Abstract

An analysis of contemporary labour market indicates that teamwork skills are among the competences most desired by employers. Therefore, students, future employees, should develop and improve their teamwork skills. The authors argue that team member effectiveness depends, among other things, on the teamwork attitudes.

The paper's aim is to identify students' attitude towards teamwork as well as to characterize the needs for the improvement of students' teamwork skills. The results of a survey among 108 students of master degree are presented. The survey inquired several teamwork issues among students in three areas: students' understanding of a teamwork concept, their attitudes towards teamwork and assessment of team member effectiveness with the usage of CATME instrument.

The results show that students are not convinced of positive teamwork effects and they rather prefer to work individually. The analysis of their effectiveness as team members indicates that their communication skills, specialized knowledge and competences needed for project tasks are on a quite satisfactory level. However, three other dimensions of effective teamwork behaviour require improvement, i.e. task controlling and keeping team on track, expecting quality of teamwork and contributing to the team's work.

Finally, basing on the literature review, the authors propose several hints on how the students' team projects should be pursued by academic teachers.

Bibliography

• Barr T.F., Dixon T.F., Gassenheimer J.B., Exploring the "Lone Wolf" phenomenon in student teams, "Journal of Marketing Education" 2005, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 81-90, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0273475304273459.
• Becker S.J., Empirical validation of affect, behavior, and cognition as distinct components of behavior, "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology" 1984, Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 1191-1205, http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.47.6.1191.
• Beigi M., Shirmohammadi M., Attitudes toward teamwork: are Iranian university students ready for the workplace?, "Team Performance Management" 2012, Vol. 18, No. 5/6, pp. 295-311.
• Brutus S., Donia M.B., Improving the effectiveness of students in groups with a centralized peer evaluation system, "Academy of Management Learning and Education" 2010, Vol. 9, pp. 852-662, http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMLE.2010.56659882.
• Budnikowski A., Dabrowski D., Gąsior G., Macioł S., Pracodawcy o poszukiwanych kompetencjach i kwalifikacjach absolwentów uczelni - wyniki badania, "e-mentor" 2012, No. 4 (46), pp. 4-17, http://www.e-mentor.edu.pl/artykul/index/numer/46/id/946.
• Cannon-Bowers J.A., Tannenbaum S.I., Salas E., Volpe C.E., Defining team competencies and establishing team training requirements, [in:] Guzzo R., Salas E. (eds.), Team effectiveness and decision making in organizations, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco 1995, pp. 333-380.
• Chapman K.J., Van Auken S., Creating positive group project experiences: an examination of the role of the instructor on students' perceptions of group projects, "Journal of Marketing Education" 2001, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 117-127, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0273475301232005.
• Cohen S.G., Bailey D.E., What makes teams work: group effectiveness research from the shop floor to the executive suite, "Journal of Management" 1997, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 239-290, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/014920639702300303.
• Espey M., Does space matter? Classroom design and team-based learning, "Review of Agricultural Economics" 2008, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 764-775, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9353.2008.00445.x.
• Fischer B., Boynton A., Wirtuozerskie zespoły, "Harvard Business Review Polska" 2006, No. 4, pp. 89-96.
• Fredrick T.A., Facilitating better teamwork: analysing the challenges and strategies of classroom-based collaboration, "Business Communication Quarterly" 2008, Vol. 71, No. 4, pp. 439-455, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1080569908325860.
• Gretchen V.N., Doing more to teach teamwork then telling students to sink or swim, "Business Communication Quarterly" 2001, Vol. 64, No. 4, pp. 112-119, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/108056990106400413.
• Juchnowicz M., Postawy pracowników wobec pracy jako składnik potencjału kompetencyjnego, [in:] Juchnowicz M. (ed.), Zarządzanie kapitałem ludzkim. Procesy - narzędzia - aplikacje, PWE, Warszawa 2014.
• Katz D., The functional approach to the study of attitudes, "Public Opinion Quarterly" 1960, Vol. 21, pp. 163-204, http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/266945.
• Kompetencje i kwalifikacje poszukiwane przez pracodawców wśród absolwentów szkół wyższych wchodzących na rynek pracy, wyniki badania przeprowadzonego przez Szkołę Główną Handlową, Amerykańską Izbę Handlu w Polsce oraz Ernst & Young, Warszawa 2012.
• Locander W.B., Spivey W.A., A functional approach to attitude measurement, "Journal of Marketing Research" 1978, Vol. XV, pp. 577-578.
• Loughry M.L., Ohland M.W., Moore D.D., Development of a theory-based assessment of team member effectiveness, "Educational Psychological Measurement" 2007, Vol. 67, No. 3, pp. 505-524, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0013164406292085.
• Mullins J.L., Management and organizational behaviour, Third edition, Pitman Publishing, London 1994.
• Ohland M.W. et al., The comprehensive assessment of team member effectiveness: development of a behaviorally anchored rating scale for self- and peer evaluation, "Academy of Management Learning & Education" 2012, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 609-630, http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amle.2010.0177.
• Paff E., Huddleston P., Does it matters if I hate teamwork? What impacts student attitudes toward teamwork?, Journal of Marketing Education 2003, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 37-45, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0273475302250571.
• Pineda R.C., Barger B., Lerner L.D., Exploring differences in student perceptions of teamwork: the case of U.S. and Lithuanian students, "Journal of International Business & Cultural Studies" 2009, Vol. 1, pp. 1-9.
• Pineda R.C., Lerner L.D., Goal attainment, satisfaction and learning from teamwork, "Team Performance Management" 2006, Vol. 12. No. 5/6, pp. 182-191, http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13527590610687938.
• Rokeach M., Attitude change and behavioral change, "Public Opinion Quarterly" 1966, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 529-550, http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/267454.
• Robbins S.P., Zachowania w organizacji, PWE, Warszawa 2004.
• Ruiz Ulloa B.C., Adams S.G., Attitudes toward teamwork and effective teaming, "Team Performance Management" 2003, Vol. 10, No. 7/8, pp. 145-151, http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13527590410569869.
• Stevens M.J., Campion M.A., The knowledge, skill and ability requirements for teamwork, "Journal of Management" 1994, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 503-530, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0149-2063(94)90025-6.
• Stevens M.J., Campion M.A., Staffing work teams: development and validation of a selection test for teamwork settings, "Journal of Management" 1999, Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 207-228, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(99)80010-5.
• Thompson D., Anitsal I., Barrett H., Attitudes toward teamwork in higher education: a comparative study of religiously affiliated universities and secular-based universities, "Allied Academies International Conference. Academy of Educational Leadership. Proceedings" 2008, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 86-98.

Keywords

team work; group effectiveness; teamwork skills; teamwork attitudes; CATME; communication skills