Organizational Behavior Analysis of United Parcel Service (UPS)

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the United Parcel Service (UPS) from an organizational behavior (OB) perspective. It examines various aspects of UPS's operations, including its history, vision, mission, and values. The report delves into employee motivation, applying theories like Alderfer's ERG theory, and explores motivational approaches such as teamwork. It analyzes group dynamics using Tuckman's model, examines organizational group member roles, and discusses group norms. The report also investigates conflicts within the organization, conflict resolution strategies, and the influence of power, politics, and decision-making processes. Furthermore, it explores leadership traits, styles, and organizational culture, including socialization and mentoring practices. Finally, it examines the organizational structure and design of UPS, including departmentation and the use of mechanistic and organic organization structures. The report concludes with an overview of the company's political actions and tactics.

Running head: ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 1
ASSIGNMENT 2
THE ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION FROM THE OB PERSPECTIVE
THE UNITED PARCEL SERVICES
[Student’s first and last name]
[Student ID]
PSYC 224 – Organizational Behavior
Instructor – Iuliia Shakirova
November 27, 2018
APA
2482 Words

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 2
Abstract
The United Parcel Service (UPS) of America is a global packaging and delivery service
that offers premium host-related services. For over two decades now, the company has
strategically formulated an extensive and excellent transportation network that is linked with
sophisticated technological advancements in the commercial sector. In the organizational
conduct, the company has enhanced the expansion of its service portfolio to freight supply chain
and transportation services. The company, in 2007, celebrated its 100th anniversary having
incorporated its novel corporate culture of transparency, integrity and organizational practices
(Ziegler, 2014). The UPS’s businesses that serve approximately eight million consumers on daily
basis in over two hundred territories and countries is centered on unique highly assimilated
network system.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 3
Introduction and Brief History of a Company
The United Parcel Service of America is the global leader in package delivery market.
Apart from these services, the company is also a leader in transportation and logistics services in
the market. The founder of the company, James Casey, named the company as the American
Messenger Organization, in Seattle. The company delivers about eight million shipping
consumers in two hundred countries, with approximately four billion packages deliver in the
globe in 2009 alone ( (Ziegler, 2014). The company is has gained a competitive advantage,
despite having rivals like the FedEx and USPS.
Vision, Mission, and Values of the Organization
The company has a strategized mission to be a global leader in the package delivering
services and offering of specialized logistics and transportation services. UPS enhances its
developments in the frontier of its logistics, e-commerce and management of its supply chain,
which enable the combination of information, funds and flow of products (Baker, Dudley, Holt,
Stockton, & Vukota, 2011). The vision and mission of the company implies that UPS has
strategized to becoming an expert in various operation areas in the delivery of packages in the
globe.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 4
Motivation of the Employees in the Organization
Theories of Motivation Applied
The UPS applies the Alderfer motivation model. This model can be classified into
relatedness satisfactory needs, existing necessities and development potentials (Titrek, Polatcan,
Zafer Gunes, & Sezen, 2014) . The theory is applicable in the company and grouped into the
three fundamental tiers, however, the application is somewhat rational and focusses on crucial
existence of individuals in the company.
Motivational Approaches
The company embraced a motivational approach of teamwork. Teamwork enhances
workers’ degree of satisfaction in the job (Sagaut, Deck, & Terracol, 2013). This approach
makes the employees to feel motivated to work and support the company towards achieving its
organizational goals. The UPS has creating teams in the workforce to assist its workers to relate
with each other effectively (Sheward & Branch, 2012). This strategic approach helps to
management to share common organizational goals, which enhancement the process of decision-
making.
Time-shifting Approaches
The UPS applied a time-shifting technique in its primary ambient extractions to raise the
company level of performance considering fundamental principle in package delivery. The
technique involves inputting signals that conform to the standardized inter-chain timeframe
difference.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 5
Groups and Teams in the Organization
The Stage of Development according To Tuckman’s Model
Figure 1: Team’s Development Stages
The five fundamental stages of teamwork development are Adjourning, Performing,
Norming, Storming and Forming (Medinilla, 2012). In the first stage, the management of the
company calls for employees and evaluated the company opportunities and threats. This stage
allows the management to outline specific organizational goals and objectives that will enable
them to stay on top of the competition. The second stage of storming is crucial since it enables
the team to sort out its strategic measures by allowing organizational participation. This stage
allows the company to collect views from its workers and listen to some conflicts during the
assigning of roles. The norming stage involves resolution of problems to enhancing intimacy and
corporation in the workforce. Afterward, the organization can then proceed to the performing

