect on the attitudes and performance of their members in relation to organization tasks and objectives.

Answer: False (p. 312, difficult, recall) 56. When a manager forms a new organizational group, he or she must recognize that the

formation of a new group does not necessarily mean that a team has been created. Answer: True (p. 314, easy, recall) 57. In dispersed “virtual” groups, the development of mutual knowledge (i.e., finding

common ground) among members is essential. Answer: True (p. 314, moderate, integration) 58. During the forming stage of group development, group members establish and accept

group norms. Answer: False (p. 315, moderate, integration) 59. Group members are very similar in heterogeneous groups. Answer: False (p. 317, moderate, recall) 60. The “optimal” size of the group is based on the types of tasks facing the group. Answer: True (p. 317, moderate, integration) 61. Social loafing generally decreases as group size increases. Answer: False (p. 317, moderate, integration) 62. The underlying attributes of diversity include race, ethnicity, gender, and age. Answer: False (p. 318, moderate, recall) 63. Increasingly, organizations are attempting to loosen rigid role boundaries within

groups, in an attempt to gain greater flexibility in meeting unexpected challenges. Answer: True (p. 320, moderate, integration) 64. In today’s highly competitive organizations, the leadership role is often specialized

and concentrated in one person, usually the supervisor. Answer: False (p. 320, moderate, integration)


65. A computer company expects its customer service representatives to give its phone-in clients as much time and friendly attention as each client needs. Yet the company does not hire enough representatives to handle the volume of calls. As a result, wait times sometimes exceed ten minutes, and the customers themselves must pay for the telephone call. This set of company expectations places the clerks in a situation called role ambivalence.

Answer: False (p. 321, moderate, application) 66. The concept of “status” pertains to a group’s shared standards that guide the behavior

of its individual members. Answer: False (p. 321, easy, recall) 67. Norms do not necessarily apply to all members of the group. Answer: True (p. 322, difficult, recall) 68. Managers should be as concerned about the content or direction of group norms as

about the amount of conformity to them. Answer: True (p. 323, moderate, recall) 69. The existence of strong group norms tends to exaggerate individual differences in

behavior and beliefs. Answer: False (p. 323, moderate, integration) 70. Groupthink may be accentuated in highly cohesive groups. Answer: True (p. 324, moderate, integration) 71. A highly cohesive group is more likely to reject any deviance from its norms, even if

it represents creative ideas that could ultimately be useful to the group. Answer: True (p. 324, moderate, recall) 72. An autonomous group manages itself on behalf of the organization’s objectives, and

its members usually appoint their own informal leader. Answer: True (p. 325, difficult, recall) 73. A potential disadvantage of a cross-functional team is that not all employees want to

manage themselves. Answer: False (p. 325, difficult, recall)


74. Global teams known as “equalizers” accept and build upon their differences and use

them to enhance their creativity. Answer: False (p. 326, moderate, recall) 75. A primary objective for cross-functional teams is to bring to bear as much creativity

and dispersed knowledge as possible on the task.

Answer: True (p. 326, difficult, application) 76. It is easy for virtual teams to build trust among group members, even though they

rarely meet face-to-face. Answer: False (p. 327, moderate, application) 77. In general, managers should regard task conflict positively and relationship conflict

negatively. Answer: True (pp. 329 – 330, moderate, integration) 78. Intergroup conflict occurs within groups; intragroup conflict occurs between groups. Answer: False (p. 330, difficult, recall) 79. When dealing with group conflict, a manager should look for opportunities to

increase the ratio of relationship to substantive conflict. Answer: False (p. 330, difficult, recall) 80. Richard Hackman suggests that managers should focus solely on outputs, when they

are evaluating group performance. Answer: False (p. 331, moderate, application) Short Essay Questions 81. What is meant by the terms “group” and “team”? (pp. 309 – 310) A group can be defined as a set of people, limited in number, with some degree of interaction and shared objectives. A team is a group whose members possess a higher degree of coordinated interaction, a strong sense of personal responsibility for group outcomes, and individual identification with the group.


