Organizational Behavior Report: M&S, Culture, Motivation & Teams

This report delves into the realm of organizational behavior, utilizing Marks & Spencer (M&S) as a case study to illustrate key concepts. It explores the impact of organizational culture, politics, and power on individual and team performance, analyzing how these elements shape employee behavior and overall organizational effectiveness. The report further examines content and process theories of motivation, evaluating their application within M&S to enhance employee efficiency and goal achievement. It provides insights into the characteristics of effective and ineffective teams, applying these principles to a business context. The analysis covers various aspects, including task, role, power, and people cultures within M&S, as well as the influence of politics and power dynamics. Motivational techniques, such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Vroom's Expectancy Theory, are discussed in relation to their practical application within the organization. The report ultimately aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how organizational behavior principles can be applied to improve business outcomes within a real-world setting.

Organizational
Behavior

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO 1.................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Analyze how an organization’s culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behavior and performance...........................................................................................................3
LO 2.................................................................................................................................................5
P2 Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques
enable effective achievement of goals in an organizational context...........................................5
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................8
P3 Explain what makes an effective team as opposed to an ineffective team............................8
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................10
P4 Apply concepts and philosophies of organizational behavior within an organizational
context and a given business situation......................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................10
Books and Journal.....................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study of human behavior in organizational settings, the
interface between human behavior and the organization, and the organization itself.. To have
an effective operation of the employees in an organization this principle is used. Organizational
behavior promotes innovation, communication, job satisfaction, job performance and encourage
leadership. This study of behavior not just study the individual but also group performance. This
organizational behavior study will lead to good environment in the organization. In the present
time this study has evolved to modern theory of decision making and business structure.
Marks and Spencer is one of the major British multinational retailer of United Kingdom.
The specialization of this company is to selling high quality of clothing, food and home products.
The company has also started selling other products like Kellogg's Corn Flakes recently and has
959 stores across UK which has 615 stores which are selling just food products. M&S are selling
their own innovated food products and have chief's of their own who are experimenting with
healthy food and new ideas with good food. Report will highlight the impact of culture, politics
and power influence individual and team. It will also lay emphasis on the content and process
theory of motivation.
LO 1
P1 Analyse how an organisation’s culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behaviour and performance.
Impact of Culture-
The values, the beliefs and the implication of these are the soul of the organizational
culture. Charles Handy has divided this impact into four categories and those would be-
Task
Task culture forms when teams in an organization are formed to address specific
problems or progress projects. The tasks can change frequently and sometimes take a long time
to change. Some employees can be skilled in some fields and the other employees in another. So,
due to this the power keeps shifting for an effective work environment. There has to be a right
mix of leadership and personality because of this the team can work creatively and productively
(McShane and Glinow, 2017).

In M&S the work distribution is done so well that there are no inner conflicts in the
company\organization. If solution to the problems are found then this makes the team motivated
and influence individual and team behavior. The company is therefore the best in UK because
they are well planned and organized in their kind of steps. The tasks they get are always well
distributed and the powers are given to the right person who can handle the team.
Role
This culture is based on rules and regulations. Due to the responsibility and roles divided
in the team and everyone's power the organization has a strong role culture and highly
controllable one. The power depends on the role culture of the employee's position in the
company. The organization with role culture tend to be very official and administrative.
The designations appointed to people in M&S company are very specific and does not
need to be changed. The roles of the employees are fixed and they have to problem with that
kind of system. The work distribution becomes easier and people tend to work in their own
circle. This reduces the politics in the company and lets the company's work environment remain
healthy.
Power
The power in an organization is held by just few individuals and those few individuals
are selected on the bases of their influence in the organization. The decision making is done by
the people with power and the other employees are just judged on their working achievements
and the powerful people allot them work accordingly (Borkowski, 2016).
The powerful people of M&S are always busy keeping their employee's happy and
satisfied with the work allotted to them and their work environment. The impact of power is that
The people with power distribute the work accordingly and try to make the work environment
better instead of including the management into the small matters. It can lay negative impact on
individual team and performance. The politics in M&S are very low and therefore this company
is doing so well (Ellis and et.al., 2017).
People
The organisations objective is to make the people work in the company. The employees
of an organization see themselves as superior and unique with person cultures.
M&S company has people in control and makes the best out of them for the profitability
of the organization. When people are working under control then the company can give out its

