The majority of database system development projects end in failure. Reasons that include, the system not being developed on time, the system was developed over budget, and the system developed did not meet the planned project's criteria. These failures are compounded by the use of virtual teams which includes problems with team formation, the organizational environment in which the team operates, and the technology used for collaboration and communication. As more organizations use virtual teams, these problems have continued to impede the successful completion of database system development. The goal of the study was to determine what leadership type, transformational, transactional, or management-by-exception (passive-avoidant leadership) is most effective in leading a virtual team in developing a database management system. The target population for this study was Generation Y students at the Maine Business School who were assigned to virtual teams tasked with developing a database management system. Specifically this study answered these three research questions: 1) What is the effect of leadership type, as self-reported through the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire on the quality of completed team projects? 2) What is the impact of type of leadership on virtual team effectiveness as measured by the Virtual Teams Survey? 3) What is the joint effect of type of leadership, and virtual team effectiveness on the quality and uniqueness of the completed team project? Virtual team effectiveness was defined as the level of involvement in team formation, job characteristics, technical proficiency of team members, relationship between team members, teams process and attributes about the team leader, organizational environment in which the team operates, and technology the team used for collaboration and communication. The quality of the completed team project was defined as one that meets the team project criteria which included tables, relationships, forms, queries, and reports. Other attributes included the uniqueness of product defined by the addition of extra functions and controls added to the database system that go above and beyond the project criteria. The study found that for research question 1, only transformational and transactional leadership types had a significant and negative impact on the quality of completed team projects. Research question 2 found no significant correlation between leadership type and virtual team effectiveness. Research question 3 showed that none of the variables were significantly associated with the quality of the completed team project. These findings suggest that traditional concepts of leadership types do not work well in virtual environments.

Businesses and governmental agencies are increasingly reliant on virtual teams composed of team members in different location. However, such virtual teams face all the interpersonal challenges inherent in working in a group, plus additional challenges that are a consequence from communicating through electronic methods. Numerous technological tools are available to facilitate electronic communication, and some organizations provide Collaborative Technology Skills Training (CTST) to virtual team members to help them select and use these tools. In this study, the researcher investigated whether CTST improves virtual team effectiveness by quantifying relationships between CTST and five components of team effectiveness: knowledge sharing, trust, cohesion, performance, and satisfaction. The researcher designed a survey based on an extensive literature review to allow respondents to quantify and describe their virtual team experiences, including information on any CTST they received and their perceptions of the five components of team effectiveness. Prior to the main research study, a panel of experts used the Delphi method to evaluate the survey, commenting on structure, content, and applicability to the research questions. The researcher then evaluated the temporal reliability and internal reliability of the survey. For the research study, the researcher invited over 1000 members of virtual teams to complete the online, self-report survey. Data were analyzed using MANOVA to investigate and confirm that CTST significantly affected components of team effectiveness. Results of this study can be used to improve CTST, thereby increasing the effectiveness of virtual teams.

Mini-research report presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Business Administration at the University of Stellenbosch. / Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This report is a literature study that focuses on the characteristics of successful project teams in the research and development environment. Successful project teams are becoming an increasingly important factor in business. However, traditional quantitative project management tools no longer give project teams a competitive edge - additional qualitative tools are required, following a systems approach. A number of characteristics of project teams, with the focus on the qualitative issues, particularly the people issues, are investigated. A project team operates in the context of its environment, mostly an organisation with a structure and an organisational culture. Methods and concepts in selecting and managing a dynamic project team within a turbulent and fast changing environment are discussed. The topics covered are: environmental fit, visions and goals, leadership and team roles, systems and procedures, values, organisational culture, rewards and recognition methods,and training and development. This literature study aims to encourage a paradigm shift away form the traditional triangle of budget, brief and time towards a stronger focus on people issues as people are the most important assets of a project team. As people do not behave in a linear way, as required for quantitative tools, new methods and tools are required. The hypothesis that was subsequently formulated from this study states that research and development teams can be more successful if they are regarded as a non-linear system consisting of various inputs, processes and outputs. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verslag is 'n literatuurstudie wat fokus op die eienskappe van suksesvolle projekspanne in 'n navorsings en ontwikkelings omgewing. Suksesvolle projekspanne raak al hoe belangriker in besigheid. Tradisionele kwantitatiewe metodes is nie meer voldoende vir projekspanne om 'n kompeterende voordeel te bekom nie en moet hierdie metodes aangevul word met kwalitatiewe metodes gebaseer op 'n stelselbenadering. Verskeie karakteristieke van projekspanne, met die fokus op kwalitatiewe eienskappe, in besonder die menslike aspekte word ondersoek. 'n Projekspan funksioneer in die konteks van sy omgewing, meestal 'n organisasie met 'n struktuur en organisatoriese kultuur. Metodes en konsepte in die seleksie en bestuur van 'n dinamiese projekspan in 'n tubulente en vinnig veranderende omgewing word bespreek. Die temas wat gedek word is: omgewingsaanpassing,visie en doelwitte, leierskap en spanrolle, stelsels en prosedures, waardes, organisatoriese kultuur, vergoedings en erkennings metodes, en opleiding en ontwikkeling. Hierdie literatuurstudie mik om 'n paradigma skuif aan te moedig, weg van die tradisionele driehoek van begroting, doelwit en tyd, na 'n sterker fokus op menslikesake aangesien mense die belangrikste bates van 'n projekspan is. Aangesien mense nie op 'n liniere manier reageer soos wat nodig is vir kwantitatiewe metodes nie, word nuwe metodes en gereedskap benodig. Die hipotese wat geformuleer is uit hierdie navorsing, se dat navorsings en ontwikkelingspanne meer suksesvol kan wees indien hulle gesien word as 'n nie-liniere stelsel wat bestaan uit verskeie insette, prosesse en uitsette.

