A team is a group of two or more people who have coordinated their actions to achieve a common objective. Team-based organizations are those organizations that frequently utilize teams in order to realize benefits. In this case, the key value of teams is their capability to gather and give power to employees so that they can use their aptitude in advancing organizational productivity. A good example of organizations that utilize teamwork frequently; in order to realize benefits are Whole Foods Market stores, Motorola, the mining industry, Xerox in America, and Toyota Manufacturing Company in Japan (Katzenbach & Smith, 2003).
Toyota Manufacturing Company in Japan utilizes teams in order to achieve its business goals effectively and efficiently. In this case, work is organized in specific components by drawing different talents and skills from the employees. In this company, there has been an improvement in customer service, increased staff motivation, improved and increased quality of output as a result of teamwork. Based on this, TMC has been able to compete in the international markets as its products are of a high quality hence achieving its goals (Parker, 1996).
Further, as a result of teamwork, there was an innovation of ‘Video Conferencing Technology’, in order to integrate communication networks among the company’s staff in Australia. In this case, employees were able to have face-to-face meetings despite their geographical separated ness. As a result of this, teams worked effectively and efficiently in a collaborative way; since time and costs are reduced in improving the company’s productivity (Katzenbach & Smith, 2003).
On the other hand, teamwork has led to maximum utilization of resources like human labor. As far as human labor is concerned, the importance of teams within the TMC is a way of life since employees through team building are trained in order to improve their productivity. In this case, employees’ talents and skills are utilized maximally and improved through training. In addition, teamwork encourages employees to utilize their skills fully as they are given time to express themselves, thus sharing their ideas among themselves and also with the executives. On the other hand, since the employees are working in a team there will be no wastage of manufacturing materials; which often arises when different engineers or departments undertaking various tasks work without harmony (Parker, 1996).
It can be seen that teamwork helps in decision-making and problem-solving in TMC as decisions are made using the down-upward approach. In this case, executives allow the employees to make decisions on what is to be manufactured; the intended quality and marketing procedures of the manufactured product; based on their talents and skills. In this case, different employees have different methods of problem-solving and hence when all these methods are pulled together the outcome is perfection (Katzenbach & Smith, 2003).
By providing a framework of learning activities, TMC produces among the best products in the international market. In addition, teamwork motivates the employees within TMC and as a result working towards helping the company attain its goals of producing the best quality products in the world, which can compete in the international market. It can be argued that teamwork taps employees’ talents and skills, which results in making well-qualified manufacturers resulting in better goods and services than it would be with less qualified ones (Parker, 1996).
Within the TMC every worker; from executives to those working in low-paying positions is challenged to be creative and innovative through experiments and learning. Based on this, fostering one’s talents through teamwork encourages creativity and innovativeness in TMC. Further, TMC hires highly qualified manpower and encourages soft skill capabilities in management, team building, and creativity. On the other hand, TMC creates a good environment for an open flow of thoughts, teamwork, and sharing of skills which encourage creativity and innovation among the staff (Katzenbach & Smith, 2003).
References
Katzenbach, J. & Smith, D. (2003). The Wisdom of Teams: Creating the High Performance Organization. New York: Harper Paperbacks
Parker, G. (1996). Team Players and Teamwork. New York: Jossey-Bass