Week 6 Lec 2

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Questions and Answers

In the context of organizational behavior, what is the most critical ethical implication arising from the documented Challenger disaster, directly attributed to groupthink?

The violation of established engineering protocols due to time constraints and budgetary pressures.
The failure to implement redundancy systems as a safeguard against component failure.
The suppression of dissenting expert opinions concerning the safety of the O-rings under extreme conditions. (correct)
The misallocation of resources towards public relations efforts aimed at upholding NASA's image.

Within the framework of team dynamics, which intervention strategy would MOST effectively mitigate the risks associated with 'shared stereotypes'– a symptom of groupthink – in a highly cohesive product development team?

Implementing blind review processes for all project proposals, thereby obfuscating the identities and affiliations of the proposers.
Introducing structured debates where team members are required to argue positions contrary to their personal beliefs, fostering cognitive flexibility.
Instituting mandatory cross-training programs that require team members to rotate through different functional roles within the organization.
Establishing a formal mentorship program pairing junior team members with seasoned leaders from diverse cultural and experiential backgrounds. (correct)

Considering the nuances of the Nominal Group Technique (NGT), what is the MOST significant modification that could be introduced to enhance its effectiveness in a virtual, geographically dispersed R&D team tasked with breakthrough innovation?

Introducing a rotating 'devil's advocate' role during the idea presentation phase to systematically challenge assumptions and uncover hidden flaws.
Implementing gamified idea generation sessions with real-time leaderboards to stimulate competitive engagement and accelerate idea convergence.
Integrating asynchronous brainstorming platforms with sentiment analysis tools to identify emerging themes and potential points of contention. (correct)
Incorporating mandatory 'virtual water cooler' breaks to foster informal communication and build rapport among team members.

How does the degree of perceived 'group importance' differentially affect conformity pressures versus the type of task being performed?

Conformity increases linearly with group importance for objective tasks, but non-linearly for subjective tasks due to the ambiguity of success criteria. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Given the documented failure of NASA engineers to voice concerns during the Challenger disaster, which augmentation to standard team communication protocols would be MOST effective in preventing similar failures in future complex engineering projects?

Implementation of a formalized 'escalation matrix' that empowers junior engineers to bypass hierarchical structures when raising critical safety concerns. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In a matrix organization where employees report to both a functional manager and a project manager, how could the principles of 'psychological safety' and 'support and trust' be proactively cultivated in order to mitigate inherent role conflicts and promote synergistic collaboration?

Creating cross-functional 'communities of practice' where employees from different departments can share best practices, build relationships, and foster mutual respect. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Considering the rise of remote work and virtual teams, which strategic modification to the 'Five C's of Teamwork' framework would MOST effectively address the unique challenges of maintaining team cohesion and fostering high performance in a globally distributed software development team?

Augmenting 'Communication' with a focus on asynchronous communication strategies and cultural sensitivity training to bridge geographical and cultural divides. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Given that 'group expertise' can increase conformity, what specific organizational design intervention would MOST effectively counteract the potential for uninformed or biased decisions made solely on the basis of perceived expertise within a highly specialized surgical team?

Implementing mandatory 'cognitive forcing functions' that require team members to explicitly justify their reasoning and surface underlying assumptions. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In the scenario where a junior finance employee hesitates to challenge a flawed budget estimate due to senior colleagues' unanimous agreement, which specific behavioral economics principle BEST explains this reluctance to dissent?

The bandwagon effect: a psychological phenomenon in which people do something primarily because other people are doing it. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What subtle but significant change to Solomon Asch's conformity experiment would MOST likely eliminate the observed conformity effect, even with a unanimous majority providing an obviously incorrect answer?

Allowing participants to provide their answers anonymously in writing, rather than publicly stating them. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Within the context of Tuckman's stages of group development, what critical intervention should a team leader implement during the 'storming' phase to facilitate a transition to the 'norming' phase and ensure the team's long-term viability?

Mediate conflicts, clarify roles, and facilitate the establishment of shared norms and expectations for team behavior. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In a cross-functional team composed of members from marketing, sales, and product development, what specific knowledge management strategy would MOST effectively leverage diverse expertise and prevent the formation of informational silos?

Creating a 'community of practice' focused on cross-functional collaboration, where team members can exchange ideas and solve problems together. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Given the increasing prevalence of AI-driven decision-making tools in organizations, what is the MOST critical ethical consideration that leaders must address to prevent the amplification of biases and ensure equitable outcomes?

Implementing rigorous testing and validation procedures to identify and mitigate biases in the algorithms used by AI systems. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How could an organization MOST effectively leverage insights from behavioral economics to design a training program aimed at reducing the incidence of groupthink among its executive leadership team?

Introducing 'nudge' techniques that subtly encourage dissent and critical thinking without explicitly prohibiting conformity. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the MOST significant limitation of relying solely on 'devil's advocate' strategies to mitigate groupthink within a highly specialized research team?

The team may become overly reliant on the 'devil's advocate' to identify flaws, neglecting their own critical thinking skills. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In a scenario where an airline company ignores pilot fatigue concerns, leading to a major accident and subsequent lawsuits, what legal principle would MOST likely be invoked to hold the company accountable for its negligence?

Gross negligence: conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, likely to cause foreseeable harm. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Considering the characteristics of high-performing teams, what is the MOST effective strategy for fostering 'psychological safety' in a culturally diverse global project team where team members have varying communication styles and levels of assertiveness?

Establishing clear communication protocols and norms that explicitly value active listening, respectful dialogue, and constructive feedback. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the MOST critical prerequisite for the successful implementation of self-directed teams in a complex manufacturing environment characterized by high levels of interdependence and technological integration?

Extensive cross-training programs to ensure that team members possess the skills and knowledge necessary to perform multiple roles and tasks. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What novel modification to organizational structure could MOST effectively mitigate conformity and groupthink in a highly regulated biotech firm heavily reliant on specialized scientific expertise?

Establishing formal advisory boards composed of external experts and patient advocates to provide independent oversight and challenge internal assumptions. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In a rapidly scaling tech startup, what is the MOST critical factor for ensuring that the implementation of self-directed teams does NOT inadvertently lead to a decline in overall organizational coherence and strategic alignment?

Establishing a clear and compelling organizational vision that provides a shared sense of purpose and direction for all self-directed teams. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Conformity

The change in an individual's behavior or beliefs due to real or imagined group pressure.

Factors Increasing Conformity

People adjust their behavior to align with group norms, especially when isolated or valuing the group highly.

Groupthink

A flawed decision-making process prioritizing agreement over critical thinking, leading to poor decisions.

Symptoms of Groupthink

Dissenting members are pressured, silence is mistaken for agreement, and contradictory information is withheld.