A

PROJECT REPORT ON :
STATUS OF TEAMS IN INDIAN
ORGANISATION

PGDM 2008-2010 (SECTION-A)

DATE OF SUBMISSION-03/06/2009

16
 INTRODUCTION:

In the beginning, god made an individual, and then he made a pair, the pair formed a team,
together they beget others and thus the team grew to fulfill the objectives. Team in the modern
perspective is the wider dimension of groups.
When people work in teams there are two quite separate issue involved. The first is the task and
the problem involved in getting the job done frequently this is the only issue, which the team
considers. The second is the process of team work itself: the mechanism by which the team acts
as a unit and not as a loose rabble however without attention of this process, the value of the
team is diminished and can even destroyed; yet with a little explicit management of the process,
it can enhance the worth of the team to be many times the sum of the worth of its individuals. It
is this synergy, which makes teamwork attractive in corporate organization despite the possible
problem in team formation.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

Teams: Panaceas or prescriptions for improved performance?

Dunphy, Dexter, Bryant, Ben. Human Relations. New York: May 1996.

Summary
A study addresses the contribution of teams to organizational performance. It distinguishes
between 3 types of team attributes: technical expertise, self-management, and self-leadership. It
reviews each attribute and assesses its relative contribution to 3 aspects of organizational
performance: cost, value, and innovation. The study also addresses the issue of the relatively
neglected factor of the development costs of establishing and maintaining such groups and
advocates a more rigorous approach to making a cost benefit analysis before instituting teams.
Finally, it advances a model of team development based on team attributes and performance
16
objectives. Overall, this study advances a classification of team attributes which is intended to
facilitate team design and development, and which is potentially applicable to all teams in
organizations.

Inter organizational Teams as Boundary Spanners Between Supplier and Customer

Companies
Academy of Marketing Science. Journal. Greenvale: Fall
2006.
Summary
Extant research has largely ignored the phenomenon of inter organizational teams, which consist
of members from both supplier and customer companies. This study examines the degree to
which team inter organizationality influences team performance in a business-to-business
context. On the basis of resource-dependence theory and boundary theory, the author argues that
team inter organizationality positively influences team effectiveness, particularly when
uncertainty is high. The hypotheses testing are based on multiple informant data collected from
members and leaders of 225 teams in various industries. The results show the positive influence
of team inters organizationality on team effectiveness. In addition, uncertainty-related moderator
variables (company-related, market-related, and technological uncertainty) strengthen the link
between team inter organizationality and team effectiveness.

DEFINITION OF TEAM:

The team is a system whose parts interrelate. It is a collection of two or more people who have a
common goal or interest and interact with each other to accomplish their objective. A team of
people working in same room, or even in a common project, does not necessarily invoke in team
process. The team process leads to a spirit of cooperation, coordination and commonly
understood procedure and more.

WHY TEAM:

Teams are particularly good at combining talents and providing innovative solution; in case
where there is no well established procedure, the wider skill and knowledge set of the team has a
distinct advantage over that of the individual.
In general however, there is an overriding advantage in team based work force, which makes it
attractive to management; that it engenders a fuller utilization of the work force. A team can be
seen as a self managing unit. The range of skill provided by its members and the self monitoring
which each team performs makes it a reasonably safe recipient for delegated responsibility.
16
 CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEAM:

