Debenhams Case Study: Leadership, Motivation, and Recommendations

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Debenhams case study, examining the impact of the macro environment, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors (PESTLE analysis). It delves into Debenhams' leadership styles, particularly democratic, coach, and transactional approaches, and their relevance to the company's current situation. The report also explores motivational theories, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and their application to employee motivation within Debenhams. Furthermore, it offers recommendations for improvement, including adopting a coach-style leadership, focusing on team efforts, leveraging human resources, providing quality services and products, following trends, and utilizing information technologies. The report concludes with a reflection on the learning experience gained from writing the report, highlighting the company's challenges and the importance of adapting to changing market dynamics.

debenhams

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................2
The impact of macro environment had on the current situation of the debenhams ..............2
Debenhams leadership style and relevance to their current situation.....................................3
Motivational Theories for employees.....................................................................................4
Recommendation for improvement........................................................................................5
Experience in writing this report............................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................8
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INTRODUCTION
This report will cover the case study of Debenhams, basically debenhams is the largest
departmental store of the UK, In 1905 it was incorporated as Debenhams Ltd and In 1950 with
110 stores and 84 companies became a largest departmental group of the UK. This report will
provide brief description or knowledge related of the debenhams or it reflects how macro
environment impact on the current situation, discussed about the motivation theory of the
debenhams under which shows that how motivation theory helps to motivate employees of the
debenhams in different situation, investigation done on the leadership style of the debenhams.
MAIN BODY
The impact of macro environment had on the current situation of the debenhams
Political factors – Political environment factor playing a significant role in conclusive
the factors that can impact debenhams profitability in market (Angus., 2016). Debenhams
analysis the various factors prior investing in a market such as intellectual property protection,
mandatory debenhams employees benefit, political stability and importance of retail sector in
country's economy, anti trust law related to the debenhams. Debenhams operating in retail in
dozen countries.
Economic factors – Debenhams uses economic factors such as inflation & industry
economic indicators such as consumer spreading ,retail industry growth rate etc to forecast the
growth trajectory of both sector and organization. While conducting PESTLE analysis
debenhams consider factors such as education level in the economy , inflation rate , labor
productivity and cost inn the economy, efficiency of the financial market – does debenhams need
to raise capital in local market.
Social factors – The way of doing things impact the culture of an debenhams in an
environment , shared attitudes and beliefs of population plays important role in how marketers at
debenhams will understand the customers of a market. debenhams analysis social factors for the
PESTLE analysis of the debenhams are – leisure interest, power and hierarchy structure in
society , social conventions etc.
Technological factors – Debenhams do technological analysis of the industry and the
speed at which technology disrupts that industry. debenhams analysis the various technological
factors of the debenhams PESTLE analysis are – impact on cost structure in industry, rate of
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technological diffusion technology impact on the product offering of the debenhams (Baker and
Saren, M., 2016).
Environmental factors – Debenhams have different economic standards which impact
the profitability, prior to starting business the debenhams should completely evaluate the
environmental standard that required to operate in market. The basic environment factors that
debenhams should consider prior such as climate or weather change, air pollution in the
debenhams , waste management service in the consumer service sector of the debenhams,
attitudes towards ecological products and support for renewable energy.
Legal factors - Impact of the legal factor of micro environment factor on the current
situation of the debenhams, debenhams consider the legal factors in the entering in the new
market or in current situation of the debenhams such as factors includes copyright , intellectual
property law of debenhams , consumer protection, e commerce , employment law data protection
, health and safety and discrimination etc (Carsrud and et.al., 2017).
Debenhams leadership style and relevance to their current situation
Democratic leadership style
Democratic is an commonly most effective style. In this leadership style , leaders treat
equally and they give equal chance to take part in a decision making. This leadership style helps
employees any give them to participate in decision making so in the future they can take higher
responsibility and hold the higher positions. Leaders motivate them and give them a
responsibility. Leader of the Debenhams was using this leadership style because they were
welcoming their staff and they were treating them all equally because of that they were holding a
premium retailer's image and they were caring about their customers by supporting them in good
shopping experience (Chapman., 2019). They were tarting employees like their family but
afterward they only focus on how they can expand their business and Leaders were not caring
about their staff and all that was the reason behind the Debenhams current situation.
Coach leadership style
In the coach leadership style leaders treat employees like a sport team coach and they
nurturing the stringent of the each employee and team members. But it is important for leaders
to develop more skills to apply this kind of leadership style they have to act like a coach and they
have to make them all work together Leaders make strategies so their team can work together
and they also run team work practices so their team members can develop skills to work in team
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it very effective and best leadership style (Harris and Roach., 2017). In this current situation
leaders of the Debenhams can use this leadership style to come over from this situation. It is
important for company to look for their employees and because if they will work together then
they will able to come out from this situation.
Transnational leadership style
Transnational leadership style is one of the most common style because many
organization use this style. In this leadership style leaders and managers give rewards to the
employees if they do well in their work. This is very effective because employees get bonus
reward and to get those reward they do not take any leave and work effectively and try to achieve
organizational goals (Myers., 2019). This is an motivation for employees and this increase their
moral and they try to do more better day by day. Debenhams leaders can also use this because in
this situation their employees can be demotivated and if they will get reward and bonus then they
will give their best for company so they should try this leadership style.
Motivational Theories for employees
Maslow's motivational theory
In this theory it is an comparison of the five basics human needs which is important for
the humans to motivate this theory should be use by leaders of the Debenhams company because