82. What is the difference between formal and informal groups? (pp. 310 – 312) Formal groups are established by an organization with specific objectives in mind. Members of informal groups choose to interact voluntarily, not by organizational mandate. 83. Discuss the four stages of group formation in an organizational context. (p. 315) The stages of group formation are as follows: forming, storming, norming, and performing. The forming stage poses unique challenges. One challenge presents itself when group members are not used to a group-oriented approach to work. Another challenge is that the group’s members will have lots of questions, whether they ask them openly or not. The storming stage may last for some time, depending on the nature of the group and its tasks. In this stage, members learn what is expected of them, how to behave in an acceptable way, and how well they relate to each other. In the norming stage, a consensus about group issues emerges, as well as a degree of individual identity with the group and its goals. In the performing stage, the group is able to perform like a team and take actions as a coherent entity. The group is able to influence individual members’

attitudes and cope with divergent opinions among group members. Furthermore, others within, or outside, the organization are being affected by the group’s actions. 84. What is social loafing? How can it be minimized? (p. 317) Social loafing occurs when individuals in larger groups “sit back” and assume that others will “carry the load.” Social loafing can be minimized when a manager structures tasks to encourage full participation in the group. The key is being able to identify each member’s

contributions. Other research indicates that social loafing in groups is less likely to occur in collectivist cultures. 85. What is meant by role conflict? What is meant by role ambiguity? (p. 321) Role conflict occurs when a member of a group faces two or more contrasting sets of expectations. Role ambiguity occurs when the expected behaviors for a group member are not clearly defined. 86. What are “norms” within a group? (p. 321) Norms are shared standards that guide the behavior of a group’s individual members. It

would be difficult, if not impossible, for groups to function without norms. Each person’s

behavior would be too unpredictable for coordinated action to take place. Norms also reduce ambiguity; they provide members with cues and guidelines about how to behave. 87. What are the characteristics of group norms? (pp. 321 – 322) Group norms can be understood by reviewing their main features. First, norms are usually established for the more important issues of concern to the group. Second, norms


do not necessarily apply to all members of the group; some apply to certain members, usually based on the status or role of those members. Third, norms vary in their degree of acceptance by group members; some norms are accepted by virtually all members, others by only a majority. Fourth, norms vary in how much deviation members are permitted in following them; that is, some norms are flexible and some are more restrictive. 88. How might norms be developed within a group? (pp. 322 – 323) Norms do not appear spontaneously. Instead, they arise out of the interaction of group members. Norms may be developed through early behaviors. Typically, initial behaviors, especially in newly formed groups, establish standards for subsequent behavior. Norms may also be developed through imported behaviors. Group members often bring with them standards of behavior that were prominent in their former groups. Critical events can shape norms. For example, a sudden challenge to a group can create specific and vivid responses that form the basis for how members should be expected to respond in the future. Finally, norms can be created through explicitly stated standards. Leaders and high status members of a group may assert, “This is how we do it around here!” 89. What factors may help create group cohesion? (p. 324) Three factors can be important in developing greater group cohesion: strengthening the interpersonal attraction among group members, generating a record of high performance and past success of the group, and fostering competition with other groups. 90. What is a cross-functional team? What are the objectives of using cross-

functional teams in an organization? (p. 326) A cross-functional team draws its membership from distinctly different types of units within an organization, such as R&D and marketing. A primary objective for such teams is to bring to bear as much creativity and dispersed knowledge as possible on a task. Other major objectives of cross-functional teams (especially in high-tech firms) are to speed products to market, while at the same time controlling or minimizing costs. 91. Define and discuss the three types of group conflict. (pp. 329 – 330) Whenever people work together in groups, there is always the potential for conflict. The effects of group conflict can often be negative; however, some types of conflict can have positive effects. Conflict can be classified in three ways: task, process, and relationship conflict. Task conflict focuses on differences in ideas about the nature of the issues facing the group and the group’s objectives. Some task conflict can be positive, especially for

less routine or more complex tasks; or if it is introduced deliberately, as in the use of a “devil’s advocate.” Process conflict involves differences of opinion about the procedures a group will use to achieve its goals. It may also have positive effects. Relationship conflict involves interpersonal differences. It distracts group members from their tasks, and discourages the consideration of multiple points of view and open discussion of ideas and solutions. Therefore, this type of conflict is usually dysfunctional.


