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Teams in organizations: recent research on performance and effectiveness
1Psychology Department, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Annual Review of Psychology
|January 1, 1996
Summary
This review synthesizes research on team effectiveness in organizations, focusing on factors like composition, cohesiveness, and motivation. Findings strongly support the value of teams for organizational success.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Management Science
- Sociology
Background:
- Teams are increasingly integral to organizational structures.
- Understanding factors influencing team effectiveness is crucial for performance.
- Research on group dynamics and team performance has evolved significantly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent research on group and team effectiveness in organizational settings.
- To emphasize factors influencing team performance, such as composition, cohesiveness, and motivation.
- To examine specific team types and the impact of organizational redesign on teams.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent research on groups and teams.
- Analysis of studies focusing on factors influencing team effectiveness.
- Examination of research on specific team types (e.g., flight crews, autonomous work groups).
Main Results:
- Group composition, cohesiveness, and motivation are key performance-relevant factors.
- Certain team types, like autonomous work groups, are actively researched.
- Studies on organizational redesign involving teams show strong positive impacts on effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Teams provide significant value to organizational effectiveness.
- Further research is needed on emerging directions in group dynamics.
- Understanding team processes is vital for optimizing organizational outcomes.