ABSTRACT
Work in teams is commonplace at all levels in all types of organizations. Why? A first reason is that modem technology usually makes it difficult for one person to assemble, organize, and digest the facts necessary to make an appropriate decision or complete an operation. Individuals must, therefore, often depend on others in order to complete their mutual tasks successfully. An operator of a new electrocardiogram unit in a hospital may be puzzled about the unusual behavior of an instrument metering the input of voltage. Consultation may be needed with the hospital electrician, a cardiologist from the medical staff, other instrument operators, the supervisor, and possibly also a representative of the firm that sells and services the machine. A meeting may be called to discuss the problem. No one person may have the knowledge or capability to deal with the problem alone (Bass & Ryterband, 1979).
