Enhancement of team work in MBA programs: An evaluation of best practices

Abstract: This research paper suggests a set of best practices for the development and implementation of team work in MBA programs. The objective is to suggest ways in which to concurrently maximize positive student experiences and enhanced value to employers of MBA program graduates. The research has two principal components. The first is a field study of team work involving the MBA program of the University of Maryland University College. This research involved a review of the program syllabi and field observations designed to identify key design aspects of team work projects as implemented at the University of Maryland University College. The second component of the research is a focused literature review regarding academic team project difficulties and solutions. From the scholarly literature, several best practices are identified, including the following: the importance of early team member introductions and interactions; the need for a team work plan; the positive influence of faculty member expressions of high performance expectations and possible outcomes from the utilization of peer evaluations. The literature review is utilized as the basis for a set of best practices related to the design and implementation of team work in MBA programs. The findings and recommendations offered relate to both process and structure issues and include the following: suggested roles for Faculty Assistants; required use of team work plans; adjustments to individual grades; use of peer evaluation forms; management of social loafing problems.UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009-010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices By Dr. Murray D. Blank and Kathleen Locklear tedmurr@comcast.net Graduate School of Management and Technology May, 2009 UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009-010 UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 2 Abstract This research paper suggests a set of best practices for the development and implementation of team work in MBA programs. The objective is to suggest ways in which to concurrently maximize positive student experiences and enhanced value to employers of MBA program graduates. The research has two principal components. The first is a field study of team work involving the MBA program of the University of Maryland University College. This research involved a review of the program syllabi and field observations designed to identify key design aspects of team work projects as implemented at the University of Maryland University College. The second component of the research is a focused literature review regarding academic team project difficulties and solutions. From the scholarly literature, several best practices are identified, including the following: the importance of early team member introductions and interactions; the need for a team work plan; the positive influence of faculty member expressions of high performance expectations and possible outcomes from the utilization of peer evaluations. The literature review is utilized as the basis for a set of best practices related to the design and implementation of team work in MBA programs. The findings and recommendations offered relate to both process and structure issues and include the following: suggested roles for Faculty Assistants; required use of team work plans; adjustments to individual grades; use of peer evaluation forms; management of social loafing problems. Key words: academic team work, MBA team work UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 3 Introduction The concept of team work has been around in both the business and academic world for many years, and businesses have long realized that teams are an effective way to get things done. However, as business becomes increasingly global, team work - and virtual teamwork in particular - have taken on greater importance (Olson-Buchannan, et al., 2007, p. 408). Business is placing growing importance on the ability of MBA graduates to lead and work effectively as part of teams. As clearly articulated by Wardell (1998, p. 4), "…a company's ability to seize an opportunity often depends on how fast it can field a team of talented individuals … [placing] big premium on the skills of virtual management". However, a common criticism of business education, and MBA programs in particular, is that "MBA programmes ignore the importance of teamwork" (Neelankavil, 1994, p. 40). In a study which sets forth the "emerging model for management education in the 21st century" (Kedia & Harveston, 1998, p. 208), contrast is drawn between the "traditional" MBA model and the "emerging" MBA model. In the former, education was individualistic and quantitative; while in the latter, education is increasingly analytical with emphasis on team work. In order to provide value to employers, MBA program graduates must be equipped with the skill set to operate effectively and efficiently in team situations. And in particular, in today’s global business environment, MBA program graduates must be able to function productively in teams which are separated both temporally and geographically. It has become a core competency for MBA graduates to be comfortable “working with and managing those whom [they] do not see, except on rare and prearranged occasions (Handy, 1995, p. 42). At the same time, however, MBA team projects need to be appealing and satisfying to students. This research project was inspired in part by the authors’ observation, based upon student comments and classroom interactions, that student satisfaction was sometimes diminished by team dynamic difficulties. Some concerns in particular, applicable to both virtual and traditional (face-to-face)1 team situations are: students often do not like team academic assignments; team assignments tend to boost the grades of weaker students while lowering the grades of stronger students; team projects are often hindered by the behavior of at least one "social loafer"2. In this regard, 1 It is noted here the MBA program at University of Maryland University College (UMUC) is offered in two configurations. The first format is entirely on-line and the second is offered partially on-line and partially face-to-face in a classroom. This second configuration has been designated as "hybrid". 