Organizational Culture and Employee Motivation at Morrison's

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the organizational behavior of Morrison's, a UK-based food retailer. It begins with an executive summary and table of contents, followed by an introduction to the company. The core of the report examines Morrison's organizational culture through the lens of Hofstede's cultural dimensions, evaluating its approach to means versus goals, internal versus external focus, work discipline, local versus professional culture, open versus closed systems, and employee versus work orientation. The report then explores the communication model followed by Morrison's, highlighting the impact of organizational culture on communication, including psychological safety, organizational centralization, leadership behavior, and job control. It applies the Barnlund transactional model to illustrate communication processes within the company. Furthermore, the report investigates the role of culture on employee motivation, using Maslow's hierarchy of needs to analyze how Morrison's addresses employee needs at various levels, including physiological, safety and security, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. The report concludes with an evaluation and overall conclusion.

ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR
1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this report is to carry out the study based on the
organizational behaviour of a company, giving a detailed analysis of the
theoretical model it adopted to manage its work culture. It also mentions
that how the work culture of an organisation affects its employees and
their motivation to work. The main focus of this research study is to
show the importance of organizational culture in a company. Further, it
will include evaluation based on the research to how appropriately a
company can use its work culture to enhance its success.
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
ABOUT “MORRISONS”................................................................................................................4
1. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE (MORRISON’S) IN LIGHT OF HOFSTEDE MODEL. 4
1) Means Oriented v/s Goal Oriented....................................................................................5
2) Internally & externally driven culture...............................................................................5
3) Easy going v/s the strict work discipline..........................................................................5
4) Local v/s Professional Culture..........................................................................................6
5) Open system v/s closed system.........................................................................................6
6) Employee orientation v/s Work orientation......................................................................6
2. COMMUNICATION MODEL FOLLOWED BY MORRISON’S.........................................7
IMPACT OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ON COMMUNICATION.............................7
II. Organizational centralization............................................................................................7
III. Leadership behaviour........................................................................................................7
IV. Job control & Autonomy...................................................................................................8
3. ROLE OF CULTURE ON EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION......................................................9
1. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS................................................................................................9
2. SAFETY & SECURITY NEEDS.......................................................................................10
3. SOCIAL NEEDS................................................................................................................10
4. ESTEEM NEEDS...............................................................................................................10
5. SELF ACTUALIZATION..................................................................................................10
4. EVALUATION......................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Every organization has its own set goals and objectives which incorporates a series of
activities to accomplish its desired outcomes. An organization is not just a building but it is
actually a group of people coming together to achieve their goals. The study of the organizational
behaviour gives a clear picture of what the individuals think, their needs, how they feel and what
they want to pursue at their personal end in an organization (Majumdar, 2018). The behaviour of
an individual is flexible and dynamic as it can change within a point of time. Moreover, the
managers of a company can take the advantage of it as this knowledge can help in anticipating
events of the organization.
ABOUT “MORRISONS”
‘MORRISONS’ is one of the Yorkshire food retailer serving clients across the UK over
with nearly 500 stores and providing online home delivery service. Its business is principally
food and grocery and exceptionally, they have their own manufacturing units from where they
process & sell out their majority of the fresh foods. It gives them the control over the quality of
their products as they have much skilled and trained professionals at their stores who prepare
food for the customers (Haleem and Jehangir, 2017). Reliably, 11 million customers pass
through their doorways and in excess of 110,000 partners across the business lock in consistently
to pass on mind blowing help to them. With relentless, forever low costs they are centred on
supporting their customers put to the side money every day.
1. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE (MORRISON’S) IN LIGHT OF
HOFSTEDE MODEL
The progressive culture model proposed by the Hofstede holds the major importance as it has
been applied commonly by investigators to separate the legitimate culture of any association.
Morrison's progressive culture can moreover be inspected thinking about Hofstede social model
(Saleem and Larimo, 2017). It can be explained as:
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1) Means Oriented v/s Goal Oriented
The Morrison’s has successfully maintained the proper balance between the mean and goal
orientation, because it lays emphasis over the importance of attaining the goals, and meanwhile
encourages employees to bear risks on condition to achieve the outcomes
Morrison's management makes sure that the staff should embrace the legal and incorporated
ways for achieving the desired objectives. This way healthy work environment is encouraged in
the organization (Wood and et. at., 2019).
The goal orientation approach incorporates, Morrison's urges its workers to put their earnest
attempts for achieving the set objectives. Workers aren't rebuffed for sharing novel thoughts and
facing challenges. During along these lines, Morrison's has effectively decreased the fear of
disappointment from its employees.
2) Internally & externally driven culture
The organizational culture of Morrison’s is more internally driven than externally. Instead of
guaranteeing a quick reaction to the ever changing clients wants, the foremost noteworthy
management clearly conveys the importance of ethical way while addressing market wants
(Isfahani, Teimouri and Abzari, 2020). The corporate offers solid obligation to incorporate
morals and honesty into its business activities. The inside driven authoritative culture has
empowered the association to utilize its moral image picture as a device to encourage a powerful
aggressive edge over rival firms.
