罗宾斯《管理学原理》

CHAPTER 9 - UNDERSTANDING WORK TEAMS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After reading this chapter students should be able to:

1. Explain the growing popularity of work teams in organizations.

2. Describe the five stages of team development.

3. Contrast work groups with work teams.

4. Identify four common types of work teams.

5. Explain what types of teams entrepreneurial organizations use.

6. List the characteristics of high-performing work teams.

7. Discuss how organizations can create team players.

8. Explain how managers can keep teams from becoming stagnant.

9. Describe the role of teams in continuous process improvement programs.

Opening Vignette
SUMMARY

     If you work at Ferrari, you will see that you are part of a company of more than 2000 that wants you to work hard and be the best at what you do.  Each person in the company has an identical focus.  Luca Cordero, President and Managing Director of Ferrari believes that his employees truly make a difference in producing one of the world’s greatest sports cars.  At Ferrari, there are no assembly lines, so Cordero realizes that employees need to work together and achieve common goals.  Teams work together to produce one of the highest quality automobiles in the world.  Auto assembly time is not measured in seconds---rather, team tasks often last over 90 minutes for each portion of the car they are responsible for.  When they are done, they proudly take their finished work on to the next team so their work can begin.  Although they could sell many more, management wants no more than 4000 Ferrari’s produced in any one year. 
Employees at Ferrari truly enjoy being part of a team.  They cite the fact that they each are working toward a common direction as one of the most satisfying elements in their job.  They appreciate what management does for them---they are offered a state-of-the-art fitness center, annual physicals at the company’s on-site clinic, a cafeteria to eat in, and home-based training for employees to learn English.   They feel treated like associates, not cogs in a wheel.  As one Ferrari employee stated:  “For many of us, working at Ferrari is like working in the Vatican.” 
The team approach is working.  Ferrari recently celebrated its first $1 billion year of sales, which resulted in over $60 million in profits.  Profits continue to rise, and there’s more than a 2 year waiting list for most Ferrari models they produce. 

Teaching Notes:
Ask the students the following questions
1) Why do you believe the work team concept at Ferrari works so well?  Cite specific examples to support your position.  (Answer: Engrained in the overall culture of the organization---all systems (such as no assembly line) support/require that individuals work in teams, and that teams work together (e.g., when one team hands off what they’ve done to another team to continue: high degree of pride based on what they accomplish working together---the really is no place for an individual contributor mentality).  

2) Do you believe such a system could be replicated in other automotive manufacturers? If so, what kind of organizations?  If not, why not?   (Answer:–  most other automotive manufacturers are much larger and produce many more cars per year than Ferrari, and therefore they require more automation, which would alter the dynamics and environment that have enabled team success at Ferrari.  Also, creating the culture to support such a structure would be difficult, particularly if the organization values individual contributors currently and is thinking of changing to a team-based structure).

3) Using the nine characteristics of a high-performing work team (refer to Exhibit 9-4), describe each of the nine elements as they relate to the case.  Use examples where appropriate.  If a characteristic was not specifically cited in the case, describe how it may have been witnessed in this situation. (Answer:  Students’ answers will vary. They should address each of the characteristics of high-performing work teams:  good communication, mutual trust, effective leadership, external support, internal support, negotiating skills, relevant skills, clear goals, and unified commitment)

I. THE POPULARITY OF TEAMS

A. Introduction  (PPT 9-2)

1. Nearly thirty years ago, when companies introduced teams, they made news.

2. Today, it’s the organization that doesn’t use some form of team that is noteworthy.

3. The current popularity of teams comes from the fact that teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being done require multiple skills, judgment, and experience.

4. As organizations restructure themselves to compete more effectively and efficiently, they are turning to teams as a way to better utilize employee talents.

5. Teams can serve as a source of job satisfaction as they empower team members.

B. What Are the Stages of Team Development? (PPT 9-3)

1. Most teams find themselves in a continual state of change.

2. There’s a general pattern to most teams’ evolution.  (See Exhibit 9-1.) 

3. Forming is characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership.

a) This stage is complete when members think of themselves as part of a team.

4. The storming stage is one of intragroup conflict.

a) There is resistance to the control that the group imposes on individuality and conflict over who will control the team.

b) When complete, there will be relatively clear leadership within the team.

5. Norming stage is one in which close relationships develop and members begin to demonstrate cohesiveness.

a) There is now a stronger sense of team identity and camaraderie.

b) It is complete when the team structure solidifies and members have assimilated a common set of expectations of appropriate work behavior.

6. The fourth stage is performing.

a) The structure is fully functional and accepted by team members.

b) For permanent teams, performing is the last stage of their development.

7. For temporary teams, there is an adjourning stage where the team prepares for its disbandment.

8. Some researchers argue that the effectiveness of work units does increase at advanced stages.

a) Although generally true, what makes a team effective is complex.

