Understanding and Leading Change: Unilever and Tesco Analysis Report

This report delves into the multifaceted aspects of organizational change, examining its drivers, impacts, and strategic implications. It begins with an overview of organizational changes, categorizing them into strategic, structural, and people-centric transformations. The report then provides an overview of Unilever Plc. and Tesco Plc., comparing their strategies and operations in response to various change drivers, including political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors. The analysis extends to evaluating the impact of internal and external factors on leadership, team dynamics, and individual behaviors within these organizations. Furthermore, the report assesses measures to minimize the negative impacts of change, such as leveraging Lewin's change model and strategic use of technology. Finally, it explores barriers to change, their influence on leadership decision-making, and different leadership approaches for managing change, culminating in a comparative analysis of Unilever and Tesco. The report concludes by summarizing key findings and offering insights into effective change management strategies.

UNDERSTANDING AND
LEADING CHANGE

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the organizations:....................................................................................................3
P1: Comparing different organization where there has been an impact of change on an
organization’s strategy and operations:.......................................................................................4
P2: evaluating the ways related to the internal and the external aspect of the change impacting
leadership, team and individual behaviours:................................................................................7
P3: evaluating the measures that can be taken to minimize the impact of change on
organizational behaviour:.............................................................................................................8
P4: explaining the Barriers of change and determining how they influence the leadership
decision-making in the context of the “Unilever PLC.”:...........................................................11
P5. Applying different leadership approaches for dealing with change....................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Organizational changes is the term defining the actions with in which the company or the
businesses alters out the major components of the organization which includes culture,
technological advancements, or changes in its internal process and this also sometimes lead to
the positive results in the organization. The organizational changes can be of different types like
strategic change, structural changes, remedial changes, and also people centric changes. The
report based on understanding the changes will be including about the drivers and impacts of
changes and how it affects the organizational strategy. The report will also be covering about the
overview of organization and its pest and swot analysation identifying the drivers of change and
the report will also be showing about internal and external ways affecting the leadership and the
measures will be evaluated related to the minimization of impact of change. Further, the report
will also be showing about the different barriers of change and how it influences the leadership
decision-making. Later, different approaches will be shown for dealing with the change in the
range of organizational changes.
MAIN BODY
Overview of the organizations:
Unilever Plc.: organization is a British Multinational consumer good company. It operates with
it headquarter in London. The firm's product range includes the food, condiments, ice-cream
products, cleansing products, beauty and personal care products. Unilever operates as the largest
producer of the soaps and serves around 190 countries in the whole. Organization is diverse in to
three main sections that are food and refreshment items, beauty and personal care item and home
care items (Murphy, and Murphy, 2018). The largest operating brand of the firm are dove, sun
silk, Lux, heart brand ice cream and Hellman's and magnum, etc. firm was founded on 2
September 1929 by the merger of Lever brothers and Dutch margarine. In the 1930s, the firm
have been acquired by the United Africa company. Organization operates with around 149000
employees and have the revenue of minimum 52 billion. Firm serves in the world wide area with
the proper brand name.
Tesco Plc.: this organization is the general merchandize retailer in the fields of groceries and
general items operating with its headquarter in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England.

The firm was the third largest retailer in the overall world as measured by the gross revenues and
the 9th largest firm as calculated by the revenues. The firm was founded in 1919 by jack Cohen in
Hackney, London (Chen, 2022). Firm serves the areas of United kingdom, Ireland, Hungary,
Czech republic and Slovakia. Firm is the market leader in the groceries in United Kingdom
having its own market share of around 28.4 percent. Organization have its own 100th of shops in
the whole area served under and operates with the proper revenue of 58 billion. The firm
expanded globally in around 1990s and operates in 11 countries. Tesco is diversified in to the
areas of books, clothing, electronics, furniture, toys and financial services, and many more
business areas.
P1: Comparing different organization where there has been an impact of change on an
organization’s strategy and operations:
Comparison of the two leading market operators in the United Kingdom from the retail
sector i.e. Unilever and Tesco will be used to complete the report. The further elaboration to
know the impact of change on the organization's strategy and operations are as under:
ORGANIZATIO
N
Changes Drivers leading
change
Impact on
strategy
Impact of
operations
Unilever: Political aspects
— The tenancy
rate of the
business is highly
affected by the
complicated tasks
involved like
taxation and
political stability
in the business
lower levels of
raw material
availability
(Ullah, 2021).
The lower and
decreasing
occupation rate
and might be low
rates of return
from the sales due
to such decreased
occupancy rate
because of not
having in the
proper
management and
lower levels of
raw materials'
For this impact,
strategies will be
to have the proper
and organized
staff in the team
to facilitate the
business
operations in
smooth ways that
would be helping
in the firm to
have the proper
profitability and
increased brand
To have proper
revenues and
proper
management
systems in the
organization
related to the
different
departments like
production and
HR.

