Organizational Behaviour at Tesco UK: A Comprehensive Analysis

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ORGANIZATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR
TESCO UK

Table of Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................2
L01 Analyse the influence of culture, politics and power on the behaviour of others in an
organisational context.......................................................................................................................2
P1 Analysis of how an organization’s culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behaviour and performance..............................................................................................................2
L02 Evaluate how to motivate individuals and teams to achieve a goal............................................6
P2 Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques enable
effective achievement of goals in an organisational context.............................................................6
LO3 Demonstrate an understanding of how to co-operate effectively with others..........................8
P3 Demonstrate an understanding of what makes an effective team, as opposed to an ineffective
team..................................................................................................................................................8
LO4 Apply concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour to a given business situation...11
P4 Apply concepts and philosophies of OB within an organisational context and a given business
situation...........................................................................................................................................11
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................11
References.......................................................................................................................................11

Introduction
The study is based on Tesco which is one of the most reputed and trusted retail supermarket
chains which is having its operations in the UK market. Tesco is a British international
grocery and it is a general merchandising chain. It is established in 1919 and it is having its
headquarters at Chestnut UK. It is also the company which it is listing in London Stock
Exchange (Wilson 2018). It is also having a secondary listing on the Irish Stock Exchange
with the name of Tesco PLC. In UK Tesco have more than 3400 stores and more than
300,000 colleagues who have been working together for serving the customers per day. It is
also improving the quality of products they deliver, having the wide ranges of products and
best quality services to be provided to them as well. In UK Tesco has been serving more than
66 shoppers per second. The company has the goal of ensuring that each and every customers
of Tesco should be relishing the great shopping experience they might have on each and
every visit they do in Tesco outlets in UK. Tesco is having the sales of around 51 billion
pounds in 2016-17. It is also having the operating profit of 1837 million pounds. It is also
having more than 6,800 shops across the globe.
L01 Analyse the influence of culture, politics and power on the behaviour of
others in an organisational context.
P1 Analysis of how an organization’s culture, politics and power influence
individual and team behaviour and performance
According to Rajhans (2012) organizational culture is defined as the beliefs, assumptions,
values and the approach of interacting with the stakeholders involved in business
organizations which is contributing with the social as well the psychological environment of
companies. There are basically four main types of culture are there which is considered
through handy Typology of Culture.
Handy Typology of Culture
Power: This is type of culture where the activities are segmented by functions or products.
This is type of culture which is reliant only on power. This is mainly found in small
organizations which are having the simple organizational structure and the organizations are
recruiting the staffs which are similar to the nature of the individuals who are dominating in
nature or make the misuse of power (Gallie et al. 2012).

Role: This is type of culture which is found in large companies which are having the
functional structure. In this type of culture the staffs or the employees are provided with the
specific roles and responsibilities. It has been forming around the jobs, roles and the process.
It has been designed mainly for stability and continuity and it is not adapted to change.
Task: This is type of culture which is mostly found in the organizations which are having the
matrix structure. The staffs or the employees working in the organizations are given the
specified tasks in this type of culture. The people and the resources are forming a team for
any project to be implemented by the organizations. In this type after the projects are over the
team moves on other projects as well (Wilson 2018).
Person: This is type of culture where the organizations are providing the support to the
individuals which will be allowing them to do the activities in which they are specialist. This
is found mainly in the matrix structure and for the professionals.
According to Wiyono (2018) power is the capacity of the individuals to be able to exert their
desire on the others. There are basically three different types of power which might be
exerted on the individuals who are working in business organizations and they are explained
below
Power as Property: The power as the property of individuals indicates that the individuals
have the ability to focus energy and avoidance of wasteful effort, having the flexibility in
selection of the means for the achievement of goals.
Face of Power: In this type the power has been less visible as well as institutionalised which
is embedded in the structure where the individuals have been working.
Disciplinary Power: This is type of power where there has been the allocation of the physical
space in the offices to be taken place and this is establishing the homogeneity as well the
uniformity, the individual and collective identity and it is also making the people in
accordance with their status and fix their positions within the social relations network. This is
type of power indicates that there has been the standardisation of the individual behaviour to
be taking place with the help of organizational working standards as well the repetitive tasks.
Analysis of the politics
French and Raven Power Types

