Ryanair Case Study: Organisational Behaviour and Team Dynamics

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ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................2
P1 Analyse how an organisation’s culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behaviour and performance.........................................................................................................2
M1 Critically analyze how the culture, politics and power of an organisation can influence
individual and team behaviour and performance.........................................................................4
LO2..................................................................................................................................................5
P2 Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques
enable effective achievement of goals in an organisational context............................................5
M2 Critically evaluate how to influence the behaviour of others through the effective
application of behavioural, motivational theories, concepts and models....................................7
D1 Critically evaluate relationship between culture, politics, power and motivation that enable
teams and organisations to succeed providing justified recommendations.................................9
LO3................................................................................................................................................10
P3 Explain what makes an effective team as opposed to an ineffective teams.........................10
M3 Analyze relevant team and group development theories to support the development of
dynamic cooperation..................................................................................................................12
LO4................................................................................................................................................14
P4 Apply concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour within an organisational
context and a given business situation.......................................................................................14
M4 Explore and evaluate how concepts and philosophies of OB inform and influence
behaviour in both positive and negative way............................................................................16
D2 Critically analyse and evaluate the relevance of team development theories in context of
organisational behaviour concepts and philosophies that influence behaviour in work place. .18
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................19

References......................................................................................................................................20

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Culture types....................................................................................................................2
Figure 2: Content Motivational Theory...........................................................................................6
Figure 3: Equality needed in organisations.....................................................................................7
Figure 4: Team development model..............................................................................................12
Figure 5: Path goal theory..............................................................................................................14

