Case Study: Examining Leadership and Management at Google

This case study analyzes management practices at Google, focusing on leadership, team dynamics, and communication. It explores organizational behavior, including the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitudes, and how these influence employee interactions. The study examines the importance of groups and teams, referencing scientific management and behavioral science theorists, and the impact of norms and conformity on group behavior. Managerial communication styles and the significance of adapting to individual communication preferences are also discussed. The case study further delves into the managerial environment, emphasizing corporate social responsibility and the application of Adair's Action-Centred Leadership model. The model's three core responsibilities—achieving the task, managing the team or group, and managing individuals—are detailed, offering insights into effective leadership and teamwork. The conclusion emphasizes the need for Google's management to integrate these models and techniques to improve communication and address organizational issues. References include key management theories and research.

Google Case Study
[Document subtitle]
[DATE]
[Company name]
[Company address]

Management Practices
Introduction
Management stands for the interlocking functions related to the creation of policy and organizing
along with controlling, planning and directing the resources of the organization so as to achieve
all the aims and objectives of the policy. Traditionally, management was defined as providing
instructions to the managers and other people on how the task must be processed and the
managers had a task of supervising others (Otley, D., 1994). Whereas in the today’s world the term
management requires multi-tasking and multi-skilled employees so as to achieve the goals which
add to the value. Therefore it is now considered as a process of allocating the resources so as
obtain the best results. The traditional management experience was similar to what Julia went
through in her first group.
 Managing organizational behavior
The opinions, beliefs, information and knowledge being held by a person make the cognitive
component of the attitude. For example, Julia strongly felt that the first group was a source of
stress.
Furthermore, the emotional or feeling part of the attitude is effective. This part was highly
demonstrated by the statement ‘‘I always felt like I had to prove myself,''. Therefore the effect
and the cognition lead to the behavioral outcomes. The behavioral component of an attitude
refers to the intention of behaving in a particular manner towards any person or something or
some situation. Therefore, continuing the example of Julia, she might always prefer a healthy
environment in her management team. Due to the fact that these components are tied to the
policy, work functions, organizational structure, procedures, individuals, employees, people of
the organization and being highly aware of these attitudes help the manager in understanding and

Management Practices
explaining and predicting the behavior of the employee. Therefore this helps the manager in
working efficiently with their colleagues and employees present in the organization and further
assisting and then influencing them so as to achieve all the organizational goals.
 Groups and teams
The scientific management theorists like Gilbreths’ techniques known as therbligs would have
embraced the idea of high and increased reliance on the team in any organization or corporations.
Furthermore, Fredrick W. Taylor and his definition of finding the best one way would also have
approved of the team and group idea. Both of them would have to first understand the team
concept but would also agree that the teams are emerging out to be the best one way and one of
the highly important techniques that could be beneficial and efficient for the organization.
Furthermore the behavioural science theorists like Hugo Munsterberg, Robert Owen, Chester
Barnard and Mary Parker Follett who referred this study as organizational behavior or OB would
accept the whole idea and would not be surprised on the increased reliance on the team and
group as they all believed that the employees must be considered as the best assets for the
company, and therefore they must be managed in an effective manner. These were the science
theorists whose idea provided a prime foundation to all the management practices ranging from
the team works, selection procedures and motivation programs, etc. (Kozlowski, S. W., & Bell, B.
S.,2003).
Norms and Conformity can also be some of the reasons affecting the group behavior. According
to the Schwarz’s (Schwartz, S. H., & Bardi, A., 2001). The conformity usually derives from the
requirement that the employees usually inhibit their inclinations disrupting as well as
undermining the group functioning and smooth interaction. This emphasizes on the self-restraint
in their office life. Whereas the norms have been regarded as the standard which must be told to