9. Under some conditions, high levels of conflict are conducive to high group performance.

10. Teams do not always proceed clearly from one stage to the next.

a) Sometimes several stages are going on simultaneously.

11. It is better to think of these stages as a general framework.

C. Aren’t Work Groups and Work Teams the Same? (PPT 9-4)

1. A group is two or more individuals who have come together to achieve certain objectives.

2. A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions that will help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility.

a) Work groups have no need to engage in collective work that requires joint effort.

b) There is no positive synergy.

3. A work team, on the other hand, generates positive synergy through a coordinated effort.

4. Exhibit 9-2 highlights the main differences between work groups and work teams. (PPT 9-4)

5. Management is looking for that positive synergy that will increase performance.

a) The extensive use of teams creates the potential for an organization to generate greater outputs with no increase in (or even fewer) inputs.

6. Nothing inherently magical in the creation of work teams guarantees that this positive synergy, and its accompanying productivity, will occur.

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II. TYPES OF WORK TEAMS

A. Introduction

1. Four most common forms of teams in an organization—functional, problem-solving, self-managed, and cross-functional. (PPT 9-5, 9-6)

2. Technology-based model for the 21st century—the virtual team.

3. See Exhibit 9-3. 

B. What Is a Functional Team? (PPT 9-5)

1. Functional teams are composed of a manager and the employees in his or her unit.

2. Issues such as authority, decision-making, leadership, and interactions are relatively simple and clear.

3. Functional teams are often involved in efforts to improve work activities or to solve specific problems within that particular functional unit.

C. How Does a Problem-Solving Team Operate? (PPT 9-5)

1. Almost twenty-five years ago, teams typically were composed of five to twelve hourly employees from the same department who met for a few hours each week to discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment.

a) Problem-solving teams:  members share ideas or offer suggestions on how work processes and methods can be improved.

2. One of the most widely practiced applications were quality circles. (PPT 9-6)

a) These are work teams of eight to ten employees and supervisors who share an area of responsibility.
b) They meet regularly to discuss their quality problems, investigate causes of the problems, recommend solutions, and take corrective actions.

c) They assume responsibility for solving quality problems, and they generate and evaluate their own feedback.

d) These teams are rarely given the authority to unilaterally implement their suggestions; they make recommendations to management.

D. What Is a Self-Managed Work Team? (PPT 9-6)

1. A self-managed work team is a formal group of employees that operates without a manager and is responsible for a complete work process or segment that delivers a product or service to an external or internal customer.

2. This kind of team has control over its work pace, determination of work assignments, etc.

3. Fully self-managed work teams even select their own members and evaluate each other’s performance.

4. As a result, supervisory positions take on decreased importance and may even be eliminated.

E. How Do Cross-Functional Teams Operate? (PPT 9-7)

1. This type of team consists of employees from about the same hierarchical level but from different work areas in the organization.

a) Workers are brought together to accomplish a particular task.

2. Cross-functional teams are also an effective way to allow employees from diverse areas within an organization to exchange information, develop new ideas, solve problems, and coordinate complex tasks.

3. Cross-functional teams can be difficult to manage.

a) The early stages of development are very often time-consuming, as members learn to work with diversity and complexity.

b) This difficulty with diversity has the ability to be turned into an advantage.

1) The diversity that exists on a work team can help identify creative or unique solutions.
2)  The lack of a common perspective caused by diversity usually means that diverse team members will spend more time discussing relevant issues decreasing the likelihood of a weak solution.

4. As team members become more familiar with one another, they become a more cohesive group, but the positive aspect of this decline in diversity is that a “team bond” is built.

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F. Are Virtual Teams a Reality in the New Millennium? (PPT 9-7)

1. A virtual team is an extension of the electronic meetings discussed in Chapter 4.

2. A virtual team allows groups to meet without concern for space or time and enables organizations to link workers together in a way that would have been impossible in the past.

3. Team members use technology advances to solve problems, even though they may be geographically dispersed or several time zones away.

a) Example of Heineken Beer.

G. Why Do Entrepreneurs Use Teams?  (PPT 9-8)

1. Three types of teams appear to be common in entrepreneurial ventures.

a) Empowered functional teams—have authority to plan and implement process improvements.

b) Self-directed teams—are nearly autonomous and are responsible for many activities that were once the jurisdiction of managers.

c) Cross-functional teams—include a hybrid of grouping individuals who are experts in various specialties and who work together on various tasks.

2. Entrepreneurial firms use teams for five reasons.  (PPT 9-9)

a) Facilitate the technology and market demands the organization is facing.

b) Help the organization make products faster, cheaper, and better.

c) Permit entrepreneurs the ability to tap into the collective wisdom of the venture’s employees.

d) Empowering employees to make decisions is one of the best ways to adapt to change.

e) The team culture can improve the overall workplace environment and worker morale.

