Groups and teams are two important components of all organizations. Groups are composed of leaders and followers who usually have a common goal to achieve in a specific time. Teams differ from groups because all members assume responsibility for the achievement of goals, not only the leader. Teams are becoming more widely used in organizations especially when there is a need for creativity and flexibility.

Culture affects the use of groups and teams in organizations. Cultures that emphasize individual effort and rewards have difficulty developing effective groups and teams. Cultures that emphasize collective effort have more success with developing groups and teams but often create conditions for passive compliance with group efforts that result in a lack of creativity.

Using the following Web sites, attempt to locate answers to the questions below that focus on differences between groups and teams.

• What are the advantages of teams over groups?
• Are groups useful for certain types of organizations more than others?
• Do different cultures use teams in different ways?
• How does the management of teams differ from the management of groups?

1. The York Consulting Team
   http://www.yorkteam.com/
   This is the homepage of The York Consulting Team-Partners in Change. In the 1990s organizations are becoming more team oriented. These Web pages describe ways to build work teams in organizations and suggest other Web sites that can be useful for understanding teams. With the information in these pages, what techniques could you use to build effective teams in your classroom or where you work?
   
   
2. The Center for the Study of Work Teams
   http://www.workteams.unt.edu/
   In the middle of this site is the Center for the Study of Work Teams at the University of North Texas. Take a look at the page and then go to Research Papers. Analyze one of the articles from the perspective of group dynamics and teamwork.
   
   
3. Empowerment in the Workplace
   http://www.cpn.org/sections/topics/work/work.html
   This Web site discusses issues involving empowerment in the workplace. Select one of the case studies and analyze it from the perspective of whether it is an appropriate use of a group or a team.
   
   
4. Center for the Study of Work Teams
   http://www.workteams.unt.edu
   The Center for the Study of Work Teams is a non-profit organization created in 1991. Its vision is to become the premier center for research and education on collaborative work systems. You will find links to published research papers that cover a broad spectrum of topics within the general heading of "self directed work teams." You will also find many companies that work with work teams.
   
   

• Based on the information collected from the Web sites to answer the questions suggested above, write a short (one to three pages) paper on the positive and negative features of teams in organizations.