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Published: 1988

Total Pages: 13

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Problem-solving groups have long been part of shipping management culture, the traditional title for these groups has been the task force. With advent of changes in culture to employee-involvement/participation-management, managers inserted quality circles in their problem-solving toolbox, quality circles and task force typify disparate sites on the grid of problem-solving groups, the incongruity of theses groups entreats development of additional problem-solving groups for the managers toolbox. The paper provides definition/ characteristics of four problem-solving groups: task forces, quality circles, study circles, and special study teams, the latter two groups--study circles and special study teams, remedy many of the deficiencies of the former two groups--task forces and quality circles. With these four groups the shipyard manager has an expanded toolbox to tackle productivity problems.