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1: Teamwork in Business

  • Page ID
    18191
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    Learning Objectives

    1. Define a team and describe its key characteristics.
    2. Explain why organizations use teams and describe different types of teams.
    3. Explain why teams may be effective or ineffective.
    4. Identify factors that contribute to team cohesiveness.
    5. Understand the importance of learning to participate in team-based activities.
    6. Identify the skills needed by team members and the roles that members of a team might play.
    7. Learn how to survive team projects in college (and actually enjoy yourself).
    8. Explain the skills and behaviors that foster effective team leadership.

    • 1.0: Prelude - The Team with the RAZR’s Edge
      This page details Motorola Mobility's creation through the separation of its Mobile Devices division and its efforts to compete with the iPhone 4S and Galaxy Nexus by launching the ultra-thin Droid RAZR. Led by Roger Jellicoe, a diverse team balanced functionality and design. Initially modest sales grew following ambitious targets from executive Ron Garriques, resulting in the RAZR becoming a bestseller and revitalizing Motorola’s market reputation.
    • 1.1: The Team and the Organization
      This page discusses teams as groups of individuals with complementary skills working towards a common goal, highlighting Motorola's RAZR team as an example. It emphasizes that teams, unlike simple groups, share accountability and authority, leading to improved productivity and performance for organizations, despite their high failure rate of 50-70%.
    • 1.2: Why Teamwork Works
      This page explores the complexities of teamwork effectiveness, highlighting factors that enhance or hinder it. Key elements for effective teams include dependency, trust, collective performance, and rotating leadership, while group cohesiveness is influenced by size and competition. Potential challenges like groupthink, low motivation, and poor managerial support can negatively impact performance. Keeping a focus on organizational goals is crucial to maintain team success and avoid distractions.
    • 1.3: The Team and Its Members
      This page emphasizes the importance of teamwork in academic and professional settings, highlighting the skills needed for effective collaboration, such as technical, decision-making, and interpersonal skills. Key strategies for successful team projects include creating a team charter and active participation. Leaders should promote integrity, clear communication, and inclusiveness while maintaining accountability and cohesiveness within the team.
    • 1.4: References
      This page discusses the Motorola RAZR mobile phone in relation to management and teamwork concepts, citing sources from Fortune, Bloomberg, and Forbes. It references academic texts by Leigh Thompson and David A. Whetten on management skills and team dynamics, highlighting the intersection of technology and effective management practices.


    This page titled 1: Teamwork in Business is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Stephen Skripak et al. (Virginia Tech Libraries' Open Education Initiative) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.