Impact of Organisational Culture, Politics, and Power on Team Behaviour and Performance

This report examines the impact of organisational culture, politics, and power on team behaviour and performance in the context of Unilever. It explores the different types of firm culture and their influence on individual and team attributes. The report also discusses the interrelationship among power, politics, motivation, and culture. Additionally, it delves into the content and process theories of motivation implemented by Unilever. Finally, it examines the characteristics of effective and ineffective teams.

Organisation and
Behaviour

INTRODUCTION
Organisation behaviour can be defined as the study of person or individual behaviour
who are engage in the business operations and functions. The main motive to study
organisational behaviour is to analyse the actions and performance of employee's that are related
with job structure, motivation and communication. Along with this organisational behaviour also
leads individuals to achieve their goals and objectives effectively by designing theories and
concepts for firm culture. The organisation chosen for this report is Unilever which is operating
their business in retail and consumer goods industry. It was established in the year 1929 and
started their business in personal care, home care products and many more. Moreover, this report
will focus on organisation culture, politics, power and their influence on team behaviour and
performance (Bienefeld and Grote, 2014). Along with this content and process theories of
motivation will also be covered in this report. In the last, concept and philosophies related with
organisational behaviour are also included in this report.
TASK 1
P1 Examine of organisation culture, politics and power influence on team attributes and
individual performance
The term firm culture is explained as accumulation of value, belief and culture that are
affiliated with controlling and handling the organisation operations in effective manner. In the
context of Unilever's the main motive to implement organisational culture is to develop positive
environment inside organisational premises as it leads organisation to enhance their workforce
efficiency and net income. As per Handy model four different types of firm culture model are
mention as follow:
Influence of culture: In every organisation human resource plays a critical role in
expansion and development of the company worldwide. Along with this Unilever performance
are impacted directly or indirectly by firm's power, culture and politics. So as to accomplish
productive results in the open market place top level management and leaders regulate and
monitors them accordingly (Coccia, 2015). By this set standards can be accomplished in the set
time duration. Below are briefly stated impact of these factors on individual which are as
follows:

Classification of culture: In this case, visions, values, norms and beliefs are the shared
values of organizational culture. This directly assist in determining the interactions with external
universe, inner working and the attributes of all people working in an organization. In order to
under the Handy's cultural typology model the points are illustrated as under:
Power culture: In an organization it is illustrated as power is centralized in the hands of
owner or founder of the company. It is mostly applicable in small scale business where all the
business related decisions are taken by owner itself. On the other hand power culture is
restrictive and build mental stress among staff members because they are not permitted in the
decision making process.
Role culture: In this particular culture, power is ascertained by the roles and
responsibilities assigned to employees in a company. It is highly controlled so that misuse of role
and responsibilities can be done by employees. On the other hand role culture are designed on
detailed firm's culture that are not flat but are typically tall in nature with long chain of
command. Role culture is bureaucratic in nature (Costaguta and et. al., 2018).
Task culture: It plays a significant role in a company. In the working premises of the
firm this type of culture is designed when a specified work need to be accomplished in the set
deadline. Here, the power circulates from team members according to the status of the project.
The outcomes can be productive when the team is made with people who has distinguish
personalities, skills, abilities, leadership, talent and capabilities.
Person culture: In the competitive market place person culture is found in those
particular business where they have specialist in their field such as law firms. In the working
premises specialist work in their single capability and experts in their work . Here, staff
members have total freedom to use their talent and understanding in work.
Unilever adopts task culture so that employees can work effectively and efficiently to
meet their set standards.
Influence of politics: In the working premises, politics are the use of power so that co-workers
are motivated to perform their work effectively in order to benefit the company in the intense
competitive world. Many time it has been seen that subordinates uses politics in order to serve
their personal interest (Farhan, 2018). On the other hand un-necessry politics emerging in the
company is the root cause of decreasing productivity of potential and skilled employees. It is
happening because co-workers get diverted from their assigned roles and responsibilities and

