CROSS FUNCTIONAL TEAMS

SUBMITTED BY:
HARSHA BULANI 14
REWATI KAMATH 46
One of the most effective uses of cross-functional
teams is in area of product development.
A cross-functional team is a group of people with
different functional expertise working toward a
common goal. It may include people from finance,
marketing, operations, and human resources
departments.
Typically, it includes employees from all levels of an
organization.
Members may also come from outside an
organization (in particular, from suppliers, key
customers, or consultants).
Why Cross-functional Teams?
To face today's complex challenges, you need to
incorporate a wide range of styles, skills, and perspectives.
Cross-functional teams are regarded as a means to manage
social collaboration and concept creation.
 Some examples of cross-functional teams are teams
established to:
 design and develop new products;
 chose and implement new technologies throughout organization;
 to improve the service-profit chain, and
 to control product costs.
General Motors
GM set up an collaborative engineering system in
year 2000.
This allowed GM employees and external auto parts
suppliers to share product design information.
This system serves as a centralized clearinghouse for
all design data.
It slashed full a mock up time of car from 12 weeks to
2.
Modicon Inc.
Paul White(President)Changed the view that the
product development task is not just engineering
function and also included managers from
manufacturing, marketing , sales and finance. (team
of 15 members).
Helped them avoid costly delays from
disagreements and misunderstandings
Eastman Chemical Co.
Replaced senior vice-presidents in charge with self
directed work teams.
It makes people take off their organizational hats and
put on their team hats.
Gives a broader perceptive and decision-making .
INTERPRETATION:
The world and the world of business are changing.
Individualism is out; teamwork is in.
Specialization is out; a new-style generalism is in.
Rigid organizational lines are out; fluid collaboration is in.
Power is out; empowerment is in. Hierarchical
organizations are out, replaced by network organizations,
adaptive organizations, informational organizations, and
horizontal organizations.
Right smack in the middle of all this sit cross-functional
teams, composed of experts ready to move quickly and
flexibly to adapt to changing business needs.
2. WORKING WITH DIVERSE TEAM
MEMBERS
Some Are Strangers:
Sometimes team members have never met before the
first team meeting. One key dynamic of a cross-
functional team is that many team members do not
know each other. Sit in on the first meeting of a new
cross-functional team and you will probably see (or
hear) member introductions as one of the first
activities.
SOME ARE COLLEAGUES
Sometimes team members may have worked together
on past project teams or were colleagues in the same
department. For example,
if the research scientist and the manufacturing
manager have a common understanding of customer
needs, their past association can help jump-start the
team. However, if they are old turf-war enemies, the
team will begin with a conflict to resolve.
SOME ARE FRIENDS:
Sometimes team members know each other but have
never worked together. For instance, the social
studies teacher and the English teacher have shared
lunch together for years in the faculty room.
SOME

ARE ENEMIES:
Some team members have worked together in the past,
and it has not worked out well. They did not get along.
They fought over the issues.
However, although some interpersonal conflict does
lead to people becoming enemies, more often team
members come to the team from “warring”
departments.
They may not know each other, but they make certain
assumptions about the other person that are based on
the function he or she represents. They may have had
bad experiences with people from that area in the past,
and they assume they will encounter similar problems
with this person.
DIMENSIONS OF CROSS
FUNCTIONAL TEAM
PURPOSE

DURATION

MEMBERSHIP
THANK YOU……………….