This study investigates the effects of eight organizational support systems on virtual team effectiveness in five areas: communication, planning tasks and setting goals, solving problems and making decisions, resolving conflict, and responding to customer requirements. One hundred and eighty surveys were sent to information technology managers and collaborative team members, representing 43 companies. The results indicated that developing new roles for IT professionals and senior managers significantly increased virtual team effectiveness in several areas. The findings support the theory that organizations that utilize virtual teams must create high-level structures, policies, and systems to support the teams and the information tools they use.

Teams are pervasive in organizations and provide an important contribution to organizational productivity. Since Hackman's (1987) seminal work, the team research focus has shifted from describing teams to outlining how researchers might use points of leverage, such as team design, to increase team effectiveness. There has been a wealth of research on team design variables that relate to team effectiveness. However, more than 15 years later, the team design literature remains fragmented and is inconsistent, and conclusions regarding optimal team design are difficult to make. The present study sought to unify the team design research by proposing a conceptual model and testing hypothesized relationships between specified design variables and team effectiveness using meta-analytic techniques. Specifically, the objectives of this study were to: (a) identify team design variables over which researchers and practitioners have some degree of control, (b) summarize the literature related to each of these variables, (c) hypothesize how each of the design variables are related to team effectiveness, (d) assess the relationship between these variables and team effectiveness using meta-analysis, (e) assess the influence of specified moderator variables (e.g., study setting, team tenure) on the team design variable/team effectiveness relationships, (f) make theoretically- and empirically-based recommendations for the design of effective teams, and (g) highlight areas in need of additional research. Results indicated that several team design variables show promise as a means of increasing team effectiveness. The strength of the team composition variable/team performance relationships was dependent on the study setting (lab or field); however, the study setting had considerable overlap with the type of team assessed (intellectual or physical). For lab studies (intellectual teams), team general mental ability (GMA) and task-relevant expertise were strong predictors of team performance, while team personality variables were unrelated to team performance. In field studies (physical teams), team agreeableness and conscientiousness had stronger relationships with team performance than team GMA and team task-relevant expertise. Team task design variables (e.g., task significance) had consistent, positive relationships with team performance, and several team structure variables (e.g., degree of self- management) were also related to team performance.

Previous research showed teamwork with diversity experts¡¦ members can deal with changing rapidly and complicated external environment in which organizations face. Coach can help individual to build knowledge and skill for career development. Previous research foused on individual coach. Teamwork is quite different from individual work, so individual coach should be revised for teamwork application. This study targets at 167 R&D teams from high-tech industry in Taiwan using SEM and regression to test ¡§Team Coaching Theory¡¨ posited by Hackman & Wageman and the moderating effect of Team Reflexivity. The results show: 1. Team coaching positively influences team performance processes and then ehance team effectiveness. 2. Team reflexivity will positively moderate the relationship between team coaching and team performance processes, which means the relationship between team coaching and team performance processes will be higher in teams when team reflexivity is higher than lower. 3. Team performance processes will mediate team coaching and team effectiveness. Team coaching fosters team performance processes and then team effectiveness. Reflexivity of whole team members¡¦ also enhance the effect of team coaching on team performance processes. The results are consistent with shared leadership. Training team members manage themselves to foster R&D team effectiveness. The results of this study will discuss the implications for academy and practice application.