There have been different types of power bases which include the legitimate, coercive,
expert, reward and the referent power. It is evident from the study that the reward power has
been the most powerful power base which is useful for the manager of Tesco to be able to
exert power on the individuals or the staffs who have been working in the UK outlets. The
reward power involves the types of rewards which are to be provided to the staffs in order to
make them highly engaged and keep them retained within the organization they are deployed
in. This is useful in making the manager to be able to control their power on the staffs and
dealing with them tactically.
Chanlat’s Political Characteristics
There has been three sets of characteristics which needs to be ensured within the top
management of any organization so that they fan be able to play politics and exert power on
the individuals. The three sets of political characteristics which comes into play are explained
below
Personal Characteristics: The individuals in this type of characteristics if they have it need to
have the strong desire or the motive to be able to influence and lead others. They also have
been trying to manipulate the other individuals. The individuals are also having that
willingness for the selection of the option so that they can take upon risks.
Decisional Characteristics: The individuals also having the characteristics of making the
structured, programmed or the unstructured decisions so that they can be able to achieve the
organizational objectives if they actually want it.
Structural Characteristics: The individuals who have the characteristics of distributing the
power on the basis of the organizational structure have the structural characteristics to be
maintained at that level.
It is very much introduced with the fact that the organizational culture has been affecting the
team behaviour as well the performance of the staffs who have been working in Tesco
operating in the UK market as the leading retail supermarket chain. The organizational
culture is directly related with the performance of the individuals as well the behaviour of the
team about how the teams are going to be behaving and performing as well. It is seen that
Tesco PLC has been the second largest retailer in this world in terms of the revues which is
generating now (Wiyono 2018). The firm is having more than 600,000 employees operating
across the globe so there are in need of a comprehensive and effective organizational culture

and structure which may affect the team behaviour as well the performance of the staffs. The
organizational structure of Tesco is quite simple and they are using the staffs for the growth
and sustainability of their organization within the UK retail industry where they have been
working. In each of the departments of Tesco the management has given the full control to
them so that they can be able to manage their operations effectively. Thus Tesco is mainly
implementing the role culture where the roles and responsibilities have been assigned to each
of the individuals working in the different units of Tesco. The roles and responsibilities have
been specified by the managers of Tesco to the different individuals working in different
departments by which their culture should be implemented properly.
In the context of the power it is rightly said that the power is influencing the performance of
the individuals as well the behaviour of the team. It is the type of power exerted on the
individuals in order to change their performance and affect ting the team behaviour as well.
According to Hu and Liden (2015) the culture of Tesco is innovative, fun loving and
providing the support for the growth and the development of the individuals who have been
working in this firm. The management of Tesco is developing the culture of self respect,
equality and dignity for the staffs who are working in the UK outlets. The management of
Tesco has been using the reward power for controlling and exerting their influence on the
staffs working over here. The reward power is actually inspiring and making the staffs of
Tesco to be able to get engaged in such a way that they would not be leaving Tesco and this
will enhance the performance of the individuals (Adams et al. 2012). Tesco also believes in
team management and team performance so they are specifying the roles and responsibilities
for specific tasks to the small teams who have been gathered or developed for the
achievement of organizational goal of providing the best shopping experience to the UK
customers.
In the context of politics, the politics has also been affecting the performance of the
individuals and the team behaviour. The politics which is to be played by the individuals in
Tesco has the personal set of characteristics which is indicating that they have the power of
influencing of manipulating others which they might do inside the UK outlets (Hu and Liden
2015). The individuals should be much more interested in back bitting and criticising the co
workers. The politics in Tesco might lead to reduce the performance of the individuals or the
team performance and this is due to the fact that they do not get that energy of commitment
and engagement they have it while working in Tesco outlets in UK. In Tesco the staffs are
not even concentrated in doing the works and they are interested in spoiling the other staffs

