Ryanair's Organisational Culture, Power, and Motivation: A Report

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Organisational Behaviour
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CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................5
a) Organisational culture and the nature of power and political behaviour of its management. .5
b) How the culture you identified in (a) have affected the feelings and behavior of staff and
ultimately performance of Ryanair..............................................................................................8
Task 2.............................................................................................................................................10
A) Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation could be used to enable individual
and team performance and help Ryanair to succeed.................................................................10
Task3..............................................................................................................................................14
a) Identify and explain the different types of teams which operate within Ryanair (i.e.,
functional,..................................................................................................................................14
problem-solving, project and virtual teams) and why this range of units is essential to the
success of the organization........................................................................................................14
b) Using relevant team theory, such as Belbin’s team types and Tuckman and Jensen’s group
development models, analyse what would make the teams at Ryanair more effective.............15
c) Evaluate how the use of path-goal theory could improve team performance and productivity
in Ryanair...................................................................................................................................18
d) Identify and explain what you think will be the main barriers to implementing a new
organizational structure in Ryanair?..........................................................................................19
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................20
References......................................................................................................................................21
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Handy's organisational culture theory........................................................................5
Figure 2: Deal and Kennedy’s culture model..............................................................................7
Figure 3: Maslow needs hierarchy...............................................................................................9
Figure 4: porter- Lawler motivation model..............................................................................10
Figure 5: Tuckman Theory.........................................................................................................12
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Introduction
The roles and behaviour of the individuals, as well as workforce, is based on the performance of
the overall business of the workforce. Organisational behaviour is the learning of human
behaviour as well as corporate behaviour and performance within the organisation (Miner, 2015).
Moreover, it has been identified that various factors lead to changes in employee's attributes and
their behaviour. In other words, it can be said that organisational behaviour (OB) is the
systematic study of knowledge and facts about how employees and team members act within the
organisation. OB helps maintain effective relations to achieve organisational goals and
objectives. To build or foster a positive culture within the company, OB plays a significant role
and that further leads to enhancing motivation and leadership level.
The selected company to carry out the entire writing is Ryanair Airline Company. It is an airline
company founded in 1984, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. It is the first airline company,
serving 130 million customers. The present report is based on how the company is affected
concerning specific factors with the use of culture and power theories. In addition to the same,
this report emphasises on how workforce in the organisation gets motivated to work better with
the help of philosophies of OB.
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Task 1
a) Organisational culture and the nature of power and political behaviour of its management
Corporate culture includes an organisation's practice, philosophy, expectations experience,
values, and beliefs. It has been identified that culture, power, and politics are some factors that
impact the entire performance of the cited company as well as it creates an essential impact on
individual and team behaviour. Organisational culture is presented as for how Ryanair operates
its functions by having effective or ineffective communication among employees and
management (Borkowski 2015). However, religion, power, and politics depend upon the
expectation and experience of the employees or individuals within the mentioned company.
Considering each activity and factors of Airline Company, that is Ryanair; it has been explained
that the business's culture is affected by various factors which can be defined as organisational
culture theory. One such method to analyse the culture of the cited company is the Handy's
organizational culture theory. In this theory some specific factors can influence corporate
culture; those are namely role, power, person and task. The belongings of every component of
the method vary from each other.
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Figure 1: Handy's organizational culture theory
The above figure shows the factors combined in Handy's model. The role factor shows that each
of the cited business must know and are conscious of their roles and responsibilities. Generally,
an extended chain of rules and regulation are present within Ryanair which represents the
traditions on which workers are required to abide by their duties within the cited business. On
the flip side, the power distribution within the Airline Company is moderately equal. The power
factor shows that the authority is held by a few people, so that does not get influenced and
control does not spread out within the cited firm. The most important and critical factor of
Handy's model is also influential because it governs a lot of rules and regulations. However, the
task factor emphasizes on the proper allocation of work within several departments.
Task factor plays a vital role within Ryanair because it focuses on the company's objectives and
goals so that individuals can resolve their problem quickly. Furthermore, it has been identified
that person is another element; it states that every individual of the mentioned firm perceives
them as superior and unique; this factor helps the person to work better. In addition to the same,
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ROLE POWER
TASK PERSON
Handy's
Organization
al Culture

