Traditional Team Research Articles

An Approach for Conducting Actionable Research With Extreme Teams

Extreme teams complete their tasks in unconventional performance environments and have serious consequences associated with failure. Examples include disaster relief teams, special operations teams, and astronaut crews. The unconventional performance environments within which these teams operate require researchers to carefully consider the context during the research process. These environments may also create formidable challenges to the research process, including constraining data collection and sample sizes. Given the serious consequences associated with failure, however, the challenges must be navigated so that the management of extreme teams can be evidence based. We present an approach for conducting actionable research on extreme teams. Our approach is an extension of mixed-methods research that is particularly well suited for emphasizing context. The approach guides researchers on how to integrate the local context into the research process, which allows for actionable recommendations. At the same time, our approach applies an intentionally broad framework for organizing context, which can serve as a mechanism through which the results of research on extreme teams can be meaningfully accumulated and integrated across teams. Finally, our approach and description of steps address the unique challenges common in extreme-team research. While developed with extreme teams in mind, we view our general approach as applicable to more traditional teams when the features of the context that impinge on team functioning are not adequately represented by typical descriptions of context in the literature and the goal is actionable research for the teams in question.

How Culture and Motivation Interact in an International Virtual Project Team

Abstract Globalization had a significant impact on project management, especially on its structure and the working environment of project teams, because of the increased connectivity due to technology innovations, offering the international project managers the possibility to access high quality human resources across country frontiers, at reduced prices. Internet communication transformed traditional teams in virtual teams, which activity is based on the electronic collaboration tools. The high diversity degree characteristic to virtual teams, from culture to technical tools, can be overwhelming for the international project manager which has to lead its virtual team to success. One of the key processes which lead to a high effective team is the team building process, based on motivation and trust. Even if this seems similar to traditional teams, the path of achieving them is very different and it involves more variables and one of them is the national culture, which we consider one of the most important. This article aims to highlight the importance of understanding each dimension of the national culture so that international managers choose to establish the motivational practices and tools accordingly. We also proposed the profile of the national culture most suitable to work in a virtual environment.

The “Right Way”: Moral Capitalism and the Emergence of the Corporate Ethics and Compliance Officer

Under the influence of U.S. government regulations, enforcement of anti-bribery laws and embarrassing corruption scandals, major global corporations have realized that unethical conduct may affect not only their reputations but also their profits. This development has given rise to a new position within the traditional management team: the ethics and compliance officer (who differs from the established corporate social responsibility function). Based on field research in the compliance industry, this article describes how the moralization of firms has led to the emergence of a new corporate function: the ethics and compliance officer. It further describes how ethics and compliance officers learn their craft and how they cope with their role as moral compass of firms that need to compete in a global market where ethics may be viewed as a cost that inhibits profitability.

Clusters: A Study of a Non-traditional Academic Library Organizational Model

Organizational structure and culture affect all aspects of a library, from the practical daily operations to the overall effectiveness of the library to meet its users' needs. Many academic libraries have explored different organizational structures to meet changes in user needs and the information environment as well as studied their organizational culture in an effort to diagnose deficiencies or strengths. This article explores one non-traditional organizational model at a small academic library. This model - the Cluster structure - is a modified version of the traditional team structure, but tries to address some of the pitfalls inherent in a team-based organization. The article covers a case study on the formation and evolution of the cluster structure, and then turns its attention to the effect the structure has had on organizational culture using the Competing Values Framework (CVF).

What does it take to be a virtual team player? The knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required in virtual teams

ABSTRACTCompetency models are available for many aspects of work that cut across various occupations (such as leadership, teamwork, etc.). Although virtual teamwork has developed to a highly prevalent aspect of work, very little is known about the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) required. In the current study, KSAO requirements of virtual and traditional business teams (n = 175 and 205, respectively) were compared and aligned to the Great Eight competency model. Results showed that KSAOs pertaining to Leading and Deciding and to Analyzing and Interpreting were more important in virtual teams. Conversely, virtual and traditional teams did not differ in terms of broad personality (Big Five) requirements. Together, these findings contribute to deeper knowledge on selection and training in virtual teams.

