Beyond Teams: Building the Collaborative Organization (Collaborative Work Systems Series) [Paperback]

Michael M. Beyerlein (Author), Susan Freedman (Author), Craig McGee (Author), Linda Moran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0787963739 | ISBN-13: 978-0787963736 | Edition: 1

"Finally, a book that goes beyond the 'how-to' of team building and answers the critical question, 'How do I create a collaborative organization that reaps the harvest of long-term investment in teams?' The 'ten principles of collaborative organizations' outlined in this book are invaluable."
-- Seth McCutcheon, CEO, Domicile Design Group LLC

The flagship book for the new Collaborative Work Systems Series, Beyond Teams provides an overview of this growing field, defines the basic principles, and points the direction toward a series of books. You'll find a framework designed to help you understand the potential and the means of achieving it throughout the key functions of business.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Working together effectively? collaborating? is the key to competitive advantage. This book will help any manager understand what to do (and what not to do) to support collaboration in their organization."
? Susan G. Cohen. senior research scientist, Center for Effective Organizations, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California

"Finally, a book that goes beyond the 'how-to' of team building and answers the critical question, 'How do I create a collaborative organization that reaps the harvest of long-term investment in teams?' The 'ten principles of collaborative organizations' outlined in this book are invaluable."
? Seth McCutcheon, CEO, Domicile Design Group LLC

"Building on their research on team collaboration, the authors catapult us to the next level? the collaborative organization. The authors show how collaboration is deliberately created, versus relying on luck. Imagine having an entire organization with the characteristics of a high-performing work team!"
? Jack Zenter, vice chairman, Provant

"The authors have done a great service in helping us shift our focus from thinking in terms of 'teams' to thinking in terms of 'collaboration.' This broader perspective can help us achieve our goal of optimizing synergy, without being constrained by the rules of teams."
? James (Jim) C. Joiner, program director, program and project management, University of Texas at Dallas

"A practical, business-focused guide to create successful teaming and increased collaboration for business in the 21st century."
? Dallen O. Miner, organization development, Intel Corporation

"A must-read for managers, CEOs and consultants who want to sustain the Collaborative Advantage."
? John M. Gilberti, vice president, First American Real Estate Tax Service

About the Author

Michael Beyerlein is director of the Center for the Study of Work Teams and professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology at the University of North Texas. He has edited or cowritten twelve books on collaboration.

Craig McGee is a principal with Solutions, and president and past-president of the Organization Design Forum, a professional society dedicated to the theory and practice of designing high performing organizations.

Linda Moran works for AchieveGlobal. She has written or coauthored five books, including Self-Directed Work Teams: The New American Challenge.

Sue Freedman is founder and president of Knowledge Work Associates, a consulting firm specializing in collaboration and change in complex organizations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Pfeiffer; 1 edition (September 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787963739
• ISBN-13: 978-0787963736
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #552,631 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great addition to your OD/OB toolbox, September 14, 2003

By 

Donald W. Knox, Jr. (Wichita Falls, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Teams: Building the Collaborative Organization (Collaborative Work Systems Series) (Paperback)

"Beyond Teams" is an excellent reference for anyone interested in charting or changing results in their collaborative networks. From the standpoint of anyone involved in Organizational Behavior/Organizational Development, from manager, practitioner, academic, consultant or team member, this book provides many useful insights and has the feel of actual fieldwork used in its writing. The book is laid out in such a manner that it can be applied in any given situation. The ten guiding principles are structured and repeated in various collaborative work settings consistently. This allows the reader to apply the principles in their unique setting. The ten guiding principles are then explained for each general situation with a short description given for when the principles are not working and, more importantly, when they are working. Too often in this field books are written from a purely academic viewpoint or "this is how you fix it" approach. This book is different in that you can sense the fieldwork in the research and you see how things are supposed to work as well as when they are not working. This gives the reader the option of working on a group's deficiencies while complementing their achievements. This book is a "must have" for anyone interested in improving team communications.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have!, September 9, 2005

By 

C Mettler (Oklahoma City, OK USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Teams: Building the Collaborative Organization (Collaborative Work Systems Series) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book and a must have for anyone looking to strengthen their organization. It is full of clear, logical instructions on how to make everyone come together. This book was worth the money and time!