Assessing Org Culture Impact on Leader Decisions: Wilkinson Case Study

This case study investigates the impact of organizational culture on leadership decision-making within Wilkinson, a fast-growing retail chain. The research aims to analyze the organization's culture, evaluate the effectiveness of leadership decision-making styles, and assess the impact of culture on those decisions, ultimately recommending strategies for enhancing leadership. The study employs a qualitative research method with an inductive approach and interpretivism philosophy. Data is gathered through secondary sources, and analyzed qualitatively to identify key factors where organizational culture influences business opportunities, determines the effectiveness of leadership styles, and impacts decision-making. The research provides recommendations for Wilkinson to select suitable strategies for enhancing leadership decision-making and improving the company's capabilities in a competitive market.

Research Project
TITLE:
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF ORGANISATIONAL
CULTURE ON LEADERS DECISION MAKING FOR BUSINESS
REINVENTION, THE CASE STUDY ON WILKINSON.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Research aim and objectives.................................................................................................1
1.2 Factors that support in research project selection.................................................................2
1.3 Critical review of key references..........................................................................................3
1.4 Research project specification...............................................................................................5
1.5 Plan for research specification..............................................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
2.1 Resource Efficiency..............................................................................................................7
2.2 Investigation against research objectives by using effective techniques..............................7
2.3 Data collection......................................................................................................................8
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
3.1 Data Analysis........................................................................................................................9
3.2 Data interpretation...............................................................................................................13
3.3 Recommendation for Wilkinson.........................................................................................13
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................14
Covered in PPT.........................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERNCES ................................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
In the present scenario, organisation culture has proven to be a factor that has influence
over different aspects of business activity. It is the root cause behind performance and
productivity levels of an organisation. Major impact of culture is on the leadership and decision
making of leaders working for company. Basically, the environment prevalent in a firm has to be
managed by the management for ensuring that each task is completed as per the requirement.
The leaders (managers) need to make decisions that enhance environment and boost satisfaction
level of workforce within company (Wong, Tseng and Tan, 2014). This research project is based
on Wilkinson which is a fast growing street chain retailing business. It deals in housewares and
various other products that are used by families in their homes. This project has a well-
established structure that will aid in stating about the impact of culture on leaders decision
making. Appropriate research objectives, specifications as well as tools and techniques will be
used to undertake this research work whose findings will aid in improving the business and
significance of culture as well as leadership for an organisation.
TASK 1
1.1 Research aim and objectives
RESEARCH TOPIC: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF ORGANISATIONAL
CULTURE ON LEADERS DECISION MAKING FOR BUSINESS REINVENTION, THE
CASE STUDY ON WILKINSON.
This research project covers all aspects that will state about the impact of organisation
culture on leaders decision making that would help in reinventing ways to improve company’s
capabilities. Basically, this research work will assist others in identifying the ways in which
business is impacted by the internal environmental changes and the way it can be managed by
taking right decisions for company. Wilkinson is a high street retail chain that sells majority of
its products under its own labels. They have more than 300 stores in the United Kingdom and are
expanding at a very fast speed (Speroff and et. al., 2010). Company has to keep on analysing
their organisational culture to ensure that changes in it will not affect the capabilities of firm.
This is the reason; there are changes in policies that will allow more flexibility in the system.
Basically, company aims to improve leadership within organisation to keep on reinventing its
procedures. It will boost firm’s ability to stay competitive and successful in the market. This
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research is based on certain objectives that will bifurcate the title and allow researcher in
conducting research in briefer manner.
Research Objectives:
 To analyse the organisation’s culture for exploiting business opportunities in Wilkinson
 To evaluate effectiveness of leaders decision making style prevalent in organisation
 To assess the impact of organisation culture on leaders decision making
 To recommend suitable strategy for enhancing leadership
These objectives will aid researcher in managing their research and achieving the most
relevant results.
Research Questions:
1. What factors are there where organisational culture is exploiting business opportunities in
Wilkinson?
2. How to determine the effectiveness of leaders decision making style which is prevalent in
company?
3. How to determine the impact of organisational culture on leaders decision making in
Wilkinson?
4. What recommendations are there in which Wilkinson can select suitable strategy for
enhancing leadership decision?
1.2 Factors that support in research project selection
Selecting a research topic is the most critical part as complete investigation is based on
same. Some of the factors are noted down as below in relation to researcher:
Personal Interest: This research topic is a choice of interest as this will allow researcher
in exploring ways in which company’s internal environment has impact on leaders decision
making (Smith, 2014). Basically, this topic will assist in enhancing understanding of the field of
study that is important for managing activities in a company.
Relevant Background: This is the factor that has major impact upon this research work.
