Teams and Teamwork as the Basis of Effectiveness

Bachelorarbeit von Sven Rosenhauer

Introduction:

Nowadays, teams are seen in every organisations and the majority agrees to the advantageous position of teams rather than individuals. The term team is mentioned in the same sense like effectiveness, efficiency, problem-solving and success. Referring to numerous authors, during the last 30 years the utilisation of teams and teamwork increased dramatically. It is also mentioned that teamwork seems to be a winning formula. Nevertheless, some authors mentioned that teamwork is just a ‘fashion’ and is not always the best solution.

In the following, a critical literature review on teams and team building will be given. Especially effective team performance will be centred. In order to evaluate literature adequate, the conceptual framework developed by Bloom - ‘Bloom’s taxonomy’ - will be used. Within the review, an accurate and informed awareness of the literature of teams and teamwork will be demonstrated. Therefore, material of specific topics will be evaluated. The main part of the review covers: defining teams, evaluating teams, building teams, effective teamwork and its core competences. Likewise, main themes, methods, and philosophical approaches will be analysed. Furthermore, approaches for further research will be given. Beside, own interpretation, assumptions and limitations of the review will be illustrated.

Table of Contents:

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EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK:

Agreeing to West and Salas et al , there is much confusing about characteristics of effective teamwork. Due to that, several authors tried to give a ‘recipe’ to create, develop, and enhance effective teams and teamwork. Referring to the more functionalistic reviewed literature, several characteristics about effective teamwork occurred. In order to classify core competences to guide organisations, effectiveness and effective teamwork has to be defined. In the following part, several key aspects which are required for effective teamwork will be highlighted and explained in more depth. Furthermore, evidences will be illustrated and appraised. Additionally, methods and methodologies which are characterising the evaluated articles will be described and categorised.

Today, many organisations utilise teams to realise and accomplish task, but there also seems to be a lack of prescriptive guidance for organisations to „capitalize on the potential synergy teams offer”., for example, defined effectiveness as a strategic concept related to profit potential of organisations. Ansoff see effectiveness as a measure of all resources of an organisation. Johnson & Scholes defined effectiveness in a way of how quick and costs saving goals can be reached. Schein summarised effectiveness in three main categories, which are performance, goals and criteria. Accordingly to Hackmann as well as Sundstrom et al and Benders & Hootegem are defining effectiveness as indicated by three types: by outputs, by consequences for team members, or by enhancement of capability for further teamwork. Moreover, they mentioned effectiveness cannot be uniformed measured.

Within the covered literature, many papers concern abilities and characteristics which are required by effective teams. Ingram et al (1997), for example, extended an empirically-based framework, referring to Schermerhorns work (1995), to characterise effective teamwork. In a more interpretative approach, the extended framework is only focusing the hospitality industry. In order to understand and develop effective teamwork the model is based on inputs, throughputs and outputs. These three stages are defined as follows: Inputs are factors which are controlled by managers like group climate and group configuration (size, knowledge, talent or membership balance).) Inputs are usually sorted and controlled by managers who are building up teams. Based on the system model, throughputs are characteristics like process, cohesiveness, communication, decision-making, task activities and maintenance activities. Outputs are defined as task performance, individual outputs and further outputs which are specific linked to each team. Both each stage of the developed system model and each component (inputs, throughputs and outputs) are underlined briefly by several examples. These examples include secondary research as well as meta-analysis and refer to different types of teams. Although, visible and plausible assumptions which are highlighted by Ingram et al (1997), are not based on any evidence of primary research. The authors criticised conclusions done by other researchers, but likewise evidences which are given by them have weaknesses as well and are mainly based on narratives as academics.