Marks and Spencer: An Analysis of Teamwork, Groups, and Productivity

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of teamwork, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. It begins by defining teamwork and differentiating it from group dynamics, then explores various team types, and highlights the importance of teamwork in an organizational context. The essay examines the impact of teamwork on productivity levels, discussing how collaboration and shared goals contribute to enhanced performance. It provides a comparative chart contrasting effective and ineffective teams and emphasizes the significance of teamwork in resolving issues, building morale, and fostering innovation. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, underscoring the transformative potential of effective teamwork in the workplace and its positive impact on productivity and employee morale, with references from various books and journals to support the analysis.

Individual Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1. Definition of Teamwork..........................................................................................................3
2. The difference between between the team and the group.......................................................3
3. Explain the different types of team.........................................................................................5
4.The importance of work in a team...........................................................................................6
5. The Productivity level.............................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Teamwork is the environment which promotes an atmosphere that support the loyalty and
friendship. This positive and strong relationship among staff members motivate them to work
hard with cooperation by maintaining coordination and by being supportive towards each other.
The present report is based on Marks and Spencer, which is to be said as the British
Multinational company, operates the business in the clothing and electronics sector along with
home products. This was propounded in 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. This
report will mainly emphasizes on the concept of teamwork along with the comparison between
group and team (Baldacchino, 2017) . Along with this, the types of team and importance of work
in a team is also going to be discussed.
1. Definition of Teamwork.
Teamwork is the process of having the cooperation between the individual who are
working on the same task in order to attain the goals and objectives of the organisation. This is
generally said as the willingness of the group of individuals, work in collaboration to accomplish
a common goal. This is very crucial part of any organisation like Marks and Spencer, as this is
essential for the employees to work well together and try to give their best in any situation
(Chapman and et.al., 2017) . Teamwork is all about that the individual will try to cooperate by
the help of their skills and providing the constructive reviews despite of their disputes and
conflicts between them. For example- The staff members of Marks and Spencer are cooperating
with each other just to do work in a team and will result in the accomplishment of the desired
outcomes.

2. The difference between between the team and the group.
The group is the process of having many individuals who coordinate their own efforts.
While on the other hand, the team is the process of having the group of individuals who shares
the common goal and the number of issues which is to be faced by them together (Gharaveis and
et.al., 2018) . The difference between the both can be better explained by their comparison chart,
So below is the chart which differ the both term, given below -
Basis of comparison Group Team
Meaning/About The group is refers to as the
collection of the individuals
who work in collaboration in
order to complete a specific
task assigned to them by the
top management.
Team is refers to have the
group of individuals who
jointly work together in order
to accomplish the goal.
Members of the team are
mutually committed to each
other along with the goal.
Leadership In a group there is only on
leader who lead the entire
group members.
In a team, there are more than
one leader.
Members The members of the group are
independent, as they don't rely
on one another to complete the
task (Logan, 2016) .
The members of the team are
interdependent, because in a
team the different roles are
assign to each member, so for
that they have to depend on
each other in order to achieve
the common aims and
objectives.
Process The procedure of the group is
to first discuss about the task
and then decide that what to do
and then they are assign to do
work to finish the specific task
The procedure of the team is to
discuss about the goal and then
decide to how achieve it and
then just start doing the work

in effective time frame. to attain the common goal.
Focus on The group is having the main
focus on achieving the goal of
the individual.
The team mainly focuses on
attaining the goals of the team.
Accountability They work individually and
are not connected to each
other.
They work mutually and
connected or linked with each
other.
Common Goal The members of the group
does not share the common
goal.
The members of the team
share the common goal.
Roles In the group, each individual is
not assigned to the specific
duty or roles.
In the team, specific roles and
duties are assigned to each
team member.
Work Products Individual Collective
Thus, by the comparison it is stated that, a team is not just about having the individual
who work at the same time and at the same place in order to attain the goal, but a team is the
group of various individual who share a commitment to work in collaboration to accomplish the
aims and objectives of the firm (Massenberg, Spurk and Kauffeld, 2015) . For example – The
employees of Marks and Spencer work in team with collaboration just in order to attain the
desired business goals.
3. Explain the different types of team.
Teams can be divided into two main groups – effective team and non-effective team, the
explanation of both the team is given below -
1. Effective Team – In an effective team, the goals are set which are to be achieved by the
team. The employees are working in an effective manner to achieve their targets. They all
are honest towards their work and work in a collaborative working environment.
2. Ineffective Team – In an ineffective team, no goals are set. Along with this employees
do not work in an collaborative manner, due to this conflicts and disputes occur among