3. For team efforts to work, entrepreneurs must shift from the traditional command-and-control style of managing to a coach-and-collaboration style.

a)  Example, Marque, Inc.

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III. CHARACTERISTICS OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE WORK TEAMS

A. Introduction

1. Primary characteristics of high-performance work teams are summarized in Exhibit 9-4. 

2. High-performance work teams have both a clear understanding of the goal and a belief that the goal embodies a worthwhile or important result.

a) The importance of these goals encourages individuals to direct energy toward team goals.

b) Members are committed to the team’s goals, know what they are expected to accomplish, and understand how they will work together to achieve those goals.

3. Effective teams are composed of competent individuals.

a) They have the relevant technical skills and abilities and the personal characteristics required.

b) They are capable of readjusting their work skills—job morphing—to fit the needs of the team.

c) High-performing team members possess both technical and interpersonal skills.

4. Effective teams are characterized by high mutual trust among members.

a) Members believe in the integrity, character, and ability of one another.

b) Members of an effective team exhibit intense loyalty and dedication to the team.

c) Members redefine themselves to include membership in the team as an important aspect of the self.

d) Unified commitment is characterized by dedication to the team’s goal and a willingness to expend extraordinary amounts of energy to achieve them.

5. Effective teams are characterized by good communication.

a) Members are able to convey messages in a form that is readily and clearly understood.

b) Their communication is also characterized by feedback from team members and management.

6. Effective teams tend to be flexible and continually making adjustments.

a) Team members must possess adequate negotiating skills.

b) The members have to be able to confront and reconcile differences.

7. Effective leaders can motivate a team to follow through the most difficult situations.

a) Leaders help clarify goals.

b) They demonstrate that change is possible by overcoming inertia.

c) They increase the self-confidence of team members, helping members to realize their potential more fully.

d) Effective team leaders are taking the role of coach and facilitator.

8. The final condition for an effective team is a supportive climate.

a) The team should be provided with a sound infrastructure, proper training, an understandable measurement system, an incentive program, and a supportive human resources system.

b) The infrastructure should support members and reinforce behaviors that lead to high levels of performance.

9. Self-Assessment  #34 “How Good am I at Building and Leading a Team?”

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Developing Your Coaching Skill

Developing Your Coaching Skill
Coaching Others

About the Skill
Effective managers are increasingly being described as coaches rather than bosses.  Just like coaches, they’re expected to provide instruction, guidance, advice, and encouragement to help team members improve their job performance.

Steps in Practicing the Skill
1) Analyze ways to improve the team’s performance and capabilities.
2) Create a supportive climate.
3) Influence team members to change their behavior.

Practicing the Skill
Collaborative efforts are more successful when every member of the group or team contributes a specific role or task toward the completion of the goal. To improve your skill at nurturing team effort, choose two of the following activities and break each one into at least six to eight separate tasks or steps. Be sure to indicate which steps are sequential, and which can be done simultaneously with others. What do you think is the ideal team size for each activity you chose?

Making an omelet

Washing the car

Creating a computerized mailing list

Designing an advertising poster

Planning a ski trip

Restocking a supermarket’s produce department

Teaching Tips:
After students list the steps, have them consider whether or not team members would have different roles and how they would structure the group process.  For example, if the steps are sequential, would they have clearly specialized roles for each individual? Or, would all team members be “generalists” and able to complete each step? Be sure that the students acknowledge the complexity of the task, and consider whether or not a team is even necessary---they should consider whether a diverse set of perspectives is necessary.   

IV. TURNING INDIVIDUALS INTO TEAM PLAYERS

A. Introduction

1. Some individuals prefer to be recognized for their individual achievements.
 
2. In some organizations, too, work environments are such that only the strong survive.

3. Creating teams in such an environment may meet some resistance.

4. Teams fit well with countries that score high on collectivism.

B. What Are the Management Challenges of Creating Team Players? (PPT 9-10)

1. Employees’ success, when they are part of teams, is a function of how well the team as a whole performs.

2. To perform well as team members, individuals must be able to communicate openly and honestly with one another; to confront differences and resolve conflicts; and to place lower priority on personal goals for the good of the team.

3. The challenge of creating team players will be greatest where

a) the national culture is highly individualistic; and

b) the teams are being introduced into an established organization that has historically valued individual achievement.

c) This describes, for instance, the environment that faced managers at AT&T, Ford, Motorola, and other large U.S. companies.

4. In contrast, the challenge for management is less demanding when teams are introduced where employees have strong collectivist values, such as in Japan or Mexico.

5. The challenge of forming teams will also be less in new organizations that use teams as their initial form of structuring work.

a) Example, at Saturn Corporation, the ability to be a good team player was a hiring prerequisite.