best of products and the best of its services. People are the most important labor in an
organisation because if the people are not there then the organization cannot work. M&S makes
sure the all their employees are comfortable working with the organization. The impact of people
culture can be positive on individual, team and performance.
Impact of Politics-
The company cannot work efficiently if there are inner conflicts in the company. People
use this strategy to gain personal benefits and profit. Another reason why people use this politics
is to come in spotlight and gain some appreciations from the seniors. The drawback that the
individuals do not understand is that the impact of politics is never good for them or the
company. The environment of the working space can get damaged and the company may have to
face major crises because of this (Devece, Palacios-Marqués and Alguacil, 2016).
M&S has faced the impact of politics in the past but now this company is developing on
that field and getting the situation better. The company is now having good environment to work
in and the employees turnover has reduced and the employees are kept happy in all conditions.
Impact of Power-
Power can impact in a negative and a positive aspect. The team with the power can use
this privilege and the company will have to face some major consequences of it. For example-
the executive of the kitchen department makes an employee work so much and more than the
other employees to take out some personal conflict. That employee will not be able to do
anything about it and that employee may leave which will be a major lose for the company.
In M&S there is no misuse of the power therefore the company is growing itself out from
the fall they had faced in the past. All the employees of M&S have gotten together and
supporting the company to grow (Dipboye, 2016). M&S as not faced this kind of problems
recently and the management is only focused on making the market bigger and they are not
bothered by the company’s internal problems.
LO 2
P2 Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques enable
effective achievement of goals in an organisational context.
In order to enhance efficiency and productivity of employees, motivation is needed. For this
company is making use of various motivational techniques. This includes the following:

Process Theory-
How an entity develops and changes with a system of ideas that is explained is known as
process theory. How and why things are happening is the focus of process theory. To understand
that Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is studied. There are 5 stages in Maslow's Hierarchy of needs
are self-actualization, esteem, love belonging, safety and physiological. How is Maslow's
hierarchy come in use in process theory are as follows-
Physiological needs- Physiological needs are those needs which are very basic that all the
individual want to survive in this world. Needs like food, shelter, drink, clothes, sleep, etc. M&S
is providing these basic needs to its employee's to not just keep them happy but because they
deserve this basic from the company. The company has to make sure that the wage they are
giving to the employees that is satisfactory for the employees of M&S.
Safety needs- These are those needs which when the basic is achieved then there are few
safety needs which come up which are laws, security, order, stability, etc. M&S makes sure that
all the employees are getting these safety needs because it is the right to all the human being.
Example- An employee is asked to work for more than 9 hours a day then either they should be
given wages or if they are not rewarded in any form then they can sue the company for the
violation of their work. All the workers are treated equally by the company.
Love and belongingness needs- This is very important for the human needs and specially
when the basic needs are fulfilled the human being needs belongingness in the organization.
M&S gives the employees the feeling of belongingness in the company so that they feel that their
work matters in the organization and they are motivated to do the needful work with passion.
The company is not providing anyone with a feeling of as if they are not required in then firm
because if the employee feels that then the company will be in loss and not that individual. The
environment plays a major role in the belongingness of the employee in the organization.
Esteem needs- An employee needs respect and reputation with whatever work they are
doing in the enterprise. M&S makes sure that all employees are respected for their work by
giving them extra wages for extra work or excellent work. The employee when is feeling that
they are being respected for the work they are doing then that will demotivate them and the
efficiency of the organization will fall. Motivation of doing work is not just by giving extra
wages or incentives but by respecting them also plays a major role.

