Work Teams: Three Models of Effectiveness

Essay by robdado2University, Master'sA-, February 2005

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Abstract

What is a team? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having teams

in organizations? What does it take to make a team effective? This paper

examines the theme of effectiveness in teams. A work group is defined as a

group of individuals who are seen by themselves and others as a social

entity, which is interdependent because of the tasks performed as members

of a group. First, the paper briefly examines the advantages and potential

pitfalls of having teams in an organization. Then, three models of work

group effectiveness are presented. These models are from Campion, Guzzo and

Hackman. Implications of these models for teams are discussed, and then the

models are synthesized into a checklist of characteristics needed for

effective teams.

Work Teams:Three Models of Effectiveness

Groups became a new focus of attention in the 1940's after the Hawthorne

studies were published (Roethlisberger & Dickson, 1939). One of the

discoveries outlined in that report is that informal work groups are formed

by workers inside of classic Theory X organizations.

In recent years the

use of work teams in organizations has been increasing substantially, and

this trend is expected to continue (Katzenbach, 1998). Eighty percent of

organizations with over 100 employees report 50% of their employees are in

at least one team (Beyerlein & Harris, 1998). To remain competitive, it is

important for organizations to create and maintain teams which are as

effective as possible.

A work team will be defined for the purposes of this paper by a definition

borrowed from Guzzo (1986) as follows. A team is a group of individuals who

see themselves and are seen by others as a social entity, which is

interdependent because of the tasks performed as members of a group. They

are embedded in one or more larger social systems,