C. What Roles Do Team Members Play?

1. High-performing work teams carefully match people to various roles.

2. There are nine potential roles that work team members often can play.

a) See Exhibit 9-5.

3. Creator-innovators are imaginative and good at initiating ideas or concepts.

a) They are typically very independent and prefer to work at their own pace in their own way—and very often on their own time.

4. Explorer-promoters like to take new ideas and champion their cause.

a) They are good at picking up ideas from the creator-innovator and finding the resources to promote those ideas.

b) They often lack the patience and control skills to ensure that the ideas are followed through in detail.

5. Assessor-developers have strong analytical skills.

a) They’re at their best when given several different options to evaluate and analyze before a decision is made.

6. Thruster-organizers like to set up procedures to turn ideas into reality and get things done.

a) They set goals, establish plans, organize people, and establish systems to ensure that deadlines are met.

7. And, somewhat like thruster-organizers, concluder-producers are concerned with results.

a) Their role focuses on keeping to deadlines and ensuring that all commitments are followed through.

b) Concluder-producers take pride in producing a regular output to a standard.

8. Controller-inspectors have a high concern for establishing and enforcing rules and policies.

a) They are good at examining details and making sure that inaccuracies are avoided.

b) They want to check all the facts and figures to make sure they’re complete.

9. Upholder-maintainers hold strong convictions about the way things should be done.

a) They will defend the team and fight its battles with outsiders while strongly supporting fellow team members.

b) These individuals provide team stability.

10. Reporter-advisers are good listeners and don’t tend to press their point of view on others.

a) They tend to favor getting more information before making decisions.

b) They perform an important role in encouraging the team to seek additional information and discouraging the team from making hasty decisions.

11. The last role—the linkers—overlaps the others.

a) This role can be assumed by any actors of the previous eight roles.

b) Linkers try to understand all views.

c) They are coordinators and integrators.

d) They dislike extremism and try to build cooperation among all team members.

12. If forced to, most individuals can perform in any of these roles.

a) Most have two or three they strongly prefer.

13. Managers need to select team members on the basis of an appropriate mix of individual strengths, and allocate work assignments that fit with each member’s preferred style.

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D. How Can a Manager Shape Team Behavior? (PPT 9-11)

1. The three most popular ways include proper selection, employee training, and rewarding the appropriate team behaviors.

2.    What role does selection play? 

a) When hiring team members, the organization should ensure that applicants can fulfill team roles.

1) Some job applicants lack team skills.

2)  If team skills are woefully lacking, don’t hire that candidate.

3)  A candidate who has some basic team skills but needs more refinement can be hired on a probationary basis and be required to undergo training.

Dilemma in Management
Does Everyone Have to be a Team Player?
SUMMARY

 You are a production manager at the Saturn plant.  Barbara Petersen is one of your newest employees. You recently hired Barbara, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and a master’s in business, right out of college for a position in supply chain management. 
 You’ve recently been chosen to head up a cross-functional team to look at ways to reduce inventory costs.  This team would essentially be a permanent task force.  You’ve decided to include Barbara on the team.  You’ve been impressed with her energy, smarts, and industriousness.  You think this would be an excellent way to increase her visibility and expand her understanding of the company’s inventory system.
 When you told Barbara the good news, you were quite surprised by her response, “I’m not a team player.  I’m an independent operator.  Give me a job and I’ll get it done.  I don’t want my performance to be dependent on the other people in my group.  I just don’t want to be a team player.”

Questions
1. What would you do? 

2. Should you give Barbara the option of joining the inventory cost reduction team?

3. Is it unethical for you to require someone like Barbara to do his or her job as part of a team?

Teaching notes
1. This is a tough question. More and more companies are going to teams. Yet, clearly there are a number of employees who don’t want to, or aren’t able to be, productive team members.

2. In the discussion with students in class, ensure that students explore these issues:

 Is empowering employees consistent with forcing employees to be team members?
 Are teams appropriate in all businesses, industries, and/or corporate settings?
 Is there a place for individual contributors in a team-based organization?
 Is training individual contributors to be team members ethical?

3.    Can we train individuals to be team players?
  
 a)    Performing well in a team involves a set of behaviors, and new behaviors can be learned.

b) People who were raised on the importance of individual accomplishment can be trained to become team players.

c) Training specialists can conduct exercises that allow employees to experience the satisfaction that teamwork can provide.

d)  The workshops offered usually cover such topics as team problem solving, communications, negotiations, conflict resolution, and coaching skills.

e) Employees are reminded of the importance of patience, because teams take longer to do some things—such as make decisions—than do employees acting alone.

4.    What role do rewards play in shaping team players?

       a)    The organization’s reward system needs to encourage cooperative efforts rather than
 competitive ones.

b) Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics Company has organized its 20,000+ employees into
 teams.

