Examining Leadership, Teamwork, and Organizational Change at Tesco

This report examines the organizational challenges faced by Tesco, a major British multinational grocery retailer. It focuses on key issues such as leadership styles (transformational and transactional), teamwork dynamics (including Belbin team roles), and the impact of organizational structure and culture on change implementation. The analysis highlights the importance of effective leadership in managing change, the challenges of assigning roles within teams, and the need for a flexible organizational structure that supports employee participation. The report concludes with recommendations for Tesco, including adopting a democratic leadership style, fostering a flexible organizational structure, and clarifying team roles to improve overall performance and facilitate successful change management. The report provides a detailed analysis of the issues faced by Tesco, the impact of these issues on the company, and provides recommendations for the company to deal with these issues.

INTRODUCTION TO
ORGANIZATIONS AND
MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ANALYSIS......................................................................................................................................1
Leadership and motivation issue.................................................................................................2
Teamwork issue...........................................................................................................................2
Ineffective structure issue............................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
Recommendations........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
In the modern era with the motive to operate efficiently in the market every business has
started to take corrective measures so that its market performance can be enhanced easily.
Further, leadership, teamwork and culture plays most crucial role and by considering all these
factors business can focus on its overall aims and objectives. For conducting the present study
organization chosen is Tesco which operates in retail sector and well known in the market for
range of products it offers to its target market. Company is a British multinational grocery and
general merchandise retailer headquatered in United Kingdom (About us., 2016). At present
organization operates in 12 countries around the world and employ around 530,000 people and
serves ten million of customers every week. The present report is based on various issues at the
time of implementing change which are being faced by company while carrying out its
operations.
The key issues are leadership, teamwork, culture and structure of enterprise. Apart from
this business carries out all its operations on wider basis due to which large number of challenges
have to be faced while conducting operations and this may have adverse impact on overall
performance also. Further, it is well known fact that for effective implementation of change
effective leadership is necessarily required and this is one of the major issues in relation with
how individuals within the workplace can be managed so that they can easily accept the change.
Apart from this, it is the first and foremost duty of management to ensure that its culture is
effective enough that it allows individual within the workplace to accept the change (Krafft and
Mantrala, 2005). Therefore, all these issues have been undertaken in the present study so that
business can easily deal with the issues faced while carrying out all the operations. Apart from
this, recommendations have been provided to Tesco so that business can easily tackle issues
faced.
ANALYSIS
Organizational structure is comprised of various elements and provides direction to the
individuals within workplace so that they can operate efficiently. Further, the key elements in the
structure of Tesco are leadership, teamwork and motivation on the basis of which business
operates in the market. Moreover, Tesco carries out all its operations on wider basis due to which
at the time of implementing change within the major operations business has to face large
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number of challenges. Apart from this, it can also prevent organization to take advantage of
accepting the change (Ryle, 2013).
Leadership and motivation issue
Leadership is one of the most common issues faced by Tesco especially at the time of
implementing change. Further, it is well known fact that leaders have to manage all the
employees in appropriate manner as employees may resist to change. Two leadership theories are
present which Tesco considers with the motive to manage its workforce in effective manner.
They are transformational and transactional. Transformational leadership is associated with
managing day to day operations of the business and development of strategies for carrying out
business operations smoothly. Further, it relies on motivation, team building along with
collaboration. This style is mostly commonly used by top management of Tesco during change
implementation (Elsner, 2013). Moreover, incentives are provided to the team members so that
they can manage the new change and this provides large number of opportunities to the business.
Apart from this, proper opportunities are being granted to each and every employee which are
associated with growth, development etc. In short, this style is effective enough when any type of
change takes place within the workplace which can influence business productivity.
