Influence of Culture and Power: Apple's Organizational Behaviour

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Apple's organizational behavior. It begins by examining the influence of organizational culture, power dynamics, and political factors on individual and team performance within the company. The report then delves into motivational theories, discussing both content theories, such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and Alderfer's ERG theory, and process theories, particularly Vroom's Expectancy Theory, to understand how these concepts drive employee motivation and behavior. The report also considers the role of effective teams and contrasts them with ineffective team dynamics. Finally, it evaluates various concepts and philosophies of organizational behavior within the context of a business, aiming to improve the overall performance and condition of enterprises. The report highlights the interplay between these factors and their impact on achieving organizational goals and objectives within Apple.

Organizational Behaviour
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
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INTRODUCTION
Organizational behaviour is based on the academic study that help for identifying people act
within groups. It is considered as a principle that applied in attempts to make enterprise operate
effectively and efficiently. The organizational behaviour may include different areas of research
and dedicated to improve performance, satisfaction and encouraging the leadership. The report
will discuss about Apple company which is based on the multinational technology company that
develop, design electronics items and computer software. It was founded by Steve Jobs in 1976.
The report will discuss about that how organizational culture, power and politics influence
individuals and team behaviour or performance of employee. It will demonstrate the content and
process theories of motivation in which enables an effective achievement of organizational goals.
Furthermore, it will describe about the role of effective team and how it directly opposed to
ineffective team within organization. However, it will evaluate the different concepts and
philosophies of organizational behaviour within business context and improve overall situation
or condition of enterprises.
TASK 1
Discuss about how organization’s culture, power and politics influence individual and team
performance within “Apple”
Organization culture is based on theorized as a collection of principles and belief within
organization that aid to form nature, behaviour of staff members. In another way, it can be
defined as an initiative that categorises the contribution as well as efforts of structural members.
It is useful for understanding about the business goals and objective where employees achieve
effectively. Sometimes, it has summarised the shared process of mind that segregates members
of groups from others. It means that employee coordinating and influencing towards Apple
objectives (Barry and Wilkinson, 2016). Therefore, it easily recognised the link between culture
and performance of business. Nowadays, it is rapidly increasing the digital technology and
globalization that always influence the organizational culture for improving overall business
performance and efficiency. In apple, employee can use various type of advanced technology for
reshaping its working environment or culture.
As per Handy’s model of organizational culture, it is a leading the business culture that can
be defined into different forms.
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Classification of culture
 Power: In context of power culture, Power always influence the individuals those who
are improving business capabilities and abilities. In Apple, Staff members are judged by
what they become achieve rather than how they can do things. The power culture
influences the decision-making in business development even those decisions are useful
for long-term benefits. In apple, it has found that there are facing many issues because of
limited power of individual within organization. in this way, employee will not take
important decision related organizational policies.
 Role: The role culture is based on working of organization that driver force and enables
to run smoothly. in the Apple company, it can be divided equal responsibilities of
employees so that they are performed task. It is highly managed and controlled with staff
members. Through power culture, it has facilitated the open communication of individual
in the business organization. It will be used for decision making and often to handle
overall business operations (King and Lawley, 2016).
 Task: It is associated in the form of teams within apple that are formed to address issues,
problem and progress in current project. It is an essential thing where power within team
often shift depending on the status of project. In Apple, task culture provides an
effectiveness that will largely identified by dynamic team and increase the production of
business in global marketplace.
 Person: Within apple firm, each staff members see themselves as superior and unique.
The company is simply existing in order for individuals to work because person culture is
becoming group of people who happen to be working within same Apple.
In apple, it has seen the effective culture or environment because manager always
support for employee and encourage towards business goals. In this way, it influences for
achieving the business task in proper manner.
Influence of power:
Power is based on the capacity to get other to act on the basis of positional authority. It
always influences the ability to modify that how employee develops, behave and think within
Apple company. There are different types of power exists within business such as positional
power, coercive power, Expert Power and so on.
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In Apple, Manager should be used the Coercive power within organization to manipulate the
behaviour of workforce. In most of cases, A manager may force a staff member to work long
house to meet project deadline. Afterwards, it also identified that the Coercive Power influence
the employee in apple firm for completing their task within specific deadline.
