Groups That Work (and Those That Don't)

Groups That Work (and Those That Don't): Creating Conditions for Effective Teamwork Explores the design and leadership of groups, providing detailed descriptions of twenty-seven diverse work groups—including task forces, top management groups, production teams, and customer service teams—to offer insights into what factors affect group productivity, and what leaders and group members can do to improve work group effectiveness.

Preface xiii The Contributors xxi Introduction: Work Teams in Organizations: An Orienting Framework 1 PART ONE: TOP MANAGEMENT GROUPS: SETTING ORGANIZATIONAL DIRECTIONS 15 1. Fairfield Coordinating Group 19 Russell A. Eisenstat 2. Corporate Restructuring Team 36 Susan G. Cohen 3. Hilltop Hospital Top Management Group 56 Susan G. Cohen 4. Summary: Top Management Groups 78 Russell A. Eisenstat, Susan G. Cohen PART TWO: TASK FORCES: ACCOMPLISHING ONE-SHOT PROJECTS 87 5. The Students 89 Connie J. G. Gersick 6. The Bankers 112 Connie J. G. Gersick 7. Credit Analysis Team 126 Mary Lou Davis-Sacks 8. Summary: Task Forces Connie J. G. Gersick, Mary Lou Davis-Sacks PART THREE: PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS: PROVIDING EXPERT ASSISTANCE 155 9. The Tracking Team 157 Mary Lou Davis-Sacks 10. Fairfield Systems Group 171 Russell A. Eisenstat 11. Airline Maintenance Group 182 Daniel R. Denison 12. Summary: Professional Support Groups 195 Mary Lou Davis-Sacks, Daniel R. Denison, Russell A. Eisenstat PART FOUR: PERFORMING GROUPS: PLAYING TO AUDIENCES 203 13. Detroit String Quartet 207 Tory Butterworth 14. Children's Theatre Company 225 Stewart D. Friedman 15. University Athletic Teams 250 William A. Kahn 16. New Haven Nighthawks 265 Jack Denfeld Wood 17. Summary: Performing Groups 280 Tory Butterworth, Stewart D. Friedman, William A. Kahn, Jack Denfeld Wood PART FIVE: HUMAN SERVICE TEAMS: TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE 289 18. Operating Room Nurses 293 Daniel R. Denison, Robert I. Sutton 19. Midwest Federal Correctional Institution 309 Addie L. Perkins, David J. Abramis 20. Mental Health Treatment Teams 330 Robert Bruce Shaw 21. Summary: Human Service Teams 349 Addie L. Perkins, Robert Bruce Shaw, Robert I. Sutton PART SIX: CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAMS: SELLING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 359 22. Beer Sales and Delivery Teams 361 Richard Saavedra 23 Flight Attendant Teams 382 Susan G. Cohen, Daniel R. Denison 24. Summary: Customer Service Teams 398 Richard Saavedra, Susan G. Cohen, Daniel R. Denison PART SEVEN: PRODUCTION TEAMS: TURNING OUT THE PRODUCT 407 25. Compressor Team Start-Up 411 Russell A. Eisenstat 26. Airline Cockpit Crew 427 Robert C. Ginnett 27. Semiconductor Manufacturing Team 449 David J. Abramis 28. Summary: Production Teams 471 Conclusion: Creating More Effective Work Groups in Organizations 479 References 505 Index 509