availability. image.
Economic aspects
— with in the
United Kingdom,
the labour rates
form the
different regions
are relatively at
high pace so this
driver of change
with in the firms
can be delivered
in the organized
manner once
lower rates of
labour are
available.
Drivers of change
in here is
availability of the
cheap labour and
properties
acquirable at
cheaper rates to
purchase or for
rent in there
(Sivakumar,
2021). Therefore,
social and
economic factors
are the drivers of
change available
here.
The proper focus
of the strategies
with in this aspect
should be on to
acquire low cost
labours and to
have in the proper
places to purchase
for the different
processes
involved in the
overall
organizational
operations.
The impact on the
operations are to
have low cost
labours and
proper
administrative
management in
the organization.
Social aspects —
not having in the
proper staff at the
required wage
rates and also not
having in the
management in
the way to
comply with the
different social
aspects of the
countries as the
firm operates in
The driver of
change in the
following aspect
is to have the
proper staff
management and
facilitating the
business
operations in the
way that it would
be complying
with all the social
aspects of the
Appropriate
strategies needs to
be developed and
implemented to
have in the proper
work force
management in
the organization
and also to bring
in the ways that
all comply with
the social rules
and regulations of
To have in
managed work
force and to
develop the work
place accordingly.

more than 100
nations.
United Kingdom. the country.
Tesco: Technological
aspects —
Utilization of
various
technologies for
improving the
experience of the
customers and
achieve customer
satisfaction and
also reduce the
cost of operations
(Adamyk, 2019).
The technological
advancements
include
automation in the
work place and
advance
production
systems, etc.
The driver of
change can here
be addressed to
the making the
things work as by
satisfying the
needs and wants
of the customers
by adopting the
innovative
technologies.
The strategies
must be used in
the way that the
implementation
of the advance
technologies in
the work place
would be
benefiting the
organization in
the huge ways.
To improve the
customer
satisfaction by
adopting the
proper technology
required.
Legal aspects —
the firm must
look out to have
the fulfilment of
the needs and
wants of their
staffs and
This driver of
change must be
addressed with
the adequate
management to
have all the
fulfilment with in
Proper strategies
should be
implemented that
would be helping
in the
organization to
comply with all
The impact on the
operations must
be taken over by
fulfilling all the
legal aspects like
providing the
staff with

customers as well
(Brock, Kemp,
and Williams,
2022). The
business
operations must
be conducted in
the way to have
the operations in
accordance with
food retailing
commission
(FRC).
the work place
and also outside
the work place
with in the
customers by
giving in the
proper products
and to have the
management
according to the
fulfilment of
needs and wants
of their staff too.
the legal factors. accurate wages.
Environmental
aspects — It
includes factors
which affects the
environment
surrounding like
carbon emission
norms, waste
management, etc.
The key driver of
this aspect is to
have the proper
operations in the
way to maintain
the dumping of
waste and
controlling the
carbon outlet
from the
production plants.
Strategies need to
be adopted to
have the proper
management of
the waste
dumping in the
area and to lower
down the carbon
norms, etc.
To provide with
the sustainability
in the
surroundings and
also to their
customers.
P2: evaluating the ways related to the internal and the external aspect of the change impacting
leadership, team and individual behaviours:
Internal factors: the internal environment is affected by the factors like the events, people of the
firm, system, various structures, and the conditions of the business operations in the company.
These are all the factors that are generally under control of the firm's management authorities.
The factors like leadership, culture of the firm are directly affected by the internal factors of
change that impacts in the whole (Yang-Ngam, Chankoson, and Aodton, 2019). The leadership,

team and individuals in the organization are affected by the situations and the communication.
As these are some aspect that are the main drivers of the change in the organization. Working in
the team in the organization also get affected by the different role identity, commitments from
the side of different individuals and working in this condition also the individual interest got
affected.
External factors: the external factors are the drivers of change in the organization that occurs in
the outer environment of the firm by causing the changes in many factors with in the
organization. The common external factors bringing in the change in the organization is its
customers, competition in the market, economy, technological advancements and political as
well as the social conditions (Damanpour, Sanchez‐Henriquez, and Chiu, 2018). Though by
occurring in the external environment these factors bring in the impact on operations, growth and
long term sustainable development of the firm. These change from the external environment
brings in the negative impact on the leaderships, teams and the individuals working in the
organization.
As the managers have to continuously monitor the activities in the organization and
looking on to the effect of the external factors with in the organization bring in more of the stress
in the work for all the working staff (Yustanti, and et.al., 2021).
P3: evaluating the measures that can be taken to minimize the impact of change on
organizational behaviour:
Change Internal/
external
Impact on
leadership
behaviour
Impact on the
team
behaviour
Impact on
individual
behaviour
Measures to
minimize the
negative
impacts
Social factors: These are
taken as both
the internal
and the
external as per
the society
The change
occurring in
the overall
process
impacts every
thing then the
With in the
team work
main thing is
taken as the
trust and the
overall
For the
individual
person it also
impacts
because taste
and the
The firm can
use in the
Lewin's
change
management
model that can