The managers have the power and also authorised to make important decision related
business development. The power influences the people, who are performed the different
operations and functions. in this way, it directly impacts on the Apple to achieve their goals and
objective. It will increase productivity and profitability in marketplace. It also beneficial for staff
members to gain rewards and appreciation after completing task on time.
Influence of Politics:
Within organization, Politics are related to the behaviour and nature that outside or inside
in the organization. It has influenced specific position, behaviour that intended to acquire
individual ends. It also opposed to other in business terms. The organizational politics create the
ambivalent response because people look at whole process in terms of negative and positive
(Dutta and Khatri, 2017). On the other hand, it also developed the situation where dividing
overall structure of business. In most of cases, organizational politics become more prevalent and
important for individual at higher management level as the high competition. So as various
tactics applied within organization for changing overall business environment or culture.
In Apple, it has seen the positive organizational politics is to favour some people and
provide more power. On the other hand, the negative organizational politics can be functional
while providing motivated minority. These are influencing the behaviour and performance of
employee within organization.
Organizational psychology
Organizational psychology may be defined as an application for identifying principles, facts
and figures to problem. It also concerned about employee operating within business performance
and improvement. First of all, it has required for understanding about the business psychological
itself to identify need of individuals and then afterwards, it will increase distribution,
consumption and production of services in global marketplace.
Network and system theories
Apart from that principles of network and system theory applicable within Apple firm
that help for enhancing business culture or environment. through theories, it has a build good
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relationship between individuals and group of people. It enables to clear their organizational
goals. In order to maintain and control overall system effectively. (Saintilan and Schreiber, 2017)
By using network theory within apple, it can easily analyse entire structure of system and
amplifying action that needed for survival. Thus, modifying the relationship between individuals
and group members at workplace.
As per system model, it is useful in competitive environment that has increased ability to
determine functions and relationship, thereby establishing a good communication for
maintaining flow of information within business. in this way, it directly influences individuals
and team members for building relationship to improve business performance. In order to
achieve organizational goals and objectives.
Discuss about motivational theories and Behavioural psychology.
Motivation is basically the process of facilitating as well as stimulating the people for
actions in order to accomplish goals as well as objectives. In short, motivation is the internal
process which drives the individuals towards the fulfillment of a specific objective or the goal.
Extrinsic motivation is predominately the behaviour of individuals which is driven by the
external rewards such as fame, money etc. Intrinsic motivation on the other hand is primarily the
behaviour which is mainly driven by the internal rewards like self-satisfaction etc. There are
generally two motivational theories which are content and process motivation theories.
Content theory
This is one of the foremost as well as widely used motivational theory and thus this
theory mainly attempt for exploring the various factors which motivates the people for seeking
their needs and satisfying desires. This theory is generally associated with needs and thus
concentrates on the factors which motivates people (Rudolph, 2016). There are range of
motivational theories like
Maslow hierarchy theory
This is one of the most important as well as renowned theory in motivation which is
being used by Apple. This theory depicts the hierarchy need through which employees in
organization goes through and thus needs to be satisfied for decreasing turnover ratio.
Physiological needs are the foremost need in this theory which is related to biological
requirements and thus includes basic necessities required by employees (Brown and Capozza,
2016). These includes food, shelter, clothing etc. For example- if these needs of employees in
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Apple are not satisfied then this eventually leads to their decreased motivation. Second is safety
needs which means need for security and protection. For example- Apple needs to ensure the
security of their employees by offering safe and secure environment. Third need after safety need
is need for love and belonging and this relates to need for social belongingness as well as
interpersonal relation at workplace. For example- Apple should build a culture of teamwork and
friendliness in their organization in order to satisfy this need of employees. Fourth need is esteem
need and this is all about the need for dignity, interdependence, respect as well as prestige. Apple
should continuously appreciate the working of their employees by providing the recognition,
rewards etc. which will help them to feel respected. Last need is self-actualization need which
mainly relates to the self-fulfillment, personal potential etc. For example- Apple should provide
challenging tasks and activities to employees for their increased engagement and for realizing
one's potential.
Herzberg theory
This is another theory of motivation and thus addresses that there are generally various
factors within workplace which causes the job satisfaction and on the other hand some factors
cause dissatisfaction. Herzberger divided these factors into two classes which are hygiene factors
and motivators. Hygiene factors are the one which helps to inculcate high level of motivation in
workplace. When these factors are absent then this eventually leads to dissatisfaction (Gopalan
and et.al.,2017). Another factor is the motivational factor which yields a positive satisfaction
within employees. These factors mainly motivate employees for their superior performance. For
example- Promotion as well as appreciation is one of the important factors of motivation thus
when Apple continuously provides growth as well as promotional opportunities to their
employees then this eventually results in high motivation with them.