Insights of project managers into the problems in project management

A Delphi study using project managers who had managed projects in excess of $500 million was used to confirm the significance and frequency of problems resulting from the nature of projects. Using the results obtained from the Delphi study a ranking of the problems experienced in these projects was obtained by calculating a Relative Importance Index. Additionally, the Delphi panel members were asked their views concerning the need for traditional project management skills (hard skills) and team management skills (soft skills) as project size increased from below $50 million to over $500 million. A substantial increase in the need for both skills was indicated with the increase in the need for soft skills being the most significant.

The influence of diversity and experience on the effects of crowd size

One advantage of crowds over traditional teams is that crowds enable the assembling of a large number of individuals to address problems. The literature is unclear, however, about when crowd size leads to better outcomes. To better understand the effects of crowd size we conducted a study on the retention and performance of 4,317 articles in the WikiProject Film community. Results indicate that crowd composition, specifically diversity and experience, is vital to understanding when size leads to better retention and performance. Crowd size was positively related to retention and performance when crowds were high in diversity and experience. Retention was important to determining when crowd size led to better performance. Crowd size was positively related to performance when retention was low. Our results suggest that crowds benefit from their size when they are diverse, experienced, and have low retention rates.

Comparative Study of Job Satisfaction between Employees of Virtual Teams and Traditional Teams

Comparative Study of Job Satisfaction between Employees of Virtual Teams and Traditional Teams

Segmented Versus Traditional Crisis Intervention Team Training

Segmented Versus Traditional Crisis Intervention Team Training

Tools for Online Collaboration: Do they contribute to Improve Teamwork?

In the last decades, the fast growth of Information and Communication Technologies changed our way to communicate and share information. Traditional groups or teams frequently give way to virtual teams, working with tools for online collaboration. Interaction between persons geographically dispersed has become easier. However, the use of new collaboration tools can also bring many challenges. Some technologies, like e-mail, can create delays on reply or even misunderstandings, case the message is not well understood by the recipient. Can these new technologies improve the productivity and enhance the creativity between group members, improving also their confidence and motivation? Although virtual teams have a high capacity to adapt to constant market changes, personal interactions are still important, mainly to clarify tasks and goals. The main purpose of this study is to understand how tools for online collaboration may improve the productivity (and enhance creativity) in teamwork. This study was conducted through an internet platform and the survey was hosted online by SurveyMonkey.com. We intended to verify, among other questions, what users think about different collaboration tools, how often they use these tools, and how they perceive these technologies as adequate ways to communicate, to work with, and to improve productivity. Findings show that e-mail is the most used tool, and personal contact is still more important for teamwork than any tools for online collaboration. Our results contribute to perceive in what extent collaboration tools are indeed an asset or a barrier in teamwork. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s4p511

An automated approach to quantifying functional interactions by mining large-scale product specification data

ABSTRACTThe authors of this work hypothesise that the semantic relationship between modules' functional descriptions is correlated with the functional interaction between the modules. A deeper comprehension of the functional interactions between modules enables designers to integrate complex systems during the early stages of the product design process. Existing approaches that measure functional interactions between modules rely on the manual provision of designers' expert analyses, which may be time consuming and costly. The increased quantity and complexity of products in the twenty-first century further exacerbates these challenges. This work proposes an approach to automatically quantify the functional interactions between modules, based on their textual technical descriptions. Compared with manual analyses by design experts who use traditional design structure matrix approaches, the text-mining-driven methodology discovers similar functional interactions, while maintaining comparable accuracies. The case study presented in this work analyses an automotive climate control system and compares the functional interaction solutions achieved by a traditional design team with those achieved following the methodology outlined in this paper.

