Teams and teamwork can be found in every organisation. A critical literature review on teams and team building is given. Assumptions concerning defining, evaluating and building teams are stated. Understandings of the topic vary significantly. Teams are seen as co-operations of individuals which are working together to accomplish given tasks. Also advantages and disadvantages differ within the topic depending on the philosophical approach. Advantages of teams are well understood but less proved. Team building is highlighted by two different frameworks. Statements about effective teamwork are reviewed an evaluated. Additionally, the system model as a framework for effective teamwork is illustrated and discussed. Core components like communication, shared beliefs, leadership and shared decision-making, training, and selection are explained. Arguments about teams and teamwork are mainly based on secondary research and narratives rather than primary research. The contrariness of the topic can be explained by a lack of research. Furthermore, methods and methodologies as well as suggestions for further research and limitations are illustrated.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOPIC
2.1.1 DEFINING TEAMS
2.1.2 EVALUATING TEAMS
2.1.3 BUILDING TEAMS
2.2 EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK
2.3 CORE COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS
2.3.1 COMMUNICATION
2.3.2 GOAL SETTING & VISION SHARING
2.3.3 LEADERSHIP & DECISION-MAKING
2.3.4 TEAM TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
2.3.5 TEAM SELECTION & RECRUITMENT
2.3.6 FURTHER CORE COMPONENTS
2.4 METHODS AND METHODOLOGY
2.5 FURTHER RESEARCH
2.6 LIMITATION OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW
3. CONCLUSION OF LITERATURE REVIEW
Research Objectives and Themes
This literature review aims to critically evaluate existing research on teams and team building, focusing on defining team effectiveness and identifying the core components required for successful teamwork. The study seeks to synthesize various academic and practitioner perspectives, address the lack of empirical evidence in the field, and distinguish between functionalist and interpretivist approaches to team dynamics.
- Theoretical definitions and evolution of teams and teamwork.
- Evaluation of team performance and the debate over individual vs. team outcomes.
- Analysis of core team components (communication, leadership, goal setting).
- Examination of research methodologies and paradigms within team literature.
Excerpt from the Book
DEFINING TEAMS
Nowadays, teams and teamwork are seen in every organisation and are inescapable in modern systems to achieve and sustain success. (Church, 1998) Over the last 30 years many organisations turned from individual working to team-acting. It is argued that, due to the new advanced technology, teamwork in a sense of employee commitment is more needed than control and compliance. (Huszczo, 1990) Teamwork is worldwide used (Church, 1998) and it seems to be a trend or a ‘fashion’ that everybody has to be involved in a team to be successful. (Mullins, 2002, Ingram et al, 1997)
Within the literature, that is reviewed, definitions of teams vary significantly. It also has to be mentioned that there exist no clear and sustainable explanations. Many authors are not able to explain the term in a clear sense. Everyone has a subjective and formless understanding of ‘teams’, which can be summarised as: Several people who are co-operating together to achieve an organisational or individual goal. (Belbin, 1973; Gustafson & Kleiner, 1994; Ingram, et al, 1997; Spears, 1996; Staniforth, 1996; etc.) The vagueness of a definition is caused by a lack of research and evaluation of the topic. (Currie & Procter, 2003; Staniforth, 1996) Nevertheless, according to Salas et al (2000), and there review, a leading definition categorise teams as a set of individuals “interacting adaptively, interdependently, and dynamically towards a common […] goal” (Salas, et al, 2000, p.341) Teams are defined from two perspectives: The functionalistic and the interpretative approach. The functionalist paradigm dominates the business and management research and tries to generalise findings and assumptions. Compared to that, the interpretivist paradigm tries to identify conclusion in a more individual and subjective way. (Burrell & Morgan, 1979)
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Sets the stage by contextualizing the rise of teamwork as a modern organizational trend and outlines the purpose of this critical literature review.
LITERATURE REVIEW: Provides a comprehensive overview of 29 articles and books, categorizing them by theme and methodology to address the confusion regarding team definitions and effectiveness.
UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOPIC: Explores the difficulties in defining teams, comparing functionalist and interpretivist paradigms and examining various team typologies.
EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK: Analyzes the conceptual frameworks of team effectiveness, identifying stages such as inputs, throughputs, and outputs.
CORE COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE TEAMS: Breaks down essential success factors including communication, leadership, goal setting, training, and selection.
METHODS AND METHODOLOGY: Discusses the underlying research paradigms, highlighting the predominance of functionalism in current team studies.
FURTHER RESEARCH: Identifies the gaps in current knowledge, emphasizing the need for more primary research over meta-analyses.
LIMITATION OF THE LITERATURE REVIEW: Acknowledges the scope constraints regarding the number of sources and the time limitations of the research.
CONCLUSION OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Synthesizes the main findings, reiterating that while teamwork is widely accepted, its actual mechanisms remain under-researched and subjective.
Keywords
Teams, Teamwork, Team Effectiveness, Team Building, Literature Review, Functionalism, Interpretivism, Communication, Leadership, Decision-making, Organizational Performance, Team Roles, Knowledge Skills Abilities, Management, System Model
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper provides a critical literature review on the concepts of teams and team building, examining the current academic understanding and the practical application of teamwork in organizations.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The work covers team definitions, the evaluation of team performance, the necessary components for effective team building, and the different philosophical research paradigms like functionalism and interpretivism.
What is the primary goal of this research?
The objective is to synthesize existing literature to determine what makes teams effective and to highlight that current definitions and assumptions are often based on subjective anecdotes rather than rigorous primary research.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The research methodology is a systematic literature review, evaluating secondary sources, meta-analyses, and existing narrative accounts within the field of management science.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body evaluates teams through different definitions and frameworks, outlines core components such as communication and leadership, and provides an analysis of the methods used by previous researchers in the field.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include teamwork, effectiveness, functionalism, interpretivism, organizational behavior, and the systematic evaluation of team-related literature.
What does the author argue regarding team effectiveness?
The author argues that while teamwork is widely praised, there is a lack of hard empirical evidence proving its superiority over individual work, and that its "effectiveness" is often inconsistently measured.
How are the "core components" of teams categorized?
These components are categorized as 'throughputs'—processes like communication, goal sharing, and decision-making—which are essential to transform team inputs into productive outputs.
- Quote paper
- Sven Rosenhauer (Author), 2005, Teams and Teamwork as the Basis of Effectiveness / Developing Business Knowledge: an independent learning approach , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/186561
