Organizational Change and Leadership: A Case Study of Sainsbury's PLC

This report analyzes the impact of change on Sainsbury's PLC, a major supermarket chain, focusing on leadership, organizational behavior, and strategic responses, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report compares Sainsbury's with Tesco, examining technological and structural changes, internal and external drivers of change, and their effects on leadership and employee behavior. It evaluates measures to minimize the negative impacts of change, including employee resistance, weak industry influence, and inefficient processes, while also applying the PDCA model to address these challenges. Furthermore, the report explores different drivers for change, such as transformational and organization-wide changes, and applies relevant theories like systems theory to evaluate Sainsbury's response. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of adapting to both internal and external factors, recommending continuous updates to technology and processes to enhance quality and maintain competitiveness. The report also provides recommendations for effective planning and change impact analysis, highlighting the need for proactive strategies to navigate organizational transformations.

Understanding and Leading
Change

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
Understanding change is one of the most effective part of management within an
organization which creates an impact upon various kinds of activities and process going on in an
organization. Such changes mainly impact company in both negative and positive manner. It is
related to both internal and external factor. These changes mainly affect working pattern in an
organization through which goals and objectives is achieved within an organization. In this
report Sainsbury plc has been taken that is second largest chain of supermarket within United
kingdom. Established in the year 1869 and has its headquarters in London. This deals over
selling of all kinds of product from daily use to luxurious items. Report covers about changes in
a organization through example. Also in this change in relation to leadership and barriers
influencing is to be covered. Further in this various leadership approaches impacting decision
making is been discussed in relation to changes within an organization. All this is to be linked
with COVI-19 situation.
TASK 1
P1: Compare different organisational examples where there has been an impact of change on an
organisation’s strategy and operations
Change is considered to be one of the most affective factor which helps in enhancing
growth and success in business through uplifting productivity and performance. It is mainly
focused over strategies, policies, culture, technologies etc (Zou, Tang and Wu, 2019.). Changes
are primary focused over goals and objectives accomplishment in time period given for them.
Various organization applies changes through enhancing organizational structure and culture.
All this helps in improving both profitability and productivity. It makes competitive edge
attained which makes organization stay ahead of its customers. Technology is the most common
form of change done by an organization as it affects production capacity. Since Covid-19
pandemic accrue lot of changes has taken palace directly within an organization and its various
processes. It has change customers view of buying things by making it covered into e-commerce.
Both Aldi and Sainsbury faced these changes to become successful industry . Further the
changes has been explained as follows:
Change Sainsbury Tesco
1

Technology Technological change in Sainsbury is
majorly related to social media
marketing which has helped in
reaching to its customers in faster
manner. Since Covid has changed
perspective of doping business and
operations were performed more
through online portals. This helped
Sainsbury in increasing its customers
within market by forming large
customer base
Tesco deals with retail sector and
uses apps for selling its product. As
situation of pandemic made various
processes conducted through online
medium. These app has helped in
making delivering of goods possible
more effectively and efficiently. It
has affected pricing strategy as the
consumers of retail sector tends to
buy products and services by
online portals and websites.
Structure Structure change in sainsbury has
made procedure related to
administration improved in better
manner. As the situation of covid
took place high level mangers
provided guidance to medium level
manager through video conferencing
and meeting were held with
employees over zoom and other app.
This is how structure changed within
various processes of sainsbury.
Structure change within Tesco is
related to the hierarchical structure
and job structure. These have been
impacted drastically due to
pandemic situation as jobs were not
generated and salary were given
less. Certai steps were taken by
Managers which has changed
overall structure of job creation and
old structure related to decision
making was replaced.
The discussed information makes changes concluded in more effective which makes both
organization through uplifting performance of organization. This is done by adopting of
technological changes within the organization that makes sustainability developed within an
organization. In this recommendation has been discussed below to handle changes in proper
manner.
2

