During a meeting, senior executives of a consumer products company were addressing the problem of being late in detecting several consumer trends, such as the trend toward using see-through plastics in kitchenware. While trying to determine the source of this problem, one executive said: "The main problem here is that we need to find a better industrial design firm to design our products." Which of the following best describes the decision-making problem that this executive is exhibiting?
A. The executive is engaging in escalation of commitment.
B. The executive is being too creative.
C. The executive is involved in participative decision making.
D. The executive is engaging in groupthink.
E. The executive is defining the problem in terms of a solution.
Answer: E
Organizational Behavior
- You are likely to select nominal group technique over brainstorming because ________.
- You decide that your company's choice of which new product to manufacture needs to have widespread acceptance and that this decision needs to be of the highest quality possible. Having read the literature on decision making, you believe that this choice needs to be made by a group of your best managers. You have decided to use the nominal group technique. Which of the following statements is true about this method?
- Hubert needs an instruction manual for his new product. He needs a small team of technical writers to work together closely to rapidly write the manual. He needs them to communicate ideas quickly, creatively, and affordably. Which of the following group techniques should Hubert consider?
- Which of the following statements is true regarding brainstorming?
- In this group discussion technique, the group leader states the problem in a clear manner so all participants understand. Members then freewheel as many alternatives as they can in a given length of time. No criticism is allowed, and all alternatives are recorded for later discussion and analysis. One idea stimulates others, and judgments of even the most bizarre suggestions are withheld until later to encourage group members to "think the unusual." Identify the decision-making technique in the discussion.
- _____ is good for achieving commitment to a solution.
- Maya just got out of a meeting. She is extremely frustrated because nothing got done and now she has to deal with workplace drama. Sophia is threatening to quit because the group members severely criticized her idea without even giving her a chance to complete her point. The entire meeting turned into a conflict management session for Maya. Which of the following meeting techniques was most likely used by Maya?
- Patricia needs as many creative ideas as she can get for the new advertising campaign, and her small agency doesn't have a lot of money for high-tech meeting facilities. Given the information provided, which meeting technique will provide the highest number of quality ideas?
- While using which of the following type of group decision-making techniques is a group more likely to experience increased groupthink?
- Which of the following is a group decision-making technique?
- You have observed that the group tends to come to consensus very quickly and there appears to be an illusion of unanimity. You conclude that they may be suffering from ________.
- Your organization has recently started using group decision making. You are most likely to observe that ________.
- Which of the following steps can be taken by a manager to minimize groupthink?
- Sandy, Gale, and Marylou are on the board of directors for an area non-profit organization. At a recent meeting, guest David delivered a rousing speech on how group leadership is often too complex and that non-profits could often be better served by a CEO and no board of directors. Sandy emphatically disagreed with David stating that not having the board could open the organization up to massive levels of corruption. Gale agreed with David and feels that maybe the organization might do better if only one of the ladies were in charge, mainly herself. Marylou chose not to comment on the matter, thus leading Sandy to assume that she agreed with her. It could be said that Sandy is suffering from ________.
- If you ever felt like speaking up in a meeting, a classroom, or an informal group but decided against it then the reason behind it could be ________.
- In discussing a given set of alternatives and arriving at a solution, group members tend to exaggerate the initial positions they hold. This phenomenon is called ________.
- The phenomenon of ________ describes situations in which group pressures for conformity deter the group from critically appraising unusual, minority, or unpopular views.
- Which of the following statements is true regarding group decision making?
- Which is not a weakness of group decision making?
- Which of the following is not a characteristic of group diversity?
- Which of the following factors corresponds to deep-level diversity in groups?
- Alberto is working with a group of fifteen people to coordinate the merger of two corporations. Everyone in the group is highly qualified, offers relevant information, and has high norms. Still, the group seems to be slow at outlining a definitive plan for the merger. With the information provided, what would be the fastest and best way for Alberto to increase cohesiveness and productivity?
- Which of the following is not likely to encourage group cohesiveness?
- Which of the following statements is true regarding the effect of group cohesiveness and performance norms on group productivity?
- Which of the following terms indicates the degree to which group members are attracted to one another and are motivated to stay in the group?