Morrisons' Success: Applying Leadership and Motivation Theories

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Organizational Behavior and the Management of People
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Definition.........................................................................................................................................4
Explanation of Theories...................................................................................................................5
Application of relevant theories with reference to Morrisons.........................................................8
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................12
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Introduction
Organizational behavior can be termed as the study of human behavior within an organization
based on its varied structure and culture. Combination of this understanding with proper
management techniques undertaking significant areas such as teamwork, leadership, employee
motivation, etc, can help an organization sustain the market competition.
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Definition
Leadership
A leader can be held largely responsible for an organizational management. Understanding and
utilizing the strengths and weaknesses of the employees in areas most compatible with them is
something that is intended by a leader. Working together with the employees rather than passing
orders is expected from individuals functioning as leaders (Grint et al., 2016). The individuals
working as employees in an organization can be called the building blocks or base of the
business. A leader helps to guide these individuals with proper understanding of the skills and
issues related to them. This helps the organization to reach the core of issues in order to gain
relevant solution for the same. Understanding such issues and their root causes can help an
organization to analyze and apply suitable methods and techniques to gain the cures contributing
to the smooth functioning of the business (Marx, 2015).
Motivation to work
This is another section that can prove to be a vital stepping stone for any organization to proceed
in the market competition. Employees serving as the primary stand to the foundations of an
organization require a boost in their morale to gain fluency in operations related to a business
(Steers and Sánchez‐Runde, 2017). This can be attained with the help of various techniques and
methods of positive and negative motivation that can support innovation and efficiency within
the employees, leading to increased organizational performance. Understanding the impacts of
positive motivation such as rewards and recognition on the employee morale and that of negative
effects like punishments can help an organization gain an in-depth insight of the same (Lăzăroiu,
2015). Motivation largely depends upon understanding organizational behavior within a business
based on proper employee management, impacting organizational productivity
Team building and development
Serving as one of the major stands of organizational management in terms of behavior, team-
building can help an organization attain a smooth sustenance in market competition. Engaging
employees to work together can be a hectic task in absence of effective communication within
the individuals (Shuffler et al., 2018). Encouraging communication and team-building within the
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organizational units or staffs can help in various areas such as increased production and
development wherein, the employees can serve as strengths to the weaknesses of each other
gaining desired outcomes in relation to organizational performance (Tripathy, 2018).
Encouragement in team-building can also help identify and enhance qualities within employees
contributing to increased employee performance that in turn can help improve organizational
productivity as a whole.
Explanation of Theories
Theories of leadership
Trait Theory states the pillars or straits possessed by leaders either by birth or through
experience. Conquering vital areas like decision making, critical thinking and creativity helps
leaders to gain respect and appreciation within the employees of an organization. Apart from the
above traits, a leader can also acquire qualities like intelligence and empathy that can help the
employees enhance their performance. However, depending solely upon the threats acquired can
hardly be of any use if not blended with proper management techniques that can be gained by a
deep understanding of the same.
Contingency Theory can be stated as the implementation of methods and techniques suitable
depending on the situations in hand. Unlike declaring any medium as a perfect choice for a
situation, application of suitable and effective methods for issues can serve to be more helpful as
per contingency theory. Individuals operating with a definite style of leadership can often face
issues while handling other situations apart from their habituated areas of expertise, making it
difficult for the organization to continue a smooth operation.
Theories of motivation to work
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory
Projecting five areas of human needs Maslow’s theory of motivation can provide a detailed
explanation in terms of the stages incorporated in order to gain a raised self esteem. This can be
understood better with the help of the first step being physiological needs like food and shelter.
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These can serve as the first motivational pillar of concern for humans, upon acquiring which, an
individual rises to the next need in the stages described by Maslow (D'Souza and Gurin, 2016).
Safety needs serving as the next concern for individuals can help motivate an employee to
increase performance level in order to gain an increased income to achieve economic and
physical security.
Figure 1: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
(Source: D'Souza and Gurin, 2016)
Social needs stands as the third stage that can drive an individual as a social being to engage in
social interaction, motivating the employees to continue working within an organization. Esteem
needs can be stated as the fourth and one of the most significant areas after the prior stages. This
can serve as a motivational pillar for the employees to continue improving their performance
level as this can help boost self-esteem, providing a feeling of importance within the individuals
(Soni and Soni, 2016). The last need of this model, being self-actualization states the importance
of feeling complete. Upon the achievement of all the steps discussed above, this step refers to the
satisfaction gained upon cultivation of one’s full potential in something significant to the
individual.
