A simulation modeling approach for managing teams in Total Quality organizations
Organizations have always faced challenges in their human resource management. With recent emphasis of firms in becoming total quality organizations, teams and teamwork has become vital factors in those efforts. The process of globalization has also contributed to the complexity of cross-functional and cross-cultural structure of teams. In such an environment, understanding dynamics of team becomes important in enhancing the performance of teams. In this research, a systematic methodology is proposed for the modeling of system (team) dynamics and quantifying all the factors that have significant impact on overall team performance. In identification of the significant factors, special consideration is given to human and cultural factors, and socio-technical systems (STS) variables. Some authors including Weick (1979) and Senge (1990) have suggested that it is the relationships between variables, not so much the states of the variables, that drive the behavior of many systems. In other words, it is the structure that should be considered in improving such systems. In this respect, it is clear that, in teams, structure ought to be the focus. An object-oriented simulation is used as a tool for diagnosing team dynamics (structures) as well as evaluating what-if scenarios for improving the system. This research attempts to make a significant contribution in identifying and describing system structures by proposing two types of analyses: leverage, and structural analysis. Leverage analysis "boils down" a complex model to its essence in order to identify a dominant variable, dominant link, and dominant loop or chain (a set of links) which have the greatest impact on the overall system behavior. Structural analysis (SA) unveils the critical information regarding the following unique characteristics of the model archetype (dominant loop) so that it can be taken into consideration when developing alternatives to improve the system performance: (i) Time delay/phase configuration, (ii) Loop stability, and (iii) Existence of limiting conditions. The research also provides a systematic methodology for developing alternatives in order to improve the system/team performance. This methodology is called the Interactive Problem Solving Methodology (IPSM).
Year of publication: |
1997-01-01
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Authors: | Oktay, Fuat |
Publisher: |
Wayne State University |
Saved in:
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