The Impact of Organizational Context on Work Team Effectiveness: a Study Ofproduction and Engineering Teams

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The Impact of Organizational Context on Work Team Effectiveness: a Study Ofproduction and Engineering Teams AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Toni L. Doolen for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial Engineering presented on April 6, 2001: Title: The Impact of Organizational Context on Work Team Effectiveness: A Study ofProduction and Engineering Teams. Redacted for Privacy Abstract approved :----...L)- ____ Marla E. Hacker Teams are an integral part of organizations today. This research explored the relationships between nine organizational context variables, team processes, and three measures of team effectiveness. The research was conducted within one business unit of a Fortune 50, high-technology company, Intact production and engineering work teams from manufacturing organizations were the focus ofthe study. A team survey was developed and used to provide team-level assessments of the nine organizational context variables, team processes, and team member satisfaction. Team leader and manager surveys were developed and used to provide independent evaluations of team effectiveness. Correlational and path analyses were used to test for direct and mediated relationships between organizational context variables, team processes, and measures ofteam effectiveness. For the production teams studied, significant direct relationships between six organizational context factors and two measures of team effectiveness were found. The management processes associated with establishing a clear team purpose that is aligned with organizational goals and the allocation of critical resources were both positively related to team member satisfaction. An organizational culture that supports communication and cooperation between teams and the integration of teams was found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with both team leader ratings of effectiveness and team member satisfaction. Organizational systems that provide teams with the necessary information were found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with both team leader ratings of effectiveness and team member satisfaction. Organizational systems that provide teams with the necessary training were found to have a significant and positive linear relationship with team member satisfaction. For engineering teams, the findings support both direct and mediated relationships between seven organizational context variables, team processes, and two measures of effectiveness. Team processes were found to mediate the relationships between six organizational context variables and team member satisfaction. The mediated organizational context variables were resource allocation, support for teams and teamwork, team integration, team-level feedback and recognition, information availability, and training. There was also support for direct relationships between clear goals, team integration, and information availability and team leader ratings of effectiveness. ©Copyright by Toni L. Doolen April 6, 2001 All Rights Reserved The Impact of Organizational Context on Work Team Effectiveness: A Study of Production and Engineering Teams by Toni L. Doolen A DISSERTATION submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor ofPhilosophy Presented April 6, 2001 Commencement June 2001 Doctor ofPhilosophy dissertation of Toni L. Doolen presented on April 6, 2001 APPROVED: Redacted for Privacy Redacted for Privacy Head ofDepartment of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Redacted for Privacy I understand that my dissertation will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my dissertation to any reader upon request. Redacted for Privacy Toni L. Doolen, Author Acknowledgements This journey over the last few years would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of many individuals. I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream. To the managers, team leaders, and teams, without your participation this research would not have been possible. Your willing participation and support will not be forgotten. Marla, Ken, Jeff, Eileen, Sabah, and Vic, your support, feedback, and willingness to help have made a difficult journey a journey of discovery. Ken, you have helped me to push beyond the narrow bounds of our discipline to look at the larger purpose of our field. Marla, my advisor, mentor, and friend, from our very first meeting, to our many conversations along the way, you have been instrumental in helping me always keep the end in sight. My family has been my foundation throughout this journey. To my mother, father, Bob, and Karen, your support and encouragement throughout this time mean more to me than I can say. To Garrett, Taylor, and Nicole for making me laugh and smile, and reminding me each and every day what our lives are really all about. Erick, for your never-ending encouragement, support, and constant love I am forever grateful. Even when I doubted that I could or would complete this journey, you have never faltered in your belief in me. To all ofyou - thank you. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ................................... , ......................................................... 1 1.2 Organizational Context and Teams .......................................................... 4 1.2.1 Conceptualizing Organizational Context ................................... 7 1.2.2 Operationalizing Organizational Context ................................... 9 1.2.3 Purpose of Research ................................................................. 11 1.3 Research Model ...................................................................................... 12 1.4 Research Hypotheses .............................................................................. 15 1.4.1 Team Purpose and Goals and Team Effectiveness .................... 15 1.4.2 Goal Alignment and Team Effectiveness .................................. 18 1.4.3 Resource Allocation and Team Effectiveness ........................... 19 1.4.4 Inter-team Interaction and Team Effectiveness ......................... 19 1.4.5 Valuing Teams and Teamwork and Team Effectiveness .......... .20 1.4.6 Team Integration and Team Effectiveness ................................21 1.4.7 Team-level Feedback and Recognition and Team Effectiveness ............................................................................22 1.4.8 Information Availability and Team Effectiveness .................... .23 1.4.9 Team Training and Team Effectiveness ....................................24 1.4.10 Team Processes and Organizational Context ............................25 1.5 Research Design Limitations ................................................................. .27 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ...................................................................................29 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................29 2.2 Groups, Work Groups, and Teams ..........................................................30 2.3 Models of Team Effectiveness ................................................................32 TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) 2.4 Team Task .............................................................................................. 34 2.4.1 Task in Kolodny and Kiggundu's Sociotechnical Model ..........35 2.4.2 Task in Hackman's Normative Model ......................................36 2.4.3 Task in Gladstein's Process Model ...........................................38 2.4.4 Task in Sundstrom et al. 's Ecological Model.. .......................... 39 2.4.5 Dimensions of Team Task ....................................................... .40 2.5 Team Composition ................................................................................ .43 2.6 Team Processes ......................................................................................44 2.7 Organizational Context .......................................................................... .45 2.7.1 Organizational Context in Kolodny and Kiggundu's Sociotechnical Model ...............................................................46 2.7.2 Organizational Context in Hackman's Normative Model.. ....... .47 2.7.3 Organizational Context in Gladstein's Process Model ............. .48 2.7.4 Organizational Context in Sundstrom et al. 's Ecological Model.......................................................................................49 2.8 Measuring Team Effectiveness ............................................................... 50 2.8.1 A Comparison of Team Effectiveness Measures ....................... 50 2.8.2 Guidelines for Measuring Team Effectiveness .......................... 54 2.9 A Specialized Model of Team Effectiveness ........................................... 55 2.9.1 Crew Resource Management .................................................... 56 2.9.2 CRM Performance Factors ....................................................... 57 2.9.3 CRM Model and a Process Model of Team Effectiveness ......... 59 2.9.4 CRM Learnings Related to Teams ............................................62 2.10 Summary ................................................................................................65 3 METHODOLOGy............................................................................................. 67 3.1 Organizational and Team Setting ............................................................67 TABLE
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