life as they are not trying to make them develop their career (Jones and Jones 2013). The
politics exerted on the individuals working in Tesco might make them demotivated and it also
changes the personal behaviour or attitude of the staffs. This will not make them achieve the
organizational objectives which they have aimed for.
L02 Evaluate how to motivate individuals and teams to achieve a goal.
P2 Evaluate how content and process theories of motivation and
motivational techniques enable effective achievement of goals in an
organisational context.
According to Jones and Jones (2013) motivation is defined as the approach by which the
behaviour and attitude of the individuals might be changed in a positive way. The study of
motivation is concerned with the study of the behaviour of the individuals as well the
measure of the performance (Büschgens Bausch and Balkin 2013). There are basically two
types of theories which are the content and the process theories which are applied in
organizations for the understanding the changes in the behaviour of the individuals working
in the organizations and for measuring the changes in the performance of the individuals as
well. In this study there would be the application of content and process theories for
measuring the performance of the staffs working in Tesco and the changes in their behaviour.
Content Theories
These are the type of theories which are focused on the goals which are needs to be achieved.
They have been focusing much more on the type of needs and what it will motivate them.
The Maslow Need Hierarchy is applied for the measurement of the performance and
analysing the behaviour of the staffs working in Tesco outlets in UK.
Maslow Need Hierarchy
This is the content theory which is focusing on the different types of level of needs required
by the individuals in order to change their behaviour and performance in a positive way. The
theory is illustrated below
Physiological: This is the needs level where the staffs of Tesco actually want the basic needs
to be fulfilled for them by the firm which includes the food, shelter, air and water. Tesco in
UK should be able to provide them the good pay or salaries, pleasant working conditions to
work inside the outlets as well the cafeteria (Büschgens Bausch and Balkin 2013).

Safety: This is the needs level where the individuals are trying to have the proper safety,
security of their jobs and stability needs to be provided by Tesco outlets in the UK. This is
including the safe working conditions, the benefits leveraged by the firm like Tesco provides
the medical and insurance benefits for their staffs along with the job security.
Social: This is the needs level where the management of Tesco should be providing them
love, affection and belongingness. This is achieved by Tesco with the help of the effective
teams working on small scale projects, the development of fun loving and inspiring
atmosphere inside the outlets of Tesco and the associations with the professionals who are
working in Tesco (Alvesson and Sveningsson 2015).
Esteem: This is the needs level where the employees working in Tesco could be able to get
that self respect, dignity , the prestige and the status they wants it form the firm where they
are working (Ostroff Kinicki and Muhammad 2012). This is achieved through social
recognition, the promotion in the designation as well the feedback from, the job which the
staffs are doing at different units of Tesco outlets in the UK.
Self Actualization: This is the last stage of the needs hierarchy level where the individuals
can achieve it when they have the personal interests only. They are fond of achieving the high
growth in their own career, advancement and creativity in the job they are doing it right now.
The management of Tesco would be providing creativity in the type of jobs they would be
performing which is achieved through the creativity options given to them as well the high
work achievement (Ostroff Kinicki and Muhammad 2012). This will help in changing their
behaviour and their performance.
Process Theories
The process theories of motivation are the theories which provide the reason of how the
needs might be affecting the behaviour and the performance of the individuals within the
workplace settings (Alvesson 2012). In this study there would be the application of
expectancy theory is done for the staffs of Tesco to be working in the different outlets of UK.
Expectancy Theory
This is the theory which has been established by Victor Vroom. It is based on the idea that
people prefer some of the outcomes from the behaviour of the others. This motivational

theory is based on the process by which the outcomes will become desirable. It has there
concepts to be applied which includes the valence, instrumentality and expectancy.
Valence: According to this element the company has the common goal of achieving the best
shopping experience for the customers in the UK. The staffs who are working in Tesco may
have their different goals to achieve in their career by the main idea or focus is to provide the
best shopping experience to them. This is the value which needs to be perceived by the firm
for the staffs who are working in Tesco outlets in the UK.
Instrumentality: This is the element where the performance of the staffs working in Tesco
outlets will be affected positively by the efforts they have been implementing for achieving
the common goal (Alvesson 2012). The staffs who are working positively and dedicatedly in
order to achieve this common goal in Tesco which maximizes their efforts to have perceived
value.
Expectancy: The efforts which they are putting it in order to provide the best quality
customer services for Tesco has put in results that the firm has achieved great heights
working within the retail industry of UK. It has become the 2nd largest retailer chain in this
world. The staffs are expected that there has been the employee satisfaction to be taking place
with the achievement of this common goal and this is driving their performance upwards.
Recommendations
It is recommended that for improving the performance of the staffs first of all it is need to bhe
driving the organizational culture and environment of Tesco. There is the need of making the
organizational culture to be positive which helps in changing the behaviour and the
performance of the staffs working in Tesco UK. It is recommended that the implementation
of both financial and the non financial rewards or the reward power is to be exerted on the
people working in Tesco (Pettigrew 2014). This will help in improving their performance and
meet its goals. The staffs are given pleasant working conditions, competitive pay and friendly
atmosphere to work inside Tesco UK. The staffs are also provided with the role culture where
the roles and responsibilities are specified to each of them for improving their performance. It
is recommended that there would not be the development and application of any kind of
organizational politics to be done within the workplace which might hamper the performance
and indulge negative behaviour in employees.

