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Redesigning production through teamworking: Case studies from the Volvo Truck Corporation

Paul Thompson (Department of Business Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and)
Terry Wallace (Cardiff Business School, University of Wales, College of Cardiff, Wales, UK)

International Journal of Operations & Production Management

ISSN: 0144-3577

Article publication date: 1 February 1996

4202

Abstract

There has long been a debate concerning whether the technical division of labour should be structured around the individual or the group. With the developing of lean production and other forms of work organization under advanced manufacturing, teamworking has emerged as a central focus of redesigning production. However, considerable conceptual confusion remains, as well as sharply opposed models drawing on Japanese and Northern European traditions. Provides a framework for understanding the potentially different configurations of teamworking by distinguishing between technical, governance and normative dimensions. Explores these in the context of evidence from case studies of Volvo truck plants in Sweden. The variations observed in different production environments emphasize the point that there is no authentic, linear tradition, or undifferentiated package in theory or in practice.

Keywords

Citation

Thompson, P. and Wallace, T. (1996), "Redesigning production through teamworking: Case studies from the Volvo Truck Corporation", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 103-118. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579610109875

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 1996, MCB UP Limited

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