1. Clear goals: The first characteristic of successful teams is clear goals. - be specific, use
long term and short term goals, set task and outcome goals and be flexible and realistic.
However, setting team goals is sometimes more challenging because the whole Team has
to agree on where they are going and how they are going to get there. The goal setting
process is often facilitated by asking the team at the beginning of the season “What can
you as a group achieve?” and “What do you as a group Want to achieve?” This process
gets the team thinking about the realm of Possibilities as well as their motivation and
commitment to the goal.
2. Clarify roles: A good team has members who know their responsibility and authority,
understand the roles that are played by others, and use everyone’s skills and abilities.
Team members are also clear about the connection between team goals and their day-to-
day activities.
3. Develop and maintain positive relationships among members: A good team has members
that respect, support, cooperate with, and trust each other. Such teams proactively work to
build positive relationships by providing opportunities for social interaction, by giving
assignments that put staff into contact with individuals they don’t normally interact with,
and by providing cross-training opportunities.
4. RESPECT: It is important for a team to understand and accept that not everyone is going
to be best friends. While friendship among team members isn’t a critical element of
successful team, respect is. When talking to your team about respect, remind them that
they can earn respect of their teammates through the actions and attitudes they display
daily in and out of practice.
5. OPEN COMMUNICATION: Communication comes in many different forms and at
many different levels. Communication between all group members should be open. That
is, Team members are encouraged to honestly express themselves about team standards,
individual and team goals, feelings and expectations.
6. Successfully manage conflict: A good team is effective at identifying and resolving
conflicts in a timely and mutually beneficial fashion. High-performing teams also
minimize the occurrence of conflict by implementing communication and conflict
resolution training, by incorporating ongoing team-building activities, and by
encouraging the active participation of all team members.
7. Operate in a productive manner: A good team has the resources and skills needed for
success, is able to complete its work in a timely fashion, and utilizes quality and
productivity measures to evaluate overall efficiency (how well team processes are
operating) and effectiveness (the quality of the team’s products and services).
8. Provide development opportunities for team members: A good team provides ongoing
development opportunities for team members in technical, interpersonal, and team-
building areas. This includes the application of a variety of developmental interventions
such as classroom training, coaching and mentoring, development assignments, feedback-
based activities, and self-directed learning.
16
 SIGNIFICANCE OF TEAMS IN AN ORGANIZATION:

Over twenty years ago, automobile manufacturers Volvo and Toyota implemented team-based
structures at a time when highly formalized, centralized and departmentalized mechanistic
structures were the norm. In the 1980s, a growing number of private and public sector
organizations began to introduce teams. The Australian Tax Office, for instance, introduced
teams to various areas of their operations in a radical departure from their bureaucratic
structure.

In the 1990s, the utilization of teams has spread rapidly. Small manufacturing firms such as the
Toowoomba Foundry believe that the development of strong and effective production and
managerial teams will lead to the potential for higher performance and increased job
satisfaction. Larger firms such as Qantas are encouraging the development of teams, where
appropriate, across all aspects of their operations because they believe that there are
synergies to be gained from greater levels of involvement in the workforce. It seems that the
utilization of teams has spread to the point that it is now the bureaucratic and mechanistic
organizational designs that are becoming the exception rather than the norm.

While the use of teams appears to offer many benefits, teams may not be the most suitable
approach for all organizations. This paper attempts to outline some of the attractions and challenges of
implementing teams so as to give a realistic preview of what can be achieved through teamwork.
It should be noted that not all organizations would experience all of the challenges. The effects of teamwork
(both positive and negative) are contingent upon many factors, including the organization’s culture
and climate, effectiveness of team leadership, organizational support and so on. There are eight
key points that facilitate the effective development of teams. Before these issues are
examined, however, it is essential to define teams, discuss the attraction of teamwork and
identify the challenges presented by teamwork.

TYPES OF TEAMS IN AN INDIAN ORGANISATION:

Leader-directed:
The leader is essentially external to the group and interacts with people individually, managing
separate agendas. The group members do not really interact or work closely together. This is not
really a team as it represents a classic command and control structure. It can work powerfully in
certain circumstances.
16
Goal Setting Leader defines unit goals and matching individual expectations

Work Confederate; collaboration not necessary as individuals meet unit’s goals by meeting
their own expectations; team leader manages expectations with each individual
Approach separately

Communication Information shared by leader on “need to know” basis; discussions are initiated and
managed by leader; individuals generally ask questions only to clarify information

Conflict Conflicts are generally not discussed within unit; conflicts are discussed and managed
between the leader and individuals on a one-to-one basis
Management

Trust Leader has trust that each individual will achieve his/her responsibilities with respect to
performance expectations with limited supervision

Level ofLeader and individuals are individually accountable for unit’s charter and goals;
Accountability individuals have limited need for involvement with each other

Relationships Completing work holds a greater priority than building relationships within unit

Leadership Leader exercises all management functions and leadership roles

Decision Leader makes almost all decisions and employs Authoritarian model
Making

Direction Leader defines Charter for unit and retains authority to change it without input from
individuals
Setting
16
Working Group:

The leader participates with the group and exercises command and control. Group members
work toward a common charter and in a common direction. They have some interaction, but
interaction with the leader is primary.