LO3 Demonstrate an understanding of how to co-operate effectively with
others
P3 Demonstrate an understanding of what makes an effective team, as
opposed to an ineffective team.
Description of the factors which hinders effective teamwork
According to Barry and Wilkinson (2016) a team is consisting of the different members who
have been sharing a common goal which they are trying to achieve jointly and they might
succeed or fail. Team has three characteristics which include the cooperation, coordination
and cohesion. The various factors which hinders effective teamwork are given below
Lack of clear goals: The team members are not been able to understand and lack clarity in the
team goals which they are going to be perceived or achieved in their employment. This will
shift their focus towards their own goals and the common goal could not be achieved.
Poor Communication: The poor communication among the team members in a team might be
affecting the effective teamwork to be developed. The ineffective communication lacks the
understanding and evaluation of the common goals or objectives which they are trying to
achieve it (Barry and Wilkinson 2016).
Conflicts: The rise of conflicts may be taken place which indicates the disagreement in the
decision making of some of the members within the team. This will affect the development of
effective teamwork within organizations.
Benefits of working in a team
The benefits of working in a team as a leader and member are explained below
As a Leader
Gaining Momentum:The team member who is working as a leader in a team will help in
delegation of the activities for the effective and positive outcomes to be reached. The team
member as a leader will also help in instigating the effectiveness among the team members
that they can be able to achieve the common goals set by any business organization (Wilson
2018).
Motivation and Inspiration: The team member who is working as a leader should be able to
motivate and inspire the other team members who are working in a team among them highly

motivated to be able to get engaged fully within workplace settings (Huczynski Buchanan
and Huczynski 2013).
Direction: The team member working s a leader should be able to lead the other team
members and provide them the direction that how they will be taking actions in the future
within the business organizations they are deployed (Lee and Lawrence 2013).
As a Member
Decision making: It is seen that the working in a team as a member will help in improving the
decision making capability.
Creativity and Learning: The member inside a team will help in developing and fostering
innovation and promotes the learning atmosphere when they are working as a team.
Relationship development: As a member working in a team helps in developing and building
of personal relationships with the other team members which helps in improving the
individual performance in a team.
Application of team development theories on team development and behaviour
The review of effectiveness of the teamwork in achieving goals could be done with the help
of the Tuckman theory of team development. This is the team development theory which
reviews and evaluates how an effective team works in achieving the team goals (Gallie et al.
2012). The application of Tuckman theory in relation to the achievement of team goals are
illustrated below
Forming:In this stage the members of the team would be able to know each other.
Storming: In this stage the team has been segmented into groups. The team members who are
working in Tesco could be using the knowledge of the leader and try to have special position
to be developed.
Norming: This is the stage where there are if any conflicts raised within the team could be
resolved. It is started to develop the sense of ownership and the rules are set for the team
members to be able to work in a team within Tesco.
Performing: This is the stage where the team members who are working within Tesco have
been performing the roles and responsibilities by the management of the firm. The team

members of Tesco in UK would like to communicate with each other for meeting the
common goal.
LO4 Apply concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour to a given
business situation
P4 Apply concepts and philosophies of OB within an organisational context
and a given business situation
The given business situation could be that the employees who are working in Tesco UK are
not been able to get that proper motivation and the employee engagement is reducing for
them inside Tesco stores in UK. The path goal theory of leadership should be applied in order
to improve this situation for the staffs who are working in Tesco.
Path Goal Theory
According to the path goal theory of leadership, it is quite indented to understand the fact that
the leadership should be democratic in nature. The leader should be able to provide the equal
opportunities to their staffs for making their decisions count and hear them. The leader needs
to be sharing their ideas with the others in a team which results in the development of
innovation (Rajhans 2012). In order to motivate the staffs there should be the encouragement
of hike in the pays as well the other financial and non financial rewards which help in making
them highly engaged.
Conclusion
It is evident from the study that the organizational culture is one of the most important factors
to be considered for the UK based organization Tesco to be able to achieve the aim of
providing the best shopping experience to the customers in UK. It is concluded that the
reward power along with the role culture is needed to be implemented for achieving the
objective. It is evident that effecti8ve teamwork is essential in improving the performance of
the individuals and the team behaviour inside Tesco in UK. They have strengthened their
business in UK market and they are well placed now in order to continue making their offers
much more competitive for the customers with sharper prices.
References
Wilson, F.M., 2018. Organizational behaviour and work: a critical introduction. Oxford
university press.