ERG theory
This is another motivational theory which is being proposed by Clayton Alderfer and thus
divided the human needs within three categories. First one is existence needs which mainly
includes the materials which are required for the survival and thus includes physiological needs
and safety needs. Apple should ensure the fulfillment of these needs in their workplace for
retaining employees (Hong, 2017). Another is relatedness needs which includes the need for
interpersonal relationship and thus addresses social needs. Apple should provide constant
recognition to their employees for increasing their productivity and motivation. Last is the
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growth needs which is need for the self-development and the personal growth. Apple should
provide growth opportunities like promotion to their employees for their personal growth.
Process theory
This is the second most used as well as remarkable theory of motivation which mainly
relates to the whole process within motivation. It addresses that how overall process actually
woks and thus stains over the time.
Vroom expectancy theory
This is the foremost and important process theory which is based on the premise that the
behaviour mainly results from the conscious choices where main aim is to increase the pleasure
among employees at workplace. There are three variables within this theory. First variable is
expectancy which is belief that the increased effort eventually results into enhanced performance
(Skinner, 2016). For example- Apple should provide effective training to their employees for
inculcating right skills within them and for increasing their productivity. Second variable is
instrumentality which is based on assumption that if employees will perform well than valuable
outcome will emerge. Apple should provide a clear understanding of relationship between the
outcome and performance. Last variable is Valence which is mainly the importance which an
individual place on expected outcome. For example- Apple should be motivated through non-
monetary aspects as this will enable employees to value outcome.
Adam equity theory
This theory is mainly based on the premise that individuals generally maintains fair
relation between performance as well as rewards in contrast to others. In short, employees tend
to get encourages and motivated when their input are high than output. Thus, Apple should
encourage as well as motivate their employees to increase their contribution and commitment
towards work in order to yield high output. This can be done by continuously celebrating with
them their good work and enthusiasm (Brown and Capozza, 2016).
Implications of motivational theory
The various motivational theories help Apple to incorporate effective leadership within
the organization. Through the help of these theories, leaders in Apple are able to effectively
motivate their team members and thus helps them by providing effective guidance and direction.
Besides this, the motivational theory allows management of apple to estimate what are the needs
and desire of their employees and hence help them to design effective strategies for fulfilling
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them (Rudolph, 2016). Apple can use this motivational theory by continuously encouraging their
employees. Apple can seek the help of various rewards as well as recognition which will
eventually help to increase the motivation level within employees.
In above discussion, it has concluded that Apple can use the motivational theories within
organization by providing rewards, recognition. It directly impacts on the behavior of employees
and their performance because they always try to put an extra effort in goal achievement within
organization. In this way, they can develop the positive attitude and behavior towards
organizational objectives.
Behavioral psychology
Emotional intelligence is predominately the ability for understanding as well as managing
the emotions in a positive way for relieving stress and communicating effectively. There are
various soft skills which are being used by managers and teams of Apple like positive attitude,
communication skills etc. These soft skills eventually help the managers as well as teams of
Apple to effectively communicate with the customers as well as with each other and thus this
eventually increases their productivity (Brown and Capozza, 2016).
The task leadership theory mainly describes leaders which is mainly motivated by
attaining the tasks and is mainly concerned with delineating role to employees. For example,
leaders in Apple creates the policies and thus informs subordinates about procedures and thus
develop criteria for evaluating employee’s performance. Relationship leadership theory on the
other hand describes leader who is mainly motivated by as well as concerned with
communicating with people. For example- leaders in Apple interact with employees and make
their working experience enjoyable by providing effective feedback (Gopalan and et.al.,2017).
The psychodynamic approach mainly involves theories which addresses the various
psychological forces which underlie and thus influences human behaviour, emotions, feelings
etc. This psychodynamic approach in organization mainly helps to deduce the numerous
motivational factors which motivates employees and thus influences their behaviour. Freud's
theory is considered as most effective psychodynamic theory which helps to understand the
attitude and behaviour of employees towards different aspects (Hong, 2017).