 Both organisations should needs to provide technical training sessions to their workforce
for improving their technical skills in order to use the updated technology properly and to
follow it for attracting more customers.
 Both organisation should tackle the changes successfully for retaining their customers
and to maintain a healthy relationship among the workers and customers.
P2: Evaluate the ways in which internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team
and individual behaviours within an organisation
Different internal and external drivers which is related to change impacts leadership and
behaviour of team members directly. Sainsbury is an super market brand and has lot of
employees working in effective way. They have contributed towards goals and objectives
achievement in better manner. As the covid situation took place leadership and behaviour has
been affected in following ways
Internal Drivers: In this drive cultural difference, moral of workers and different kind of
situation presented in an organization. Such drives has been explained as follows:
Financial management: This is considered to be one of the most effective activity which
takes place within an organization. Covid has lead to changes in style of operation performed by
leaders. Sainsbury leaders performed functions majorly online or through internet.
Resources: Resource directly affects performance of leadership, individuals and team.
Leaders are required to provide support to employees which makes goals achieved. Since covid
resources were not been arranged at required time period that made task achievement slow.
Culture:In this behavioural aspect of an organization is been covered which helps vision
to be accomplished. As the situation of Covid culture got disturbed which impacted productivity
of employees within Sainsbury (Wilson and Lai, 2019).
External drivers: These drivers are another aspect of change which can directly effect the
performance and productivity of the firm. These drivers can be determined by the PEST analysis.
Political: These are those factors which is based upon policies formed by government.
Sainsbury should follow all rules and regulation that has been formed by government to avoid
any trouble. Leaders of sainsbury should follow the new guidelines that has been issued in
relation to Covid. That is why strategies must be formed as per this. If nit followed serious
problem can happen.
3

Economical: The facts is related to employment factors, customer behaviour, interest rate
etc. it directly impacts leadership, team and employees in a organization. As covid pandemic has
taken place sainsbury's economical condition was impacted drastically which made cost cutting
took place.
Social: These factors is based upon demand and needs raised by customers in market.
Such factors has been impacting leadership of an organization. During Covid -19 t demand of
mask and sanitizers increased which made leaders of Sainbury develop strategies accordingly.
Technological: The factors is relate to technological changes taking place within an
organization. Since covid sainsbury made various kinds of changes in relation to online selling
and video calling. It made goals achieved in better and effective manner.
P3: Evaluate measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on
organisational behaviour
The measures which needs to be taken for minimising the negative impacts of change on
the behaviour of organisation are as follows:
Employee resistance: This is related to those factors that is related to emotions within an
organization. Employees working in an organization over long period time should be made
conferable within an organization. Since covid has happened there has been lack of interest
within employees of an organization like Sainsbury. The resistance of employees is not good for
Sainsbury as it leads to decreased profit and performance of the organisation.
In order to reduce resistance of employees management of saninsbury should provide
them with appraisal as per there performance while working in a organization.
Weak industry influence: Weak industry influences an organization by rejecting changes
that result in reduction of brand image in both internal and external manner. This has reduced
productivity which made organization like Sainbury loose its customer base (Wassink,, 2019).
In order to reduce the impact of Covid 19 new strategies has been formed which also
made change within working schedule. Further management should make sure that cost cutting is
done only to minimum level which does not affect growth of an organization.
Inefficient processes: In this effective process has been negatively impacting
organization. It makes recruiting of new and talented individuals possible. Due to covid neagtive
impact has been there upon recruiting process. As no new recruits were allowed to be made and
no new technology has been formed.
4

