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Work Teams

Due to a focus on relationships, work teams are being developed in large organizations. Research has provided evidence that teamwork is beneficial to organizations.

For example, Fuxman (1999) studied teamwork in the manufacturing industry. Fluxman noted that with increased technology and innovations in industry, the need for worker organization also increased. Work teams need to allow for changes in production philosophy, intensive training programs, and increased labor-management relations. Complementary systems are needed and these require team building. Teamwork is linked to quality, productivity, and variety. Thus strategies to improve teamwork have developed worldwide. Work teams lead quality, productivity improvement, and product variety. New strategies support a high degree of worker involvement with each worker assuming responsibility to perform well, contribute ideas for improvement, and to be aware of ongoing processes that occur. Management is more focused on making work teams work.

Background and Statement of the Problem

Mussnug and Hughey (1997) reported that many companies are adopting self-directed work teams to empower employees and increase productivity and quality. This tendency places an emphasis on employees and fewer levels of upper management. The hierarchical systems of supervision are less compatible with the self-directed work team model. Yet while teams are being developed, problems are developing as well. For example, Florida Light and Power Company won Japan's Deming Prize for quality management and yet this company has scaled back in worker participation due to the fact that team meetings and problem-solving assignments have interfered with real work. Union leaders at Saturn's Spring Hill, Tennessee are complaining about the strict adherence to a team approach since it is impairing productivity.

Reasons that a team approach either works or does not work are unclear. M...

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Work Teams. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 17:30, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1693495.html