(Stouten, and
et.al., 2018).
leadership is
also affected
by the
following.
communicatio
n part which is
affected by
these all.
preferences
can change
over the
period on the
continuous
basis.
be helping the
firm to make
the changes
whenever and
wherever it is
required.
Technological
factors:
The changes
based on the
external
environment
as these all
factors are
completely
based on the
innovation of
the new tech
in the firm to
remove the
difficulties in
the overall
business
operations.
The leader
ship in these
factors are
completely
influenced as
the work for
the leaders
become easy
to evaluate the
things and the
tasks to be
performed in
the
organization
(Hamouche,
2020).
The group of
individual
performing the
tasks get the
turns to be
friendly with
new
technologies
and the
machines.
Individual got
the help from
these all
external
changes as
these all
factors help
him in
learning with
the new
elements of
the business
operations.
Proper
strategies
related to the
change model
of the Lewin
can be used in
to have the
changes in the
organization.
Environmenta
l factors:
The
environmental
factors of
change are
completely
related to the
internal
environment
Not only the
leadership but
the overall
business
operations of
the
organization
can be
The team
work in the
organization
can be
affected as the
internal
environment is
a necessary
With in these
all factors the
individual gets
impacted with
these all
because of the
inter-personal
factors related
The
unfreezing
strategies from
the model
should be used
to facilitate the
proper
business

of the
organization.
affected with
these changes.
driver to
facilitate a
positive work
environment
in the
organization.
to the every
individual as
per the
internal
environment
of the firm.
operations.
Economic
factors:
This is
considered to
both the
internal and
the external
environment
factors that
can affect the
monetary
position of the
firm.
Under this the
needs and
wants of the
organizational
structure are
guided by the
leaders in
relation to the
status of the
resource
availability of
the firm.
Team
operations can
be affected as
this all might
be affecting
the purchase
power of the
various
individuals.
Individual's
behaviour for
choosing in
the required
product might
change as per
the
affordability.
The various
elements of
the Kurt
Lewin's model
can be
changed as per
the
requirement to
acquire the
change.
Political
factors:
These are all
the factors that
can affect the
overall goal
oriented
process of the
organization.
Leadership
can be
affected and
can take time
in the required
moments as
the leader
might be
taking in the
political
aspects in
more serious
The team
members by
taking all the
things under
the
consideration
related to the
political
aspects of
business
operations
would work
Fulfilment of
the individual
needs as per
the political
factors will be
requiring with
the high
investment for
the company.
The usage of
the change
model of the
Kurt Lewin's
can help in the
proper
arrangement to
fulfil the
following
aspect.

ways
(Radomska,
and Kozyra,
2020).
accordingly
and would be
working
towards the
goal
achievement.
P4: explaining the Barriers of change and determining how they influence the leadership
decision-making in the context of the “Unilever PLC.”:
For the overall decision-making process which are challenging and difficult to get the
picture, it is advisable to use both efficacious and organized techniques, so that the quality of the
decisions will improve with multiple folds by enhancing the chances of progress in the future.
Force Field Analysis is One of the effective and structured techniques related to this process. It
operates on the idea of achieving balance in between the forces that drives the change and the
forces that hold out change with in the organizational context (Covvey, and et.al., 2019). To have
in such balance for work, the forces driving the changes need to be strong and strengthened
whereas the force that resists the changes is required to be controlled or altered. The functioning
of Force Field Analysis includes the following steps in the overall procedures which are
described as below:
Step 1: Defining the goal and vision of the firm.
Step 2: Identification of the forces that will drive the required changes including both internal
drivers as well as the external drivers.
Step 3: Identification of the forces that will resist the required changes including both internal
resistors and external resistors.
Step 4: Assigning the scores depending upon its strength or weakness on the current plan, goal
or vision.
Step 5: Analysis and application of the changes to drive the current plan, goal and vision.
The changes introduced here in the study are as under:
 To be able to arrange for the cheaper labour and properties which are available at lower
rates of purchasing and rentals.

