The increase in efficiency with size of research teams

1 January 1973

journal article
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management

Vol. EM-20 (3) , 80-86
https://doi.org/10.1109/TEM.1973.6448434

Abstract

The result of an earlier investigation, that the efficiency of research teams increases with team size, has been verified by extending the investigation to further samples. The increase is exponential with team size and amounts to about a threefold increase in productivity per team member as the team is increased from 1 to 50 members. No optimum team size was found. Of two possible reasons for the increased efficiency of large teams, improved research environment (better service, better equipment, improved contacts with team members) and personal factors (improved selection of productive members) both have about equal weight. A preliminary study suggests that very productive team members' influence on other members is the dominating factor in the research environment; that is, that research effectiveness is induced by productive team leaders.

Keywords

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