Continuous improvement is part of the management of all systems and processes. Continuous improvement was mentioned in detail, earlier in the paper. The fourth and final attribute is Empowerment and teamwork. Dean and Evans believe that teamwork can be viewed in three ways. The first way is vertical.
Vertical teamwork is between top management and lower-level employees.
Employees that are empowered to make decisions that satisfy customers without a lot of bureaucratic hassles, and barriers between levels are removed. The second view of teamwork is horizontal. Horizontal teamwork is within work groups and across functional lines. For example, General Motors is trying to eliminate the practice of competing internally in order to promote teamwork. General Motors developed a system called the Quality Network.