The purpose of this research was to identify and describe the action's leaders practice that stimulate individual and group learning. An MLQ- Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and a series of interviews with members of three work teams were utilized to gather research data. This is one of the first studies completed to research this important aspect of leadership. In all three cases, the teams shared experiences where learning was transformed into useable knowledge to accomplish objectives or solve problems. The three teams learned and generated new knowledge based on viewing, challenging, sharing, orchestrating, and modeling.The findings suggest transformational leadership behaviors and actions can and often do influence individual and group learning. Specific findings included that in all three case studies, 1) team leaders engaged in transformational leadership practices 2) transformational leaders created a climate for learning by encouragement, establishing cooperation, and the identification and use of team talent. In addition, 3) the leader modeled appropriate behaviors, 4) challenged the team to question basic assumptions shared by others, 5) and acquired, shares and assimilated information for the purpose of aiding in team learning. Furthermore, in at least two cases, the leader 6) provided the team with opportunities to learn about the "big picture" and how their actions and decisions impact larger systems, and 7) provided team members with opportunities to become their own leader.Results of the research suggest organizations should consider ways to teach leaders about their role in organizational learning, systems thinking, and how their personal actions influence follower performance. Leaders should also construct climates that allow learning to take place. Lastly, with the support from leaders, knowledge and information systems are important organizational elements, which lead to learning. / Department of Educational Leadership

The purpose of this study was to investigate the team-taught United States history programs in six Indiana schools. The research was designed to obtain information that would apply to the following seven hypotheses:1. When team teaching is used, there will be evidence of joint-planning to implement instruction.2. Team teaching will result in technical aids being used fifty per cent of the time.3. Team teaching will restructure the course content upon the use of multi-texts and supplementary printed materials.4. Team teaching will utilize student groups that vary in size depending upon the learning activities.5. Team teaching will involve the utilization of special teacher skills as teachers perform their tasks in large group presentations, small group work and independent study.6. Team teaching will result in students who express a positive attitude toward the class activities.7. Team teaching will emphasize the mastery of basic study skills.The sample consisted of team-taught United States history programs found in six Indiana schools. Data was collected from five principals, twelve teachers and eight hundred and twenty-one students.One method used to collect data, consisted of interviewing the principals, teachers, and selected students. In addition to the interviews, the teachers checked a questionnaire, and all of the students marked an opinionnaire. The responses were classified according to the various hypotheses.A summarization of the findings in light of the responses follows:1. Team teaching did not assure that co-operative planning would occur either with other teachers or students.2. Team teachers did not use any of the technical aids fifty per cent of the time, but both teachers and students mentioned the use of technical aids during the interviews. The two aids most frequently used were the 16mm and overhead projectors.3. Team teaching did not assure that instruction would be changed from one that is textbook-centered in content.4. Student group size did vary in each school; however, the change in the number of students in the groups did not alter the teacher-centered instruction.5. Though team teaching advocates often state that teacher capability will be better utilized, there was no evidence that any school was making an effort to determine the most capable person for the tasks to be executed.6. The students did express a positive attitude toward most of the team program, particularly the small group activity.7. There was evidence of emphasis upon skill mastery in only one school, and in this school the activities were the result of teacher-assigned reports.Among the conclusions drawn from the study the writer states that team teaching, as practiced in the schools in the study, did not result in co-operative planning by students and teachers, student involvement in learning activities, student-centered instruction, or study skills being emphasized. Students did have a positive attitude toward the small group activities, and team teachers and students frequently mentioned the use of technical aids-especially the 16mm projector. The teams that seemed to function most smoothly were the ones in which the teachers had time for extensive planning prior to the actual beginning of the school year. Finally, the ability of teachers to work together with other teachers loomed highly significant to the apparent success of the team-taught program.

Thesis (M.A. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.A. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Interest in the area of virtual work continues to increase with articles being written from different disciplinary perspectives - e.g. information systems (IS), management, psychology and transportation. In this paper, we map research on virtual work to (a) understand the intellectual base from which this field has emerged, (b) explore how this field has evolved over time, and (c) identify clusters of research themes that have emerged over time and the relationships between them. Specifically, we use co-citation analysis of research published in all social science disciplines to map the field at three points in time - 1995, 2000 and 2006. Our results show that the field has grown from nine research clusters in 1995 to sixteen in 2006. A comparison across these maps suggests that research in the cluster of "virtual teams" has gained significance even as research within some earlier clusters such as "urban planning and transportation" has lost ground. Our longitudinal analysis identifies relevant concepts, theories and methodologies that have emerged in the field of virtual work. This analysis can help interested researchers identify how they may want to contribute to the field of virtual work - by adding to popular clusters, enriching emerging smaller clusters or by acting as bridges across clusters. (author's abstract)

