Winner Takes all

Abstract

In the current turbulent business climate, teamwork is the ultimate competitive advantage (Tjosvold, 1991). In an attempt to achieve better teamwork some organizations have turned to adventure-based experiential training (ABET). This study evaluates outcomes from a case study of one particular ABET provider and examines what factors might affect such outcomes. A total of 157 individuals, randomly assigned to teams (n = 20), attended a residential ABET programme. The outcomes, measured in a pre- and post-test design, were perceptions of team effectiveness and perceptions of personal benefits derived from the training. Overall, results showed that there had been no improvements on both of these measures. However, this concealed significant variation between teams, with some teams improving while others deteriorated. Four moderating variables were considered to explain this variation: the team `make-up' in terms of learning styles and team roles, neither of which explained any variation; and the weather and the team's position in the staged competition, both of which were found to predict outcomes.