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TASK 2
Demonstrate that how makes an effective team as opposed to an ineffective team.
There are different types of team that are performed significant role within apple. I could
determine the various team involves problem-solving, virtual team and project team. In this way,
it also identified that how an effective team always oppose ineffective team in different manner.
 Functional Team: It can be defined as group of people who are working within same
functional areas. In Apple, I have examined that staff members are working together and
focused on same goals or objectives. As I have found managers are being shared by
specific objective by staff members and organization (Egeberg and Stigen, 2018). The
functional team has handled the operational capacity since many specialists with share
their own cut-off points.
I realised that Functional team also maintained and controlled daily activities of
business task. In this way, authorities are gathering information on daily basis with
affiliation going as inspiration divining across different localities.
 Problem-Solving Team: In apple company, I have measured the criteria of problem-
solving that teams are working together on same type of goal but their work become
different as performed various task. I could determine that team role is based on the
identifying problems or issues within business development process. So that it helps for
resolving issues in business operation and function.
 Project Team: It refers to the group of people where each member belongs to another
group, functions and handle various project within apple company. I have analysed that
each member is performed various task to fulfil need of organization. As per my opinion,
the management team of apple company can be divided into sub team and give specific
responsibilities to handle project functionality.
 Virtual Team: In apple company, I have found that virtual teams are basically made
group of individual, who are working with different location. The team must provide the
better efficient member that always balance work-life and allows for business to employ
expert in different fields. As per my views, the apple company undergoes several types of
project where staff members are located in different areas but they are working in same
team and work on single project.
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I have concluded that There are different type of skills and knowledge support for improving
business efficiency and performance within “Apple” organization.
Impact of technology on these organizational team:
In my personal experience, an advancement of technology is directly impact on the
different organizational team such as problem-solving, virtual, functional and project team.
These are performed different functions for improving overall business performance as well as
efficiency. I have realised that Technology allows for manager to facilitate the communication
among different members by using distribution channel, email and telephone. In this way, it
impacts on the team to reduce time and expenses at workplace.
According to personal opinion, A virtual team is group of people that can be used the
technology for sharing data from one place to another through electronic device. I have realised
that virtual team can work across time, space and organizational boundaries for establishing
linked between them (Maiorano, 2018). On the other hand, I have used the internet and other
type of network for purpose of coordination, communication and collaborate with each other on
project management. This will help for me to understand about the virtual team to manage and
control their specific task in proper manner.
 Team group: It is a group of individuals that have developed relationship from one
people to another. it can be defined that group of people refers to social entities and also
have a common property among members.
Difference between team and group
Team Group
 It is group of people that have identify
to join together in particular task.
 It consists of one or more people.
 It is mainly focused on the individual
goals.
 It is a collection of individuals, who are
working together for completing
project.
 It consists of more than one people.
 It mainly focused on accomplishing
team goal or objective.
Table:1
Benefits of team:
 I have identified that increased the opportunity to adopt or learn new things for self-
improvement and development.
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 I realised that it is beneficial for providing the opportunities of synergistic combination of
idea in organizational achievement.
 An effective team membership can provide social support for resolving difficult situation
or condition.
Risk of team:
 The risk is related the conflict among team members due to different view point towards
project development.
 Misleading the information or data within task management.
Tuckman’s team development model and how its impact on individual development
Tuckman’s team development theory is mainly focused on several team within
organization that could be tackle business operations. In apple, it can be described about the
theories that available in marketplace. I have analysed the Tuckman theory that consists of
different steps to described the development group within organization.
 Forming: It is initial step for team development where staff member usually does work in
order to find their place in the organization.
 Storming: It is the second step of Tuckman that being applied in workplace of Apple
company. At my point of view, team members are faced challenges in task management
so that they can do work in team and compete with leaders (Chitale, Mohanty and Dubey,
2019).
 Norming: I have realised that this process is defined that where each team members
gather information about the business development and further implement new
innovation for business expansion.
 Performing: it is last step where each team members effectively start their own work and
building an effective relationship for resolving issues within current project. In this way,
it can improve organizational performance in task completion.
I have found that Tuckman’s theory impact on the individual and group of people for
achieving their specific goals. It is helping for staff members to improve their ability, capability
and establish relationship with organizational leaders. So, as an effective team which may
produce a successor leader and move towards new team. It continuously processes for
maintaining and controlling overall business profitability.
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