2 A “social loafer” is defined here as a team member who exhibits one or more of the following behaviors: a) fails to carry his/her apportioned share of the team's workload; b) doesn't communicate with the other team members or timely produce agreed-upon contributions; c) produces sub-standard work product which another team member must revise in-order for it to be useful to the team's final product; or d) causes friction or conflict within the team. UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 4 comments shared by one student are especially telling. That student3 commented, "The weeks when team projects are due are generally easy weeks for me. The team divides up the work of the project, and the effort required is never as much as I would spend on an individual assignment. Team projects are not challenging. They should require one hundred percent of each member's effort. Team assignments should be more synergistic." With these thoughts in mind, it is emphasized here that MBA programs need to deliver value to two key sets of stakeholders: MBA graduates and their employers. This paper seeks to identify a core set of best practices which will help ensure that MBA team projects deliver maximum value to these two key stakeholders. Research Approach Based on the concerns expressed by students and MBA employers, as well as the authors’ own observations and concerns, the authors felt an examination of MBA team project efficacy was timely. The authors’ objective was to develop recommendations for mitigating the concerns of students and employers, thereby improving the overall efficacy of team work projects in MBA programs. In order to accomplish this, the authors sought to draw upon "best practices" in the area of team work. First, the authors collected information on how team work projects are currently developed and operating in UMUC’s MBA program. Next, a literature review was conducted to identify possible solutions (best practices) for mitigating common issues which can hinder the efficacy of academic team projects. Field Research- Findings and Observations The authors commenced their research by requesting information from the MBA program Course Managers. These information gathering efforts were designed to garner an understanding of how teams and team work are currently developed and operating within UMUC’s MBA program. In addition, the authors conducted a focused analysis of the current MBA program syllabi, with emphasis on the team work related content. Overview of Findings This information gathering and analysis yielded several findings. First, it was apparent that the MBA program syllabi provide detailed instructions and expectations for the team project assignments. Teams are expected to develop a comprehensive team work plan for each project. Instructors and/or Faculty Assistants review the team work plans and provide feedback to the teams. Work plans are graded in only one course. Team organization and management is generally left to the discretion of each team. However, each syllabus stipulates that all team communication and individual contributions must be posted in the teams' Study Group Conferences. The end product of all team projects is a written paper. However, teams in most hybrid sections are also expected to make oral 3 The student who made this comment carried a 4.0 grade point average at the time of the interview. UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 5 presentations of their final projects. With few exceptions, team projects are not cumulative in nature. That is, they do not build upon preceding individual assignments or extend over the entire seminar. Provisions are made in each course syllabus for teams to submit peer evaluations after completing project. However, these evaluations are not required in every course, and there is wide variation in the forms and processes in use. Course Managers delegate to Instructors the authority to adjust individual students' grades up or down, but there is little process guidance on how to accomplish this. Faculty Assistants are generally charged with the "care-and-feeding" of teams, including the management of team process issues. However, it appears that Instructor-Faculty Assistant pairs in individual course sections may handle management of teams differently. The authors’ field research revealed that the MBA program syllabi provide detailed instructions and expectations for the team project assignments. Although it is intuitive that clear project instructions are important, "how-to" information for accomplishing this was not readily available in the literature. It is suggested here that particular care should be taken to provide instructions that are concise, complete and clear. In addition to specific details regarding due dates and where to submit completed projects, instructions should encourage students to seek clarification early on in the event of any perceived ambiguity. Performance Expectations As noted by Berlew and Hall (1966), when leaders have high expectations for a group, the group will generally “perform up” to meet or exceed those expectations. Berlew and Hall also noted (p. 208), "One of the strongest determinants of behavior is the expectations of other people. In the language of role theory…behavior…is strongly influenced by the expectations of significant others". It is therefore suggested that Instructors who consistently convey their high expectations for team work, and make these expectations known to their students, will find that their students complete and submit higher quality projects. The publication of project grading rubrics may offer a practical mechanism for establishing Instructor expectations. Initial introductions, coordination and work plans Numerous researchers cite the importance of maximizing team member interaction during the early phases of team projects. Napier and Johnson (2007, p. 44) Olson-Buchanan et al. (p. 414) and Wardell all recommend the exchange of "get acquainted" postings among team members. Wardell further concluded that teams which did this "had more overall communication during the project" (p.4). By utilizing socialization as a method for “establishing and reproducing trust relationships” (Nandhakumar, 1999, p. 47) this approach may help overcome the loss of trust which is known to sometimes plague virtual teams. UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 6 Bryant and Albring (2006) noted that "each team should appoint a coordinator who is responsible for keeping the team on track and focused during the project and for interacting with the Instructor" (p. 250). They also advocated (p. 250) that a "team contract should be required, and signed by team members." In making this recommendation, they commented (p. 243) "teams depend on synergy among team members to collectively produce a final product that is more than the simple sum of the individual parts". The team work plan thus becomes a tool for enabling "team members [to] hold themselves mutually accountable for the quality of the final product" (p. 243). During the field research portion of this project, some Instructors reported that students “recycled” prior work plans, updating a previous work plan rather than creating a new one for use in the subsequent team project. One Instructor said, "Based on my experience with the same cohort groups in two separate courses, I found that team work plans do not change much from one course to another. In addition, it seems that students pay little attention to the team work plan once they have submitted it for review. In working with twenty sections of students where teams have done work plans, I have yet to encounter any team that has revised their work plan in 'mid-stream.'" These comments mirror the authors’ own observations, suggesting that students often do not appreciate the importance of the team work plan until after their project is completed. It is therefore