1. Work in the 21st Century Chapter 13
Teams in Organizations

2. Module 13.1: Types of Teams Reasons for increased use of teams:
Work can be performed concurrently rather than sequentially
Innovation & creativity promoted
Enable quick, effective development/delivery of products & services
Organizations learn & retain learning more effectively

3. Groups & Teams: Definitions
Groups include members who may work together or may just share some resources
Teams include members whose tasks are interdependent; Work towards a common goal & share responsibility for outcomes
Groups & Teams have too much in common for any grand distinctions

4. Types of Teams Quality circles
Typically involve 6-12 employees who meet regularly to identify problems/generate ideas
Positive outcomes in short term but gains not sustained over time (honeymoon effect)
They remain popular in Japan, but less so in United States

5. Types of Teams (cont’d)
Project teams
Created to solve particular problem
Disbanded after problem solved or project completed
Raise some organizational challenges – multiple reporting relationships.

6. Types of Teams (cont’d)
Production teams
Consist of front-line employees who produce a tangible output
Autonomous work group: Type of production team with control over a variety of functions
Research findings unclear, more research is necessary

7. Virtual Teams
Composed of widely dispersed members working together toward a common goal; linked through technology
Pose several advantages to organizations
Trust is a critical concern; Increase via:
Virtual-collaboration, virtual-socialization, and virtual-communication behaviors

8. A Specialized Team: Airline Cockpit Crew
Benefit from an organizational context that provides:
Challenging objectives
Prior training and education
A consistent information system

9. A Specialized Team: Airline Cockpit Crew
Airline cockpit crews have very real teamwork requirements, particularly in an emergency
A spectacular example was the Hudson River landing of US Airways flight 1549 in January 2009
The pilot, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, has a master’s degree in I-O psychology and was professionally involved in crew resource management research and training.

10. Module 13.2: A Model of Team Effectiveness
Input-Process-Output Model
Enables understanding of how teams perform & how to maximize performance
Figure 13.1
The Input-Process-Output
Model of Team Effectiveness
Source: Adapted from Gladstein (1984)

11. Team Inputs Organizational context Team task Team composition
Provide necessary resources
Team task
Task to be performed
Team composition
Attributes of team members
Shared mental models
Team diversity
Demographic & psychological diversity

12. Team member well-being
Team Outputs
Team performance
Often reflected in objective measures
Team innovation
Team member well-being

13. Shared Mental Model
Organized way for team members to think about the way a team will work.
Helps team members understand and predict the behaviors of their team members.

14. Team Diversity Demographic diversity Psychological diversity
Differences in observable attributes or demographic characteristics such as age, gender, and ethnicity
Psychological diversity
Differences in underlying attributes such as skills, abilities, personality characteristics, attitudes, beliefs, and values; may also include functional, occupational, and educational backgrounds

15. Team Processes Norms Communication & coordination Cohesion
Informal rules of a team
Communication & coordination
Social loafing
Cohesion
Degree of desire to remain in team
Decision making
Groupthink

16. Groupthink Processes in Action?

17. Module 13.3: Special Issues in Teams
Team appraisal & feedback
Should provide team with information needed to identify team problems & further develop team capabilities
Extent to which team behaviors & outputs can be measured must be considered
ProMES

18. Team-role theory (Belbin, 1993)
Effective teams contain a combination of individuals capable of working in 9 team roles
Used predominantly in Europe & Australia
Plant
Resource investigator
Coordinator
Shaper
Monitor evaluator
Team-Worker
Implementer
Completer
Specialist

19. Team Development Changes occur in teams as they develop over time
5 stages of development
1. Orientation (forming)
2. Conflict (storming)
3. Structure (norming)
4. Work (performing)
5. Dissolution (adjourning)
PhotoLink/Getty Images

20. Team Training
Involves coordinating performance of individuals who work together to achieve a common goal
4 Strategies
Cross-training
Team coordination training
Team leader training
Guided Team Self-Correction Training

21. Cultural Issues in Teams
Applying Hofstede’s cultural dimensions
Implications for teams
Individualism vs. collectivism
Long-term vs. short-term orientation
Effect of cultural & national backgrounds of team members

22. Teams and Culture Team horizon
Cultural dimension that affects whether managers & employees focus on short or long-term goals
Teams tend to be well-received in collectivistic cultures