MGMT8003
Week 9 - Teams at Work
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fslideplayer.com%2Fslide%2F4038455
%2F&psig=AOvVaw1BYda_fHHal6uMMXdBjtc0&ust=1696146221444000&source=images&cd=
vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCMDgoprr0YEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
Step 2 (Literature review) Due Friday 5pm
• Remember the purpose: To better understand the
nature and causes of the problem you identified in
Step 1.
• With the aim of developing a solution in Step 3.
• Sub-headings: use liberally
• To structure
• To draw attention to important segments
• Don’t fret about formatting; stay consistent
MGMT8003 2
Assessment criteria (Step 2)
Criterion Excellent Good Satisfactory Weak Poor Mark
Problem definition and /10
connection with relevant area
in OB (approx. 100 words)
Comprehensiveness of the /40
literature review (approx. 900
words)
Integration of the literature /30
review to develop insights into
the problem (as part of the
above write-up)
Write-up clear, well organised /20
and free of
grammatical/spelling errors
MGMT8003 3
• Think back to your experience in teams
• Any kind of team: work, sport, leisure, study (assignments,
debating, etc.)
• 1s: Think of a time when the team was unsuccessful (did not
do well, you did not like being in the team)
• List characteristics of this team & your experience?
• 2s: Think of time when the team was successful (it did well
or you really liked being in the team)
• List characteristics of this team & your experience?
MGMT8003 4
Why have teams
become so
popular?
• Achieve things
individual cannot
• More flexible and
responsive than
traditional groups
(departments)
• They help to
democratise
organisations and
increase employee
involvement.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fandertoons.com%2Fteamwork%2Fcart
oon%2F8070%2Fok-but-if-we-work-together-whammodepth-
perception&psig=AOvVaw2lZGpuGLKAWmHmmyuuVKwg&ust=1696127326412000&source=im
MGMT8003
ages&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJCGkOik0YEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAy5
Differences between groups and teams
• A work group is a group that interacts primarily to share
information and make decisions to help each member perform
within their area of responsibility.
• Nothing ‘binds’ them together with a common purpose
• E.g., department or unit
• A work team generates positive synergy through coordinated
effort. The individual efforts result in a level of performance
greater than the sum of those individual inputs.
• Clear sense of team product
MGMT8003 6
7
Idealized comparison of ‘groups’ vs ‘teams’
MGMT8003
Types of teams
• Problem-solving teams
• Make recommendations
• Self-managed work teams
• Replace ‘supervisor’
• Cross-functional teams
• Similar hierarchy; different functions; need time
• Virtual teams
• Technology mediated; trust, progress monitoring, activity publicised
• Multi-team systems
• Emergency health care; boundary spanner
MGMT8003 8
9
Team effectiveness model
MGMT8003
Creating effective teams
• Contextual factors
• Adequate resources
• Time, information, equipment, adequate staffing, assistance, etc.
• Leadership and structure
• For coordination, cooperation between & across teams
• Climate of trust
• Most important ingredient
• Performance evaluation and reward systems
• Individual AND Team-level
MGMT8003 10
Creating effective teams
• Team composition
• Abilities of members – personal ability & teamwork
• Personality of members – C, OtoE, ES (similarity beneficial)
• Allocation of roles – Belbin’s typology; Sgths + Wkns
• Diversity of members (organisational demography)
• Common ingroup-identity model
• Cultural differences (status difference)
• Size of teams [5-9 / coordination, cohesion, social loafing]
• Member preferences [for teamwork]
MGMT8003 11
12
Exhibit 9.4
Belbin’s team roles
MGMT8003
Team diversity
MGMT8003
13
https://marketoonist.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/180815.freshideas.jpg
MGMT8003
14
https://images.cartoonstock.com/lowres_800/business-commerce-team-team_member-
teamwork-teamplayers-team_players-CS560173_low.jpg
Creating effective teams
• Team processes
• Common plan and purpose
• often missing, reflexivity (reflecting upon & adjusting)
• Specific goals
• Team efficacy
• small wins, training
• Team identity
• Directs attention to team goals (as opposed to individual goals)
MGMT8003 15
Creating effective teams
• Team cohesion
• like & want to be part of; task + social
• Mental models
• how work should be done
• Conflict levels
• task, relationship, process
• Social loafing
• Individual and joint accountability
MGMT8003 16
MGMT8003
Effects of group processes
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmurderonthemenu.blogspot.com%2F201
6%2F10%2Fcartoon-of-day-
teamwork.html&psig=AOvVaw2lZGpuGLKAWmHmmyuuVKwg&ust=1696127326412000&source
17
=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCJCGkOik0YEDFQAAAAAdAAAAABB
e
MGMT8003
18
https://images.cartoonstock.com/lowres/business-commerce-vegetarian-vegetarianism-diverse-
businessman-businesses-CS570066_low.jpg
Turning individuals into team players
• Selection
• more than personal talent; selecting team players
• Training
• creating team players; training helps
• Rewarding
• providing incentives to be a good team player; cooperation, helping,
mentoring
MGMT8003 19
Team effectiveness (see Chang & Bordia, 2001, recommended reading)
• Performance:
• “the degree to which the group output ...meets the standards of
quantity, quality, and timeliness” of the organization;
• System viability:
• “the degree to which the process of carrying out the work enhances
the capability of members to work together interdependently in the
future”; and
• Professional growth:
• “the degree to which the group experience contributes to the growth
and personal well-being of team members” (Hackman, 1990, pp. 6-
7).
MGMT8003 20
Beware! Teams aren’t always the answer
• Three tests:
• Can the work be done better by more than on person?
• Does the work create a common purpose or set of goals for
the people in the group that is more than the aggregate of
individual goals?
• Determine whether the members of the group are
interdependent.
MGMT8003 21
The challenge of teamwork:
•Working in teams requires employees to
cooperate, share information, confront
differences, and supersede personal interests
for the greater good of the team!
MGMT8003 22