In short Tesco considers the requirement of effective leadership along with motivation by
employing transformational leadership. On the other hand, transactional leadership is also
present where main stress is on maintaining flow of work. Leaders who adopt this approach are
considered as keeping the ship afloat. Further disciplinary power is used along with array of
incentives so that staff members can be easily motivated. Apart from this, rewards are exchanged
by subordinates. This type of style is not adopted by Tesco as it becomes difficult to enhance
motivation level of staff members during the change. On the other hand, main issue for business
is to identify what style should be adopted and in what way individuals can be managed easily so
that they can easily contribute in the affairs of the enterprise (Kanter, 2001).
Teamwork issue
Another major issue being faced by Tesco within workplace is teamwork where
sometime it may be possible that individuals may not prefer to work in a team and this acts as
hurdle especially at the time when change is implemented within the workplace. Further, for
performing all the operations of the business smoothly different roles are assigned to individuals
when team is formed. In order to better understand the roles played by individuals in a team
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Belbin team role theory is effective. Resource investigator is one of the major role played by
individual working in team in Tesco (Chin, 2015). Further, main focus is on searching for
opportunities and building contacts with other for boosting organizational productivity. Team
worker is another key role where individual supports team identify the work required and it is
accomplished on behalf of others. Moreover, key strengths of individual are perceptive,
diplomatic etc.
Coordinator is another role being played where person focuses on objectives of team and
work is allocated as per the capability of other individuals (Tabassi and et. Al., 2014). Plant as a
role is played by individual through which various problems are tackled, monitoring evaluation
is another one where it is ensured that present plan requires modification or not. Specialist is role
played where specialist knowledge along with skills are applied in the business operations.
Shaper as a role is played by individual within Tesco through which it is ensured that team is
moving properly, role of implementer where ideas are turned into reality and last one is complete
finisher where the end tasks are analyzed in order to search for errors.
So, these are some of the major roles which are played by employed working in Tesco
within team. Further, in this regard the major issue faced by business is to assign roles to
individuals on the basis of their capabilities. Moreover, it is well known fact that every
individual differs from each other in terms of capability, skills etc. So, assigning them roles for
effective implementation of change is very difficult for company (Telleria, Little and MacBryde,
2002). In case if employees are not satisfied with the responsibilities assigned to them in team
then they will not prefer to take initiative for the welfare of team and this can lead to decline in
business productivity. Apart from this, for effective management of team effective leadership is
necessary and this is also one of the key challenges being faced by business while bringing new
change within the workplace.
Ineffective structure issue
On the other hand, ineffective structure of Tesco is another issue which sometime
prevents from implementing change within the workplace. Further, it does not allow individual
to adopt their own way for managing change and they have to follow strict lines. So, the ultimate
outcome is decline in motivation level and affects business productivity also (Simpson, 2012).
Apart from this, culture of the company is also considered as an issue where it can resists staff
members within workplace to accept the change taking place. In short, structure and overall
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culture of the enterprise may decrease motivation level of staff members and in many cases they
may prefer to leave job. Further, it is well known fact that organizational culture must support
individual during change and it must allow employees to take active participation in the business
affairs. More motivational tools must be present in the culture and structure so that change can
be successfully implemented within the workplace (Carlisle and Loveday, 2007). Culture of
Tesco does not allow business to bring any type of change within the workplace and it is one of
the major challenges. Therefore, it is the first and foremost duty of Tesco’s top authorities to take
initiative for bringing change in the culture of business. In short culture of the enterprise can
support or can prevent in implementing change in organization.
On the other hand, in organizational structure of business strict chain of line and
command is present which is also another kind of problem during change implementation.
Employees working at bottom and middle level have to follow instructions given by those
working at top level. The kind of instructions given to them decreases their motivation level and
affects organizational productivity also. Further, it is well known fact that at the time of
considering any change staff members must be allowed to accept their own way and leadership
style such as democratic must be used (Denton, 2012). Therefore, in this way all the issues faced
by Tesco during change implementation are necessarily to be considered so that each and every
part of the business must be positively affected due to this. Presence of all these issues leads to
failure in implementing change and in turn it has adverse impact on the entire company.
Effective leaders are required within Tesco so that every employee can be motivated to work in
team and situation such as resistance to change may not take place.
