Organisational Behaviour: A Case Study of BBC's Culture, Motivation, and Team Dynamics

This report examines the organisational behaviour within the BBC, focusing on its culture, power dynamics, and motivation strategies. It analyzes the impact of these factors on employee behaviour and performance, drawing on theories such as Handy's cultural typology, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and Tuckman and Jensen's model of team development. The report also explores the challenges faced by the BBC in achieving effective performance and suggests strategies for improvement, including the application of path goal theory.

ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................1
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................2
a) Using Handy’s cultural typology (1986) or an alternative academic cultural model, identify
and discuss the earlier organisational culture within BBC as observed by Smith review...............2
b) Analyze how culture, power and politics overall have affected the behaviour within the BBC
in the recent past and today. In your analysis you may want to discuss how much of an influence
power and politics played in this culture and discuss the culture now being developed within the
BBC..................................................................................................................................................4
TASK 2.................................................................................................................................................6
a) Explain what is meant by content and process theories of motivation........................................6
b) How will improved levels of motivation within the BBC help to achieve its
organization’s goals...............................................................................................................11
TASK 3...............................................................................................................................................13
a) Identify and explain the different types of teams (you must include functional, problem solving
and project and virtual teams), within the BBC and why having different types of teams is
important........................................................................................................................................13
b) Explain what makes an effective team in the BBC. In answering this question you should
relate to appropriate theory such as Tuckman and Jensen’s model of team development and/or
Belbin’s team roles.........................................................................................................................13
TASK 4...............................................................................................................................................16
a) Using an appropriate organizational concept/theory(such as path goal theory) suggest how
team work and productivity could be improved within BBC........................................................16
b) What have been the main barriers to effective performance within BBC.................................17
Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................19
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................20

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Power culture........................................................................................................................2
Figure 2: Task culture...........................................................................................................................3
Figure 3: Person culture.......................................................................................................................3
Figure 4: Role culture...........................................................................................................................4
Figure 5: Maslow need of motivational structure................................................................................6
Figure 6: Herzberg’s motivator – hygiene theory for BBC..................................................................7
Figure 7: McClelland’s three needs theory..........................................................................................8
Figure 8: Goal setting theory................................................................................................................9
Figure 9: Reinforcement theory.........................................................................................................10
Figure 10: Equity theory.....................................................................................................................11
Figure 11: Tuckman and Jensen’s model of team development........................................................15
Figure 12: Path goal theory................................................................................................................16

Introduction
An organisation is not only limited to the products or services its sell in the market but it also
includes human resources that comprises the culture, structure and power in the organisation. The
behaviour of the individual is analysed in the study of organisational behaviour. In the current
study, the report has given the case study of BBC in reference with the time changes. Scenario
reflects that the BBC is in serious issues related to the culture, communication systems,
management and investigation. Additional issues relate to harassment and indiscrimination has also
been shown.
With this issues and complexity, the report will review the culture, politics and power in BBC along
with evaluation of motivation for individuals and teams to meet the objectives is also given. At the
end of the report, it will also give the philosophies and concepts along with team development
models.
1

Task 1
a) Using Handy’s cultural typology (1986) or an alternative academic cultural model, identify and
discuss the earlier organisational culture within BBC as observed by Smith review
Handy’s cultural typology (1986)
As per Charles Handy’s model, there are four cultural types that the BBC has to follow:
Power culture: There are few organisations that keep the power in the hands of few individuals and
these individuals have only authority to take the decisions. As the decision making is in hand of few
employees they can further passed the responsibility to the sub-ordinate and the executives has to
strictly follow the same (do Carmo Silva and Gomes, 2015). In such culture, managers can be
biased as employees do not have flexibility and idea sharing in this culture.
Figure 1: Power culture
(Source: Image for Power Culture, 2018)
Task culture: Organisation creates the team to meet the targets or solve any critical issues. In such
organisation, common interest and specialisation is pooled to the team and meet the objectives.
2

Figure 2: Task culture
(Source: Image for Task Culture, 2018)
Person culture: In some organisation, employees are valued more and the person culture is
followed. But it is critically reviewed that in this type of organisation employees motive is to earn
the money and never connect to the organisation and culture came at the back seat.
Figure 3: Person culture
(Source: Image for Person Culture, 2018)
Role culture: role culture prevails where employees has been delegated the work and roles as per
their positions in the organisation. In this employees are ready to take the challenges and want to
work for the organisation (Korsakova, et.al 2016).
3