Self-actualization needs- The work is well distributed between the employees of M&S
which gives them a target to achieve and if they do that then there is self-fulfillment and they feel
like doing more to achieve greater heights in the organisation. That makes them more
professional about their own field and makes them work more efficiently (Chen, Eshleman and
Soileau, 2016). Self-satisfaction with work also plays a major role for encouraging the
employees and they feel satisfied not just with themselves but also the work and with the
organisation.
Content Theory-
This theory studies why the needs of people change with the change in time. To motivate
behavior there are specific factors which are involved and this theory can explain that properly.
There is no proof that it is because of these factors and this theory is not valid but content theory
is very helpful in framework to understand individuals. Vroom's expectancy has explained this
theory in three variables which are-
Expectancy- In this variable there has to be a right source of raw material available, the
right job skills and having the right support to get the work done by others. M&S makes sure that
the raw materials they are using are easily available and they get the right people in the company
for the right kind of work. The company is doing well because M&S is making sure of all the
small factors are right so that they can grow faster and better.
Instrumentality- An employee is doing its best because they know that the outcome of
the work will have a reward for them in the end of it. That will make them work more and trust
the organisation for the work which is being allotted to them. To make the work happen faster
and better the employees are shown an image of something they get by the end of it.
Valence- There is a different expectation from every individual for the work they are
doing. Some people prefer money in return for the effort they put in but the others may prefer
extra days off from work (Miner, 2015). M&S is one of those few companies’ which takes care
of its employees well. They give their employees their individual needs and what they desire
from the effort they provide to the company.
Motivational Techniques-
This technique includes that the employees working in any organisation must have some
kind of motivation for putting in all the efforts they could. The should get some outcome from
the organisation if they are putting in their best (Dai and et.al., 2018).

Reward- The employees of M&S put in all their hard work in the products that the company is
producing because they know that the organization will give them something in return. M&S
makes sure that none of the hard work which their employees are putting in for the organization
should go for a waste. Therefore, the organization is doing well and the employees are not
leaving this company and the employee turnover of this company is low and more and more of
people want to join in the recent time.
Holiday- M&S has a very flexible environment for holidays and leaves (Newton and LePine,
2018). If the employee is loyal to the organization, then the organization will give everything
which is required by the employees to them. M&S keeps its employees very happy and satisfied
with the work they do. Some people want satisfaction by working hard and then getting off from
work more than once a week.
LO 3
P3 Explain what makes an effective team as opposed to an ineffective team.
An effective team will be made when the team have an appropriate and adequate number of
members.
Effective Team Ineffective Team
To have a productive team listening to the
team members plays an important role. This
way the team works efficiently.
The team does not listen to one another then
there is a misunderstanding in the team and the
team does not work efficiently.
The conflicts are entertained and got to a same
conclusion as everyone else in the team so that
everyone is comfortable.
The conflicts are not solved and that leads to
more problems for the team to work.
In an effective team work the members of the
team put in all the efforts and have a voice of
their own.
Ineffective team does not manage to work
together and the team members are not
satisfied and happy with the work environment
and with the people they deal with every day.
The tasks are not just allotted to the team
members but also accepted and understood by
the team members properly so that the work is
The tasks are allotted to the team members
without coming to a common understanding

done with perfection. and acceptance.
The decisions which are taken in this team
frame are in acceptance by all the team
members and there are lesser conflicts.
The decisions which are taken are done by the
people who are the heads and are not in favor
of everyone.
There is respect for the leader of the group
because the leader takes the entire team
together to get the task completed and to make
any decisions for them.
There is comparatively less respect for the
leader because they can not take the entire
team work together.
When there is a task allotted to all the people
then the work is distributed equally and is
accepted by everyone. Clear guidance is also
provided to get the work done.
There is no proper guidance when the task is
allotted. The tasks are just allotted without the
team accepting it.
All the members of the team has some or
another kind of contribution in the task allotted
and with great efforts.
The Team members do not feel like doing the
task allotted which will be time consuming and
they will not be done properly.
Bruce Tuckman's Team development model
Forming- There is a proper direction and guidance from the leader and the team is
dependent on that. All the doubts that a team have been cleared by the leader and the leader must
be always ready to answer all the questions that their team has, be it the objective or purpose or
any external relationships. M&S leaders are all well aware of these factors and are always
making there team clear of all the doubts and making the team work effectively (Pentland and
Hærem, 2015).
Storming- The decisions of an organisation does not come in so easily and have to really
discussed among the team members before taking any decision. The team needs to be really
focused on the organisation and not there personal problems when they come for work. There is
no space for emotions and relationships in the organisation. M&S has to interpersonal
relationships between the employees and are trained to be really focused on the organisation. The
employees when they are focused on there work makes the organisation work more efficiently.