For solving this problem, sanisbury is required for using new objectives which makes
challenges to be overcome. In this management of sainsbury various solution is been given in
relation to issues which makes dealing with problems possible while increasing efficiency.
PDCA Model: This model should be used by Sanisbury to make sure that negative
impact changes within an organization. In the model four steps are there that is related over
plan, do, check, act. Such steps is helpful for managers which makes issues identified. In this
sainsbury should focus upon improving administration through external and internal process. The
mode is been used over eliminating variosu problems accrued due to covid within decision
making.
Planning: Under this manager of an organization is dependent over errors and plans
which makes structure enhanced.
Do: In this managers makes development and implementation makes sustainable
solutions attained in effective manner.
Check: Within it managers conforms about results by making comparison with estimated
resulted.
Act: In this last phase, effective suggestions and ideas are addressed for different types of
problems.
M1: Different drivers for change in each of the given examples and the types of organisational
change they have affected
Both the organization should provide various products at low price through maintain
quality. Organizations mentioned above should be focused over providing faster and better
services as due to covid lot of loss has been done to them in relation over profit generated. Lates
machinery and technology should be used for increasing production capacity which makes
attraction of customers possible. Further external drivers also influences organization and can
change customers which affects selling capacity within an organization. It makes supportability
to be increased (Turner, 2019).
Types of organisational change they have affected
Transformational change: Under this various strategy has been adopted which makes an
organization adopt sustainable change at the time of paramedic situation. Under such situation
company should be focused over making sustainable changes attained. An organization like
5

Sainsbury termination of employees and new strategic development should be done for
managing of work.
Organisational wide change: Under this an organization internally changes large scale
policies., strategies and leadership developed as per situation of covid. Sainsbury should
terminated their employees across the various branches for saving the costs and to use the saved
cost in implementing new strategies whoch makes new strategies developed in proper way.
M2: Apply appropriate theories and models to critically evaluate organisational response to
change
To reduce the negative impact upon sainsbury model that is going to be applied is system theory
within which impact of changes is been discussed in systematic manner. This makes Sainsbury
in managing situation at workplace. As per the model Sainsbury is dependent upon factor related
to laws formed by government. The theory has been using organization over solving issues
which makes accomplishing of long term objectives within covid time period (Simon, Heck, ,
Christie and Farragher, 2019).
D1: Draw conclusions and recommendations with valid justifications for planning effectively for
change and applying change impact analysis
It can be concluded form the above discussion that both internal and external factor has
been playing important role through making growth and success to be gained by Sainsbury. Such
factors makes effectiveness achieved within firm. Through internal factors management of
sainsbury is able to maintain resources easily under covid situation. Regarding external factors it
includes factors like political, technological, social and economic helps the organisation for
determining the situation of country in an effective manner. Through this various factors within
sainsbury makes changes developed over resources as per the change in these factors due to
covid.
From the above mentioned information, its is required by sainsbury in making updating
of its tools and technology as per covid situation. Through this quality will be improved through
increasing product and services selling in market (Olcott, 2020).
Impact analysis this makes determination upon impact of changes by making analysis
over structure in relation to covid. The ability of running organization has faced changes within
an organization in proper manner.
Procedure of impact analysis
6

 Determination of changes which has to be applied.
 Also it makes files, models and documents analysed which makes changes done in
relation to incorporation.
 Determination of task needed over putting maximum effort while task is been made.
In this management requires for determining of task through performing it. Management
needs over understanding impact of changes done in more effective manner. Also management
is required to make evaluation of quality of change.
Steps for ensuring that the change is successful
 Determine what can be improved with the change.
 Provide a good business case study to the leaders of the organisation.
 Gather the information an resources for evaluation.
 Build good communication with employees.
 Regularly take feedbacks and reviews for continuous improvements.
TASK 2
P4: Explain different barriers for change and determine how they influence leadership decision
making in a given organisational context
Barrie that occur in relation to change has made organization process to be enhanced as
per covid situation. There should be decision making process which makes process of leaders
and manager to be smoother. These barriers also negatively influence the decision making skills
of management (Morais, Kakabadse and Kakabadse, 2020).
Poor employee participation: Participating has been used by making essential within an
organization to be changed properly. Management of Sansbury should make reliable information
circulated with the help of internet as covid pandemic has impact the physical process of
information circulation.
Rules and regulations of government: It acts as barrier with productivity and
performance in a way that new guideline sin relation to covid has been issues which has made
restriction occur in various processes of an organization. This affected profit and revenue of an
organization. In this rules and regulation of government impacts sainsbury in a way that decision
making process is been impacted. Now new strategies and policies has to be formed.
7