Herzberg’s Motivation Hygiene Theory
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Proposed by Frederick Herzberg, this theory is often termed as the Two-Factor theory that can
help understand the motivational factors to work in an organization better. Based on this model,
there are two major factors that can serve as both motivation as well as hygiene. This can be
explained better with the help of the prior stages of Maslow’s model of Hierarchy stating the five
stages that can serve as the pillars of motivation. Based on Herzberg’s model, these pillars can
serve as hygiene upon their achievement, extending motivational factors further (Herzberg,
2017). Considering salary as an example factor of hygiene can be used to explain the importance
of the same for an employee to continue service. However, this can hardly be termed as a
motivational factor as its presence serves as a normal aspect of any service but in absence of the
same can affect employee retention. Recognition on the other hand, can serve as an added
motivation for an employee. Absence of the same can cause a fluctuation in performance level
unlike salary that can result in ending the employee relation to the organization completely.
Theories of team building and development
Belbin’s Team Role Theory
This theory states nine roles, featured by Belbin, segregated in three behavioral groups that can
help understand the process of team building and development within an organization. Starting
with the first behavioral area as, people oriented roles states three roles, starting with the role of
a coordinator, acting as the chairperson or leader for a group. Team Worker stand next in line
where the individual helps the rest of the team to conduct the tasks issues, providing support in
negotiations within the team mates. Working as resource investigators for the rest of the team,
these individuals help the team to gain the required resources with the help of effective
negotiation with external stakeholders, utilizing their curious and outgoing nature in the process.
Thought oriented roles can be termed as another area where roles like plant are projected as
individuals helping the team to gain ideas and innovations based on their nature of creativity.
However, these individuals seem to be aloof from the rest of the team members. Motivation
evaluators can be explained as members that can help team to implement the ideas that the
members have come up with. Specialists are the next in line that can be explained as the efficient
members of the team that can help complete a task effectively. Action oriented roles is the third
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and last area hosting the rest of the members of a team starting with the shaper that can be
explained as a personality that can help the team to accept and gain results in terms of
challenges. Showing a dynamic, outgoing and argumentative behavior, these individuals help the
team to cross obstacles with ease. Implementer is the next role that can be spoken about
organized individuals helping to get the concepts materialized. Lastly, the completer-finisher are
the members that are concerned about the completion of projects with given deadlines with
perfection, pushing other members to provide accumulated efforts together.
Tuckman’s Theory of Team Building
This can be explained with the help of the four stages comprising the theory as forming,
storming, norming and performing (Raes et al., 2015). This is the first stage of building a team
that depends largely on the leaders to help conduct negotiations and communication within team
members. Storming is the second stage where the members go through a certain struggles to gain
importance in context of their ideas and position within the team. Norming can be termed as the
third stage where the members project better teamwork based on improved interaction
encouraged by fun activities projects amongst themselves. Posing as the last stage, performing
can be explained as the unity amongst the team members helping them gain the vision and
motivation to complete given tasks and projects on a satisfactory level with each other’s
cooperation (Eubanks et al., 2016).
Figure 2: Tuckman’s Theory of Team Building
(Source: Eubanks et al., 2016)
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Application of relevant theories with reference to Morrisons.
Application of Contingency theory
The theories stated above can be better explained with the help of suitable examples of an
organization such as Morrisons serving the customers in UK with the help of over 500 physical
and online outlets. Providing employment to over 110,000 employees, Morrisons has managed to
gain the 4rth largest position across the chain of supermarkets in UK. Working together as a
family with employees all across United Kingdom, Morrisons has managed to enhance their
position and performance with the help of proper management skills. Considering the
contingency theory of leadership in this case can help understand the management techniques
better in reference to the online delivery feature added to their existing rows of outlets (Fiedler,
2015). Understanding the requirement of the society with its changing and improving
technological needs, Morrisons has shown considerable progress with the same in relation with
employee engagement and motivation towards the changing situations in hand. Hiring efficient
employees and providing technical training to the individuals has helped them gain the required
assistance to gain smooth operations of online outlets, contributing to a continued service for the
existing and new customers.