Norming- The commitment and the unity that the teams share have to be strong and M&S is
becoming successful in doing so. The team will have a development by group discussions to
improve its working style and processes. The decisions weather big or small are taken into
consideration when the entire team is in agreement. The responsibilities and roles are very clear
with the team members. There is a common respect for the leader of the team of M&S and
everyone is a leader in the own fields and are always there for one another.
Performing- The team of M&S is well aware of their aim and objectives and they also know
what they are doing and why they are doing. The team is assigned work by the leader since the
team is dependent on the leader. The team have a good bond and can openly ask their leaders for
interpersonal development. The team of M&S looks after one another and helps each other to not
just complete their own work but the entire teams work too.
LO 4
P4 Apply concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour within an organisational context
and a given business situation.
Path- goal Theory
This is a theory in which the leader appreciates for the work the employees does and
motivates them to do more for the organization and to achieve the aims and objectives of the
organization and personal. The leader is the only personal who can motivate the employees in a
way that no one else can and make them take out there best for the betterment of the
organization. M&S have leaders in there organization which make the employees take out there
best of innovations and hard work to reach the goals of the company.
Flexible- The leadership of the leaders is very flexible and can adapt to all kind of situations.
This can only happen because of the environment of the business and also because of the
characteristics and work. The ability of motivation and work independently also plays a major
role.
Investigating Motivation- The leader can motivate and influence there employees to get a better
outcome from the organization to achieve the goals and aims of the company, M&S. The leader
must know how to motivate there team accordingly and have influence on the employees to get
the best out of them (Podsakoff, MacKenzie and Podsakoff, 2018). Motivation can be given in
terms of wages and rewards. The leader must have respect in there teams so that if they say

something then the team obeys that and works upon it efficiently. The leader and the
management must keep some kind of motivation for the employee so that they can work
efficiently.
Social Capital Theory
In M&S the relationship between each employee is very friendly and understanding.
M&S understands each and every employee emotionally and mentally and supports them as
much as the company can permit. The company tries to be as flexible as possible in the recent
years with there employee because the company has faced the down fall with the employees turn
over. The company has seen the worst and the best of the market and has they have taken
effective measures now. The trust and values the employees share with one another are same and
there is mutual understanding and respect too (Tasselli, Kilduff and Landis, 2018). The
company is always thinking for the benefit for not just its organization but also the benefit of its
company employees. The team must always be kept together and that is only possible when the
team leader takes the entire team together and treats everyone equally.
Conclusion
The company, M&S understands and taking care of all their employees. The company
has faced a lot of down fall in the past and now are having a stable market. The portfolio of the
company is strong there the company still exists and measures have been taken recently to avoid
the repetition of the past situation. The company's food production is doing very well and out of
959 stores across UK has 615 stores of just food production. The company is providing the
customers with healthy food and innovative food items to attract customers and make them come
again and again because they have unique items of product. The leadership and organizational
behavior in the internal environment is really good and taken good care of by the management. If
the employees are happy then there is a probability of getting in more profit and more innovative
ideas. All the factors and theories work in M&S to understand the employees and the
environment of the working space. M&S has a very effective team which is working for them
and they do not have internal conflicts or politics in the company. The company is very focused
on its aim and goals and flexible for its employees. The employees who are putting in extra or
working with good quality of work they are given reward and motivation to continue there work.