1) Rewards are structured to return a percentage increase in the bottom line to the team
        members on the basis of achievements of the team's performance goals.

c) Promotions, pay raises, and other forms of recognition should be given to employees who are effective collaborative team members.

1) Individual contribution is balanced with selfless contributions to the team.

2) Examples, training new colleagues, sharing information with teammates, helping resolve team conflicts, and mastering new skills in which the team is deficient.

d) Managers cannot forget the inherent rewards that employees can receive from teamwork.

1) Work teams provide camaraderie.

2)  It’s exciting and satisfying to be an integral part of a successful team.

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E. How Can a Manager Reinvigorate a Mature Team?

1. Effective teams can become stagnant. (PPT 9-12)

a) Initial enthusiasm can give way to apathy.

b) Time can diminish the positive value from diverse perspectives as cohesiveness increases.

c) Teams don’t automatically stay at the performing stage.

d) Familiarity and team success can lead to contentment and complacency.

2. Mature teams, also, are particularly prone to suffer from groupthink.

a) Mature teams’ early successes are often due to having taken on easy tasks.

b) As time passes, the team has to begin to tackle the more difficult issues.

3. What can a manager do to reinvigorate mature teams?  (See Exhibit 9-6.) 

a) Prepare team members to deal with the problems of team maturity.

1) Remind team members that they are not unique—all successful teams eventually have to address maturity issues.

b) Offer refresher training.
1) Provide them with refresher training in communication, conflict resolution, team processes, and similar skills.

c) Offer advanced training.

1) Mature teams can benefit from training to develop stronger problem-solving, interpersonal, and technical skills.

d) Encourage teams to treat their development as a constant learning experience.

1) Just as organizations use continuous improvement programs, teams should approach their own development as part of a search for continuous improvement.

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V. CONTEMPORARY TEAM ISSUES

A. Why Are Teams Central to Continuous Process Improvement Programs? (PPT 9-13)

1. Teams provide the natural vehicle for employees to share ideas and implement improvements.

2. The essence of continuous improvement is process improvement, and employee participation is the linchpin of process improvement.

3. As one author put it, “None of the various processes and techniques will catch on and be applied except in work teams.   All such techniques and processes require high levels of communication and contact, response, adaptation, and coordination and sequencing.”

B. How Does Workforce Diversity Affect Teams? (PPT 9-14)

1. Managing diversity on teams is a balancing act.

2. Diversity typically provides fresh perspectives on issues, but it makes it more difficult to unify the team and reach agreements.

3. The strongest case for diversity is when teams are engaged in problem-solving and decision-making tasks.

a) Heterogeneous teams bring multiple perspectives to the discussion, increasing the likelihood that the team will identify creative or unique solutions.

b) The lack of a common perspective usually means diverse teams spend more time discussing issues, which decreases the chances that a weak alternative will be chosen.

4. The positive contribution that diversity makes to decision-making teams undoubtedly declines over time.

5. Expect the value-added component of diverse teams to increase as members become more familiar with each other and the team becomes more cohesive.

6. Studies tell us that members of cohesive teams have greater satisfaction, lower absenteeism, and lower attrition from the group.

a) Yet cohesiveness is likely to be lower on diverse teams.

7. So here is a potential negative of diversity:  It can be detrimental to group cohesiveness.

a) If the norms of the team are supportive of diversity, then a team can maximize the value of heterogeneity while achieving the benefits of high cohesiveness.

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Review, Comprehension, Application
Chapter Summary

1. Teams have become increasingly popular in organizations because they typically outperform individuals when the tasks being done require multiple skills, judgment, and experience.

2. The five stages of team development involve: forming—people join the team and define the team’s purpose, structure, and leadership; storming—intragroup conflict over control issues; norming—close relationships develop and the team demonstrates cohesiveness; and performing—the team is doing the task at hand.

3. A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions to help each group member perform within his or her area of responsibility. There is no positive synergy that would create an overall level of performance greater than the “sum of the inputs.” A work team, on the other hand, generates positive synergy through a coordinated effort.

4. The four most popular types of teams are functional teams (composed of a manager and the employees in his or her unit); problem-solving teams (typically composed of hourly employees from the same department who meet to discuss ways of improving quality, etc.); self-managed teams (a formal group of employees who operate without a manager and are responsible for a complete work process); and cross-functional teams (consisting of employees from about the same hierarchical level, but from different work areas in the organization, brought together to accomplish a particular task).

5. Entrepreneurial firms use teams because they are necessary to meet the technology and market demands the organization is facing.

6. High-performing work teams are characterized by clear goals, unified commitment, good communications, mutual trust, effective leadership, external support, internal support, negotiating skills, and relevant skills.

