Final answer:
Managers implementing work teams in Mexico can benefit from leveraging the comparative advantages in sectors such as shoe production, understanding cost savings from lower wages, and navigating the flatter organizational structures and local labor laws.
Step-by-step explanation:
When implementing work teams in Mexico, managers will most likely benefit from an understanding of the comparative advantage of the Mexican workforce and its ability to beneficially integrate into the global trade system. This comparative advantage is particularly seen in sectors where productivity disadvantages are minimized, such as the production of shoes versus more technologically advanced goods where the United States has an absolute productivity advantage. Furthermore, since multinationals like Volkswagen and Toyota have found value in Mexico due to its cost savings related to lower wages and trade benefits, managers can also leverage this aspect in their team implementation strategies to enhance performance.
Moreover, building work teams in Mexico often means dealing with a workplace that has a flatter organizational structure and potentially less rigorous labor laws compared to those in the United States. The challenge for managers here is to ensure that work teams are motivated, engaged, and can work collaboratively while also taking into account the local labor standards and environmental perspectives.