3) Easy going v/s the strict work discipline
It uncovers that the corporate is all the more firmly connected with the restrained work culture
with vertical hierarchy system and long structure. It implies the management retains the decision
making authority, and directly controls the employees work conduct. The inventive and creative
work conduct is advanced by compensating the workers with different money related and non-
financial rewards, yet the strengthening and self-rule is prohibited because of management
tendency towards the strict work discipline (Taras, 2017). The administration has chosen to
frame a slow shift from the incorporated to decentralized hierarchical design. This shift will
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move some authority from top to the underside, and thus, the organization will accomplish a
fresh and new harmony among strict and easy work culture.
4) Local v/s Professional Culture
The organization advances an expert disposition among its representatives. There is no
commitment to act with a certain goal in mind. At Morrison’s, the diversity is advanced and
differences are valued. It is done to use the chances offered by such helpful differences. The
Morrison's model shows the significance of developing an expert hierarchical culture to stay
fruitful in a profoundly differentiated climate.
5) Open system v/s closed system
It shows that the corporate clearly moves towards the open side. In Morrison's, there are open
end communication lines and furthermore the authoritative culture is adaptable and very much
broadened. The upper hand of the Morrison's is its capacity to deal with an exceptionally
expanded labour force (Talukdar, 2017). The open social framework has empowered the
Morrison's to ensure a high data stream and build up the information, abilities and capabilities of
representatives from enhanced foundations. Both these elements are viewed as significant by the
global associations like Morrison's to convenient answer the changing clients' necessities in
different geographic territories.
6) Employee orientation v/s Work orientation
The management of Morrison truly values its people, and thus focuses on the worker fulfilment
and inspiration. Despite the fact that, employees are appointed with difficult objectives, the
administration deals with their interests and tries not to compress them that will lead the workers
towards burnout. The harmony between the undertaking and management direction is achieved
by:
o Assigning the tough objectives and offering compensations to maximize the performance.
o Providing employees with fundamental training, tutoring and direction to achieved the set
objectives.
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o Discouraging the workers from making additional time a standard inside the work
environment.
o Persuading and preparing the staff to deal with the strain and time
.
2. COMMUNICATION MODEL FOLLOWED BY MORRISON’S
Organizations of all sizes should effectively communicate within the company in the era of the
digital and global enterprise, but they also must communicate effectively with shareholders,
suppliers and customers (Turaga, 2019). Effective communication is a key element in major
business processes and must be efficient in order for employees to share and transmit
information which contributes to the success of the business processes and the behavioural
patterns of the most critical.
IMPACT OF ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE ON COMMUNICATION
I. Psychological safety
An environment that is psychologically safe is where people expect other people to react
positively if they expose their thinking (such as asking questions, seeking feedback, pointing out
mistakes, or having new ideas).Employees who believe that their environment is psychologically
safe are therefore less likely to maintain communication because of the team's lack of
embarrassment or rejection.
II. Organizational centralization
Whether the organization is bureaucratic or hierarchical it increases withholding.
Communication is better if the hierarchy is flatter.
III. Leadership behaviour
The behaviour of organisational leaders determines culture and affects communication. Culture
often comes from the highest, and leaders certainly have an important role to play in creating a
communication-safe culture.
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IV. Job control & Autonomy
Lastly, control of jobs also affects communication. Job control varies across and between
organisations and refers to the extent to which a person has an opinion of their work and the way
their work is carried out (Ilham, 2018). If a person has greater job control, this leads to better
communication, since what people have to say has a clear impact on their workplaces compared
to people with less employment control.
Now we’ll frame the communication process at Morrison’s through BARNLUND
TRANSACTIONAL MODEL.
This model consists of three basic elements:
 The public sign which is natural, man-made, physical or environmental.
 Private directory sign which includes its own senses. Both can be verbal or non-verbal.
 Another set of indications are behavioural indicators. The behavioural signals may be
oral or nonverbal.
This signifies that the communication transaction model of Barnlund is a model for examining
interpersonal communication with immediate feedback. This method's main idea is that the
feedback to the sender is the response from the receiver. The model also underlines the role of
'signals' in influencing the messages. The role of public signs was highlighted by Barnlund.
Environmental signs and private signs are public signs. They are the thoughts and stories of a
person. This is most systematic of all the functional models.
Let’s understand how at Morrison’s this model is followed hypothetically.
The Barnlund multi-level feedback system is followed at Morrison’s. The transmitter and
receiver change places, which are both equally important. This is a continuous process.
Communication is conducted with continuous feedback from both parties. The news is the
feedback from one (Mikkola and Valo 2019). Take for an example, a situation arises where there
is an important decision taken by the top level managers to implement certain changes at the
workplace. The flow of information will be from highest to the lowest. The data can be
transferred through meetings, telephonic conversations, emails or prior notifications. When the
transfer of information is direct, there occurs less chances of mistakes in interpreting the
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messages. After the information is decoded by the employees, they can also send a direct
feedback or response to the higher management or authorities. Not just the employees, they also
send their private information through websites and emails to their company’s shareholders.