7. Organizations can create team players by selecting individuals with the interpersonal skills to be effective team players, providing training to develop teamwork skills, and rewarding individuals for cooperative efforts.

8. As teams mature, they can become complacent. To keep this from occurring, managers need to support mature teams with advice, guidance, and training if these teams are to continue to improve.

9. Continuous improvement programs provide a natural vehicle for employees to share ideas and to implement improvements as part of the process. Teams are particularly effective for resolving complex problems.

Companion Website
We invite you to visit the Robbins/DeCenzo Companion Website at www.prenhall.com/robbins for the chapter quiz and student PowerPoints.

 Diversity Perspectives: Communication and Interpersonal Skills, by Carol Harvey and June Allard
Epilogue

The company was spared the unthinkable embarrassment of not completing a contract, but was not awarded the follow-on contract since their report contained so little documentation of the facilities already existing in the U.S.

1.   How could Ray’s perception and treatment of Julie have affected the cooperation she did not receive from the junior scientists in the other division?
     Ray’s perception appears to have been based on Julie’s lack of knowledge of cars or perhaps on her lack of engineering.  Whether or not her gender was a factor in his perception is not clear.  Ray’s perception and lack of respect for Julie was publicly communicated to the junior scientists from the other division who did not know Julie and did nothing to encourage their cooperation with her.
     Very few scientists in the company became senior scientists and if Ray’s perception of Julie had included respect for her skills as a scientist and he had treated her with the respect that senior scientists commanded in the company, the junior scientists might have been more interested in working with her and learning from her.

2.   How could Ray have better used Julie’s expertise?
     Julie was a senior scientist accustomed to gathering information systematically.  Ray could have used Julie to train the junior engineers on how to gather and record information at the research facilities they would visit.  Even further, she could have instructed them in what information to gather.
     He also should have given her a chance to read the contract materials before calling the meeting.  She might have devised her approach at that time and explained it to the whole group so that they understood the procedures and goals for each remaining phase. 

3.   How could Carl’s perception of Julie have affected the outcome?
     Carl’s positive perception of Julie led him to immediately team up with her and contribute to the approach she outlined.  Julie became the creator-innovator.

 4.   How could Julie’s perception of the team affect the individualistic way she chose to begin working?
     There was not a supportive climate for Julie to become part of a larger team.  (The larger team didn’t actually exist.)  There was however, a supportive climate for working with Carl and their collaboration became a very productive one.

Reading for Comprehension
1. Contrast self-managed and cross-functional teams; and virtual and face-to-face teams.
Answer – A self-managed work team is a formal group of employees that operates without a manager and is responsible for a complete work process or segment that delivers a product or service to an external or internal customer. This kind of team has control over its work pace, determination of work assignments, etc. Fully self-managed work teams even select their own members and evaluate performance. As a result, supervisory positions take on decreased importance and may even be eliminated.

This type of team consists of employees from about the same hierarchical level but from different work areas in the organization. They are brought together to accomplish a particular task. Cross-functional teams are also an effective way to allow employees from diverse areas within an organization to exchange information, develop new ideas, solve problems, and coordinate complex tasks.

A virtual team is an extension of the electronic meetings discussed in Chapter 4. A virtual team allows groups to meet without concern for space or time and enables organizations to link workers together that in the past couldn’t have been done. Team members use technology advances to solve problems, even though they may be geographically dispersed or a dozen time zones away.

2. What problems might surface on teams during each of the five stages of team development?
Answer – Students’ responses should include an explanation of each stage. Forming is characterized by a great deal of uncertainty about the group’s purpose, structure, and leadership. The storming stage is one of intragroup conflict. Norming stage is one in which close relationships develop and members begin to demonstrate cohesiveness. The fourth stage is performing—the structure is fully functional and accepted by team members. Groups might not become productive at any stage. A group may be stalled at one stage when it needs to grow to the next.

3. How do virtual teams enhance productivity?
Answer – A virtual team allows groups to meet without concern for space or time and enables organizations to link workers together that in the past couldn’t have been done. Team members use technology advances to solve problems, even though they may be geographically dispersed or a dozen time zones away. Students might refer to the StrawberryFrog or the Heineken Beer example in the text to illustrate this.

4. In what ways can management invigorate stagnant teams?
Answer – Effective teams can become stagnant. What a manager can do to reinvigorate mature teams is summarized in Exhibit 9-6.

Prepare team members to deal with the problems of team maturity. Provide them with refresher training in communication, conflict resolution, team processes, and similar skills. Offer advanced training to develop stronger problem-solving, interpersonal, and technical skills. Encourage teams to treat their development as a constant learning experience.

5. Why do you believe mutual respect is important to developing high-performing work teams?
Answer – Effective teams are characterized by high mutual trust among members. Members believe in the integrity, character, and ability of one another. Respect is an important component of trust. Members redefine themselves to include membership in the team as an important aspect of the self.

