Chapter 9. The Effective Work Team

After you have finished reading this chapter, you should be able to (1) communicate the essential differences between a traditional department and a contemporary team arrangement, and (2) operate successfully with employees from diverse cultural backgrounds.

A major restructuring of organizations is taking place in the United States. Downsizing, thinning out of middle-management positions, and greater international involvements are in progress. These and other unsettling changes are necessary to enable firms to reach higher quality and productivity levels in their efforts to remain competitive. It is the challenge of the decade!