Leadership Group leader exercises majority of management functions and leadership roles; group
leader shares several responsibilities with group members

Decision Group leader makes final decisions on most issues employing Authoritarian model on
most issues; team leader often consults with group members first to gain input and ideas
Making

Direction Group leader defines Mission and consults with group members regularly to assess
group’s progress; group leader is involved in any changes made to Mission
Setting

Goal Setting Group leader consults with group members on individual group goals and obtains
matching individual expectations

Work Cooperative; group members need to work together to some degree to achieve group’s
mission; group members are committed to their individual goals
Approach

Communication Leader regularly shares info; discussions are more flexible and interactive and may be
initiated by group members; members share info with each other and feel free to ask
numerous questions

Conflict Group leader often identifies conflict and may manage it one-to-one or ask team
members to recommend resolutions or have dialogues on the issue
Management
16
Trust Group leader and group members have some trust in each other to carry out group
responsibilities/meet performance expectations, resolve business issues and do their fair
share with limited supervision

Level ofGroup leader and group members are individually accountable for group’s mission and
Accountability goals; group members understand that their work and behavior contribute to or detract
from the group

Relationships Completing work is important; however group members are aware of need for
sensitivity to group members’ needs

Leader/Member:

The leader sits as first among equals at the table in terms of the team’s work, while still
exercising some management and leadership roles. The team works collaboratively toward its
goals. There is some differentiation in rank between the team leader and team members.

Leadership Leader sits as “equal at table” and exercises few, well-defined management functions
and leadership roles; many responsibilities are shared with team members

Decision Team leader guides decision-making process; team leaders and team members make
decisions together using Consensus model; Democratic model is used as second level
Making alternative

Direction Team leader guides team through generation of team’s Purpose; entire team is present
and accountable for generation of Purpose
Setting

Goal Setting Team leader guides goal setting process and, with team members, sets shared team
goals and matching individual expectations
16
Work Collaborative; team leader and team members work closely to achieve team’s purpose;
entire team is committed to shared goals
Approach

Communication Team leader and team members actively engage in discussions and exploratory
conversations; all team members feel free to ask questions of each other and team
leader

Conflict Team leader and members identify and initiate discussion of conflicts; members often
manage conflict among themselves without support of leader
Management

Trust Team leader and members have strong trust in members to carry out team
responsibilities/
meet performance expectations, resolve business issues, do their fair share and provide
new ideas

Level ofTeam leader and team members are mutually accountable for team’s purpose and shared
Accountability goals; team leader and members have strong feelings of identity with remainder of team

Relationships Team leader and team members are able to complete work and frequently demonstrate
sensitivity to team members’ needs

16
Rotating/Shared Leadership:

Leadership is either rotated or shared (divided up). All members participate in management and
leadership roles and work collaboratively. This design is typically used as a hybrid design during
an evolution toward self-directed.

16
Leadership Leadership role is shared among team members; management functions are broken out
and either shared or rotated among team members

Decision Team member(s) with responsibility for process guides decision-making; team leader
and members make decisions together using Consensus model; Democratic model is
Making used as second level alternative

Direction Entire team is present and accountable for generation of team’s Purpose
Setting

Goal Setting Designated team member(s) guides goal-setting; entire team sets shared team goals/
matching individual expectations together

Work Collaborative; entire team works closely to achieve team’s purpose; entire team is
committed to team’s shared goals
Approach

Communication Team members actively engage in discussion and exploratory conversation; all team
members feel free to ask questions of each other

Conflict Responsible Member(s)

Management identities and Initiate(s) discussion of conflicts; members manage conflict among
themselves without support of team leader

Trust Team members have a great deal of trust in members to carry out team responsibilities/
meet performance expectations, resolve business issues, do their fair share and provide
new ideas

Level ofTeam members are mutually accountable for team’s purpose and shared goals; team
Accountability members have strong feelings of identity with remainder of team

Relationships Team members complete work and almost always demonstrate sensitivity to team
members’ needs

Self-Directed:
16
There is no official leader role. All team members are empowered and accountable, and work
collaboratively. A facilitator typically works with the team with a hands-off approach and serves
as a liaison between the team and the organization.

