Self-managed work teams: an enabling or coercive nature

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2010

Authors

Maria Teresa Campos Proença (Author) FEP

Journal

Title: International Journal of Human Resource Management

Vol. 21 No. 3

Pages: 337-354

ISSN: 0958-5192

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 4 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 5 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Social sciences > Economics and Business

CORDIS: Social sciences ; Social sciences > Economics > Management studies

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-BCJ

DOI: 10.1080/09585190903546870

Abstract (EN): The paper analyses self-managed work teams (SMWTs) of two Portuguese industrial firms, using the case-study method. It examines the nature of SMWTs, by discerning a double enabling and coercive face. The enabling features are related to high levels of job enrichment, broad employee participation, and extensive communication. The coercive features are related to incidental job rotation to optimize technology, asymmetries of technical knowledge between supervisors or industrial engineers and team members, economic cohesion based upon the group-performance system and peer pressure toward self-discipline. An enabling face of SMWT has greater chances to prevail under an organizational infrastructure based upon management commitment regarding economic, cultural and social objectives of SMWTs, management ability to develop a set of complementary and mutually reinforcing HR practices and production programs aligned with SMWTs, as well as a past history and employees' past experience in tune with present changes.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 18