Teamworking — Just How Effective Is It? Available to Purchase

A key concept in many TQM organisational interventions is the introduction of teamworking. Thus, the organisation of shopfloor employees into work teams is becoming more popular in Western industry. These teams typically consist of between five and twelve multi‐skilled workers who are encouraged to rotate jobs among themselves. These jobs are not just those traditionally done at shopfloor level but include responsibilities that have previously been carried out at supervisory and managerial levels. Hence, many aspects of planning, organisation and control are delegated down the organisational hierarchy to the work team which, rather than merely following instructions, becomes a decision malting and problem solving unit.