start taking interest in politics. However, day by day increasing politics among the team
members spoils healthy and strong relation among them which indirectly impact the working
ambience in negative manner. Politics demotivate the workers to perform better due to which
competitive advantages against rivalry are not meet.
Influence of Power: This the most significant aspect which is used in the organization
premises. With the help of this management and superiors can easily convince or mould staff
members to perform those work which they want despite of the fact that weather employees are
interested or not to perform the work. Here, power of position is used by the manger and
pressure is created on the workers to perform the task in the set deadline as soon as possible
(Lampaki and Papadakis, 2018). Below are showcased some of the power used by mangers in
Unilever. The power are explained as follows:
Reward power: Co-workers are rewarded for their best performance it can be in any
form like, monetary (cash amount, cheque etc.) and non-monetary (gifts, holiday trips etc.)
benefits. By this staff members can be motivated to perform better as compare to earlier
performance which is a positive mark for the business in cut throat competitive world.
Coercive power: Management adopts certain strict rules and regulations as well as
punishment criteria in order to mould employees to perform those work for which they are not
ready to perform. For example: Firm can terminate the staff members from the company if they
resist or act in-appropriate behaviour towards the project.
Legitimate power: It is exercised due to position of employee. Example: CEO or manger
uses their legitimate power to monitor and handle the activities of the co-workers working in the
company.
Unilever must use reward power for the worker so as to hold back staffs for longer time
span . As well as overall workforce efficiency of workers can be raised by rewarding them for
their performance (Lumineau, Eckerd and Handley, 2015).
M1 Investigate how culture, politics and power impact individual team and their attributes.
The above stated forces directly or indirectly impact and build influences on the attributes
of individuals and team members that are showcased beneath:
Elements Influence on individual behaviour Influence on team behaviour
Power Power directly aid in motivating More conflict is raised when power is

subordinates to perform better.
Additionally it creates mental pressure
on workers.
used excessively. But, if power used in
proper manner it assist in building better
coordination and cooperation among their
work.
Culture It limit the free thinking of employees.
Although culture promotes individual
learning and raises their skills.
Impact decision-making process and
communication between workers.
Additionally, more resistance is created by
employees because they tend to follow
defined structure.
Politics This the main element due to which
workers productivity is reduced because
workers are taking interest in politics.
On the other hand it build healthy
relations among staff members.
With the help of healthy politics varied
unique idea can be captured. But also,
raises conflict due to the feeling of
jealousy.
D1 Critically analyse interrelationship among power, politics, motivation and culture.
The relationship between culture, power, politics and motivation helps firm to success in
the global market because all of them strongly connected with each other. All this aspects need
to be followed equally in the firm so that productive results can be attained easily. Employees are
pushed to perform best when there is clear and healthy relation among power, politics and
culture.
TASK 2
P2
Motivation can be defined as the efforts and desires that leads individual to accomplish
organisation goals in suitable manner. Moreover, Unilever implement process as well as content
theory of motivation to encourage the employee's in order to increase their work performance
and capability.
Content theory- Content theory are obsessed towards the changing needs of the workforce
and individual according to change in time that are working for company. With the content
theory management of Unilever's easily enhance motivation among employee's to move them

towards organisational goals and objectives (Mitchell and Schmitz, 2014). Some aspect of
content theory is mention as follow:
Maslow need hierarchy theory- Maslow's theory relates and define five different aspects
and phases of individual's. It demonstrate individual needs, wants and then their desires. All
aspect of Maslow theory are mention as follow:
 Physiological or basic needs- All the essential aspects and the needs of individual are
concerned in physiological aspects that undertakes air, water, food and shelter.
 Safety needs- After satisfaction of primary needs employee's are concerned about the
safety needs. Like the safety about their job and at workplace where employee's perform
their operations. It includes long term stability and law implementation so all functions
are performed by organisation with help of safety tools.
 Social need- With the achieve of safety and psychological needs employee's are more
concerned about the relationship (Mustafa and Kingston, 2014). It determines to develop
positive relations at workplace with their friends, colleagues, family that is used to
generate trust with others.
 Self esteem need- At the self esteem needs leads individual to gain dignity, achievement
and independence. It results individual is concerned to gain respect from other individual.
 Self-actualisation needs- This is the last stage of Maslow need theory. In this individual
realise their personal growth and experience that is achieved by them in their career. So
now they fulfil their own desires.
Alderfer’s ERG theory
 Existence theory- Existence theory define safety as well as basic needs of an individual
which are required for survivability in the society. Further, existence theory represent
existence of individual.
 Relatedness needs- This is related with social and self-esteem needs as per Maslow
needs that is concerned to develop positive relationship with other persons.
 Growth needs- The growth needs relates with self-actualisation of an individual which is
used to gain strong feeling of personal growth and to accomplish unique needs of
individual.

