The Illusion of Self-Management: Using Teams to Disempower

Self-management and self-managing teams have usually been regarded as the opposite \nof "boss" control; they are associated with doing business without bosses. This view \nof self-management, however, has been challenged. Some authors, for example, have \nsuggested that close external supervision is not always inconsistent with selfmanagement. I When requirements of a job and the information needed to do it are \nunclear, some management that defines the job&s;s limits can aid a self-managed employee. In fact, defining the limits of employee discretion can be the primary management task. Nevertheless, these limits can significantly constrain and control \nself-managed employees. As a result, apparent self-management can sometimes be more \nof an illusion than a reality.