Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Case Notes
Chapter 8: Managing Teamwork
Ritz-Carlton Hotels
1. What types of groups/teams are used at the Ritz-Carlton Hotels?
In a formal group, all employees have formally defined group membership whereas in an
2. How are roles defined in order to support teamwork at the Ritz-Carlton Hotels?
There are three types of group roles: task, maintenance, and self-interest. Group task roles
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
3. Evaluate the performance of teams at the Ritz-Carlton Hotels in terms of the six
dimensions of a team process.
The six group process dimensions are roles, norms, cohesiveness, status, decision
making, and conflict resolution. These factors can be used to analyze lateral teamwork at
4. How does the Ritz-Carlton develop teams?
The best practices associated with the implementation of lateral teams include the
following:
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
5. What can you learn about how to work more effectively in group projects in
classes, based on the things that the Ritz-Carlton does to promote teamwork in
their hotels?
6. Why is teamwork so important to organizations like the Ritz-Carlton? Do you
agree with their focus on teams as opposed to the individual efforts and
contributions of their associates? Why or why not?
Saving Lives Together: Partnering and Teamwork at Medtronic
1. Looking at the simulation described in this case, are employees playing the
simulator part of a group or a team?
A group has two or more members, a clear leader, with independent jobs with individual
2. Having a partnership with Harvard Business Review (HBR) and Fitbit creates
what types of groups?
There are four types of groups:
a. formal/informal
b. functional/cross-functional
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
3. Agree or disagree with the size of the simulation teams relative to performance.
Although there is no ideal group size, groups within 5–9 members generally provide the
4. The simulation used by Medtronic is a leadership simulation that creates insights
on personal leadership styles. Why would the firm focus on leadership if they are
trying to enhance their managers’ ability to work in teams?
As noted in the text on p. 236, leaders determine group structure and the success of the
5. Medtronics’ success stems from its collaborative approach working both with
outside firms and with employees, which nurtures cohesive relationships. What
factors are evident in the case influence that cohesiveness?
Cohesiveness is the extent to which group members stick together. Six factors that
influence cohesiveness include:
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
6. In the simulation, participants receive an e-mail in their in-box notifying them of
a corporate reorganization, where the CEO suddenly may be reassigned as a
director-level employee or vice versa. What might be the rationale for such a
disruptive action from a group development perspective?
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Groups go through a four-stage process of development: forming, storming, norming,
7. What team rewards and recognitions are evident in the case?
Team rewards and recognition come in the form of nonfinancial, skill-based pay and
8. What seems to be the mission of Medtronics as it relates to its business partners?
CEO Omar Ishrak stated the firm collectively finds solutions that will guide the industry
9. Medtronics is the world’s largest standalone medical technology development
company and relies predominately on product innovation. What structures and
culture are evident it the firm that would support product innovation and
change?
In order to be a successful innovator, the firm must have a flat structure, a generalist
Instructor Resource
Lussier, Management Fundamentals 8e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
10. What contemporary design structures does Medtronics seem to utilize?
Contemporary designs include team organization, networks, modular, virtual and learning