Figure 4: Role culture
(Source: Image for Role Culture, 2018)
Earlier Organisational Culture at BBC
The organisation follows the role culture model and consider as Bureaucratic. The employees seem
to be dissatisfied as grievances were not solved easily. More positivity is shown in brand image and
training modules. The negative aspect includes low pay structure, weak internal communication and
less opportunity for progress (Serrat, 2017). In BBC, issues related to harassment and abusement of
child is also reviewed by Smith. It reflects the internal management is very weakening in BBC.
b) Analyze how culture, power and politics overall have affected the behaviour within the BBC in
the recent past and today. In your analysis you may want to discuss how much of an influence
power and politics played in this culture and discuss the culture now being developed within the
BBC
Culture, power and politics overall have affected the behaviour within the BBC
Culture includes beliefs, norms and regulation that directly impact the organisational and individual
behaviour. In the organisation, culture shapes the individual behaviour. As it is reviewed that
organisational culture is bureaucratic that create the nature of non participation in decision making.
In the career path, the power refers to the employees growth and it’s generally relates to the
decision power for allocating the resources (Stewart, 2018). The top management has the power to
decide the roles and objectives that are to be implemented by lower executive.
Politics defines the interest and intention of the individuals that impacts the staff behaviour. It also
refers to the power in use that defines the structure which impacts others. Higher the hierarchy
structure in BBC is greater the result of negative influence of politics in organisation.
4

Influence played by power and politics in this culture
The major negative influence of power can be clearly seen in BBC by giving low pay structure and
use of abuse in conversation. There are different types of power are as follows:-
Legitimate power: It shows through position and role of the individual in the organisation.
Expert power: It comes through knowledge, capabilities and skills.
Reward power is given to the employees when the job is completed or finished on time (Chadwick,
2017).
Information power refers to the access of information that comes from authority and power
authority allotted.
Coercive power refers to the punishment given to the employee for not carrying out their job.
Organisation politics is the part and parcel of organisation culture that is inherent and cannot be
avoided. Individual and organisation objective always differ but to align the same is the
responsibility of the management system.
The culture now being developed within the BBC
The culture is diverse in BBC as large workforce is presented. The culture of the organisation is
managed by training new recruits for diversity managing and using the ethics code by the
employees (Serrat, 2017). BBC culture reflects the useful training procedure and indiscrimination
training is offered to the employees.
5

Task 2
a) Explain what is meant by content and process theories of motivation
Content theories of motivation
This theory refers to the change in human need with the passage of time and thus methods to
improve the employee’s motivation (Wlodkowski and Ginsberg, 2017). The content theories are as
follows:-
Maslow’s theory of motivation: - It is the traditional theory of motivation in year 1943. Abraham
Maslow has given this theory. Theory is divided into five hierarchical needs that are required to be
satisfied by the organisation. Lower level must be satisfied first and then next level must be
followed in satisfaction.
Figure 5: Maslow need of motivational structure
(Source: Maslow theory of motivation, 2018)
 Physiological needs: Basic needs are addressed
 Safety needs: Health, job, financial and family security is addressed
 Social needs: Friendship, love, friendship and affection
 Esteem needs: external needs involve self respect, competence and internal needs involve
attention, recognition and status (Kuratko, 2016).
6

Herzberg’s motivator – hygiene theory: - Herzberg determined various factors that include job
satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Accordingly, the factors that are accountable for job satisfaction are
independent from job dissatisfaction. Motivator factor are responsible for job dissatisfaction and
hygiene factor are responsible for job dissatisfaction.
Figure 6: Herzberg’s motivator – hygiene theory for BBC
(Source: Herzberg’s motivator – hygiene theory, 2018)
McClelland’s three needs theory: The three types of drivers of motivation are affiliation, power
and achievement. Different individual have distinct dominant motivator. A dominant motivator
based on the experience and individual culture (Burke, 2017). For example, an employee with
strong commitment to meet the goals that are risk taker and seek feedback have dominant factor as
achievement. An employee who prefers working in team than competition and tries to remove the
risk has their dominant factor as affiliation. The employee who needs motivation and wants to win
every competition has their dominant factor as power.
7