staff members (Paguio and Jackling, 2016) . Also, the employees are not honest towards
their work and also lack of understanding of goals is missing.
A comparison chart have been drawn between effective and ineffective team, which is as
mentioned below :
Effective Team Ineffective Team
In this, goals are clarified and modified so that
the best possible match between individual
goals and the group's goals is achieved.
In this team, members accept imposed goals
and these goals are competitively structured so
that each member strives to perform the others.
In this team, there is two-way communicative,
and the open and accurate expression of both
ideas and feelings is emphasized.
In this team, one-way communication is there
and only ideas are expressed, feelings are
suppressed or ignored.
Group discussion are very important for an
effective team, Therefore decisions are taken
by all the team members in a collaborative
manner (Pirkola, Rantakokko and Suhonen,
2016) .
In this, decision is taken by only the higher
authorities like CEO, Board of directors, senior
management, etc.
4.The importance of work in a team
This is stated that a team is nothing without the teamwork and they even don't work well
without the teamwork. Teamwork is very crucial for the success of the organisation. The work in
a team is important due to following reasons -
1. Teamwork helps to resolve the issues – By working together, the team can find out theb
best possible solutions to resolve the issues and problems faced by the firm Marks and
Spencer (Ritter and et.al., 2018) .
2. Teamwork builds morale – When any member suggest an idea and if that idea result in
best outcome, then the work of that employee is to valued by each team member which
enhances the productivity of the firm and confidence level of that member.
3. Teamwork brings new innovative ideas – Each organisation need something new to get
success in the competitive market. The teamwork helps to innovate new ideas as team

team member is having their own perspective with their own views which bring the light
on an new idea (Salas and et.al., 2015) .
5. The Productivity level.
Teamwork helps to increase the productivity level of the organisation, the team can
enhance the productivity by boosting the morale of the team members. They shares the workload
among themselves makes all of them included. The decisions are taken by the team itself tom
improve the productivity level and the team also encourage the collaboration so that they can
able to enhance the productivity of the organisation (Yi, 2016) . For example – Marks and
Spencer is having the goal to enhance the productivity son that their profit margins also tends to
increase, in this the team will help the firm to increase their productivity by enhancing their sale
so that M&S can able to maximise more profits.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that in the working environment
almost all of the individual is likely to be the member of team. This can be in the effective or
ineffective team. The good teamwork helps the organisation to transform the workplace. This
can also helps to create the open channels to interact and communicate with one another along
with the enhancement in the productivity. This also helps to increase the morale of the team
member which give them a sense of identity.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baldacchino, D., 2017. Spirituality in the healthcare workplace. Religions, 8(12), p.260.
Chapman, R. and et.al., 2017. Impact of teamwork on missed care in four Australian
hospitals. Journal of clinical nursing, 26(1-2), pp.170-181.
Gharaveis, A. and et.al., 2018. The impact of visibility on teamwork, collaborative
communication, and security in emergency departments: an exploratory study. HERD:
Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 11(4), pp.37-49.
Logan, T. R., 2016. Influence of Teamwork Behaviors on Workplace Incivility as It Applies to
Nurses. Creighton Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership, 2(1), pp.47-53.

Massenberg, A. C., Spurk, D. and Kauffeld, S., 2015. Social support at the workplace,
motivation to transfer and training transfer: a multilevel indirect effects
model. International Journal of Training and Development,19(3), pp.161-178.
Paguio, R. and Jackling, B., 2016. Teamwork from accounting graduates: what do employers
really expect?. Accounting Research Journal, 29(3), pp.348-366.
Pirkola, H., Rantakokko, P. and Suhonen, M., 2016. Workplace spirituality in health care: an
integrated review of the literature. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(7), pp.859-868.
Ritter, B. A. And et.al., 2018. Designing management curriculum for workplace readiness:
Developing students’ soft skills. Journal of Management Education, 42(1), pp.80-103.
Salas, E. and et.al., 2015. Understanding and improving teamwork in organizations: A
scientifically based practical guide. Human Resource Management, 54(4), pp.599-622.
Yi, Y. J., 2016. Effects of team‐building on communication and teamwork among nursing
students. International nursing review, 63(1), pp.33-40.