Redesigning production through teamworking

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.