Figure 7: McClelland’s three needs theory
(Source: McClelland’s needs theory, 2018)
Process theories of motivation
This theory describes the direction of individual behaviour. It also explains the factors that
energises and sustain the individual nature.
Goal setting theory: As per this theory, a good performance is connected with the challengeable
goals. Hence as per this theory, job itself is the motivation factor to meet the objectives. A concise
and specific goal is the great motivator as compare to vague and general goals. The objective of the
goal challenges offers the employee pride while general goal can lead to confusion to the employee.
Higher job satisfaction from the employees can be known only through feedback (Miner, 2015). As
per this theory, enhanced incentives and precise feedback will lead the employee to perform well in
BBC.
8

Figure 8: Goal setting theory
(Source: Goal setting theory, 2018)
Reinforcement theory: Reinforcement theory states that the behaviour of the individual is managed
by the related consequences. A manager uses following approaches to control the individual
behaviour:-
9

Figure 9: Reinforcement theory
(Source: Reinforcement theory, 2018)
 Positive reinforcement: For positive behaviour positive response is given. For example:
Praising the courteous employee.
 Negative reinforcement: For negative behaviour giving the negative response to the
individual (Ganta, 2014).
 Punishment: It involves consequences that can be negative for their bad behaviour. For
example: employee suspension for not using rules and regulations.
 Extinction: It involves eliminating the reward for the person who is not behaving accurately.
It is low down the individual undesirable behaviour.
Equity theory: Individual perception for equity and fairness is dealt in this theory of motivation for
individual. The output and input of the job is measured by the individual on the basis of equity
theory. Individual then also compares the peer group input-output ratio as well. After that employee
are either under or over rewarded and if under or over rewarded tension are removed an individual
will perform better.
10

Figure 10: Equity theory
(Source: Equity theory, 2018)
b) How will improved levels of motivation within the BBC help to achieve its
organization’s goals
The following motivational techniques that surely improve the team usefulness in BBC as explained
below:-
Maslow’s theory of need: It will manage the internal and external relationship in BBC
Herzberg’s motivator – hygiene theory: In BBC, job dissatisfaction is reduced by this theory.
McClelland’s three needs theory: It will reflect concise picture to the BBC management in
delegation of job and getting the job completed. It will assist the management to deal with
employee with various needs (Kanfer and Chen, 2016).
Reinforcement theory: In BBC, management must determine the positive environment and offer the
incentives, bonus and reward.
Goal setting theory: Describing the particular goal will support the BBC to conduct their
performances better.
Equity theory: Treatment is fair and equal to every employee in BBC that is situation of no
discrimination.
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The improved level of motivation supports the management of BBC to increase efficiency and
productivity (Cameron and Green, 2015). Organisational structure change will manage the BBC
functioning in area of child abuse and indiscrimination. It will also further result into maximum
satisfaction and coordination among the team members in BBC workplace.
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TASK 3
a) Identify and explain the different types of teams (you must include functional, problem solving
and project and virtual teams), within the BBC and why having different types of teams is important
The different types of team determined in BBC with their importance are mentioned below:-
Functional team: This team performs similar functions and characteristics with sharing the goals
and objectives. It is categorised into various functional department and roles.
Problem solving team: This team resolve the issues related to the problem in functioning in BBC. It
involves a team of various individual from various sections in BBC. A problem is solved if the
work is done collaborate.
Virtual team: Across the world, the number of branches can be opened using internet. Every
employees in BBC situated at different places are connected with ICT for interaction and
communication using fax, direct mail and Tele-conferencing (Katzenbach and Smith, 2015).
Different types of team are important as every team works collaborate to the final business
objective of BBC. Functional team is crucial as it support the basic operations of every department
with performing functionalities operations. The problem solving team works in organisation to
solve every type of problem in every department with giving practical examples and solution (Levi,
2015). The last team is virtual that is important in digital world of technology to remain
competitive. Although BBC uses all three types of team yet the improvement in all the three is
needed to remove the issues indiscrimination and child abuse.
As the business environment is very challenging and dynamic, the group development theories for
the organisation such as Tuckman and Jensen’s model of team development will be used and
discussed in next part.
b) Explain what makes an effective team in the BBC. In answering this question you should relate
to appropriate theory such as Tuckman and Jensen’s model of team development and/or Belbin’s
team roles
The team effectiveness in BBC can be explained with the support of Tuckman and Jensen’s model
of team development. The team progression can be described as below:-
Forming: -
13