Introduction
Organisational behaviour is determined as individual behaviour required for studying settings of
organisation for identifying interface within human behaviour and organisation. The method aim
to follow behavioural approach for managing firm’s operation. The current report will analyse
power, culture and politics that affects behaviour and performance of team and individual of the
Ryanair employees known as airline industry. Moreover, it will evaluate motivational theories of
process and content that aids in achieving organisational goals by influencing team member and
employees. It will also evaluate relationship within motivation, power, culture and politics for
success as recommendations for improvement. Further, study will discuss effective team with the
ineffective teams by initiating group and team development theories for dynamic cooperation. At
last, the philosophies and concepts of organisational behaviour will be discussed in given context
for identifying positive as well as negative impact that will be held at workplace.
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LO1
P1 Analyse how an organisation’s culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behaviour and performance
Ryanair is identified as Irish airline launched in 1984 with low cost services by flying over 225
destinations that generates €7.151 billion as revenues and 13000 people as employees. In 1990, it
was declared as first European airline that has adopted low cost and low fares approach but faced
several criticisms from customers. The organisational culture is highly impacted by its CEO that
is Michael O’Leary by strengthening and dictating airline corporate culture. It has faced various
issues due to its organisational culture related to poor review and staffing that needs to initiate
Handy’s typology (Street, et.al, 2015). Charles Handy was known as philosopher that has
specialized idea related to organisational culture that introduced four culture types which are as
follows:
Power Culture – Such organisation appoints small group and persons that follows political rules.
They are active in adopting environmental changes but receive high rates of turnover in case
skilled staff not recruited.
Role Culture – In such firm, the domination is authorized by procedures, job descriptions and
rules that benefits firm in stable conditions but cannot adopt turbulent environments.
Figure 1: Culture types
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(Source: Patty Mulder, 2018)
Task Culture – It uses matrix and project firms in which competences and resources are joined
for team functioning. It supports innovative projects but fails in economies of scale or
rationalisation of cost (Hamilakis, 2016).
Person Culture – The individual decides task and duties without depending on central body that
is highly supportive for barristers and architects.
Thus, culture should be initiated in organisation that prepares staff to accept change if they are
positively motivated. As business is facing huge issues in functioning leaders and managers of
organisation needs to practise power in correct manner that can be done by initiating from five
power types developed by French and Raven in 1959.
 Legitimate – In such situation individual has right to demand by expecting others for
becoming obedient and complaint.
 Expert – It is practised based on knowledge and skills of person.
 Reward – It results single person’s skills for compensating with another for compliance.
 Coercive – It develops belief that individual can punish for non-compliance.
 Referent – This type results in individual’s perceived worthiness, respecting others right
and attractiveness (Raven, 2017).
Thus, power can be managed through leader that has ability to control business situations. In
reference to Ryanair, CEO has been taking all responsibility of maintaining effective culture by
practising power in positive manner that can improve its current conditions by practising power
of legitimate in which leader can expect that team is following instructions without complaining
and being obedient.
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M1 Critically analyze how the culture, politics and power of an organisation can influence
individual and team behaviour and performance
The organisational culture and power of conducting operations in business plays important role
as it helps in removing criticism in several organisations. The internal issue of staffing and bad
feedbacks from customers has developed barrier to confidence of Ryanair industry in which the
CEO has adopted plan for leading team in correct direction by forming restructuring policies for
improving services. With power and culture, political factors are also responsible that impacts
working of firm and individual which requires handling and practising in right manner by leader
of business for making airline services much nice for customers (Hahlo, 2018). The politics
within organisation is issue for Ryanair to grow in competitive market. As employees do not
have faith on policies of management they easily get influenced by each other that bring strikes
and lockout to business. The internal strength requires essential role in removing growth barriers
that has made firm little weak.
Politics in business is issues under which business might get impacted from single person that is
guiding whole team towards wrong direction. The CEO is regularly contributing for developing
macho culture that will support to eliminate negative impact on business. Thus, the people that
are associated with business must think to unite again by solving issues in effective manner. For
example – the strikes were called by Ryanair employees in January because of failed agreement
related to budget carrier that also emphasized of not recruiting employees on contracts of local
labour. The joined idea of union and Cabin Crew got succeeded after negotiation that has only
received by hard work of cabin crew members that has helped in bringing improved labour and
employment stability that was possible due to positive politics held for right motive (M. Lewis,
2015).
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LO2
P2 Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques enable
effective achievement of goals in an organisational context
Ryanair is concerned about employee relations due to various strikes noticed in recent years last
was in December, 2018 that was called off in January by negotiations. Due to strikes, customers
are highly disappointed from services that has bought organisation in list of worst services of
airlines. It has further affected performance that has generated need of restructuring business. It
has planned to start group structuring by joining four subsidiaries of airline that will have teams
of management and CEO’s individually in every department that will help in improving worker
relations, cost reductions, little M&A chance, capital allocation and aircraft acquisitions that will
provide opportunity to receive huge success. While initiating plans of restructuring the firm has
another duty to motivate staff and team for following instruction for improving services using
motivational techniques that will develop positive mindset for practising change in positive way
(Crowston and Fagnot, 2018).
Therefore, worker motivation and relation for accepting new working criteria can be developed
using content and process techniques and theories for encouraging that are discussed below:
Content Motivational Theory
The theory explains requirement of change to individuals in certain time. It helps in bringing
positive motivation as it changes management practises or policies that restructures organisation.
Particular needs are identified of employees using the theory that brings motivation for working
effectively.
Herzberg Two Factor Theory – It is best theory liked by several firms that explains factors list
with satisfied and dissatisfied reasons that motivates or de-motivates workers at workplace. The
theory must be initiated in organisation that will help in determining reason that lowers working
interest. The factors of job satisfaction consist of achievement, working itself; advancement; duty
and recognition that drive positive motivation in worker that motivates to accept restructure idea
for improving organisational services.
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Figure 2: Content Motivational Theory
(Source: Herzberg’s Theory, 2018)
Further, there are several factors that creates zero satisfaction to employees such as supervision,
administration, policies, working conditions, salary and interpersonal relationships that brings
failure to restructuring business as employees requires to get the benefits for providing expected
results (Alshmemri, et.al, 2017). Thus, the motivators will help Ryanair to follow new methods
of succeeding but hygienic factors will bring dissatisfaction that is also essential to fulfil while
initiating improvement plans.
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M2 Critically evaluate how to influence the behaviour of others through the effective application
of behavioural, motivational theories, concepts and models
According to motivational theories the morale of employees gets boosted and it will help them to
understand need and benefits of restructuring business services that dispenses quality to services
given to customers. Ryanair can initiate process motivational theory for explaining change need
to airline that is discussed below:
Process Motivational Theory
Theory is practised or initiated for dealing with various problems occurs while adopting steps
that need solutions using efforts, modification and degree. It specifically aims on plans and idea
explanation for changing and developing business entity.
Equity Theory – According to this theory, employee regularly assesses effort level against other
colleagues for receiving rewards and benefits of performance efforts (Lazaroiu, 2015). The idea
is perceived by matching efforts with other workers that requires equal results being in team. For
instance, firm generally provides reward to individual according to performances but in Ryanair
team efforts must be rewarded that will provide quality results by everyone for achieving
rewards in certain way. It will boost people and team mind to work in group for better results
with coordination. Even, the management of airline industry will not depend on single people for
obtaining growth results. The equity theory in organisation promotes equality at workplace
within team members.
Figure 3: Equality needed in organisations
(Source: Equity Theory, 2017)
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Thus, the theory must be practised for motivating staff of airline industry that will aid in making
relations better with other by promoting equality and fair treatment and focusing on adjusting
inequalities with equal aspects. The plans of restructuring in Ryanair requires effective initiation
plans of motivational theories for increasing morale and confidence in organisational policies
and structures that will treat every person in equal manner thus affecting results in positive way
(Miner, 2015). Following are motivational techniques that can be practised in organisation
beyond the theories which are as follows:
 Industry must focus on involving employees in activities for giving empowerment.
 Aims to increase pride of employees.
 Providing guidance for showing competitive attitude while achieving task.
 Nest methods should be adopted for team leading.
 Constant rewards and performance appraisals must be planned.
 Developing skills and competencies of employees by giving training sessions.
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