Multicultural teams are capable of producing creative and high quality solutions, but are also prone to conflict (Stahl, Maznevski, Voigt, & Johnson, 2010). Thus, it is important to understand the conditions which encourage the development of strong identity in multicultural teams. Third culture, a team’s shared schema of task knowledge, team knowledge, and team motivational values (Adair, Tinsley, & Taylor, 2006), is a construct which may help fill this gap in knowledge. Two field studies were conducted (1) to examine whether participant expectations of productivity, satisfaction, and psychological safety differed among four types of third culture, and (2) to examine how individual differences in cognitive-motivation, ideology, national culture, and multicultural team experience are related to expectations of productivity, satisfaction, and psychological safety among four types of third culture. In general, results suggest that people expect more creativity and satisfaction in teams with Fusion and Mosaic third cultures, as well as less psychological safety. Future research directions are discussed.

With the continuing influx of teams in the workplace it is important to understand how incivility affects team success. The purpose of this study was to address this topic by investigating the effects of leader incivility towards team members on team outcomes. The team emergent states of team satisfaction, team cohesion, and team commitment were tested as mediators between team leader incivility and team performance. Additionally, leader sex was examined as a moderator to the incivility emergent states relationship. The current study used a sample of female college basketball teams to test the proposed model. Results revealed that leader incivility had a detrimental effect on team emergent states and subsequently team performance. These findings further the understanding of incivility in a team setting and its effect on team performance.

<p>The use of one form or another of team based work organization (TBWO) management policies and practices by firms with the aim of improving organizational performance and employee morale is well documented in popular literature. Empirical research has however found that the implementation of TBWO management policies and practices such as TB training, TB incentive schemes, participation in decision making, work teams etc. had minimal influence on the performance of firms (Locke and Schweiger, 1979).<br /> This research investigated the factors, which account for the effective implementation of TBWO management policies and practices with specific emphasis on three firms in the metal fabrications sector. The reason behind the choice of the three firms in the metal fabrication sector in the Western Cape was that these sites offered a rare opportunity to study the process of the implementation of TBWO. It was a rare opportunity because not many firms have embarked on implementing TBWO in South Africa. It was envisaged that the lessons that emerged from this study would be invaluable for firms that intended implementing workplace change. The level of analysis was the shop floor level at the firms as research has shown that this is the level that plays a critical role in the effectiveness of the TB management policies and practices implemented by the firms.</p>

Thesis (MProjectManagement)--University of South Australia, 2007.

The purpose of the thesis was to investigate the use of action research in the conceptual development of the aim of developing managers through action learning and determining the effectiveness of this in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. / The concept did not begin its practical life as an applied idea already formed; it emerged and developed naturally in something of an evolutionary process. It took on a more definitive form and spirit through a series of cycles of learning, reflection, modification and re-application. / In evolving this concept, the research was intended to provide new contributions in adapting action learning as a form of workplace managerial development. In this scenario, managers learn and develop by using their experience in solving workplace problems in project teams. / The first of three cycles of action research was conducted at Apex Technologies, Singapore, for a group of seven managers. The expected outcome was to integrate a common problem-solving framework and the action learning process into a practical process for developing managers. The second cycle took place at Intraco Limited, Singapore, for a group of 12 managers. The objective was to familiarise the managers with the action learning process and to encourage them to pass on the process in the training and development of their staff. The third cycle of the research study was at Viasystems Asia Pacific in Hong Kong and China for 120 middle managers and frontline supervisors. The objective was to apply action learning as an on-going process in developing managers to address the many issues and challenges facing the company as it expanded rapidly. / The research findings showed that the action learning process in Apex and Intraco was effective in meeting the expected outcome. In Apex, the senior management was pleased with the progress made and morale among the management team improved. At Intraco, the managers were enthusiastic and indicated that action learning was effective in helping them to become better managers. In Viasystems, the participants were recognised by senior management for developing the ability to manage change and to work together to solve problems and improve practices. Following the completion of the research study, Viasystems implemented the second phase of the Team Learning Circle process to develop 42 high-potential managers. / Overall, the thesis demonstrated that action research, involving a spiral of three research cycles-planning, acting and observing and reflecting- was effective in devising the Team Learning Circle for developing managers through action learning. From the research data, I have contributed to the theory of action learning by developing the Team Learning Circle model. This adds the team learning process to action learning and action research in managerial development. It demonstrates that managers will learn most effectively with and from each other, through regular dialogue sessions and skilful discussions, and by working on real problems or projects in the workplace. / Thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2004.