Making Teams Work — A Key for Effective Shop Floor Control

Abstract

Teamwork has become a major means to improve the flexibility of an organization. Accordingly the introduction of teamwork in manufacturing can increase the flexibility and quality of shop floor control. This paper aims to examine the factors which lead to successful teamwork. The experience which the Praxis für teamorientierte Arbeitsgestaltung (PTA) [Practice for Team-oriented Work Design] has gained in implementing teamwork in more than 20 industrial enterprises shows that certain prerequisites must be fulfilled if teamwork be implemented with successful results. In view of shop floor control, light will be thrown upon only a few significant factors. Many aspects, such as the significance of the behavior of management or issues of qualifications, must necessarily be neglected, as well as consideration of teamwork in non-productive areas.