Linking Concepts to Practice
1. How do you explain the rapidly increasing popularity of work teams in the countries, such as the United States and Canada, whose national cultures place a high value on individualism?
Answer – The current popularity of teams comes from the fact that teams typically outperform individuals when the tasks being done require multiple skills, judgment, and experience. As organizations restructure themselves to compete more effectively and efficiently, they are turning to teams as a way to better utilize employee talents. Teams can serve as a source of job satisfaction because team members are frequently empowered.

2. “All work teams are work groups, but not all work groups are work teams.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Discuss.
Answer – A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share information and to make decisions that will help each group member perform within his/her area of responsibility. Work groups have no need to engage in collective work that requires joint effort. There is no positive synergy. A work team, on the other hand, generates positive synergy through a coordinated effort. Exhibit 9-2 highlights the main differences between work groups and work teams.

3. Would you prefer to work alone or as part of a team? Why?
Answer – Students’ responses will vary based on personal opinion. Some individuals prefer to be recognized for their individual achievements. In some organizations, too, work environments are such that only the strong survive.

4. Describe a situation in which individuals, acting independently, outperform teams in an organization.
Answer – When time is of the essence, choices are limited, the group lacks the expertise that the individual has, etc., an individual will outperform a group.

5. Contrast the pros and cons of having diverse teams.
Answer – Diversity that exists on a work team can help identify creative or unique solutions. The lack of a common perspective due to diversity usually means that diverse team members will spend more time discussing relevant issues, decreasing the likelihood of a weak solution.