Management Practices
the group members of the team and their behavior (Bowditch, J. L., Buono, A. F., & Stewart, M. M.,
2007) . These norms vary on the extent of our agreement and disagreement with the other people
in the group. For example, the people in first group Julia attended used to shout to prove their
point was highlighting the issue of norms and conformity in that group. And in Google, she
explained ‘I’d been on some teams that left me feeling totally exhausted and others where I got
so much energy from the group.’’
 Managerial communication
One of the most important life skill in the management requires the ability to communicate
effectively in the workplace. Every employee has their own style which has been adapted and
developed for suiting the different environment these employees operate in. The communication
in the management is driven by their need for informing, educating, persuading and entertaining.
Every employee has his own communication style which is unique and has its own innate skills
which are learned through experience and even formally (Panko, R. R.,1992). The thing that
makes manager different from other employees is that fact that they should have a better
communication ability to adapt to the styles of individuals so as to recognize the needs and wants
to the employees. Unlike the “senior engineer who would just talk and talk, and everyone was
scared to disagree with him.”
 The managerial environment
As experienced by Matt that the managerial environment of Google was not efficient, the
organization must incorporate the ethics and usual CSR. The Corporate Social responsibility can
easily be understood by the three theories namely managerial, utilitarian and relational theories
Secchi, D. (2007).

Management Practices
The Utilitarian theory perceives business as a money making mechanism and has actions of
attaining profitable outcomes. This theory incorporates the fact that the business has the final
responsibility of incorporating the CSR in daily working business ethics.
The managerial theory states that the business is connected to the political theories that try to
bring out the idea and then plan them. The primary point is present between the environment and
the business. It has four major subdivisions which include society, corporate citizenship,
stakeholder and theory of social contract. This theory talks about the society and business and
emphasizes on the approach concerning stakeholders.
There are three parts of Adair's Action-Centred Leadership model has also have been represented
by the overlapping circles. These three famous circles model is highly recognized and has iconic
symbols within their management theory. The three core responsibilities of illustrated by Adair
include the following:
1. achieving the task
2. managing the team or group
3. managing individuals
This model adapts very well to the demands of the management and is highly useful in the
management framework. Matt must adhere to these responsibilities and follow these steps for
efficient teamwork and achievement of goals and objectives.
1. Achieving the task
The activities must be defined where the aims and vision of the group must be identified.
Furthermore, the identification of processes, resources and people should be administered. A

Management Practices
plan action along with the responsibilities, objectives, etc. along with the delegation must be
prepared.
2. Managing the team or group
To manage the team, Matt should establish, communicate the performance standards and the
behavior. Then the soft skill elements like style, culture, etc. must be established. Matt should
have the monitor and maintain the integrity, ethics and focus on the objectives. It is the
responsibility of Matt to resolve the group conflict or disagreements and assess all the changes
necessary for balancing the group. The group must be given a feedback regarding the overall
progress and input must be taken from the group from time to time.
3. Managing individuals
In the case of managing the individuals, Matt should understand the team members as
individuals according to their skills, needs, strength, aims, and fears. Matt should assist and
support individuals in their challenges, problems, plans and their lows and highs. Appropriate
reward individuals who have extra responsibility and advancement. Development of all the
individuals and team members is important.
Conclusion
The management of Google needs to understand all the issues and further to use all the models
and techniques described above should try to incorporate in their management so as to increase
the communication and eradicate all the issues taking place in the organization.

Management Practices
References
Otley, D. (1994). Management control in contemporary organizations: towards a wider
framework. Management accounting research, 5(3), 289-299.
Bowditch, J. L., Buono, A. F., & Stewart, M. M. (2007). A primer on organizational behavior.
Wiley.
Kozlowski, S. W., & Bell, B. S. (2003). Work groups and teams in organizations. Handbook of
psychology.
Panko, R. R. (1992). Managerial communication patterns. Journal of Organizational Computing
and Electronic Commerce, 2(1), 95-122.
Schwartz, S. H., & Bardi, A. (2001). Value hierarchies across cultures taking a similarities
perspective. Journal of cross-cultural Psychology, 32(3), 268-290.
Secchi, D. (2007). Utilitarian, managerial and relational theories of corporate social
responsibility. International Journal of Management Reviews, 9(4), 347-373.
Adair, J. E. (2006). Leadership and motivation: the fifty-fifty rule and the eight key principles of
motivating others. Kogan Page Publishers.