Title: An alternative typology for teamwork

Authors: Paul-André Lapointe; Guy Cucumel

Addresses: Département des relations industrielles, Pavillon J.-A.De Sève, 1025, av. des Sciences-Humaines, Université Laval, Québec QC, G1V 0A6, Canada ' Department of Accounting Studies, School of Management, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), C.P. 888, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal (Québec), H3C 3P8, Canada

Abstract: A new typology of teamwork, differentiating hierarchical from democratic teams, is proposed. It is an effective way to study the impact of work teams on working conditions and the factors associated with their prevalence. Democratic teams have better working conditions (greater autonomy and less work intensification and peer pressure), than hierarchical teams and employees working under Taylorism. Hierarchical team adoption is based on a logic of standardisation, labour cost reduction, and incentive pay without job security guarantees, representation, or partnership. Conversely, democratic team adoption is based on job security guarantees, representation, and partnership, without managerial strategy to reduce labour costs and to use incentive pay. These findings are based on a survey conducted in the Québec manufacturing sector.

Keywords: workplace innovation; social innovation; employee participation; democracy at work; teamwork; typology; work teams; lean teams; semi-autonomous teams; democratic teams; hierarchical teams; Canada; manufacturing industry.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2016.073431

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.12 No.1, pp.50 - 73

Received: 19 Sep 2014
Accepted: 28 Jul 2015
Published online: 02 Dec 2015 *

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