When the employees are given a stable work environment, where they can freely communicate
their opinions and feedback to their superiors, they have a strong desire to work harder and strike
a balance between work and their personal growth. Also they strongly feel motivated and works
towards the fulfilment of organizational goals. This model of communication followed in
Morrison’s helps the company to build an effective network in the organisation and to the
outside world.
3. ROLE OF CULTURE ON EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION
Employees are considered as an integral part of an organization. For the long term success the
management of the company should focus on the productivity and growth of an individual at his
own personal level. The productivity of an individual depends upon his intention to work.
Employees work at their highest level when they achieve their personalized goals. But what
actually these goals are and how they are motivated to perform their tasks depends upon their
needs. To analyse the need for motivation, organizations adopts motivational theories, through
which they identify the needs of an individual. One such theory is “MASLOW’S NEED
HIERARCHY THEORY” which clearly indicates employee needs for their personal
development (Stewart, Nodoushani and Stumpf, 2018). Let’s put this theory in the case of
Morrison’s.
1. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
The basic needs of an individual such as the need for food, shelter, clothes etc. comes under
physiological needs. These needs are on the lowest level because without the fulfilment of the
basic needs the individual can’t climb up in the hierarchy ladder. Every individual of Morrison’s
works with full dedication and enthusiasm to gain some basic rewards from which he can meet
his basic needs. Morrison’s provides its workers with equally high amount of wages and salaries
based on their work so they are in a position to fulfil their basic needs.
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2. SAFETY & SECURITY NEEDS
The need for safety and security arises after the physiological needs are fulfilled. The external
physical dangers can pose a threat to an individual so he must be protected against such dangers.
To promote safety within the organisation, employees are given a defined place to work. They
are informed about the lines of dangers outside which they cannot operate their work. They are
also given security in the form of insurance premiums, provident funds and other types of leaves
in case of any emergency. This way they keep in mind the safety and security of their workers.
3. SOCIAL NEEDS
These necessities consequently refers to belongingness or alliance. All people need to be
perceived and acknowledged by others. Every employee working at Morrison is motivated
towards work in order to get recognition from their superiors and get respect from their fellow
team members. The interpersonal relations developed between individuals creates a friendly
environment which boosts the morale of an individual to work more efficiently.
4. ESTEEM NEEDS
These need belongs to the own self that is self- esteem and self-respect of an individual. These
incorporate such requirements that show fearlessness, accomplishment, capability, information,
and autonomy (Rožman, Treven and Čančer, 2017) Morrison’s can fulfil their employees esteem
needs by giving them status, power and autonomy to take certain decisions at the will of their
own so that it gives the employee a feeling of high authorisation which can be a factor to
enhance productivity.
5. SELF ACTUALIZATION
The last step of the needs model hierarchy is self-realization. It's about personal growth. Kurt
Goldstein gave the term "self-actualization," which means that potential advantage can be
gained. By becoming a successful worker, an individual can achieve self-realization. The same
applies at Morrison’s too. They also believe that to become successful an employee needs proper
training and development to understand how the work is actual done. If he performs well during
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his training period, he can be given rewards in the form of recognition or promotion at a higher
level.
4. EVALUATION
Organizational behaviour is an integral part of every company. Its objective is to bring individual
and team behaviours in line with the culture of the company and its vision. Every person in the
organisation has to understand their expected behaviours and training needs to be provided in
many cases in order to teach new behaviours. Leaders also have to model and coach the
behaviours they want. It is unrealistic to expect changes from individual employees without these
examples. By evaluating some factors as to how it can increase success, we can conclude that:
The Company could find a right balance between the customer-client relationships. Even if the
most talented people have the key role, if the behaviour of people does not encourage success,
the organisation's potential will not be fully realised. The organisation has the capacity to
innovate, team interactions and continuous process improvement to some success factors that are
heavily dependent on individual behaviour (Akhmetshin and et. al., 2018). Among the actions
that promote/hinder success are how employees interact with one another and with the leader,
how the leader reacts to employees, and how colleagues communicate in different teams.
CONCLUSION
The three components of corporate success — structure, communication and employees
motivation — cannot and must not be alone. The overall view if one of these elements is focused
so that one area is not disproportionately stronger than the other. Implement a training and
development programme to support each of these three key elements in order to exploit each
individual in the organization's full potential. By far we have covered the need and importance of
the organisational culture in light of the Morrison’s. Also we had a look on how it contributes to
the better communication process and increase in motivation of the employees of the company.
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REFERENCES
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culture model based on dimensions of Hofstede model. International Journal of Business
Information Systems, 34(2). pp. 293-308.
Majumdar, B., 2018. Organisational Behaviour. Abhigyan, 36(2). pp. 74-76.
Mikkola, L. and Valo, M. eds., 2019. Workplace communication. Routledge.
Rožman, M., Treven, S. and Čančer, V., 2017. Motivation and Satisfaction of Employees in the
Workplace. Business Systems Research: International journal of the Society for
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hierarchy of needs. In Competition Forum (Vol. 16, No. 2. pp. 67-75). American Society
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Taras, V., 2017. Cultural dimensions, Hofstede. The International Encyclopedia of Intercultural
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Turaga, R., 2019. Effective Communication in Organizations. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 13(1).
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