 To be able to arrange proper raw material in sufficient quantity and appropriate quality
that would be further helping in to have the proper production process.
 To be able to arrange and implement the adequate strategies needed for the suppletion of
waste from the plants and to minimize the carbon emission.
Resisting forces and the driving forces: For first change: arranging of cheaper labour and properties resisting forces include
resistance by the available labour to work with low wages while driving forces will
include availability of such properties due effects of Covid which decreased the value of
many of the properties in the market. For second change: arrangement of raw materials for facilitating the production in the
product plants and to have the quality raw materials and quality products to be served to
the public.
 For third change: arrangement and implementation of strategies to ensure legal
compliances, resisting forces includes complicated nature of such compliances and
requirement of qualified staff to work on these compliances while driving forces includes
compulsory compliance to avoid legal penalties and fines.
It is in the instant, for the leaders to analyse the nature of change, crucial barriers coming in
between to such changes and how to apply force field analysis and other strategies prior to such
implementation of change. Only thing that is sure to happen to every entity is change which
affects the goals & objectives, resources, systems, strategies, structure and the organizational
environment. Thus, management needs to know the barriers that restrict such changes which
includes poor communication, process of decision-making which is non participatory, culture of
the organization, mechanism of the negotiation, etc. Naturally, the effect of these barriers will
depend on the perspective of the leaders whether they are strong and influential enough to
influence the decision-making process of the leadership.
P5. Applying different leadership approaches for dealing with change
With the above evaluation it is clear that there are many different types of the change which can
affect the working of the company to a great extent. hence, it is necessary for Unilever that they
must implement good leadership practices and approaches so that change can be implemented in
better and effective manner. With regards to Unilever there are two changes being implemented
within the company that is the labour was available at very high cost and the raw material was

not properly available to the company (Wang, 2019). This was the major change within the
external environment which intended company to make changes in its policy as well. the driver
for implementing this change within Unilever is to improve the working and try to find the
labour at low price and good quality of raw material are being available to the company. For
implementing these changes into working of company there are different leadership approaches
which can be followed by Unilever which are as follows:
 Democratic leadership- this is a type of leadership approach which includes employee
involvement at time of taking decision. Here, the suggestion of employees is being
considered before making the final decisions.
 Transformational leadership- this is another style of leadership which includes
inspiring positive change within the company and employees also easily follow them.
This style of leadership is very helpful in managing and implementing the change in
practice easily.
 Situational leadership- this is another kind of approach of leadership which includes
selecting the leadership style on the basis of situation prevailing within the market. This
is also assistive in implementing the changes in better and effective way and to improve
the working efficiently.
Out of all these leaderships approaches the use of transformational leadership will be beneficial
in implementing the changes like raw material, labour and environmental sustainability. This
leadership style is being selected for the reason that it assists in implementing the different
changes in better and effective manner.
Type of Change Current impact on the
company
Desired impact
Raw material
unavailability
The current impact will be
negative as when raw
material will not be available
easily then production will
not be undertaken properly.
The desired impact after
change will be that different
suppliers are available for
improving the efficiency of
company.
Increase in labour cost The cost of company will
increase is the current
impact
The desired impact is to find
cheap labour so that cost can
be reduced.

Environment
sustainability
Currently sustainability is
not being focused and it
affects the working of the
company to a great extent.
After the change, strategies
will be made to protect
environment and reduce
carbon emission which will
improve the goodwill and
working of company.
Thus, by working on the negative drivers, Unilever can easily implement different changes so
that it can be reduced and performance of the company is improved (Arthur and Souza, 2020).
Also for implementing these three changes within practice the use of Kurt Lewin model will be
assistive. This is a type of model which assist the person to easily implement any kind of change
by following three simple steps of unfreezing, change and refreezing. The implementation of the
Kurt Lewin's change model is as under:
Unfreezing: for the changes in the organization, process followed in the organization in the
present ways must unfreeze and perceptions for the upcoming process would be applied for the
overall processes must be changed as per the tasks like past behaviours, ways of thinking and the
decision-making process with in the firm and processes, peoples of the firm and with the whole
organizational structure must be demonstrated and changed as per the competitiveness to be
faced in the market.
Change: after the procedure when the firm is not frozen then the change should be implemented
in the firm to complete up the step by making in the employees learn up the new processes and
ways thinking to be developed in the organization.
Refreezing: after monitoring the results from the changes made its the time back to have in the
implementation of the refreezing to make the business run as per the changes accepted in the by
the over all staffs and making sure that the organization is not reverting on the past habits.
CONCLUSION
The above report has concluded about the different organizational facing the impact of
change in the operations. Various ways have been evaluated for the external and internal drivers
that impact the leadership and individual and team working in the organization. The report has
concluded about the measures to be taken to minimize the impact of change on the

organizational behaviours. Further, the report have concluded about the different barriers for
change in the organization and the various leadership approaches have been shown in the report
related to the range in the organization.

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