Process theory of motivation- process theory of motivation are focused towards the
psychological and behavioural aspects of individual which is used to encourage individual in
proper manner. Two theories related with process are mention as below:
 Goal setting theory- Goal setting theory was developed by Edwin Locke which clarify
objective of the work. For effective performance Unilever is more focused to implement
goal setting theory because it helps to gain competitive edge in market by monitoring
feedback on constant basis. This leads individual to perform their work in realistic and
competitive manner by managing resources of organisation in organised manner.
Moreover, this theory also individuals to accomplish organisational objectives with in
effective manner by managing all roles and responsibilities effectively (Norton, Zacher
and Ashkanasy, 2014).
 Equity theory- This was developed by John Stacy Adams with the aim of treating better
employee's in positive manner due to which it is for individual to accomplish their goals
in encourage manner. It is also focused towards the concept that demonstrate individual's
efforts and its contribution to motivate individuals in proper manner. Better performs also
leads individual to get high reward by encouraging individuals to perform their
operations in effective manner. In context of equity theory more rewards leads individual
to get more motivated for performing their work effectively.
M2
Management of Unilever utilise both theories that are content and process theory of
motivation. It results this is easy for organisation to perform their work in effective and efficient
manner that is used to satisfy needs of individual in proper manner. With the Maslow theory it is
analysed that it is more suitable to fulfil needs of individual form the top management to lower
level employee's in order to make appropriate results. On the other side, it also impact negatively
to perform their work as per consideration to formulate better objectives and the methods to
ascertain better objectives in proper manner (Paillé and Mejía-Morelos, 2014). But on the other
side, negative impact are focused on goals and task which is used to leads customer
dissatisfaction.

TASK 3
P3 & M3
Team are defined as the group of individual that are working together for accomplishing
organisational goals and objectives to solve issue and problems of business. It results this is easy
for management to gain competitive edge form rival organisation. Moreover, Unilever adopts
and develop team oriented working environment in order to gain sustainable opportunity for
improving profitability and productivity of the organisation (Rana, K'aol and Kirubi, 2019).
Members of teams is divided into two different manner which are effective and ineffective.
Some of them are considered as follow:
Effective team Ineffective team
This is related with the effectiveness, skills and
capabilities of team members. It refers this is
mandatory for Unilever to delegate effective
roles and responsibilities in order to perform
the work effectively. This results it is easy for
organisation to encourage employee's as well
as to achieve high growth and success in
market with the help of effective team and its
members.
This is associated with ineffective team
members. Lack of trust, demotivated
employee's and high competition leads
organisation to face several challenges related
with performance of employee's. Moreover, it
also impact on organisational culture such as
increase rate of employee's turnover and
unethical ways to perform the work.
In order to convert ineffective team towards effective team Unilever managers will focus on
encouraging team members with the implement of Belbin theory. This results it is easy for
organisation to enhance profitability and productivity of their functions and operations (Rieck,
2014). Some aspects of Belbin theory are mention as follow:
Belbin theory- Theory of Belbin is divide into three different categories that undertakes
different job roles that are mention as below:
Action oriented
Shaper- It is mainly focused on team challenges that increases team members efficiency
by ensuring that their action are coordinated with the goals and objectives of organisation. It
governs that it is easy for management to achieve their goals by monitoring the actions of

employee's on regular basis. Further, it helps to reduce issue that are faced by employee's by
performing their activities and action in ethical manner.
Implementer- Implementer refers to those person or individual who planned and
organise appropriate strategies for the functions of organisation. The main motive of
implementer is to generate flexible policy as per the value and belief of Unilever culture.
Finisher- Finisher refers to the professional persons and individuals that are expert in
performing their work. They are concerned to complete their work on time and without any
mistake.
People oriented:
 Coordinator- This type of individuals are more focused towards the accomplishment of
organisational goals and objectives by performing their work according to their skills and
capabilities. Coordinator are crucial part of effective team as they are mature and
confident about their work.
 Team member- This is related with those individuals that participate and support other
members to enhance the efficiency and performance of all members. This members
adopts more cooperative and diplomatic behaviour to deal with problems of members in
effective manner (Spector and Park, 2018). Resource investigator- It is related with the individuals that follow speculative
behaviour for their job roles for identify the ideas that takes back towards group persons.
Further, they adopt strength which is more enthusiastic, energetic and positive for
developing better connections to overcome from weak point of organisation.
Thought oriented
 Plant- This type of individuals are more imaginative, creative and open-minded that
leads them to solve issue by adopting unique methods for performing their work
effectively.
 Monitor evaluator- This is related with the job role that is used to give unbiased
judgements and perform all functions with proper logic. It results all functions are
performed in strategic manner but due to strict discipline it is complex to influence
behaviour of others.

