Teamwork and Total Quality Management: A Durable Partnership

This paper examines the durability of teamwork within firms by looking at the relationship between the evolution of quality management programmes and the development of teamwork. Four case studies of Australian manufacturing firms with a long experience of teamwork are presented. The paper reports that firms use a great variety of teamwork practices and that they develop ensembles of teamwork practices, which become institutionalised within the firm. The paper advances the proposition that the observed durability of teamwork is underpinned by the institutional stretch of ensembles of teamwork practices. The ability of management to rearrange ensembles to accommodate new management initiatives and new management practices is critical to the durability of teamwork.