Multiteam Systems: A Structural Framework and Meso-Theory of System Functioning

It has been over a decade since organizational researchers began seriously grappling with the phenomenon of multiteam systems (MTSs) as an organizational form spanning traditional team and organizational boundaries. The MTS concept has been met with great enthusiasm as an organizational form that solves both theoretical and practical challenges. However, the development of the MTS domain has been stifled by the absence of theory that clearly delineates the core dimensions influencing the interactions between the individuals and teams operating within them. We contribute to such theory building by creating a multidimensional framework that centers on two key structural features of MTSs—differentiation and dynamism—that create distinct forces affecting individual and team behavior within the system. Differentiation characterizes the degree of difference and separation between MTS component teams at a particular point in time, whereas dynamism describes the variability and instability of the system over time. For each dimension, we discuss the underlying subdimensions that explain how structural features generate boundary-enhancing and disruptive forces in MTSs. We then advance a mesolevel theory of MTS functioning that associates those forces with individuals’ needs and motives, which, in turn, compile upward to form team and MTS emergent states. Finally, we discuss coordination mechanisms that offset or compensate for the structural effects and serve to cohere the MTS component teams. The theoretical and practical implications of our work and an agenda for future research are then discussed.

Directions for Effectiveness Research to Improve Health Services for Late-Life Depression in the United States.

Considerable progress has been made in the treatment of late-life depression over the past 20 years, yet considerable gaps in care remain. Gaps in care are particularly pronounced for older men, certain racial and ethnic minority groups, and those with comorbid medical or mental disorders. We reviewed the peer-reviewed literature and conducted interviews with experts in late-life depression to identify promising directions for effectiveness research to address these gaps in care. We searched the PubMed, PsychInfo, and CINHAL databases between January 1, 1998, through August 31, 2013, using terms related to late-life depression and any of the following: epidemiology, services organization, economics of care, underserved groups including health disparities, impact on caregivers, and interventions. The results of this selective review supplemented by more current recommendations from national experts highlight three priority research areas to improve health services for late-life depression: focusing on the unique needs of the patient through patient-centered care and culturally sensitive care, involving caregivers outside the traditional clinical care team, and involving alternate settings of care. We build on these results to offer five recommendations for future effectiveness research that hold considerable potential to advance intervention and health services development for late-life depression.

Cohesion in Online Student Teams Versus Traditional Teams

Researchers have found that the electronic methods in use for online team communication today increase communication quality in project-based work situations. Because communication quality is known to influence group cohesion, the present research examined whether online student project teams are more cohesive than traditional teams. We tested this question using parallel online and traditional teams in introductory marketing courses. Compared with the traditional teams, online team members communicated more positively and participated more in team activities, both of which suggest a higher level of team cohesion. The online teams were more satisfied with their team experience and performed better on their projects than did the traditional teams. The importance and application of this research is discussed. Because the existing research in marketing education has focused on traditional teams, the study findings open a potentially important line of research.

Early Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit

Delivery of rehabilitation to critically ill patients early in their intensive care unit (ICU) stay is now recommended by critical care expert guidelines. The physiatrist has an important role to play in both implementation and development of “Early Mobilization” programs that utilize many members of the traditional PMR team. Understanding the evolution of ICU rehabilitation in the context of modern sedation practices is essential for any provider involved in these programs. The intent of this review is to introduce the principles of early mobilization and summarize the compelling literature supporting their use.

A novel configuration of a traditional rapid response team decreases non-intensive care unit arrests and overall hospital mortality.

In-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality. Rapid response teams (RRTs) are designed to prevent non-intensive care unit (ICU) CPA through early detection and intervention. However, existing evidence has not consistently demonstrated a clear benefit. To explore the effectiveness of a novel RRT program design to decrease non-ICU CPA and overall hospital mortality. This study was conducted from the start of fiscal year 2005 to 2011. In November 2007, our hospitals implemented RRTs as part of a novel resuscitation program. Charge nurses from each inpatient unit underwent training as unit-specific RRT members. Additionally, all inpatient staff received annual training in RRT concepts including surveillance and recognition of deterioration. We compared the incidence of ICU and non-ICU CPA from first complete preimplementation year 2006 to postimplementation years 2007 to 2011. Overall hospital mortality was also reported. The incidence of non-ICU CPA decreased, whereas the incidence of ICU CPA remained unchanged. Overall hospital mortality also decreased (2.12% to 1.74%, P < 0.001). The year-over-year change in RRT activations was inversely related to the change in Code Blue activations for each inpatient unit (r = -0.68, P < 0.001). Our novel RRT program was associated with a decreased incidence of non-ICU CPA and improved hospital mortality.