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 6
stage that allows workers to concentrate on particular goals and objectives to reaching a desired
optimal success and task completion in the adjourning stage.
Organizational Group Member Roles
Organizational group members are expected to undertake different roles to enable the
company ton run smoothly (Rogelberg, 2007). The UPS has a comprehensive listing of
organizational group member roles that fall under work roles. These roles are majorly task-
oriented that allows the company to accomplish group goals and tasks. The company human
resource sector is strategized in manner that enables workers to accomplish specific tasks, enable
the evaluation of completed tasks, assigning of daily jobs and classification of group members
roles.
Group Norms in the Organization
Group norms in a company established standardized guidelines and rules that define the
accepted code of conducts in the workforce (Somech & Drach, 2004). In the UPS, this pattern of
behavior includes employees’ punctuality in task completion. Supervisors assign specific tasks
that have to be completed in time.
Teams (Virtual Teams)
o Michael McLary: V.P, strategy
o Teresa Finley: Chief Business officer
o David Abney: CEO

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 7
o Peter Harry: Director
o Myron Peretz: Organizational President
o Myron Grey: Financial Officer
Team Building Practices in the Organization
Without teamwork, specific tasks may wear workers emotionally, physically and
mentally (Streeck, Goodwin, & LeBaron, 2013). Perceptibly, when the UPS management does
not embrace the model of teamwork, these effects might be evident. The framework to workers’
motivation enhances productivity and increase of production bottom-line.
The Influence of Groupthink and Social Loafing
To attain groupthink and social loafing, the company has a reward and recognition
system put in place to reinforce their workers positively. UPS embraces get creativity by offering
performance gifts, bonus cards, and extension of lunch breaks or vacations to best performing
employees.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 8
History of Conflicts in the Organization
Functionality/Dysfunctionality Conflict
There has been an existing conflict concerning the arranged utilization of the land,
however. The town will pitch the land to UPS organization however feels that townhomes would
be awful for the general network. The company is worried about the extra expense and weight of
children that the townhomes would bring into the network. The UPS comprehends about the
worry of the community and demands for a considerate circumstance to prevail (Ohemeng &
McCall, 2013)
Types of Conflicts
The form of conflicts in the company is Intragroup and is a type of clash that happens
between the employees in the workforce (Pittinsky, 2005). Parties that have contrasting
assumptions and qualities are often prompted to such conflicts.
Handling Conflicts (E.g. ADR)
Management of conflicts happens in any exchange or choice from which a partnered
individual may benefit or get a fiscal or money related advantage. Self-managing incorporates,
yet is not restricted to, business and budgetary exchanges between the UPS and a partnered
individual, which are explicitly precluded by the Internal Revenue Code and by relevant
arrangements of state law.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 9
Negotiation
The organization likewise applies distributive negotiation in transactions and additionally
in some cases called positional or hard-haggling arrangement and endeavors to disperse a
"settled pie" of advantages.
Power, Politics, and Decision Making In the Organization
Bases of Power Used In the Organization
The organization uses legitimate bases of power rests in the conviction among workers
whereby their administrator has the privilege to give orders dependent on his or her position. For
instance, at the scene of a wrongdoing, individuals as a rule follow the requests of a formally
dressed cop dependent on their common conviction that he or she has the foreordained specialist
to give such requests.
Influencing Tactics
UPS utilizes consistency or duty as an affecting strategy – The first of the influencing
tactics shows that the organization ordinarily pursues consistency, so in the event that somebody
submits on a little dimension to something, they are bound to be steady and keep focusing on it
later (Geertshuis, Cooper-Thomas, & Price, 2013). A model in the business world is to 'attempt
before you purchase'. The odds of buying after this are more noteworthy than obtaining 'cool'.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 10
Empowerment
The most critical destination for UPS representatives is home, so the company keeps
centered driving in charge of its 200 or more wellbeing projects and bits of preparing, which are
ordinarily educated by guaranteed supervisors. In addition, proficient advancement is energized
on all dimensions, from educational cost help for low maintenance representatives to remarkable
administration improvement programs that challenge UPS best administrators to investigate their
general surroundings. Thusly, they bring key skills like basic leadership, critical thinking, and
association to the workforce.
Political Actions and Tactics Existing In the Organization
Political activities and strategies in the UPS are controlled by the streams and ebbs based
on the given turns, the given key period, by the connection of the battling powers, by the types of
the battle (development), by the rhythm of the development, by the field of the battle at each
given minute, in each given area (Doherty & Hayes, 2011). What's more, since these variables
change in similarity with the states of place and time amid the period starting with one turn then
onto the next, strategies, which don't cover the entire war.
Decision Making Practices in the Organization
The UPS alludes to a company's framework that incorporates IT methods of decision-
making during administration and accountability of staff members. In the company,
administration methods work according to the organizational mission and vision from the