Leadership No official leadership role; team members are empowered to assume most if not all
management functions; Coordinator role assumes specific management functions

Decision Any team member may guide process; all members make decisions as a team using
decision model selected by team; team may delegate certain responsibilities to one
Making member in specific situations

Direction Entire team is present and accountable for generation of team’s Purpose
Setting

Goal Setting Entire team sets shared team goals and matching individual expectations together

Work Collaborative; team members are highly committed to and interdependent upon each
other in all aspects
Approach

Communication Team members actively engage in discussion and exploratory conversations; team
members openly discuss any issue that may affect them or team at any time

Conflict Conflicts are identified in early stages, addressed, discussed openly among team
members and resolved within team
Management

Trust Organization trusts team to be self-managed; team members have a high level of trust in
members to carry out responsibilities/ meet performance expectations, resolve issues, do
their fair share and provide new ideas
16
Level ofTeam members are mutually accountable for team’s purpose and shared goals; team
Accountability members place team goals before individual expectations

Relationships Team members are able to complete work and demonstrate sensitivity to team members’
needs

FUNCTIONS OF TEAMS:

TEAM TYPE FUNCTION MEMBERS LIFE SPAN

Leadership  Generates organization vision,Senior executives Long-term

Team mission and values and strategic
framework (Ongoing)

 Provides stewardship and

governance for organization

 Oversees organizational units and

operations

Management  Manages day-to-day operations Senior and middleLong-term

Team managers
 Ensures achievement of vision, (Ongoing)
mission, values and strategic
framework

 Oversees employees and teams

Guiding  Accountable for the design andVariable Variable

Coalition / implementation of a change
Change Team program

 Works within a program

management framework

 Works with the broader

organization
16
Steering  Provides guidance for one or moreCross-functional Variable
Committee initiatives senior and middle
managers
 Establishes project charters
ensuring alignment with objectives

 Reviews progress and approves

recommendation

Research Team  Accountable for research andVariable Medium- to long-

development within an organization term

 Either resident with R&D

department or exists as temporary
team

Think Tank  Provides ongoing “thought-based”Variable Short- to medium-

research regarding specific term
initiatives, projects or issues

 Makes recommendations to various

organizational constituencies

Business  Manages day-to-day operations ofMiddle managers andLong-term

Process Team an end-to-end business processemployees
within a certain function (Ongoing)

 Improves the efficiency and

effectiveness of a specific business
process with identifiable outputs

THE ATTRACTION OF TEAMWORK:

The attraction of teamwork stems from the reasons teams are implemented. A number of authors
state that teams are being implemented in ever-increasing numbers as a reaction to
increased global competition. While increased competitiveness may be occurring, it also seems
that there is a growing need to cater for niche markets. Not only must manufacturers and service
providers compete on cost, they must also compete on innovation by creating unique
products and services that cannot be rivaled by other companies. This creates a problem
where companies can no longer rely on mass production and economies of scale to compete in the
marketplace.

Many companies believe that teams are the answer to this problem. Teams can
maximize organizational innovation because employees have increased autonomy,
increased participation, and ownership regarding decisions. The employees are no longer told
what to do. Instead, they are given goals, or they develop goals with their team leader, and are
then free to decide how best to achieve the goals. In addition to maximizing innovation,
16
teams can provide a number of other attractions for the organizations in which they
operate.

First, teams make optimum use of human resources as they allow organizations to gain
access to an individual’s knowledge and skills. The increasing complexity of organizations
means that managers can no longer know everything about every aspect of the organization’s
operations. In this situation it is essential that the knowledge and skills of the workforce
be utilized. Second, teams enhance organizational learning because employees are able to
experiment and create strategies that are best suited to their work. Third, teams can result in
gains in an individual’s productivity and efficiency, thereby creating a synergy. Finally,
team work is associated with a greater variety of tasks and added responsibility for team
members, which is likely to result in increased levels of job satisfaction, motivation and
employee commitment. This may result in lower staff turnover and absenteeism, thereby
reducing organizational costs and improving an organization’s memory or knowledge base.

CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY TEAMWORK:

The implementation of teams is, fundamentally, an organizational change and

development process. Teams are, therefore, susceptible to all the challenges that can occur
during any organizational change process. In particular, employee resistance may result where
employees are required to work with other employees with whom they are unfamiliar. In this
case, the new teams are breaking up established social relationships. One way in which
this can be overcome is through teambuilding. Teambuilding attempts to ‘improve group
performance by improving communication, reducing conflict, and generating greater cohesion
and commitment among work group members’. Employee resistance may also result for other
reasons. For example, teamwork may require job enlargement. This often occurs when
individuals are required to perform their conventional roles as well as their team duties. In this
situation, it may be necessary to either reduce some of their duties or to change the system of
compensation and rewards.

Along with job enlargement, teamwork is often associated with empower men t,
ownership and added responsibility. Managers often assume that individuals prefer to be involved
in decision making, rather than simply being told what to do. While this may be true in most
cases, it is not true in all cases. This may result in alienation for some employees, which may
then lead to job dissatisfaction, labor turnover and/or decreased performance. While there is no
simple remedy for this problem, training or a change of position within the organization may be
possible.

Another problem associated with ‘empowered’ teams occurs when the teams are not trusted
enough to make major decisions. As a result, teams and the organization to which they belong, are not reaching
their full potential. Where teams are required to seek permission before implementing ideas, timeliness
and ownership are reduced. Innovation is also reduced as teams are forced to suggest solutions that are
likely to be accepted. Furthermore, team members may believe that management is merely
paying lip service to the fundamental ideas of teamwork. This will almost certainly reduce
employee morale.
16
Where teams are trusted to make decisions it may be found that they take up more time than
the system they replaced. This is also likely where coordination is required and where a
number of teams are interdependent. The problem may be partly overcome by
teambuilding, but is likely to required continued training and development of team
members. Such training will be particularly relevant for new staff, as there may not be
set procedures for them to follow. Coordination also requires effective team leadership. Put
simply, efficient team performance requires:

“ a balance between autonomy and decentralization of power on the one hand, for the
sake of both motivation and flexibility, and centralized control on the other hand,
for the sake of coordination and predictability ” (Argote & McGrath
1993, p. 337).

As is the case with all organizational chang e and develop me nt ini tia tives , th e
organizational culture and climate needs to be considered. It should not be assumed that the
goals and values of employees are the same as the goals of management, or even that goals
and values are consistent across the organization. Employee attitudes concerning teams will
determine the likelihood of success. For teams to be implemented successfully, they
need to be an extension of existing values. However, the implementation of teamwork may
also be useful where a culture change is desirable. Teamwork demands such a shift in attitudes that
organizations may turn to it when they want to achieve a cultural transformation, for example,
when becoming customer or quality oriented.

DEVELOPING TEAMS SUCCESSFULLY:

In light of the attractions and challenges of teamwork discussed above, this article
proposes a number of characteristics that, according to the literature, are associated with
successful teams. A number of authors have outlined ways in which teams can be implemented
successfully. Although there is no one best way, this section integrates some of the literature
in order to develop a more comprehensive model for team development. The model proposes eight
key points that can facilitate the successful implementation of teams. These points, which
embrace both critical elements of teams, as well as enabling factors, are presented
below:

Clear goals

Goals should be specific enough to give the team direction. For example, to raise market share
by ten percent in six months provides more guidance than simply to raise market share. A
goal should also state the ends, rather than the means. This gives teams the freedom to work out
how best to achieve the goal. Associated with providing clear goals is the development
of meaningful and acceptable performance measures so that the team members can feel
confident in their own achievements.
16
Decision making authority

Teams require decision making authority and, therefore, a certain level of

empowerment in order to carry out their work efficiently. Without this authority they would need
to get approval for their ideas and these ideas may be rejected before they are either proven or not
proven. For innovation to occur, teams must be allowed to experiment. However, to avoid
costly mistakes, it is appropriate to give teams this authority within certain boundaries. It
may also be necessary to hand over authority on a gradual basis so team members are not
overwhelmed by their newly-acquired authority. People are able to empower themselves
through a clear focus and the removal of the sense of fear in what they do.

