Organisational Behaviour Analysis of Burberry Group PLC: A Report

This report provides an analysis of organisational behaviour within Burberry Group PLC. It begins with an introduction to organisational behaviour and its significance, followed by an examination of the impact of power, politics, and organisational culture on employee behaviour and performance. The report utilizes Handy's cultural model to analyze Burberry's organisational structure and its effects on employees. It then evaluates various motivational theories, including Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and discusses techniques for achieving organisational goals. The report also explores factors contributing to effective teams, team development theories, and the application of organisational behaviour concepts and philosophies. Overall, the report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of organisational behaviour principles within the context of Burberry, a British luxury brand.

ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................1
Analyzing the impact of power, politics, and culture of organization on the behavior of
employees...............................................................................................................................1
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................3
Evaluating different motivational theories in achieving organizational goals and different
techniques of motivating individuals......................................................................................3
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................6
Understanding different factors which makes a team effective and understanding team
development theories..............................................................................................................6
LO 4.................................................................................................................................................9
Applying different concepts and philosophies of organizational behavior............................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Handy's cultural model.....................................................................................................2
Figure 2: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs..........................................................................................5
Figure 3: Tuckman's Team & Group Development Model.............................................................9
Figure 4: Belbin’s Team Roles......................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Organisational behaviour (OB) is a branch of management which deals with the
managing employee’s behaviour in an organisation. This management is concerned with
determining influence of human behaviour in an organisation. It holds a great importance for
management of any company as organisational behaviour makes interactions of organisation
with the employees, helps in leading and motivating them. The effective management of this
study leads to optimum utilization of human capital within an organisation. Present report will
discuss the organisational behaviour in Burberry Group PLC, a British luxurious clothing and
accessories brand, headquartered in London, UK. The study will discuss organisational culture's
influence on human behaviour in company. It will cover different motivational theories and
concepts of organisational behaviour. The report will also show differences between effective
and ineffective teams as well as factors that make a team to stand out from others in an
organisation.
LO 1
Analysing the impact of power, politics, and culture of organisation on the behaviour and
performance of team
Burberry is a large corporation which has an employee strength of about 10,000. The
organisation culture, politics, power affects the behaviour of such large of number of employees
in a significant manner. Organisation structure reflects the working environment of the company
in which it shows how the activities in the firm has to be carried out. Power and politics affects
the performances of the employees while conducting their duties in the company. It could go
both the ways' positive and negative which is why organisational behaviour management uses
various motivational theories and techniques for encouraging individuals and teams to work
precisely for achieving company's goals and objectives(Avota, McFadzean and Peiseniece,
2015).
Handy's organisational culture model explains how the different aspects of Burberry
affects the human behaviour in the organisation.
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Figure 1: Handy's cultural model
(Source: Handy’s cultural model, 2014)
Power culture: Power in the Burberry is concentrated in the hands of few people, say top
management which affects the functioning of all the employees and teams in the company. When
power is with less people and decision making authority lies only with them, the outcomes may
be negative or positive. The main benefit of power culture is that it allows the company to be
efficient in its decision making. Power culture in the company has helped it in forming
interpersonal and professional relationships with the employees and amongst the employees. A
well organised organisational structure with defined authority and responsibilities helps in
making the workplace better for the people as otherwise it would lead to informal and vicious
groups within the organisation resulting into dirty politics and ultimately affecting the
performances of the employees negatively (Kitchin, 2017).
However, this concentration of power in the company would create problems for the
management in the long run. Not involving the employees in the decision making deteriorates
the creativity of the people working in the organisation. This creates the dissatisfaction amongst
the employees regarding their job because they feel that they are not growing in the company and
this de-motivates them while performing the task given to them. This could be avoided by the
organisation if it delegates the authority in the employees in decision making for bringing the
best out of them. It will act as a motivational factor which would increase the productivity of
each employee and eventually achieving overall organisational objective (Samuel, 2015).
Role culture: The next element of Handy's model is role culture which states that well defined
and organised structure helps in better understanding of the roles and responsibilities within the
Burberry. This shows the employees of the company what they have to do in the organisation,
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what roles they have to play, whom they have to report and what authority they have. This all
enhances the efficiency of the people working in the employees as exactly knowing what to do
by the individuals and the groups would eliminate all the confusions at the workplace.
Employees of Burberry would be more motivated by this organisational culture. Role culture
also eliminates the duplication of activities within Burberry. Power is acquired through the role
and position, a person holds in the Burberry. Wrong and non-authoritative use power would
make the performances of the teams and individuals less effective in the organisation.
Task culture: The other component of the model is task culture. Task culture reflects the culture
where the work is carried out by forming various teams in the organisation. Burberry have
various teams when specific projects are to performed, or like departments it has such as
marketing, sales where individuals works together for fulfilling the target goals of the company.
