TEAMS IN ORGANIZATIONS - RECENT RESEARCH ON PERFORMANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS

This review examines recent research on groups and teams, giving speci al emphasis to research investigating factors that influence the effec tiveness of teams at work in organizations. Several performance-releva nt factors are considered, including group composition, cohesiveness, and motivation, although certain topics (e.g. composition) have been m ore actively researched than others in recent years and so are address ed in greater depth. Also actively researched are certain types of tea ms, including flight crews, computer-supported groups, and various for ms of autonomous work groups. Evidence on basic processes in and the p erformance effectiveness of such groups is reviewed. Also reviewed are findings from studies of organizational redesign involving the implem entation of teams. Findings from these studies provide some of the str ongest support for the value of teams to organizational effectiveness. The review concludes by briefly considering selected open questions a nd emerging directions in group research.