El desarrollo curricular del deporte según la percepción del profesorado desde una perspectiva cualitativa (Curriculum development in sport according to teachers’ perceptions from a qualitative perspective)

El objetivo de este trabajo consistió en describir y analizar cómo el profesorado lleva a la práctica el deporte en las clases de educación física durante la etapa de educación secundaria. Para ello se entrevistó a diez docentes con perfiles diferenciados. El análisis de las entrevistas se llevó a cabo mediante chequeos cruzados, y para objetivar el análisis realizado de las entrevistas se calculó la fiabilidad interna entre los codificadores (87%), además se obtuvo un Índice de Kappa promedio K=.76, con un nivel de significación de p &lt; .001. En cuanto a los resultados podemos destacar que los deportes colectivos y tradicionales son los más utilizados, y que las chicas presentan un menor grado de participación. Entre los objetivos que el profesor pretendía inculcar en el alumnado, destaca la promoción de hábitos de práctica deportiva. Por último, no se percibe un cambio metodológico en la enseñanza de este contenido ya que se sigue utilizando una metodología tradicional.Palabras clave. percepción del profesor, currículum, educación física, deporte, entrevista.Abstract. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze the scheduling of sport in physical education classes during the stage of secondary education. Ten teachers with different profiles were interviewed. The analysis of the interviews was carried out by cross-checking, and in order to objectify the analysis of the interviews the internal reliability between coders (87%) was calculated. A Kappa Index average of .76, with a significance level of p &lt; .001 was also obtained. The results showed that traditional team sports are the most commonly used, and that girls have a lower degree of participation. Among the objectives that the teacher tried to instill in students, we must highlight the promotion of sports practice habits. Finally, there is not any noticeable change in methodology in teaching this content because it still uses a traditional methodology.Keywords: teacher perception, curriculum, physical education, school sport, interview.

A memory clinic v. traditional community mental health team service: comparison of costs and quality.

Aims and method To compare the cost and quality of a memory-clinic-based service (MCS) with a traditional community mental health team (CMHT) service. Using a retrospective case-note review, we studied two groups, each with 33 participants. Consecutive referrals for diagnostic ‘memory’ assessments over 4 months were evaluated. Participants were evaluated for up to 6 months.Results The MCS was less costly than the CMHT service but the difference was not statistically significant (mean cost for MCS was £742, mean cost for CMHT service was £807). The MCS offered more multidisciplinary and comprehensive care, including: pre- and post-diagnostic counselling, more systematic screening of blood for reversible causes of dementia, more use of structured assessment instruments in patients/carers, signposting to the third sector as well as more consistent copying of letters to patients/carers.Clinical implications An MCS service offered more comprehensive and multidisciplinary service at no extra cost to secondary care.

Heads in the sand may leave old age psychiatry looking foolish and vulnerable: Commentary on . . . A memory clinic v. traditional community mental health team service.

Dementia has been recognised as a major challenge to health, social care and economies. Research by Rubinsztein and colleagues, in this issue, has compared the services provided by memory clinics with those of traditional community mental health team services. They conclude that memory clinics offer a more comprehensive and multidisciplinary service at no extra cost. Here I will question some of their findings and highlight the importance of better continuity of care between primary and secondary services.

Forming and Performing: How Group Structure Evolves in Successful Multiteam Systems

Multiteam systems are a unique organizational form in which two or more traditional teams must interface in order to achieve goals beyond the scope of the local units. These systems are important components of many modern organizations, from military to business to emergency response. This study presents a novel approach to understanding how the performance of a multiteam system is impacted by the underlying behavioral patterns of individuals. Specifically, we examine how groups or clusters are formed over time. Small communities within a broader system represent cohesive units that communicate, coordinate, and plan more effectively than the group as a whole. The composition of these units, relative to the predefined roles within the multiteam system, can affect outcomes at both the proximal and distal levels. Data is collected from a series of 17 experiments in which participants played a simulated war game and communicated electronically. In order to accommodate this unique data source – a series of time-stamped interactions – we apply a novel method for identifying communities within social networks in which the observable data is entirely transactional. Using the results of this analytical framework, we develop metrics which represent behavioral patterns within the multiteam system. These measures strongly predict performance at both the team and system level, which we illustrate via a series of regression models.