Table 1.

Comparison of academic and business teams. Academic and business teams differ in goals, structure, and process. Among academic teams, no existing team type satisfies the unique requirements of translational science.

Context	Team Types	Goals	Structure	Processes
BUSINESS	Traditional task/ project group	Production: profitability, market share, operational efficiency of a product	Centralized and role specific by function	Functional control
				Capacity development
				Career development
	New product design	New Products: Specialized market niche for design or product	Varying levels of centralization depending upon life cycle	Challenge and inquiry utilizing specialized fields of knowledge that are compatible
	Cross functional	Decision Making: Disparate and dispersed bases of knowledge/ expertise with constituency buy-in	Varying levels of centralization depending upon tasks and needs	Broad range of individual expertise or knowledge networks
	Virtual	Strategy: Technologically facilitated ideas, designs or solutions without physical presence; low cost	Varying levels of centralization, use of virtual networks	Symmetrical and asymmetrical facilitation
				Meetings and decisions mediated by technology
	Self-managed	Knowledge: products and processes associated with ownership and commitment	Decentralized and flat, variable and flexible authority	Emergent leadership and control
ACADEMIC	Individual and Multidisciplinary	Research: Publications, papers, patents, grants, funding generating new knowledge	Centralized and role specific, variable by discipline	Mentored learning
	Integrated care (ICU, transplant, cancer care teams, etc.)	Clinical: Efficiency and effectiveness of care	Centralization based on rank and experience	Implementation of best practices
	MTT	Translational (Multidisciplinary): Impact on human health by applications of new diagnostics or therapeutics	Network based with strategic core, flexible participation based on need	Trainees
				Capacity development
				Career development