 Specialist- They provide detail understanding as well as knowledge about the roles and
areas related with group members as it is considered knowledgeable, skilled and
dedicated employee's to perform their job role in effective manner.
Belbin theory of team role work as the most effective approach for Unilever's that assist
workers to perform their roles and responsibilities within a group of people. Moreover, it is
exercised for gaining and obtaining more strength and weaknesses to achieve their objectives in
exact manner (Toga, Khayundi and Mjoli, 2014). Through this theory, the businesses
organisation and Unilever are able to get appropriate results and effective team that improve
performance of organisation in effective manner. On the other side, ineffective team results to
get delay and lack of performance of employee's due to which organisation achieve their task in
time.
TASK 4
P4 & M4
Organisational behaviour can be defined as the behaviour of individuals that is essential
to create single performance towards team performance. Unilever is performing their work at
global level so it is mandatory for them to develop new concept and structure to change their
existing system and process as per assigned roles and responsibilities for team members. Along
with this potential as well as component workforce works to enhance betterment of organisation
by managing all task and functions in proper manner. This defines that there are various task will
be performed by employee's to generate favourable and positive work environment that improves
productivity and profitability for organisation in effective manner by dividing all task and
activities as per roles and responsibilities of organisation. On the other side, Unilever adopts new
approaches that bring more effectiveness and changes to get better involvement for all members
in effective manner (Warde, 2014). In order to implement this effectively path goal theory is
mention as follow:
Path goal theory- Path goal theory is based on the Vroom expectancy theory of
motivation. According to path theory individuals person all task with in an organised manner.
Most of its task are performed under the leadership style which are best and suit to deal and
control workforce for the attainment of goals with in specified time period. Further, with the
proper ideas and policies it is easy to meet with organisational goals by controlling and dealing

with workforce of organisation. Further, with the application of innovative and new ideas it is
easy for Unilever's managers to empower more people and provide better satisfaction to
encourage employee's to solve all issue for better adoption of changes. Therefore, various style
of leadership are mention as follow:
Directive leadership style- It is related with the approach that is based on guidance and
direction of employee's for better workers and followers that leads individuals to attain their
goals in effective manner. Form the perspective of Unilever, directive style of leadership define
clear path which is expected to complete the work as per staff members to complete the work
without issue and challenges in their way.
Supportive leadership style- Under the leadership style leaders and managers develop
positive working environment that leads individuals to perform their work within a friendly
manner. In the context of Unilever supportive leadership style is implemented by manager which
is used to develop positive culture in the working environment. Due to this it is easy for
employee's to share their problems with managers that is used to generate more productivity in
their operations. This refers that leaders and managers help employee's to increase their
productivity by helping them to overcome from their operations areas.
Participative style of leadership- With the implement of participative leadership style it
is easy to motivate and encourage employee's to participate in the decision-making process. As
well as it is also used to make better ideas, concepts and thoughts by considering all aspects to
make better decision for the future (Shahani And et. al., 2019). Unilever also adopts participative
leadership style to make changes in their performance by communicating essential information
with in proper manner with all staff members. This results better information will be collected
for future actions.
Achievement theory- According to the achievement theory leaders are able to formulate
long term objectives through encouraging workers for performing their work with more
efficiency. The main aim of achievement theory is to attain organisational goals and objectives in
decided time period.
In the context of Unilever managers must implement participative leadership style of
leadership which helps to encourage innovative concepts and ideas for the adoption of changes
and to attain organisational objectives with in minimum time. It increase and improve the
performance and productivity to make better results in dynamic environment. On the other side,

it is also considered as time consuming approach because it consume more time to deal with the
problems of organisation. This also defines that it is essential to work appropriately in all
business situation and environment conditions.
D2
The main motive to implement path goal theory is to gain long term benefits by
motivating individuals and workers to complete their task with more capability. On the other
side, participative style of leadership encourage more workers to perform their work with high
energy and efficiency. It results this is easy for organisation to accept challenges that are related
with employee's behaviour and performance. Along with this, some other alternatives also used
to perform the work and task of employee's in an appropriate way.
CONCLUSION
In the last, from the above report it is concluded that organisation behaviour relates with
the workforce behaviour that is followed by them in working premises. It enhance the work
performance of organisation for achieving organisational objectives and goals in effective
manner. Moreover, power and culture are framed to motivate employee's to increase their
performance and potentiality that directly influence individuals in increasing their profitability
and productivity for their operations. Along with this motivational theory are also used by
organisation to encourage employee's participation and engagement to perform their work in
effective manner through implementing Belbin theory. Further, philosophies and theory such as
path goal is enforced to increase team performance of organisation.

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