every individual working within the cited organization is required to work hard so that the
organizational goal can be accomplished smoothly.
Moreover, it has been identified that culture, power, and politics also have an essential aspect
that impacts the organizational culture. In the case of control, energy, and command, fewer
individuals are present in the business that is Ryanair, who holds power and authority. Besides, it
has been further elaborated that some time inappropriate and unsuitable policies can also hamper
the performance of the employees within the cited business. A business system can be defined as
the collective network used by a particular group of people to achieve goals and benefits from it.
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b) How the culture you identified in (a) have affected the feelings and behavior of staff and
ultimately performance of Ryanair.
As per the view of Sindhu et al. (2019), it has been identified that power, politics, and culture are
some aspects that impact the overall performance of the cited firm as well as individual's
behaviors and feelings. Moreover, it has been further elaborated that organizational policies can
be for or informal or can be illegal, that influences the whole practices of Ryanair. However, it
has been argued by Kong, (2016) that culture, power, and policies all are favourably or equally
impacts the development of cited business at several stages. Considering the corporate culture of
Ryanair, it has been identified that some crucial factors are also present within the cited company
that is accountable to attain gain and profits. From the above study, it can be said that an
appropriate division of task within the cited company is almost identical that further leads to
enhancing the foster culture of Ryanair. Moreover, it has been explained that role, power, work,
and person are a vital component of Handy's model culture theory that influences the general
culture of the company. With the help of another theory that is deal and Kennedy culture model
theory, the power and culture are also influences within Ryanair that can further affect the
behavior of feelings of the staff and team members.
Figure 2: Deal and Kennedy’s culture model
(Source: Changing Minds, 2019)
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The above chart shows that Deal and Kennedy's model culture factors, such as types of
organization, based on how speedily company receive feedback and level of risk as they
undertake (Changing Minds, 2019).
 Feedback and reward is the key driver of individuals within Ryanair Company. Thus the
culture is frequent feedback and specific reward that further can enhance job
performance.
 The risk is the most uncertain factor that few own hate and few people thrive on. In
addition to the same, when risk is low within Ryanair, individuals may be willing to take
risk up to their desired needs. On the flip side, when the risk is high, people may be
managed or accepted the level of risk.
 There are four cultures present within the cited company, below are the description of
each component-
Work-hard, play-hard culture – This has low risk and quick feedback and reward. This
culture of Ryanair can reduce stress coming from the quantity of work.
Tough-guy macho culture – This has high risk and high feedback, emphasis on present
rather than future.
Process culture – This has a low risk as well as little feedback and focus on stress
coming from the stupidity of system and internal politics.
Bet-the-company culture – This has high risk and slow feedback within the cited
business that is Ryan air.
Thus, it can be said that there are various factors present within Ryanair that affects the
organizational culture, performance, and feelings of individuals.
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Task 2
A) Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation could be used to enable individual
and team performance and help Ryanair to succeed
It is analysed that the culture of the business can directly control the politics and affects the
group member's performance as well as behavior within the cited organization that is Ryanair.
Apart from this, it has been evaluated that motivation is one of the leading factors that influence
the behavior of individuals as well as the performance of cited business equally. In other words,
motivation is something that supervisors of the mentioned firm can directly motivate their
workers or employees to achieve organizational growth and profits. Motivation enhances the
performance, productivity and competitive advantage within the cited business that can further
handle the worse situation that comes with uncertainty. In other words, it can be said that
motivated employees can improve a business's location and Ryanair can achieve a higher level of
customer satisfaction.
Through content theories, the performance of employees and the level of satisfaction can be
enhanced to achieve growth and development. Content motivation theory such as Maslow
theory, Alderfer theory, Herzberg two factor theories, and Skinner's reinforcement theory In
compliance with the content theories, it can be said that every person is exceptional and they
have their separate needs and wants.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory is appropriate for the mentioned company for motivating
its employees internally with the help of this content theory. A hierarchy of needs is evaluated in
this theory which incorporates psychological needs, esteem needs, social needs, safety needs, and
physiological needs.
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Figure 3: Maslow needs hierarchy
Physiological needs- The physiological needs are fundamental needs for every individual which
includes air, water, food, cloth, shelter, and necessities of life. These needs relate to survival and
existence of human being within Ryanair (Haider, et al. 2017)
Safety needs- After satisfying the physiological needs, safety and security needs are related to
economic security and financial protection and economic security from physical dangers within
the cited firm.
Social needs- To achieve Maslow’s hierarchical need; these needs include love, attachment,
belongingness, social interactions, friendship, and trust.
Esteem needs- After satisfying social needs, the fourth level of Maslow’s hierarchical need is
esteem needs that include reputation, dignity, status, recognition, and power.
Self- actualization needs- This need highlighting on the accomplishment of individual goals of
the group members within Ryanair Company.
On the flip side, considering process theories includes expectancy theory, reinforcement, goal
setting, equity theory, and porter Lawler theory. The process theory of motivation focuses on
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self- actulaization
Esteem needs
Social needs
Safety needs
Physiological
needs

identifying the issues and problems related to the process, system, and suitability within the cited
firm. With the help of process theory, Ryanair can enhance its performance as well as can
develop team coordination that enables to accomplish team objective.
The Porter-Lawler – this model suggests that an integrated approach is essential to identify the
exact needs and desires of individuals working in the organization (i.e. Ryanair).
Figure 4: porter- Lawler motivation model
(Source: The Process Theories of Motivation, 2019)
However, the porter- Lawler model is emphasizing on to match the traits and abilities of
employees as per the job requirement by putting the right person on the right job (The process
theories of motivation. 2019). In addition to the same, this model also highlights the monetary
reward to achieve successful performance within the cited business that is Ryanair. Furthermore,
it has been identified that this model has absolutely a significant contribution to the better
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