Gaining a deeper insight in this theory can help understand the management of an organization
such as Morrisons better. Understanding the difference within circumstances and the significance
of flexible strategies can help an organization to fill the gaps with effective management of
employees. Morrisons can be used as an example in this area based on the history of the
organization switching from a group of stalls in the market to its first ever store offering
customers self service as a brand new feature added to UK. This has also shown the adaptation of
available resources within the organization in the best possible manner that has helped the
business to acquire new and enhanced brand recognition in the market. Additional provisions
like free parking for the customers also helped the organization to gain and increase its list of
customers in the initial days of service (Boehe, 2016).
Improving the services and adding extra items to the list can also be considered under effective
management projected by Morrison in the years of its successful operation in the UK market.
Understanding the potential and skills of the employees to continue with the constant change has
earned the organization its present place among the customers along with its base of employees.
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The introduction of online deliveries to homes across the nation can be stated as one of the most
effective decisions taken by the organization that has helped the business to gain another step in
the market competition. Targeting an increased base of modern and tech-savvy customers in the
present market can be considered as a beneficial decision on the part of the organization.
However, this required a great deal of training and development for the employees operating
with the organization. Supporting the employees to enhance their personal growth in the process
can also be counted as a clever decision that has helped the organization to increase the value of
its assets manifold.
Application of Herzberg’s theory
Application of the Herzberg’s theory can help portray the motivation amongst the individuals
serving as employees in the chosen organization. This can be acquired with the help of
Herzberg’s theory of motivation. Based on the findings of the theory, employee motivation
resides upon the fulfillment of both hygiene as well as motivational factors helping the self-
esteem to boost. This can be seen among the members of Morrison, where the organization takes
care of the requirements and issues of the employees working together. Management of such a
large bases of employees all across UK shows the fulfillment of their basic need of wages, which
is termed as a hygiene factor according to the model of Herzberg (Sanjeev and Surya, 2016).
Apart from that, other areas like job security and conditions of work can also be considered
under hygiene factors. The fulfillment of these can be considered as the factors, which can be
improved to decrease job dissatisfaction.
Figure 3: Herzberg’s two-factor theory
(Source: Kotni and Karumuri, 2018)
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As per the motivational factors described in the model, recognition and responsibilities can be
considered areas incorporating higher efficiency within the employees that is visible in
Morrisons where the employees are responsible for serving loyal customers of the organization
with their constant discount policies and same prices all throughout the outlets across UK. This
has also helped the organization gain the trust of employees serving as motivators, which in turn
can be seen as an additional benefit of improving employee retention. Morrison has shown
considerable power to sustain the market even in times of economic turbulence. Unlike the
competitor organizations showing fluctuation in their prices and hours of operation to sustain the
market competition, Morrison has projected a record to maintain constant policies regarding
these areas, helping the employees to gain motivation in terms of a challenge to serve over
eleven million customers during these times in all around UK. This has also helped the
employees to understand and discover their skills and talents in the field of operations, providing
them a path to grow and prosper.
Working with the employees to enhance their personal growth has helped the organization
maintain stable conditions throughout their years of operation in the market of UK. Considering
challenges as a factor of motivation can be stated with reference to the opening of online outlets
on the part of Morrisons. This helped the employees gain training from their employers, serving
as a challenge and motivation to enhance their personal growth and development. Also, the
additional growth of their skills and abilities can also serve as recognition of them as valuable
assets to the organization increasing their hygiene factor in the process. An addition and blending
of the improvement of both the factors can help an organization such as Morrisons to maintain
their sustenance in the market competition. This has helped the organization to pave their path
with the help of cooperation from the employees as an addition to an effective resource
management. Personal growth within the employees can also be considered as an additional
benefit for the organizational growth and productivity (Kotni and Karumuri, 2018).
Apart from that, the organization has shown considerable management in terms of the service
providers working along with them. Providing the employees and suppliers recognition has
helped the organization to pull through with ease and efficiency. Working as the building units of
the organization, these employees have helped improve the working condition, turning the
process into a cycle where, the improvement of the motivational factors has contributed to gain
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an improved hygiene factor. This can be taken as an example to understand a clear relation
within the two areas as described by Herzberg in the model. Completion and achievement of all
the factors in the first area can serve as milestones for the next making it an unending cycle
whereupon the initial management can contribute to later rewards for the organization as a
whole.
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