Rebecca A. Proehl

Enhancing the effectiveness of cross‐functional teams

Organizations are increasingly using cross‐ functional teams to address broad‐scale organizational problems, and the potential of such teams is undeniable. Bringing a cross‐functional perspective to organizational problems help build understanding, problem‐solving capabilities, co‐ordination, communication and, ultimately, improved quality and productivity. While the benefits are many, this study highlights the challenges. Over one‐half of the participants viewed their cross‐functional team’s work as unsuccessful, and these same individuals felt less optimistic about cross‐functional teams than they had before participating in one. While it is apparent that organizational leaders, are enthusiastically embracing team efforts, calls for additional analysis to explore the unique challenges of cross‐functional teams so organizations can consistently benefit from their efforts. Examines those factors that contributed to the success of the teams in this study and offers recommendations for working with cross‐functional teams.

Protecting Our Elders: An Interfaith Coalition to Address Elder Abuse

With baby boomers coming of age, the increasing life span of elders, and the unstable economic times, several experts have predicted that the incidence of elder abuse will escalate (Bonnie & Wallace, 2002; Podnieks & Wilson, 2005). To address this pressing challenge, innovative solutions—across different sectors—need to be developed. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview and results achieved through a partnership between two public-sector organizations and an interfaith coalition to prevent and report elder abuse. Interestingly, in addition to addressing elder abuse, the lives of the participants were enriched as they established new networks and developed greater respect for other faith traditions.