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Does Teamworking Work, and if so, Why? A Case Study in the Aluminium Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Martyn Wright
  • Paul Edwards

    (Industrial Relations Research Unit, Universlty of Warwick)

Abstract

Although teamwork is a leading innovation in work organization, detailed studies of employee responses, and the reasons for acceptance or rejection, are rare. Here, an advanced form of teamworking at a British aluminium smelter, part of a large Canadian multinational company, is examined. Direct supervision was abolished, and teamworking using semi-autonomous groups with job rotation, multiskilling and team briefing was introduced. Employees responded favourably to the initiative. Job satisfaction and labour productivity increased. Industrial action, overtime and accident rates fell. The conditions for this outcome included prior experience of job shedding, capital-intensive continuous process technology, union-management cooperation in the introduction of teams, and a pre-existing culture of strong work group solidarity. Some tensions remained, however, notably over the pay system and some aspects of work performance, and there was no evidence of a move towards high commitment.

Suggested Citation

  • Martyn Wright & Paul Edwards, 1998. "Does Teamworking Work, and if so, Why? A Case Study in the Aluminium Industry," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 19(1), pages 59-90, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:19:y:1998:i:1:p:59-90
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X98191004
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephen Wood & Maria Teresa Albanese, 1995. "Can We Speak Of A High Commitment Management On The Shop Floor?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 215-247, March.
    2. John F. Geary, 1993. "New Forms of Work Organization and Employee Involvement in Two Case Study Sites: Plural, Mixed and Protean," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 14(4), pages 511-534, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Linda Glover, 2011. "Can informal social relations help explain workers’ reactions to managerial interventions? Some case evidence from a study of quality management," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 32(3), pages 357-378, August.
    2. Kay Greasley & Paul Edwards, 2015. "When do health and well-being interventions work? Managerial commitment and context," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 36(2), pages 355-377, May.
    3. Jacques Belanger & Martin Dumas, 1998. "Teamwork and Internal Labour Markets: A Study of a Canadian Aluminium Smelter," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 19(3), pages 417-442, August.

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