Due to un-specified roles and responsibilities of employees in BBC, it is being reviewed that
employees are highly dependent on the direction of top management. This creates lot of confusion
and complication and lead to problems.
Norming:
Only the top management makes the decisions in BBC as the no decision making is assigned to
lower level department. Even the small decision making is also not assigned to them. The decision
making process is lower as longer hierarchy of chain is maintained in BBC. With this the operations
are also carried slowly (Morgeson, et.al. 2015).
Storming:
As the organisation uses role culture structure at BBC, the team members manages relationship with
other employees and leaders. The roles and positions are assigned in this type of structure and the
relative position is managed.
Performing:
In BBC team employees are not aware about their performance in the organisation related to their
jobs. The reason is that no sharing is done with the team or employees related to any subject or
complexity (Warrick, 2016).
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Figure 11: Tuckman and Jensen’s model of team development
(Source: Team development model, 2018)
15

Task 4
a) Using an appropriate organizational concept/theory(such as path goal theory) suggest how team
work and productivity could be improved within BBC
Path goal theory is also known as expectancy theory or according to this approach in which leader
follow specific behaviour which helps the employees in understanding daily work activities. It helps
to understand leadership style that fits into the environment and employees. It is not detailed
process it includes three steps which are:
Determining employee characteristics: Employee character based on their needs, ability, and desires
etc it helps to understand the behaviour and helps them to feel motivated. There are environment
characters which also affect the behaviour of an individual (Goswami, et.al. 2014).
Leadership style: Leader adjusts its behaviour or style according to the employees so it helps the
employee to feel motivated. There are four types of leadership style that are directive, supportive,
and participative and achievement.
Motivational factors: leader focus on motivational factors which helps in employee successful work
which help in achieving the goal and objective.
Figure 12: Path goal theory
16

(Source: Path goal theory, 2018)
Improvement within BBC
It is true that good team helps I increasing productivity and profitability of business as it can be
achieved by team work and employee participation in activities as it increase the overall
performance and help in motivation and moral of an employee. For effective results leader
coordinates the group and organization and move in particular direction with utilization of resources
according to the need (Hirt, 2016).
In addition, organization behaviour is study of people how they interact in same place to perform a
particular task as it influences the behaviour of individual in positive or in negative way. There are
different models and philosophy which helps in improving job performance, job satisfaction, and
improving leadership this techniques help in improving the behaviour at work place. It is field of
study which helps in studying human behaviour at work place which is beneficial to both
organization as well as employees.
In negative context OB causes dependency, indiscipline, and irresponsibility among employees as it
will cause decrease in productivity and performance of an organization as if there are manipulative
managers then they can exploit their subordinates.
Team development theories helps the team leaders in increasing the overall performance of
employees as it will helps in influencing the team members at work place as it helps in changing
working styles and pattern and encourage employees in achieving organization objectives and
goals. Team development should be adopted by all the organization with new concepts and
philosophies in modern context.
b) What have been the main barriers to effective performance within BBC
Barriers in workplace can effects the performance of employee at the work place and employee feel
obstacles while performing at their work place. There is variety of barriers which exists in work
place. The main situation which decreased productivity is:
Multiple works: multiple works can cause low performance at work place and it is barrier to
productivity and decrease the ability as number of work is not handled by the employees as it
causes distraction and not focuses the employee on particular task (Katzenbach and Smith, 2015).
Inappropriate communication: Without proper communication between the management and
employees one cannot perform the task effectively and efficiently so management should give all
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the desired information to the employees so that they can know about the actual performance of an
organization.
Inconsistency in application of policy: if organisation applies policies without giving guidelines to
employee it will turns as a barrier towards the productivity and employee feel demotivated, unfair,
discontent in an organization so before application of a policy company must give its information to
the employees and all members of an organization (Bolden, 2016).
There is one way to avoid barriers in an organization is to specify performance of all the employee
while hiring the employees one should specifies all the duties and responsibility one should
perform.
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Conclusion
In the current study, it had been analysed in BBC the major issues related to the power, culture and
politics in the organisation. The organisation in brief follows the hierarchy structure of management
where decision making and controlling is in hand with the top management. The report had
suggested the Handy’s cultural typology with referring the reviews of Smith. Theories of motivation
are highlighted as per the requirement of the BBC and motivational levels in each theory had been
explained. Maslow and goal setting theory is most useful theories that must be applied in the BBC
although the other ones are also beneficial.
Functional, problems solving and virtual team analysis had also been revealed in the report to give
actual operations in BBC. Tuckman and Jensen’s model of team development is also assessed to
ensure team effectiveness. At last, the report had thrown the light on the organizational concept
such as path goal theory to raise the business and employee performance in BBC and main barriers
had also been reviewed.
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