Improper training and development: This mainly impacts leadership decision making
process. As due to covid proper training and development programs is not able to be done which
made task achieving efficiency to be reduced. Leaders of sainsbury is required over providing
off job and on job training through growth and development within an organization,
M3: Use force field analysis to analyse the driving and resisting forces and show how they
influence decision-making
Illustration 1: Force Field Analysis
(Source: Force Field Analysis, 2018)
Forcefield analysis: This makes analysis over large number of persons which makes
rigidity in change to be developed. Such analysis makes organization improved over those
strategies which make combating with covid guidelines possible. Force field anlysis makes
essential tools and effective decision making develop in sainsbury. This makes changes to be
communicates about decision taken (Metz and Bartley, 2020).
Driving and restraining forces: This has been restricting about force problems that can
impact changes. It is forced over making negative impact upon decision making process in this
leaders of Sainsbury requires to make those strategies which make covid situation handled in
positive manner through promoting effectiveness over changes to be maintained.
8

D2: Critically evaluate the use of force field analysis in the context of meeting organisational
objectives
According to the Mr. Brown (2012), this analysis is very important tool within an
organization. As it helps in achieving of goals and objectives by attain support of people. This
has made Sainsbury to overcome obstacles related to coved situation and makes perspective
which is suitable for an organization within various situations by making final analysis done in
hinderer of forces (Mas-Tur and et. al., 2021).
TASK 3
P5: Apply different leadership approaches to dealing with change in a range of organisational
contexts
Leadership is one of the most effective thing which makes growth and development
taking place within an organization that helps in managing work with more efficiency. Leaders
of Sainsbury is one of the most important part which makes turnover achieved through long term
objectives achieved. Various styles of leadership that can be used by leaders of sainsbury to deal
within challenges has been explained as follows:
Autocratic Leadership: This is approach of leadership style which has been stating that
leaders is having authority over taking decision in relation to betterment of an organization. Such
approach of leadership is not flexible in nature for the purpose sainsbury should take decision for
themselves and apply to organization considering covid. Also managers of Sainsbury improves
the process and operations which makes actions done in faster manner.
Democratic Leadership: This is another leadership approach that helsp leaders in taking
suggestions and opinion of employees by making them part of decision-making process.
Democratic leader is required by authority and power for taking decision which is responsible
included in a project. It helps sainsbury to improve efficiency through showing good results
within activities performed in relation to covid situation( Leavy, 2019).
Situational Leadership: It is another important theory of leadership which has been
helpful in making organization deal over different situation in more effective way. This model is
useful for leaders of Sainsbury which makes changes in leadership style developed as per the
problem that has been existing within the organization.
9

Affiliative Leadership: This leadership is focused upon binding trust and developing
mutual understanding over team members which makes strong emotions and bound to be formed
that is related to an organization. In this effective leaders should boost moral and stress reduction
adopted by them. This makes trust formed and communication encouraged with sense of
harmony.
M4: Evaluate the extent to which leadership approaches can deliver organisational change
effectively applying appropriate models and frameworks.
Lewin's Change Management Model: The tool is been used by an organization like
sainsbury for making organization changes to be made. It included three stages that is Unfreeze,
change, refreeze.
Illustration 2: Lewin's Change Management Model
(Source: Lewin's Change Management Model, 2018)
 Unfreeze: This is the first phase and model which has been helping in creating of proper
path for employees which makes changes to be attained. Leaders of sainsbury uses
transformational leadership for motivating employee over adapting changes which
promotes growth and success achieved (De Klerk, 2019).
10