suggested when team work plans are required, instructions should explicitly prohibit the reuse of previous work plans. Within the UMUC program, this parameter can be emphasized by the Faculty Assistants, whose role includes reviewing and offering feedback for work plans after they are submitted. The authors’ research has revealed that team work plans are often not graded, perhaps contributing to a lack of appreciation for the importance of this “framework” document. In this regard, accountability may be enhanced with some nexus to the team project grade. For example, a five point deduction might be applied to the final project grade if no work plan is submitted. Findings from the Literature and Field Research Team Organization and Management Team Selection and Composition Field research revealed that some MBA program Instructors permit teams to self-select, determining their membership independently. Other Instructors assign students to teams, and a variety of methods for accomplishing this was identified. These methods include: sequential grouping (alphabetic) based upon student last name; random groupings; assignments guided by student biographical information. One faculty member reports that he has assigned on-line teams by the geographic locations of the members. Overall, a single preferred method for assigning team members did not emerge from the field investigation. UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 7 Numerous authors have noted that team selection methodology is an important consideration when seeking to maximize student learning and satisfaction with team work. Napier and Johnson (p. 40) concluded specifically that "trust and commitment are increased and fewer conflicts are experienced when students work in groups with others that are like themselves". They further commented (p. 40) that this is supported by the tendency for students to "flock toward others that are like themselves when allowed to self-select their teams". Shaw (2004, as cited in Napier and Johnson, p. 41) "claim[ed] that student experiences in diverse teams are more difficult than those for homogenous teams". Hamlyn-Harris, Hurst, von Baggo and Bayley (2006, p. 304) also concluded that homogenous teams provide the optimal structure for maximizing student satisfaction, stating "homogenous teams are more satisfied with their team experience [and] "self-selecting teams will be more productive and satisfied than randomly formed teams". Of particular note, Drury, Kay and Losberg (2003, as cited by Hamlyn-Harris, p. 310) concluded that homogeneity is more important for students who have limited experience working in teams and are not as well-equipped to manage difficult team issues which arise. It appears that in those MBA seminars where teams are not allowed to self-select, utilization of homogenous team groupings may enhance overall satisfaction with team projects. One approach would be to provide students with an assessment tool4 and require them to self-select teams based upon the results. Where resources are limited, however, there may be barriers to the successful implementation of this approach. In this regard, Camara et al. (2007, p. 247) commented that "for some Instructors…it may be impractical or too expensive to administer a commercial test to determine technical expertise and innate ability…[but] GPA can be used as a tool to achieve the desired degree of homogeneity". Finally, where homogenous team groupings are desired, team role theory may provide yet another model for determining complimentary personalities and preferences. According to Rushmer5 (1996, as cited in Bryant and Albring, p. 247) the two preeminent models in this area are the Team Management System (TMS) model and the Belbin model. It is noted that the cost and time associated with implementation of these models may make their implementation prohibitive in some academic programs. However, as suggested by Bryant and Albring, it is fairly simple to determine a student’s preference for working in teams. This information can then be utilized to ensure teams are not predominantly comprised of individuals who do not like team work (Rushmer, p. 247). Teams and Self-Management 4 Such instruments include, for example, the "Team-work Knowledge, Skills and Ability (KSA)" test (which can be retrieved at http://www.ramsaycorp.com/products/teamworkksa.asp for $13 a copy) and modified versions of the Myers-Briggs personality test. 5 An in-depth exploration of these two models, and a discussion of their similarities, may be found in Rushmer, R.K. (1996). " Is Belbin’s shaper really TMS’s thruster-organizer? An empirical investigation into the correspondence between the Belbin and TMS team role models." Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 17(1), 20-30. UMUC Working Paper Series – Number 2009­010 Enhancement of Team Work in MBA Programs: An Evaluation of Best Practices 8 In light of the fact that MBA team projects ostensibly seek to provide experience with organizing, managing and participating in team work, it is not surprising that many MBA Instructors require teams to organize and manage themselves. Characteristic of the guidance provided to students in this regard is the following statement from the AMBA 650 syllabus: "Although individual Team members may take on certain management and editing tasks in the Team Work Plan, all Team members are collectively responsible for understanding and preparing all Team assignment material." Requiring teams to produce a work plan can serve as a meaningful way for Instructors to assist teams with their initial organization efforts, and ensure they go through the critical preliminary steps of establishing a framework. Further, the team work plan can serve as a “foundational tool” for ensuring a commonality of understanding, helpful in assisting teams to work through difficult issues. Team Communications Each course syllabus stipulates that all team communication and individual contributions must be posted in the teams' study group conferences so that Instructors and FAs can monitor team progress. In addition, individual contributions to the team effort can be tracked from these postings. Teams seem to have near-limitless technological communications methods for conducting their team business. These include both synchronous and asynchronous tools such as teleconferencing, email, Voice over Packet (VoP), and other web-based chat facilities such as Skype. In addition, in hybrid sections of the MBA program, teams may elect to meet in person. While teams may initially schedule these meetings during their planning and organizing phase, it is rarely possible to proceed with their project without substantial usage of electronic communications. As with any organization involving people with a range of personal and professional agendas, teams often discover all members cannot participate in every team communication activity. By publishing minutes of their meetings, teams can assist absent members in "catching-up". Individual Contributions Ideally, it would seem that a team project should be the culmination of one or more individual assignments, br