Accountability and responsibility

If teams are to enjoy decision making authority, they must also be prepared to be
accountable and responsible for their actions. This does not suggest that some failures are not
permitted. It does suggest that teams need to monitor customer expectations and also their own
performance. If their goals are not being met or customer expectations are not being satisfied,
then their approach and methods will need some adjustment.

The acceptance of accountability and responsibility is also associated with the

establishment of a positive and productive set of group norms. Work teams can behave
similarly to adults in a family environment by developing norms that improve cohesion of the
group. Such norms may include sensibility, responsibility, supporting each other, and
having fun.

Effective leadership

Managers and supervisors who become team leaders experience a significant change of role.
Team leaders do not direct or control work, but instead work as coaches and mentors. Effective
communication, leadership and consulting skills will be required which may necessitate training
and development. A new mindset is also required. Team leaders concerned with a loss of power
need to understand that their new role is pertinent to the success of the teams, and that their
knowledge is required now more than ever. The issue is not about the erosion of power, but a
shift in the source of power — from legitimate to knowledge based.

Training and development

The previous paragraph highlighted the importance of training for team leaders. However,
most, if not all, team members are likely to require training. Employees may need
to learn new skills such as budgeting, computing, public relations and marketing, as well as
skills which allow them to work together effectively, such as effective communication,
confliction resolution and problem solving. Training and development are enabling factors that
allow team members and leaders to take on new responsibilities. Where team members
possess inadequate work skills and knowledge, teams are less likely to succeed.

Resources
16
For teams to operate effectively they must have access to resources. These resources can include
money, time, equipment, technology, people and information. Provision of resources requires
trust on the part of the organization and responsibility on the part of the team members. Like
authority, resources should not, and cannot, be unlimited and should perhaps be given to
employees gradually.

Organizational support

Teams cannot operate without the support and commitment of middle and upper
management. Therefore, changes must be initiated by those from the top of the organizational
hierarchy, rather than those on the shop floor. Any improvements that result from a shop
floor initiative may be seen as management incompetence and are not likely to be
supported by management. A nurturing environment with a collaborative climate provides the
support and encouragement that teams need for job performance.

Rewards for team success

An emphasis on individual rewards undermines the effectiveness of team-based work and

encourages team members to strive for individual performance goals that may not be congruent
with the goals of the team. A team-based reward system should reward employees for teamwork
and contributions to team success. One example of such a system is a gain sharing plan whereby
ideas that are successful and profitable result in the entire team being rewarded.

A problem that may occur with team-based rewards is the problem of social loafing. This occurs
when the efforts of one or more members of the team decreases and is more likely to occur in
teams that are excessively large. Where team-based rewards are used, social loafers are rewarded
similarly to other team members who are responsible for the group performance. This is not an
argument for a reward system based on individual efforts, but rather an argument for the
necessity of team-based discipline to accompany the team-based reward system.

Sorry I cannot provide the primary data coz , I

can’t publish others view without their
concern.
16
 CONCLUSION:
This project is about the team in an organization for different process, to achieve the defined
goals. This project presents an investigation into the phenomenon of mutual knowledge evolution
in team designing in an organization. When members in a design team work together, they can
therefore produce a result that individuals may not readily produce, which is called team synergy.
From this project we have focused specifically on investigating mutual knowledge evolution, i.e.,
a design phenomenon in which the team designers mutually evolve their design knowledge and
co-construct the design solution.
Teams are combination of people who are interconnected, and who have common identifiable
objectives. This can be achieved only and only effective and efficient team designing. This
project has outlined a method to team design; factors needed while team designing and various
types of team designing which are used in organizations these days. Through this project we have
revealed a pattern of how the design team is progressed. It shows how “ideas” are developed and
16
interconnected. We also come to know that team designing is first and foremost step for a team to
achieve its goals and objectives in future, as it is only the team who is going to use all the
resources available to them effectively to achieve these targets. If the team is not design well
further stages to achieve the targets cannot be completed in the efficient way. We also come to
know about the various benefits working in team rather than working individually. This project
has provided us great knowledge about team design and it’s Scope, team design process and
advantages and benefits of team design.

16