Ebook: Work Teams: Past, Present and Future

This book places current and future work team practices in historical context. Researchers from 10 countries have contributed chapters that represent developments specific to their regions and that illustrate the way ideas spread around the world. Some principles of effective teaming were independently discovered in different countries, and some principles emerged from the work of researchers like Trist, Emery, and Lewin and spread around the world. But all of the practices were driven by the dynamic tension between the psychology of the employee and business necessities. Theories and cases describe autonomous work groups, self-managed work teams, cell teams, and other collaborative work structures. Contributions to the design of such structures came from psychology, management, sociology, industrial engineering, and manufacturing. Because of the challenges inherent in reorganising work around teams instead of individuals, organizations are at different stages in evolving into 21st century work systems.

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This book places current and future work team practices in historical context. Researchers from 10 countries have contributed chapters that represent developments specific to their regions and that illustrate the way ideas spread around the world. Some principles of effective teaming were independently discovered in different countries, and some principles emerged from the work of researchers like Trist, Emery, and Lewin and spread around the world. But all of the practices were driven by the dynamic tension between the psychology of the employee and business necessities. Theories and cases describe autonomous work groups, self-managed work teams, cell teams, and other collaborative work structures. Contributions to the design of such structures came from psychology, management, sociology, industrial engineering, and manufacturing. Because of the challenges inherent in reorganising work around teams instead of individuals, organizations are at different stages in evolving into 21st century work systems.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxxvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Historic Roots of Team Theory and Practice....Pages 3-24
Work Teams Research....Pages 25-44
History of Cell-Based Manufacturing....Pages 45-57
The Human Relations Myth Unveiled....Pages 59-83
The Evolution of Open Systems to the 2 Stage Model....Pages 85-103
Front Matter....Pages 105-105
Kurt Lewin....Pages 107-114
Socio-Technical Systems Approach to Work Team Design....Pages 115-129
Deutsch’s Theory of Cooperation and Competition....Pages 131-155
Allan Mogensen (1901–1989)....Pages 157-168
Modern Socio-Technology....Pages 169-180
Front Matter....Pages 181-181
Work Teams in Australia....Pages 183-192
Three Kinds of Autonomy at Work in Norway....Pages 193-199
Group Fabrication to Self-Designing Work Teams....Pages 201-217
Group Work Concepts in Germany....Pages 219-235
The Formation of Work Teams in Russia....Pages 237-246
Yugoslav Self-Management....Pages 247-253
When the Teams Came Marching Home....Pages 255-273
A History of Teams....Pages 275-288
Functions and Emergence of New Work Organizations at Toyota....Pages 289-307
Front Matter....Pages 309-309
Self-Managing Teams in a Crystal Ball....Pages 311-322
Back Matter....Pages 333-340
Teams in Organizations....Pages 323-331

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This book places current and future work team practices in historical context. Researchers from 10 countries have contributed chapters that represent developments specific to their regions and that illustrate the way ideas spread around the world. Some principles of effective teaming were independently discovered in different countries, and some principles emerged from the work of researchers like Trist, Emery, and Lewin and spread around the world. But all of the practices were driven by the dynamic tension between the psychology of the employee and business necessities. Theories and cases describe autonomous work groups, self-managed work teams, cell teams, and other collaborative work structures. Contributions to the design of such structures came from psychology, management, sociology, industrial engineering, and manufacturing. Because of the challenges inherent in reorganising work around teams instead of individuals, organizations are at different stages in evolving into 21st century work systems.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxxvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Historic Roots of Team Theory and Practice....Pages 3-24
Work Teams Research....Pages 25-44
History of Cell-Based Manufacturing....Pages 45-57
The Human Relations Myth Unveiled....Pages 59-83
The Evolution of Open Systems to the 2 Stage Model....Pages 85-103
Front Matter....Pages 105-105
Kurt Lewin....Pages 107-114
Socio-Technical Systems Approach to Work Team Design....Pages 115-129
Deutsch’s Theory of Cooperation and Competition....Pages 131-155
Allan Mogensen (1901–1989)....Pages 157-168
Modern Socio-Technology....Pages 169-180
Front Matter....Pages 181-181
Work Teams in Australia....Pages 183-192
Three Kinds of Autonomy at Work in Norway....Pages 193-199
Group Fabrication to Self-Designing Work Teams....Pages 201-217
Group Work Concepts in Germany....Pages 219-235
The Formation of Work Teams in Russia....Pages 237-246
Yugoslav Self-Management....Pages 247-253
When the Teams Came Marching Home....Pages 255-273
A History of Teams....Pages 275-288
Functions and Emergence of New Work Organizations at Toyota....Pages 289-307
Front Matter....Pages 309-309
Self-Managing Teams in a Crystal Ball....Pages 311-322
Back Matter....Pages 333-340
Teams in Organizations....Pages 323-331
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