92. What are the characteristics of highly effective groups? (p. 331) One of the foremost experts on group effectiveness, Richard Hackman, says that there are three major indicators of group effectiveness. First, any product or service they develop is highly desired and valued by customers. Second, increased cooperation among group members is encouraged and achieved. Third, group membership increases each person’s

feelings of satisfaction, personal growth, and overall well-being. Note: The remaining questions in this section will be based on the following scenario: At the start of the fall semester, Dr. Carol Stone, the Director of Academic Affairs assembled a five-member group of faculty from different disciplines at Northwestern College. The group has been tasked with aligning academic programs with the results of a college-wide assessment of the reading and writing skills of entering freshmen. Under the current system, freshman students may take courses in some disciplines, even if their assessment scores fall below the minimum scores required by other disciplines. As Dr. Stone has directed, the group plans to determine a range of scores on reading and writing assessments that can be applied consistently across all disciplines at Northwestern College. 93. What would be required for this group to become a team? (p. 310) This scenario features a set of faculty members (limited in number) with some degree of interaction and shared objectives. In order for this group to become a team, its members would have to develop a higher degree of coordinated interaction, a stronger sense of personal responsibility for achieving specified group outcomes, and a high level of identification with the group. 94. What type of formal group is this? (pp. 310 – 311) The group in this scenario is a project/task force that was put together by Northwestern College for a particular purpose. Once the range of scores has been determined, it is likely that this group will disband. 95. What are two characteristics about this group that suggest that “social loafing”

may not occur? (p. 317) Social loafing is the phenomenon of reduced effort per person in large groups. The faculty group is small, so it is unlikely that some members will assume that others will “carry the load.” In addition, the result of the group’s work will affect every group member’s job, his or her department, the students, and the college. Therefore, each member is likely to take a greater interest in the group’s purpose.


96. Will role ambiguity or role conflict likely emerge within this group? (p. 321) Role ambiguity occurs when the expected behaviors for a group member are not clearly identified. Role conflict occurs when a member of a group faces two or more contrasting sets of expectations. In this scenario, the required behaviors are clear and expectations for the members of the group are explicit. 97. What factors influence the formation of groups (such as the faculty group) in

organizations? (p. 312) The most important factors influencing the formation of groups in organizations are the goals of the organization, the opportunities for interaction and sharing mutual knowledge, and the psychological needs of potential group members. 98. Is the faculty group self-managed? Explain your answer. (p. 325) The group was formed by Dr. Stone. As she has directed, the group will determine a range of scores on reading and writing assessments that can be applied consistently across all disciplines at Northwestern College. The group is likely to have a good deal of autonomy; however, it is not fully self-managed, since Dr. Stone assembled the faculty group and clarified the nature of the issues facing the group and the group’s objectives. Thus, it is likely that the group will interact with Dr. Stone throughout the process of determining a range of scores on reading and writing assessments that can be applied consistently across all disciplines at Northwestern College. 99. How might the effectiveness of this group best be assessed? (p. 331) According to Richard Hackman, the effectiveness of a group can be judged by three indicators: (1) outcomes; (2) the capacity for further cooperation; and (3) the member’s

satisfaction and sense of well-being from being a part of the group. The first indicator is relevant because the group’s recommendations must be applied across the disciplines at Northwestern. The second indicator will not apply, since the group will disband after the task has been completed. The third indicator is relevant, as the group’s recommendations

may not be taken seriously if the members are not proud of what they have accomplished. 100. Identify the three types of group conflict and discuss, briefly, how they could

affect this group. (pp. 329 – 330) Differences in ideas about the nature of the issues facing the group and the objectives of the group are known as task conflict. In this scenario, the group must determine a range of scores on reading and writing assessments that can be applied consistently across all disciplines. Doing so will promote a consistent standard of academic excellence across all disciplines at Northwestern College. Therefore, task conflict should be minimal. Process conflict involves differences of opinion about the procedures a group will use to achieve its goals. This group is past the forming stage of group development. However, moving into the storming stage, there is likely to be some process conflict regarding the means to


accomplish the task the group has been assigned. Relationship conflict focuses on interpersonal differences. It discourages rather than encourages members to consider multiple points of view and openly discuss ideas and solutions. While the scenario does explain that the group consists of faculty members from different disciplines, it does not reveal the status of group members or the status of the disciplines involved. If the status of group members is equal and the prestige of each discipline is similar, then relationship conflict should not be an issue. If the status of group members varies widely (tenured or not tenured), or if certain disciplines are thought to be more prestigious than other disciplines, then communication among team members may be inhibited. Under such conditions, relationship conflict could become a significant problem.

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