An empirical study of autonomous work groups relationships between worker reactions and effectiveness

This paper reports on findings from an empirical study of thirty autonomous work groups, It deals with systems at the group level, particularly their producer and decider subsystems. Each work group operated within the same organization, making the same kind of product using the identical process. This study attempts to explain the differences between high productive and low productive autonomous work groups. The focus is on two key areas of worker perceptions: satisfaction with the job and perceptions of work group leadership. Results show the importance of establishing and communicating a policy of promotional opportunities to reward high performance. Leadership dimensions (superior orientation and consideration) that discriminate between high and low production groups are identified. These findings have implications in the selection and training of team leaders and the management of autonomous work groups.