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 11
managing staff to the subordinate. The company embraces basic leadership and follow-ship
styles that incorporate IT use.
Leadership
Organization Leader’s Traits
The company leadership traits include trust, ability to motivate and encourage employees.
All solid and productive connections in life require trust in its core (Yang, 2017). On the off
chance that the company does not confine in its employees, accomplice, supervisor or
association to do what its say they will do or act with straightforwardness and uprightness, it is
difficult to appreciate the full advantage of the company’s teamwork framework.
Participative/ Empowering Leadership
The company also embraces the spirit of participation and empowerment of employees
by offering specific training programs certified by the managers.
Transactional/Transformational Leadership
With leaders using transactional style of leadership, UPS is concerned with enhancing its
competitive flow of its daily operations.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 12
Organizational Culture
Levels of Organizational Culture
A solid corporate culture is a standout amongst the most essential resources of any
organization (Gabriel, 2015). In any case, the UPS additionally risk restricting development,
decent variety of thought and development on the off chance that they enable culture to drive an
excessive number of choices.
Figure 2: Levels of Organizational Culture
Type of Organizational Culture
The organization has an exceptional corporate culture that is a standout amongst the most
critical resources of any organization. Nevertheless, organizations additionally risk restricting
development, assorted variety of thought and development on the off chance that they enable
culture to drive such a large number of choices. Myron Gray, leader of U.S. tasks for UPS, talked

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 13
about the job of initiative in building up the sensitive harmony between culture and development
at the Rotary Club of Seattle.
Socialization and Mentoring In the Organization
The organizations are much the same as people groups they all have one of a kind and
particular identities perceive as an authoritative culture (Malin & Hackmann, 2016). Mentoring
and socialization in UPS underpins newcomers' investigation on how to legitimately function
into another organization; this technique enables people to comprehend proper learning,
practices, and states of mind associated with a specific job in an organization.
Organizational Structure and Design
Departmentation
The company has various departments as indicated in the figure below:
Contemporary Structures
The contemporary UPS Store structure is frequently a moderately little retail setting,
freely claimed by franchisees. It essentially serves retail clients, independent ventures for their

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 14
little bundle conveyance necessities that include packaging and delivery services offered to
consumers.
Mechanistic and Organic Organization
UPS embraces a mechanistic organization. The structure can give advanced gear, for
example, computerized photograph booths, laser printers or work areas with a picture scanner
and Adobe plan programming.
History of Changes in the Organization
Type of Organizational Change
In their history of change, UPS likewise rebuilt their association from a useful based
structure to one that is focused on the procedure. They currently have associations that emphasis
on the client data the board procedure, the item the executive’s procedure, the client relationship-
the board procedure, the business data and investigation process, and the bundle the executives’
procedure (Eriksson-Zetterquist & Renemark, 2016).
Resistance to Change and Ways to overcome it
As UPS continues to grow, it continues to launch measures on how to overcome the
competition by evaluating change management techniques. Change management is incorporated
naturally in the company since the company has to stay on top of the competition. To overcome
resistance to change in the company, workers are showcased of the significance the change could
bring to the company.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 15
Practices to Handle Organizational Stress in the Organization
UPS use the method of tracking relevant stressors to handle organizational stress. The
management identifies all the situations that could lead to stressful workplace environments.
Moreover, the company records employees’ thoughts, information and feeling concerning the
workplace.
The Influence of Globalization on the Development of the Organization
Ethnocentric Tendencies in the Organization
The new monetary condition has achieved significant changes in the lives of American
natives, yet customer conduct in these business sectors has generally stayed unexplored or has
not gotten due consideration by specialists. Investigation of the monetary type of buyer
ethnocentrism is by all accounts applicable to the investigation of purchaser conduct in the
bundling conveyance showcase now (Ernst, Hoyer, & Rübsaamen, 2010)
Organizational Culture Dimensions
. The organization's structure on globalization and improvement keeps on executing the
standards of market-situated economy, political vote based system, advertisers, and speculators
have an expanding requirement for understanding personal conduct standards, qualities, and
states of mind of bundling conveyance customers with the end goal to create powerful promoting
techniques in these developing markets.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 16
Managing Diversity in the Organization
In spite of the overall freshness of Western items available, UPS manages diversity through
R&D of purchasers' interest with these may be eclipsed by a worry for individual and financial
prosperity.
Opportunity for Global Development
The company has a change to globalize to Central Europe and Asia since the company
has set standards on how to research potential market economies, advertisers and all the relevant
speculators. The company has an expanding requirement for understanding personal conduct
standards, qualities, and states of mind of bundling conveyance customers with the end goal to
create powerful promoting techniques in these developing markets.
Conclusion
The UPS has managed to establish a competitive advantage in America after being a
global leader in packaging and delivery service that offers premium host-related services. The
management of the company embraces strategic measures of team development, which follow
the Tuckman’s model. This model also incorporates the technique of mentoring and socialization
in to allow newcomers to know how the company operates. This technique enables employees to
comprehend proper learning, practices, and states of mind associated with a specific job in an
organization.

ANALYSIS OF AN ORGANIZATION 17
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