Basically, an individual needs to have sufficient knowledge of his field before he undertakes any
project. The stated topic is chosen because of the educational background and understanding of
researcher with the field.
Contemporary issue: This is a major issue that is concerning organisations in present day
scenario's. It is very important for companies to understand the impact of organisational culture
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and take decisions that leads to better results (Pettigrew, 2014). This research will provide basis
to develop strategies that will boost co-ordination between people and other factors of business.
Needs of company: This topic is the need of the hour for multinational corporations as
well as small organisation. This will allow them in effectively managing their activities while
enhancing company’s productivity and profitability.
1.3 Critical review of key references
This is a phase where scholar has to collect information from various secondary sources
such as books, journals, articles and others. Various authors have stated about the organisation
culture and its impact on leaders decision making. They will be analysed and presented as below:
Organisation Culture for Exploiting Business Opportunities
According to Snyder and Diesing, (2015), companies have to keep on analysing various
factors that can impact their capabilities. Out of these elements, the most critical one is
organisational culture that has direct impact upon company’s productivity and profitability. The
managers are tasked with producing policies and procedures that are required for managing
environmental factors in the most effective manner. Basically, organisation culture is a system
that shares values, assumptions and beliefs which lead to the behaviour shown by people within
organisations. All the shared values have a very strong influence over employees working in
company. This basically states about the way they have to act and behave within premises as
well as manner in which they need to complete their job.
According Wanjiku, (2014), there are basically four types of organisational cultures that
emerged from competing values framework. First one is Clan Culture where the environment
within company is friendly and people share common values as well as act as a large family. The
leaders act as a mentor and assist people in growing in their field. Second one is Androcracy
culture: Employees are ready to take risk as this environment promotes creativity and dynamic
working. Leaders lead with example and keep on innovating and motivating people to take risk
(Bill Hogg, 2016). Third one is Market culture where an environment exist which is result
oriented and makes people highly competitive as well as focused on goals. Leaders act as a
producer, hard driver and rival to all followers which motivates employees in achieving goals.
Fourth type is Hierarchy culture where whole environment is designed and well structured.
There is procedure for everything and leaders focus on their efficient as well as co-ordination
between people. Basically, it allows in keeping functioning at a very smooth level.
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Every type has its own benefits and usefulness to various companies. Wilkinson is
presently using Hierarchy culture which has to be mixed with market culture as this will make
the workforce highly competitive while they will follow procedures.
Effectiveness of leaders decision making Style
According to Ajmal, Helo and Kekäle, (2010), leadership is a very critical aspect for any
business organisation that is function in highly dynamic market environment. There are different
ways a leader acts in given situations, this is important as it will define how well each and every
task is completed. There are four different methods which can be used to take effective decision
in varying conditions.
The first type of leader decision making style is Command in which decision making is
done in a situation where there no other alternatives available. Usually, a condition which is
changing at a very dynamic speed is managed effectively. Second one is Collaborative where it
is used by leaders by collecting feedback and insight of team members about a certain point. But
the final call is made by leader (Brent Gleeson, 2012). Third type is stated to be Consensus
where the team democratically takes a decision and majority of votes are considered to be the
final result. The final and fourth type is stated to be Convenience where the leader does not make
the final call but he delegates this power to other for better and effective decision making.
Basically, management has to aim to improve the leaders decision making within
organisation so that task are completed and better productivity is achieved.
Impact of Organisation Culture on leaders decision making
As stated by Smith, (2013), The culture within company has major impact on people
ability to take right decisions. Basically, the environment affects human ability to understand as
well as manage task in a effective manner. At present the people who are working for any
organisation lives in a culture that sets a specified set of values, beliefs that they follows. This
also changes the way they perceives things and take right decisions. Today, the management of
companies have to ensure that every single element prevalent within organisation is properly
managed or else this might lead to change in culture.
According to , There have been many research which states that leadership is impacted
by the culture followed by organisation. Every single element that exist within the immediate
environment has to be properly evaluated and managed so that the quality of decision making
can be improved.
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1.4 Research project specification
Research methodologies: It is very vital for researcher to determine tools and techniques
that ill be used for researching about data. Mainly, there are two types of methods which are used
and they are; Qualitative and quantitative research method. In the former one, people attitude,
behaviour or non mathematical data is gathered as well as analysed (Bernard, H. R., 2011).
While in later one, information is collected on the basis of numbers. In this research, qualitative
method is employed.
Research designs: It is stated to be related with planning out research that will aid
researcher in conducting whole task in a effective manner. There are different types designs
which can be used by researcher. But in this project descriptive design is used for enhancing
understanding.