Task culture makes company's productivity great because the outcomes of the team
performances are usually better. The culture of forming teams for handling the complex
problems of the company prove beneficial in the way that it promotes the creativity and
innovation when different people having different mind sets works together. People forms
friendships with the team members which makes them comfortable in performing their tasks.
The results of the team are very reliable because different expertise of the individuals are mixed
up with one another. Task culture encourages the people in the team to build trust and respect for
each other, helps in promoting risk taking abilities in the employees (Miner, 2015).
Task culture is however having several issues which hampers the efficiency of Burberry
in whole. Team conflicts, status problems and differently cultured individuals does not get easily
mingle with others. This decreases the efficiency of the teams in the company and people
involved in the conflicts does not perform according to the desire level.
Person culture: An organisation is made up from different individuals who joins it for fulfilling
their personal needs and requirements. Individuals' objectives are somewhat different
organisational objectives but it is reconciled in such a way that meets the expectations and
requirements of both individuals and the company. Individuals in the entity works for common
interest and help each other in achieving their motive. Person culture proves harmful when
people in the company feels superior to the organisation and when their personal objectives
overrides the organisational goals and objectives.
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Burberry has team culture in its working environment and is building more of task culture
in the organisation for better functioning of different departments and branches of the company.
Influence of politics: Individuals in the Burberry gets affected by the politics played by the
different employees and management of the company. Dirty politics leads to negative attitude of
employees towards the organisation which is clearly visible through the level of performance
they are giving and their dissatisfaction with the job. All these factors makes the speed of work
in the organisation slow and eventually results in decrease in the productivity of Burberry
(Taylor, 2018).
Politics is generally exercised by the people sitting at the higher level, the status acquired
from organisation culture which affects the performances of individuals and team behaviour and
their performance efficiency negatively. Politics when used with appropriate management style
within the authority delegated proves to be beneficial for company and influence individuals and
teams to work in a manner desired by the company. However, on the other hand, negative
politics hampers the operations and profits of organisation adversely.
Influence of power: Power in the company leads to an individual to get things done according to
the set protocol of the organisation. Influence of power is such that people do things even if they
want to do it. Power is of different types such as formal acquired through authority and informal
through one's effectiveness in an informal group.
Power is good for company as it helps in getting the work done by right people at right
time in a suitable manner. This increases the productivity of organisation. However, it can be
critically analysed that excessive use of power by authoritative people may discourage the people
as this type of leadership style may not influence individuals and rather make them lethargic and
careless about their jobs.
LO 2
Evaluating different motivational theories and techniques for achieving organisational goals
Content Theory
Motivational theory refers to how to motivate their employees. Many writers write the
theory up on motivation. A content theory explain that human needs change on the time. Content
theory explain that why human change their requirements but not explain that how to change
requirements of human. In Maslow's hierarchy theory explain that how to human motivated and
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also included that human curiosity part. There are 5 stages are available to explain how to
motivate their employees.
Figure 2: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
(Source: Bueno and Jeffrey, 2012)
Physiological: Physiological concept explain that everyone needs some basic things like food,
cloth, shelter and also can say they are universal needs. It is the main requirements of human to
survive anywhere. Physiological needs is the first step to motivate employee internally according
to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Burberry also helps their employee to fulfil basic requirements.
It is necessary to motivate their employees because without motivation employees cannot work
better if these needs are not achieved that employees cannot work properly. That is why
company help their employees to motivation.
Safety: After the physiological needs safety is the second most important thing for the every
employee. Burberry Company should provide safe environment for employees. Safety is like job
security, physical safety etc. if employees feel safe on workplace they will give their best
performance and it is also beneficial for a company. Burberry can also include personal security,
financial security and emotional security. Every employee wants safe environment for work
where employee can do their work at best level.
Social: Whenever physiological and safety need are fulfilled then third level is social. Every
employee wants to support from their team and other staff to motivation. Team work is the best
way to improve themselves and also opinion count of the every employee. Large social needs
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include club, religious group, mentors etc. and small social needs include family, friendships etc.
Many people feel loneliness then company should provide social environment (Hauser, 2014).
Esteem: Every employee wants respect, importance, status from the others therefore it is
responsibility of the company to give importance to the employees for the motivation.
Employees need to self-respect, self-esteem and when company give esteem their employee’s
then employee confidence got increased and they do their work happily and gave their best
performance. Burberry should encourage to their employees to give incentives, rewards,
certificates etc. Burberry should appreciate their employee on their good performance and
achievements. Promotion also included in motivational theory. Satisfaction of esteem increased
self-confidence, strength, capability etc.
Self-Actualisation: All needs had fulfilled then employees need to self-actualisation. It is the last
class of Maslow's hierarchy. Burberry should provide training, development programs,
encourage for creativity etc. employees motivates from all the things and they felt that they can
do still better. Self-actualisation must to every employee for intellectual needs, fulfilling
potential and motivation Therefore, Burberry should provide programs for employee’s
motivation.
Process Theory
Herzberg's motivational two factor theory is also called dual factor theory. This factors
for employees satisfaction like job satisfaction, opportunities for growth, achievements etc.