Teams are pervasive in organizations and provide an important contribution to organizational productivity. Since Hackman's (1987) seminal work, the team research focus has shifted from describing teams to outlining how researchers might use points of leverage, such as team design, to increase team effectiveness. There has been a wealth of research on team design variables that relate to team effectiveness. However, more than 15 years later, the team design literature remains fragmented and is inconsistent, and conclusions regarding optimal team design are difficult to make. The present study sought to unify the team design research by proposing a conceptual model and testing hypothesized relationships between specified design variables and team effectiveness using meta-analytic techniques. Specifically, the objectives of this study were to: (a) identify team design variables over which researchers and practitioners have some degree of control, (b) summarize the literature related to each of these variables, (c) hypothesize how each of the design variables are related to team effectiveness, (d) assess the relationship between these variables and team effectiveness using meta-analysis, (e) assess the influence of specified moderator variables (e.g., study setting, team tenure) on the team design variable/team effectiveness relationships, (f) make theoretically- and empirically-based recommendations for the design of effective teams, and (g) highlight areas in need of additional research. Results indicated that several team design variables show promise as a means of increasing team effectiveness. The strength of the team composition variable/team performance relationships was dependent on the study setting (lab or field); however, the study setting had considerable overlap with the type of team assessed (intellectual or physical). For lab studies (intellectual teams), team general mental ability (GMA) and task-relevant expertise were strong predictors of team performance, while team personality variables were unrelated to team performance. In field studies (physical teams), team agreeableness and conscientiousness had stronger relationships with team performance than team GMA and team task-relevant expertise. Team task design variables (e.g., task significance) had consistent, positive relationships with team performance, and several team structure variables (e.g., degree of self- management) were also related to team performance.

The relationship between team cohesion and team performance has been extensively studied, but behavioral mediators of this relationship have not been adequately assessed. This study proposed that backup behavior mediates the relationship between team cohesion and team performance. In addition, it was also hypothesized that team goal commitment would moderate the relationship between team cohesion and team backup behavior. 138 participants forming 46 teams of three were assigned to one of fours conditions to test this framework: high cohesion/high goal commitment, high cohesion/low goal commitment, low cohesion/high goal commitment, and low cohesion/low goal commitment. Results indicated no significant differences between conditions. However, correlations and regressions based upon self and observer ratings suggest that team cohesion and team goal commitment, but not backup behavior, hold strong relationships to team errors. Finally, exploratory analyses revealed an interaction between team cohesion and team goal commitment on team performance indices. Lowest performance occurred in teams with low cohesion and low goal commitment, but there were no apparent difference between high and low goal commitment in teams with high cohesion. Implications of these results are discussed in the paper.

The present study attempts to extend leader-member exchange theory to the team-level by including team social cohesion and two team-level exchange relationship constructs (i.e., team-level leader-member exchange [LMX] and team-member exchange [TMX]) simultaneously, and by examining antecedents and outcomes associated with these variables. The research model includes transformational leadership and team-members' individualism-collectivism as antecedents of the team relational environment and both team performance and team viability as effectiveness measures. Survey data were collected for a field sample of 89 Airborne Special Operations (ASO) teams in the Korean Army. Each team's effectiveness was rated by three different sources: team members (N=823, 7~11 people per team; M=9.4), regional unit (RU) peers (31~42 peers for each team; M=37.2), and RU commanders (N=17). The hypothesized model and several alternative models were tested three times, using team effectiveness measures from each of the three sources in a separate model. Overall, results from path analyses conducted using EQS were consistent with the hypotheses. Specifically, both team-level LMX and TMX were positively affected by transformational leadership and team members' collectivism. TMX showed a stronger positive association with team social cohesion than did team-level LMX. Team performance was positively affected by TMX, team social cohesion, and transformational leadership in the model that employed team members' ratings as team effectiveness measures. However, when the ratings from RU peers were used as team outcome measures, the path from team social cohesion to team performance remained significant, but the other two paths became non-significant. None of the three variables significantly predicted team performance as rated by RU commanders. When viewed in terms of team viability, team social cohesion showed a significant association with team viability across all three models. Although TMX predicted team viability when team members' ratings were used in the model, it did not predict team viability when the ratings were from either RU peers or RU commanders. Finally, transformational leadership showed a significant positive and negative relationship with the number of collectivists and individualists within a team, respectively, across all three models. The limitations of the present study and recommendations for future research are presented.

The veterinary healthcare team concept was explored using an inductive approach involving four veterinarian (N=23) and four Registered Veterinary Technician focus groups (N=26). Themes revealed included Communication, Toxic Attitude and Environment, Leadership, Coordination, and Work Engagement. Each was subsequently explored in a study of team effectiveness and its associations with job satisfaction and burnout. A random sample of 274 participants from 48 companion-animal veterinary teams was recruited. Mixed linear regression found job satisfaction increased with increased individual engagement and tenure at the practice, and decreased with increased years in veterinary medicine, full-time employment status, or within a toxic clinic environment. Higher scores for exhaustion and cynicism were associated with the presence of a toxic environment, reduced individual engagement, and full-time employment status. A coordinated team environment contributed to decreased cynicism and increased professional efficacy scores. These results suggest team effectiveness significantly influences job satisfaction and burnout among veterinary healthcare teams. / Royal Canin Veterinary Diets