Research approaches: There are two different types of approaches which can be utilised
by researcher, inductive and deductive. In this project inductive approach is used so that scholar
can easily develop from specified observations.
Research philosophies: Positivism and interpretivism are two different types of
philosophies that are used by scholars. For determining impact of organisation culture on leaders
decision making that will lead to business reinvention, interpretivism philosophy will be used
(Pepper, 2010). This will assist in analysing human perception with clarity.
Data collection techniques: It is gathered by using two different types of tools, that is
primary and secondary. In former one, a questionnaire is prepared so that right feedback can be
recorded. But in secondary data, various books, journals, articles and internet are used as a
source of information.
Sampling methods: For gathering information, researcher use methods that will allow
him i9n reaching masses. For this report, random sampling is used as a tool to collect data.
Data analysis: It can be analysed in different ways (Smith, 2014). In this project
qualitative method is chosen with inductive research approach. A graphical analysis will be
conducted to evaluate the results more effectively.
Ethical consideration: This research is being conducted to determine the impact of
organisational culture upon leaders decision making (Pettigrew, 2014). The case is based on
Wilkinson, so every single fact will be authenticated to achieve a higher level of originality.
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1.5 Plan for research specification
This research has a well structured plan that will allow in bifurcating time limits for each
task. Gantt chart will assist in setting timeline according to which each task will take place.
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TASK 2
2.1 Resource Efficiency
This research is conducted to determine the impact of organisation culture on leaders
decision making done inside organisation. There are certain resources which are required to
conduct research more effectively;
Human Resources: This is a very vital factor that will allow organisation in conducting
research in a set period of time (Northouse 2015). Right individual will aid in improving the
quality of research while wrong choice will decrease effectiveness. Various types of activities are
there as per the requirements and they are completed by the people involved in this research.
Finance: To conduct any type of research it is important to have certain amount of
finances available so that there is no hindrance. Researcher has to assume whatever cost there
will be and ensure that they are provided .
Information: There are different sources which will be used for gathering information. In
this project the prime focus will stay on primary sources as they will provide extensive view of
the existing trends in the market.
2.2 Investigation against research objectives by using effective techniques
The project is being undertaken while following qualitative research method. For this
questionnaire will be prepared so as to collect information from different organisation members
(Green, Camilli and Elmore, 2012). This will aid researcher in getting information regarding the
effect of organisational culture on leaders decision making. Also, how this will reinvent business
of Wilkinson in future will be assessed.
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
1. Do you think organisation culture is a important factor for organisation?
Agree
Disagree
Not sure
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2. Do you think organisation culture has major impact upon performance of company?
Yes
No
3. In your view, leadership and culture within company are inter-related?
Yes
No
To an extent
4. Which type of leaders decision making style is appropriate for Wilkinson?
Collaborative
Consensus
Command
5. Do you think good organisational culture will assist in enhancing leadership as well as
decision making?
Yes
No
Maybe
6. Recommend ways which will aid Wilkinson in reinventing its business by managing
culture and improving leaders decision making.
____________________________________________________________________________
2.3 Data collection
It is very important to collect information as it will act as a basis for further research. It
will help organisation to change different process which are not delivering higher level of
productivity. All the gathered data will be put into tabular format which will assist in
understanding the information in more effective manner.
Frequency Table
1. Do you think organisation culture is a important factor for organisation?
Agree 14
Disagree 4
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Neutral 2
2. Do you think organisation culture has major impact upon performance of company?
Yes 16
No 4
3. In your view, leadership and culture within company are inter-related?
Yes 12
No 3
To an extent 5
4. Which type of leaders decision making style is appropriate for Wilkinson?
Collaborative 10
Consensus 5
Command 5
5. Do you think good organisational culture will assist in enhancing leadership as well as
decision making?
Yes 15
No 3
Maybe 2
TASK 3
3.1 Data Analysis
It is very important to analyse data that was gathered by the researcher. Different type of
activities have taken place in to complete this project, such as collection of data, setting report
specification, graphical analysis will be used for interpreting research outcomes in more effective
manner. Most of the companies in this world use this method to make the interpretation of data
more user friendly and understandable. The analysis of collected information will be presented in
front of all interested parties as to formulate a better strategy for future;
Theme 1: Importance of organisation culture for Wilkinson.
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1. Do you think organisation culture is a important factor for Wilkinson?
Agree 14
Disagree 4
Neutral 2
Findings: More than 70% of people stated that organisation culture is a very vital element for
Wilkinson and it has to be managed properly. While 20% disagreed and only 10% stayed neutral.
Theme 2: Impact of culture on organisation performance.
2. Do you think organisation culture has major impact upon performance of company?
Yes 16
No 4
10
Agree Disagree Neutral
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
14
4
2
Column B