Integrative Chapter Skills

Building a championship team
Purpose: The purpose of this case is to provide the students with not only a surface level understanding of how and why a team might be put together in a certain way, but also the deeper strategic goals that underpin many key personnel decisions.
Students should read the following scenario from their textbooks. After they read the scenario, have them assemble into teams of 5 and address the Group Task, located at the bottom of the scenario. 
You are part of the general management team of a National Basketball Association (NBA). Your team finished last season 51-31 and was considered a title contender. However, your team lost to a younger more aggressive team in the 2nd round of the playoffs 4 games to 2 in a tough series. Part of the problem was that your star player was somewhat hobbled by a bad ankle for the 2nd half of the series and couldn’t play in the last quarter of a critical game 5 loss. As you enter the new season you must make many critical decisions regarding the make-up of your team. In general, your team is a bit older than the other contending clubs. Currently, the consensus of NBA scouts and experts places your team as the 3rd best in the conference and the 6th best in the NBA. However, in your estimation the top three teams are significantly better than your squad and you would have to make a trade in order to have a legitimate shot at the championship. This leads to an off-season where you have two potential strategies to pursue as you consider the team for next year. On one hand, the addition of one more exceptional player, or a significant upgrade at one of your key positions, will give you a great shot at the championship. On the other hand, because you have quality players other teams have approached you with possible trade offers. This leads to a strategy to rebuild the team for the future. On the table you now have 2 deals and you need to make one of them. You have decided that you cannot stand pat going into the season.
The team. Your team has two very good role players have been in the league for several years and in their prime. James Auguire is a 31 year old small forward who averaged 15 points and 8 rebounds for your team last year. He has steadily improved his game over the past couple of seasons and you see no reason for him to not keep improving. Adrian Mahorn, age 32, is a very good shooting guard who is an exceptional defender. He only averages 8 points a game but is known to have a very good shot. He suffers because he is usually the 3rd or 4th option on offence. He is a good team player and is well liked in the locker room. The power forward is the big unknown going into the season. Terry Long, age 23, was drafted after your team won a high lottery pick from a poor team 2 years ago. He was the 2nd pick of the draft and was thought to be a potential super-star coming out of college. His stats have been respectable as he has averaged 17.5 points and 7 rebounds a game. His passing ability was a pleasant surprise, and better than initially reported. On certain nights he dominated the competition, and he played solidly during the play-offs. The concern is at times he disappears from the offence and his aggressiveness is not consistent. He seems the least happy on the team and tends to go his own way. There have been incessant rumours that he and the point guard on the team do not get along. Your internal investigation reveals that indeed these two individuals do not get along that well, but of course they keep things quite professional publicly. Nonetheless, he is young and exciting and you still rate him as having the potential to be a superstar.
 The point guard Vinnie Rodman, age 27, is fast and an exceptional passer. His defence is mediocre but he doesn’t necessarily hurt the team. Earlier in his career he had issues with attitude and late night partying. His behavior has improved considerably since your team acquired him two years ago – partly because this was his 3rd team in 4 years and potentially his last chance. Although he has been more disciplined in his personal life his on court discipline is still a work in progress. He sometimes tries to make the dazzling play versus the sure pass. He is still rated as one of the top 10 point guards in the league and has improved substantially since joining the club. The assistant coach really likes him and says in a few more years he will be fine and he will eventually be a top 5 guard.
The 7 foot center, Rickey Laimbeer, age 35, has been a bedrock presence in this organization since he was a high draft pick 14 years ago. He has never won an NBA championship and was sorely disappointed last year when the team fell short and he injured his ankle. Although he still averaged 24 points and an amazing 15.5 rebounds a game, there were signs that age is finally creeping up on him. Realistically, you don’t see his game slipping that much this year. He is still a dominating presence on the court and he maintains discipline in the clubhouse. In fact, it is thought that he has been a very steadying influence on Vinnie Rodman. You feel that he has about 2 more solid years left in him but even though he works very hard to keep himself in shape most big men his age start to have injury problems, especially with their knees.
The trade proposals. Isaiah Dumars, age 34, has been a special point guard for many years. He is a 10 time All-star and is regarded as one of the best passers in the history of the game. Last year scouts noticed that he had lost a step in speed and he has gone from a very good defender to an average defender. He has played in 6 All-star games with Rickey and they have become close friends off the court. You have no doubts that there would be great chemistry between Isaiah and Rickey. Even more intriguing were the tryouts for the Olympic team last year. Terry and Isaiah immediately hit it off both on and off the court. This was partly attributable to the fact that Terry was a great fan of Isaiah while a child. The scouts came back raving about the potential between these two players.
Several knowledgeable experts consider a line-up with Isaiah passing to both Rickey and Terry to be nearly unstoppable. That starting line-up would be the favourite to win the championship. You realize that both Isaiah and Rickey are quite old, so it would be a somewhat risky move. You approached the general manager of Isaiah’s team and his deal was the following. You would have to give up Vinnie Rodman as a replacement, the rights to Vito Casteleone (age 21) from Italy, and your next 2 number one draft picks. The demand for Vito hit your scouting staff hard. Your team took great pride in unearthing a skinny 19 year old point-guard playing on a non-descript professional Italian team. Over the course of the past year his game has improved tremendously and most scouts agree that he could start on half of the teams in the NBA this year. He is an incredible shooter with almost unlimited range. You are not quite sure how he would handle the physical play in the NBA but all reports are quite positive. The two future first round picks would most certainly be toward the lower part of the round so they don’t concern you. You had been debating this trade for only a few days when the phone rang with another offer.
One of the top teams in the league is interested in trading for Rickey Laimbeer. The addition of Rickey to their already strong line-up would almost ensure a championship for that team for a couple of years. They could not return any players of note but they are offering their own first round pick for next year and they are offering the 1st pick of the Chicago Bulls (they acquired this pick for a trade several years ago) who are the worst team in the league. If the projections that the Bulls will finish no higher than one of the 3 worst teams in the draft hold up (which seems very likely) you should be in the lottery for one of the first 5 picks of the draft (80% certainty) and have a good chance (50%) of landing one of the first two picks. According to the scouts there are 5 can’t miss prospects in this draft and the potential for a couple more depending upon who might leave college early. What excites them even more is that among the top two college prospects is a 19 year old center who reminds many in the organization of a bigger and faster version of Rickey Laimbeer. The second rated prospect is a silky smooth small forward who has many whispering the name Michael Jordan when they watch how he dominates a game athletically.
Another interesting aspect to this trade is that in order to meet the equal salary exchange for trades mandated by the league office you would also receive two journeymen players who are currently vastly overpaid, but whose contracts expire after this year. This would mean that your team would walk into next year over 25 million dollars available under the salary cap which would enable you to shop at will for whichever free agent is available. Early indications are that there will be several very interesting and talented free agents available. Some in the organization view this trade as the potential underpinning to a dynasty rivalling the Lakers and Celtics of the 80s and the Chicago Bulls of the 90s.
Group task
Your task is to evaluate the current make-up of the team, assess its potential to win the next championship and decide on one of the two trades. You must be able to argue for your choice in front of the team owner. Make sure you have your reasons ready. You can either trade for Isaiah Dumars or trade away Rickey Laimbeer.

Teaching Tips
Students, especially sports fans, will embrace this exercise and enjoy voicing their thoughts in a lively debate.  The teaching opportunity here lies not in the student generated answers, but rather in the group process they engage in while discussing the issue.  Ask them the following questions:

 How did your group arrive at your decision?
 What roles did team members play during this process? (Note: Be sure the answers here are framed in terms of the team member roles outlined in the text—eg. Controller-inspectors, linkers, etc)
 What team member roles were not evident during this process?
 How could having those roles (that were not played) represented in your group have changed the overall experience your group had?  The ending decision?
 Would you consider your group a high performing, effective team?  (Note: Look for answers that identify the specific characteristics of high performing teams such as trust, etc)

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