Cross-functional Teams and Their Role in Increasing Competitiveness of the Organizational Partnerships

• Author: Laura Dinca - Carmen Voinescu
• Position: PhD Candidate, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Department of Management-Marketing - PhD Candidate, University of Craiova
• Pages: 453-459

Performance and Risks in the European Economy

453

Cross-functional Teams and their

Role in Increasing Competitiveness of the Organizational Partnerships

Laura Dinca

1

, Carmen Voinescu

2

Abstract: In this paper we r eview the role of the cross-functional teams for increasing competitiveness of the various

organizational partnerships. The present complexity of the internationa l business environment, the high competition

and the economic globalization push many organizations to seek for new organizational partnerships, in order to

faster reach their goals. Such organizational partnerships may be the networks of enterprises and clusters. For both of

them, the main factor to increase competitiveness is the cross-functional teams (CFT) and their effective team work.

Through communication and mutual understanding, the CFT can overcome barriers between member entities and lead

to better economic parameters. The main employed method was a survey of the management literature about CFT.

The r esult is a clear presentation of the CFT and of their effective work manner to reach a competitive level for

various organizational partnerships.

Keywords: cross-functional teams; competitiveness; effectiveness; network

JEL Classification: M21

1 Introduction

Generally speaking a company is being competitive when it manages to produce high quality goods

and services at a lower price than its competitors. Competitiveness may be also defined as the

possibility to get performances after being present on the market (Gavrila & Gavrila, 2008). But

giving the nowadays economic complexity, many organizations are moving to a new organizational

model, such as various partnerships, networks of enterprises or clusters in order to reach their purpose

faster by putting together their capital and skills. “In a globalizing economy, competitiveness means

information and know-how rather than capital and physical assets (Nedelea & Paun, 2009). The more

an organization develops the skills and knowledge of employees, the higher is its capability to face the

market.

When a knowledge based economy is being developed, a process of revision the internal organization

of the enterprises takes place, which is not any more based on Taylor pattern (Dan, 2007).

Factors that have promoted organizational partnerships can be divided into two categories: motivators

and facilitators (Baker, 2002). Among motivating factors, the most important are: pressure to access

know-how and promote new knowledge and learning, coping with greater competition, obtaining

complementary competencies, managing risk, improving flexibility and complex adaptation. As

facilitating factors, the following can be mentioned: organizational position and reputation, trust,

communication technology and the internet, government and regulatory context.

Networks of enterprises and clusters are created because they facilitate the common use of their

resources, but the dissemination and transferability of the final results too. They include various

1

PhD Candidate, University of Craiova, Fa culty of Ec onomics and B usiness Administration, Department of Management-

Marketing, Address: 13, AI Cuza Street, Craiova, Romania, +40 723 330961, Corresponding author:

laura2dinca@yahoo.com

2

PhD Candidate, University of Craiova, Address: 13, AI Cuza Street, Craiova, Romania, e-mail: carmen_clapan@yahoo.com