CONCLUSION
The entire study has supported in knowing the range of issues being faced by Tesco at the
time of implementing change within the workplace. Further, it involves leadership, teamwork,
structure etc. Sometime inappropriate style adopted for managing individuals prevents company
from accomplishing its accomplishing its overall aims and objectives. Company has adopted
transformation leadership which is effective enough in managing the change taking place within
the business. Further, staff members present within the team are motivated through incentive
which allows them to actively participate in the affairs of the business. But on the other hand,
same leadership style is not at all acceptable in every situation due to which it is required for
business to ensure that leaders have adopted appropriate methods for management of workforce.
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Apart from this, teamwork is necessary where sometime top authorities of Tesco allow staff
members to deal with the change on individual basis. So, this leads to decline in level of
motivation and has adverse impact on enterprise.
Business is dealing issue in relation with the teamwork where roles and responsibilities of
staff members are not clear and due to this reason they does not prefer to take active participation
in the business affairs. Apart from this ineffective structure along with culture of the enterprise is
the major issue faced by companies while managing change. Many times it is possible that
structure of the business may not allow to implement the change successfully and this may lead
employee to resist change. Therefore, in case of Tesco such factors need to be considered
necessarily so that successful change implementation can assist in accomplishing goals and
objectives of the business and can lead to favorable outcomes.
Recommendations
Further, on the basis of conclusion there are some recommendations to Tesco so that
business can easily deal with the issues being faced and through this it is possible to obtain long
term benefits. Below are some of the recommendations to business:
 Democratic style of leadership must be considered while implementing change where
staff members must be allowed to manage change on their own. Further, their
suggestions must be considered regarding successful implementation which must be
applied in the business operations also.
 Organizational structure of the company must be flexible enough so that new changes
can be adopted on continuous basis. Further, it must allow staff members to take active
participation in the business affairs.
 Regarding teamwork roles of every individual must be in accordance with the capability
and through this team can be made more productive.
 For enhancing motivation level of staff their personal growth along with recognition
must be considered so that they can actively participate in the business affairs.
 In the entire process of change management all the staff members must be considered
and their views must be applied so that their motivation level can be enhanced easily.
 Monetary rewards and other form of benefits must be considered in the culture of
business so that employees can become more productive and can work for the welfare of
business.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Carlisle, P. and Loveday, B., 2007. Performance Management and the Demise of Leadership.
International Journal of Leadership in Public Services. 3(2) .pp.18 – 26.
Chin, J. R., 2015. Examining teamwork and leadership in the fields of public administration,
leadership, and management. Team Performance Management: An International
Journal.21(3/4) .pp.199 – 216.
Denton, K. D., 2012. To manage change, manage the big picture: The best reforms are achieved
by keeping it simple. Human Resource Management International Digest. 20(6) .pp.35 –
42.
Elsner, S., 2013. Retail Internationalization: Analysis of Market Entry Modes, Format Transfer
and Coordination of Retail Activities. Springer Science & Business Media.
Kanter, M. R., 2001. Evolve!: Succeeding in the Digital Culture of Tomorrow. Harvard Business
Press.
Krafft, M. and Mantrala, K. M., 2005. Retailing in the 21st Century: Current and Future Trends.
Springer Science & Business Media.
Ryle, S., 2013. The Making of Tesco: A Story of British Shopping. Random House.
Tabassi, A. A. and et. Al., 2014. Transformational leadership and teamwork improvement: the
case of construction firms. Journal of Management Development. 33(10) .pp.1019 – 1034.
Telleria, M. K. Little, D. and MacBryde, J., 2002. Managing processes through teamwork.
Business Process Management Journal. 8(4) .pp.338 – 350.
Simpson, P., 2012. Complexity and change management: analyzing church leaders' narratives.
Journal of Organizational Change Management. 25(2) .pp.283 – 296.
Online
About us., 2016. [Online]. Accessed through http://www.tescoplc.com/index.asp?pageid=11.
[Accessed on 19th March 2016].
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