The realities of empowering teams: a case study

This case describes the transition of a manufacturing unit from operating under a rigid hierarchical environment to being run by empowered process management teams. This article traces the evolution of the transformation from the early days of skepticism and nonparticipation to the present, where most of the teams function with a large degree of autonomy and have made significant improvements in quality, lead time, and cost. Elements that help the team process are described, and potential hazards are outlined.