in their current situation they need to motivate their employees so they can overcome from this
situation (Sailer and et.al., 2017). This is one of the best theory given by Maslow and many
organization use this to motivate employees.
Physiological needs
There are some physiological need of the employees like clothes , proper sleep and food.
This all are common needs of the employees company should give their employees a break for
lunch , washroom and for rest so they can work properly and this will motivate them to work
effectively.
Shifty needs
Employees scared to work if they do not get shifty (Baker and Saren, 2016). Company
can provide them a medical facility so whenever they get any physical damage during the work
employees can get proper medical treatment and they can work without any fear and if they will
not fear from this all then they will work more better.
Love and Belonging needs
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Employees are also humans and they also need love and Belonging. It is important for
company's leaders to talk with their employees and motivate them in this current situation and
they so talk them and they can give holidays to the employees so they can spent some time with
their family (Sekaran and Bougie., 2016). Superiors can talk with their subordinate it will help
them to understand their problems and they can also run communication practices because
communication practices can be helpful for company to come out from this situation. Leaders
can give them reward to motivate them and employees can have some some financial problems
and if they will get reward then it can be helpful for them to overcome from financial problems.
Esteem needs
Every employees should be respected and it is important for mangers and leaders to
respect their employee. If they will respect them then they will understand the current situation
of the company and if they get respect from their superiors then they will get motivated and they
will support company in this situation (Thakur and Workman., 2016).
Self Actualization Needs
Leaders and managers of the Debenhams can motivate them by realizing their employees
personal potential they can give motivational speech and they can run training programs to to
increase their skills and this will be important for employees so mangers can motivate their
employees.
Recommendation for improvement
Leadership style for Improvement
Coach style leadership-In this situation its is important for Debenhams company's leader
to use Coach style leadership because they need do their work in team work and for the team
work leaders of the company have adopt this style. In this style leader lead their team member in
effective ways and they employees have to follow the instruction of the leader. They make
strategies to overcome from the situation and if they will work together then they can do their
task in less time and it will affect on company growth (Thomas., 2017). Company can overcome
from this situation. Leaders will more focus on the team work and they can control their work.
Management practices for improvement
Focus team effort-Team work is important work do any work on time management of
the Debenhams should run team work practices. they can make different groups of the
employees. They will do help of each other and understand each other . This practice will boost
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the growth of the company and as compare to the individual , employees can do task is less time
in this practices . Company's management should focus on this practice to overcome from the
current situations.
Strategies for improvement
Make use of Human resources- Department of the human resource plays a important
role in the organization. human resource help business to plan organize and control (Van
Manen., 2016). Debenhams company's HRM department should recruit employees who are
better and skillful and HRM department have ability to take them out from situation and HRM
can run many training program will be helpful for employees to increase their potential and they
can work more effectively.
Quality Services and product – it is important for company to provide quality product
and quality services to their customers. If they will get better quality products then it will be
helpful for company improvement and it it important for them in situation satisfy their
customer's
Follow trends – the reason behind the companies current satiation is the trend , they do
not follow the new trends and because of this all they are suffering from the loss. They can
follow new trends according to the customer's demand. Customers will attract if they will bring
new product which can satisfy their customer and Debenhams can overcome from this situations.
Information technologies – Debenhams should use information technology in their
departmental stores because it increase the work efficiency of the employees and they will do
their work in the commuters and make bills of the customers on the machine (Volkmann and
et.al., 2019). They can also provide online facility so customers can purchase products from
their home and product will deliver directly to their home.
Experience in writing this report
In this report I have learned about the situation of the Debenhams company before they
were very famous and they used to treat their employees like their family and they were getting
very good response from their customers they were giving facilities to the customers. They make
their image in the market and giving competition to the other departmental companies but they
do not follow the new trends and they get lose in their business. They were selling outdated
fashion trends they was always playing catch up with many of its main revel .not only
Debenhams failed to predict the change and learn from the errors in judgment to the unfolding
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trends eventually led Debenhams in the doom and the company was quick expansion plans and
many times failed to raised the situation in expansion plans and their frequent discount sale also
approach was also hampering their sales as one expert reported , the physical expansion plans
also brought with it the soaring cost that have unhorsed so many other bricks and mortar
retailers (Volkmann and et.al., 2019) . Their prime situated large properties came with big rent ,
high rates and onerous lease liability , as well as large staffing need and leases that were difficult
to give up all that conspire to create a best that was unable to adopt in a fast changing retail
environment. Also so get experience about how the leadership and management is important for
company and their role in the company this report has make new strategies for company and
new leadership style for the company (Angus., 2016). Strategies for them which is helpful to
come out from this situation and handle those situation. Also learn about what environmental
factors affect on the company and they have to follow new trends and learn about motivational
theories in this situations. Which is important for company leaders to motivate their employees
so they can come out from the different different situation because employees play important
role in growth of the company if they are motivated then Debenhams can easily come out from
any situation occurs.
CONCLUSION
As per this above report case study of the Debenhams company has been analyzed and
this report has been covered and discussed the impact of macro environment has on the current
situation faced by Debenhams company and research on the company leadership styles and its
relevance to their current situation, also analyzed motivational theories which can help leader of
the company to motivate their employees , briefly discussed about Maslow's motivational theory
and this report has been give recommendation for improvement and add leadership style ,
management style and management practices. In the second part writing reflection has been
concluded by the writer of this report.
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REFERENCES
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