Self-directed work teams play a crucial role in organizational excellence and process improvement. Let's explore the relevant responsibilities and considerations for such teams:
* Eliminate or Reduce Variation:
* While reducing variation is essential for quality improvement, it is not the primary responsibility of self-directed work teams. Variation reduction often involves statistical techniques and process control, which may not be within the scope of their authorization.
* Monitor Their Own Processes:
* Recommended answer: B. Monitor their own processes
* Explanation: Self-directed work teams should have the authority to monitor and manage their own processes. This includes tracking performance metrics, identifying deviations, and implementing corrective actions. Empowering teams to monitor their processes promotes ownership and accountability.
* Expand the Scope of Their Responsibility:
* Expanding the scope of responsibility is an important aspect of self-directed teams. However, this option is broader and not specific to monitoring processes.
* Establish Relevant Procedures:
* While self-directed teams can contribute to procedure development, their primary focus is on execution and continuous improvement. The responsibility for establishing relevant procedures often lies with management or quality professionals.
In summary, self-directed work teams should be authorized to monitor their own processes as a fundamental aspect of their empowerment and effectiveness12.