There are two factors included in this theory.
Motivational factors: The motivational factor given positive satisfaction. These factor motivate
employee for the best performance. Burberry should recognize employee’s accomplishments.
Responsibility, opportunity, performance all included in motivational factor. Burberry should
direct motivate to the employee for hard work. Company’s managers should motivate for the
growth (Miner, 2015).
Hygiene factors: Herzberg hygiene theory motivate at workplace but do not lead for long term.
Burberry should be aware for the safe, clean and hygienic as well as equipment should be well
maintained. Company should provide job securities and their job policies should be clear. Also,
it should offer health care plans for their employees and their family.
Motivational techniques enable effective achievement of goals:
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Incentives: Every employee wants to earn more money and that is the thing which encourage to
employees for the hard work. Incentives are basis on the work performance. Burberry should
also give incentives to their employees for motivation. It is beneficial for the company because
employee do their best performance for the incentive.
Participation: Participation is another technique to motivate the employees. Participation means
mental and physical involvement in all activities. Burberry should also motivate their employees
like this.
Rewards: Burberry should apply this technique for motivate their employee. Company should
give rewards like certificate, gifts, incentives, etc. with which it can create the competition
between employees that is why every employee do their best performance. Reward is the best
way to motivate their employee.
Open door policy: In this policy company take suggestions and ideas of the employees for
maintain company growth and position. Burberry should also apply this policy because it is
beneficial for the company. This is the way when employees feel that they are important for
company and that time, employees get motivated.
Training: Training is also good way to motivate their employees Because of training employees
learn new things. Burberry should give the training to the employees time to time. They help to
motivate their employees.
Give motivational feedback: Burberry should give motivational feedback to their employees on
their performance. Motivational feedback is like how to focus on work, improve their efficiency
and say positive points related to their work.
Share profit: Sometimes, Company gains good profit because of good performance of the
employees. Then Burberry should also share their profit between the employees. It is the best
way to improve employee’s performance. They will help to the company to achieve their goal.
Company share their profit like bonus, incentives, rewards etc.
Support: Every employee need support when they came in the new organisation. This is the
responsibility of the company that provide good environment to the employee. That thing
encourage and motivated to employees. Support can give motivation to the employees.
If motivational theories, concepts and models are effectually applied in organisation,
employee’s behaviour get directly influenced in a positive and they perform their tasks with
higher efficiency which increases productivity of firm. However, on the other hand, it can be said
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that ineffective application of motivational theories, concepts and models will lead organisation
to face inefficiency in work of employees that would result in decreased productivity and so
profits of business.
LO 3
Understanding different factors which make a team effective as opposed to an ineffective team
with team development theories
Teams are created in an organisation for performing the activities of the business
efficiently. Group of individuals work together for accomplishing specific purposes and targets.
Keys to make an effective team and its advantages: An ideal team is made not only with
support of one but from all the members of leading team. Leadership: For an effective team, leadership is an essential segment. Leader should be
soft spoken, it will make positive environment in Burberry. In Burberry team leader pays
attention to workers idea and make them enough comfortable that they will not hesitate to
ask anything (Bester, Stander and Van Zyl, 2015). Friendly Environment: In Burberry, every worker builds good relationship with each
other and try to know about their skills, interests it helps them to make good relationship
between them. Clear Purpose: Every worker has clear vision of purpose in Burberry. Burberry involves
its workers to discuss objects and ideas.
 Time Management: It is a very important key to move our goal in right way. Burberry's
workers are much promised to manage their work in right direction that is directly
proportional to company's productivity and profitability (Lee, 2016).
Ineffective Team: An ineffective team can bring Burberry from top to bottom. Communication Gap: Communication gap can crack the team spirit to work with each
other. In Burberry workers are less talkative to each other. Due to this there is huge gap
between them and this make them dull towards their goal (Morgenroth, Ryan and Peters,
2015). Lacking of Unity: Employees try to develop mutual working situations in Burberry but
others resistant teamwork. Due to this working environment became unhealthy in
company, they make conflict in team and take advantage of it.
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 Excuses: Burberry has some workers who are not promised towards their work. They
have own explanations to avoid work. Due to that kind of attitude of some employees'
output and utility is decreasing of company.
 Dominating Nature: Employees with dominating nature in Burberry are spoiling
environment of work. Other workers who genuinely want to chase their goals for
company get affected from them (Frederick, 2014).
Team development theories
Teamwork decides fortune of an organisation which is the reason why management of
Burberry focuses on building efficient teams in by applying different team development theories
for meeting expectations of the company from its employees. The different theories are given as
below:
Tuckman's theory of team development and dynamics
This model have five basics upon which the whole theory is based which are forming,
storming and norming, performing as well as adjourning. Management of Burberry uses this
model for developing effective teams in the organisation.
Figure 3: Tuckman's Team & Group Development Model
(Source: Tuckman’s Team & Group Development Model, 2014)
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