Response to the article "Why Teams Don't Work" by J. Richard Hackman retrieved from EBSCOHOST

         I found this article to be extremely facinating because it re-iterated what I have believed my entire life-that teams are not as productive, efficient, or effective as individuals.  I am an extremely independant worker and have always despised working in teams; however, as chapter 10 points out, teams can be very beneficial.  This article, written by a J. Richard Hackman, Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology at Harvard, points out that from an early age we are told that team work is good and important.  Throughout my college management courses, teamwork has also been taught (chapter 10 on teams for this week of class).  Yet in my college experience, teams NEVER work out; I either wind up doing all the work because I really want an A and have high standards, or I get extremely frustrated with the group and accept work that I know I could have done a better job on if I had done it alone.  According to Hackman, I am not alone in my opinion.  He expresses that teams are very rarely more productive than the individual and that research has shown that most teams can't even agree on what they are supposed to be doing.  He also explains that its a myth that teams are more productive and we are taught this myth throughout school and childhood.  People like to think teams are democratic and effecient-however, all of Hackman's research has proved otherwise and has strongly alluded that individuals by themselves are more effecient.  I completely agree with this article as I have never had a good team experience and will continue to make an effort to avoid group work whenever possible.