An Evaluation of Motivation, Culture, and Performance at Under Armour

This report examines the application of motivation theories, specifically Theory X and Theory Y, within Under Armour, evaluating their influence on employee behavior and organizational performance. It analyzes how corporate culture, politics, and power dynamics affect the company's operations and employee conduct. The report highlights the positive and negative impacts of these factors, exploring the significance of a strong organizational culture and the potential negative effects of internal politics and power imbalances. Furthermore, the report provides recommendations on how Under Armour can improve its organizational culture, enhance employee motivation, and manage power dynamics to facilitate team success and boost overall organizational effectiveness. The analysis emphasizes the importance of communication, transparency, and employee empowerment in fostering a positive and productive work environment.

Name: Navroop Sandhu
Class: BDB15
Group: Champions
Selected organization: Under Armour
1. Choose one of the motivation theories.
I choose: Theory X and Theory Y (Douglas McGregor)
Please illustrate it in the box below.
(chapman, 2002)

2. Briefly introduce the selected motivation theory.
Douglas McGregor, a management professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in
the 1950s and 1960s, was the first to claim that a manager's attitude affects staff motivation.
McGregor developed two hypotheses for how managers perceive and address employee
motivation in his 1960 book The Human Side of Enterprise. These contrasting motivating
strategies were dubbed Theory X and Theory Y management by him. Each implies that the
manager's job is to arrange resources, including people, in the most efficient way possible for
the company's benefit. Beyond this similarity, however, the attitudes and assumptions they
represent are vastly different. (lumen, 2021)
McGregor initially defined Theory X and Theory Y in his book "The Human Side of
Enterprise," and they allude to two management styles: authoritarian Theory X and
participatory Theory Y.
According to McGregor, if people feel their team members despise their work and are
unmotivated, they are more inclined to utilize an authoritarian management style. This
method is highly hands-on, and it typically entails micromanaging people's work to ensure
that it is completed correctly. This was dubbed Theory X by McGregor.
People are more inclined to embrace a participatory management style if they perceive their
coworkers take joy in their job and regard it as a challenge. Managers that follow this
approach believe in their employees' ability to take responsibility of their task and complete it
efficiently on their own. This was dubbed Theory Y by McGregor.
Their approach will have a big influence on their capacity to encourage team members. As a
result, it's critical to understand how their ideas of what inspires them might influence their
management style. (Mindtools, 2021)
Here are some pros and cons of using theory x and y,
The benefits and drawbacks of Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y, while many
would prefer to term them strengths and weaknesses, are both present. The main benefit of
utilizing Theory X and Theory Y is that they are simple to comprehend. Furthermore, they
can assist a manager in focusing his thoughts on the many ways in which people interact to
and carry out work.
Despite the fact that the ideas are seldom applied openly nowadays owing to their drawbacks
or flaws, they might serve as a guiding concept for positive management practices.

McGregor's technique was incorrect, and as a result, his results were unrepresentative of the
problematic material. While his hypothesis implies that the majority of individuals fall into
specific work attitude extremes, his data did not support this. Many people claim that, while
the ideas are simple to grasp, they are simply too basic to be practical. The hypotheses don't
hold up to examination or critique. (StudyModeResearch, 2012)
3. Evaluate how the above-mentioned theory influences behaviors and the performance of
your selected organization. (Hints: You can evaluate the usefulness of the theory in
motivating individuals and teams to achieve a goal in the organization)
In this hypothesis x, the executives accepts that representatives are intrinsically lethargic and
will stay away from work in case they can. Along these lines, laborers should be firmly
administered and far-reaching frameworks of control set up. A progressive design is required,
with tight range of control at each level, for compelling representative administration. As per
this hypothesis workers will show little aspiration without a captivating motivation program
and will stay away from obligation at whatever point they can.
The Under Armor directors impacted by Theory X accept that all that should end in accusing
somebody. They think most representatives are just out for them as well as their sole revenue
in the occupation is to bring in cash. They will quite often fault representatives by and large,
without scrutinizing the frameworks, strategy, or absence of preparing which could be the
genuine reason for disappointments.
Directors that prefer Theory X will generally take a somewhat negative perspective on their
representatives. Hypothesis X supervisor accepts that chief must construction the work and
invigorate representatives. The consequence of this line of thought is that Theory X chiefs
normally embrace a controlling style dependent on the danger of discipline. Pundits accept
that a Theory X administrator could be an obstacle to representative confidence and
usefulness.
The board affected by this hypothesis Y expects that representatives are eager, self-spurred
and restless to acknowledge more noteworthy obligation and exercise poise, self-bearing,

independence and strengthening. The board accepts that representatives partake in their work.
They likewise accept that representatives want to be imaginative at their work put and
become forward looking. There is an opportunity for more prominent usefulness by giving
workers' the opportunity to perform as well as could be expected, without being stalled by
rules.
Hypothesis Y supervisor accepts that, given the right conditions, a great many people will
need to accomplish well working and that there is a pool of unused inventiveness in the labor
force. They accept that the fulfillment of working really hard is a solid inspiration in itself.
Hypothesis Y administrator will attempt to eliminate the boundaries that keep laborers from
completely realizing themselves.
Many individuals decipher Theory Y as a positive series of expectations about laborers. A
nearby perusing of The Human Side of Enterprise uncovers that McGregor just contends for
supervisors to be available to a surer perspective on specialists and the conceivable outcomes
that make excitement. (Empxtrack, 2008)
4. Evaluate how the corporate culture, politics and power influence behaviours within the
organization and how this affects the performance of the organization.
How corporate culture affect the performance and influence the behavior,
It is an important factor in achieving success in the job. Under Armour low employee
motivation, employee fraud and overall poor conduct in the workplace are all consequences
of having a weak company culture. In order to be successful and develop, under amour’s
businesses must focus on the organizational culture inside their workplace. The underlying
values and beliefs that persist continually and drive behavior in the organization are referred
to as organizational culture. Organizational culture differs from one organization to the next
and can be difficult to change. Employees at the lowest levels of major businesses frequently
believe that they are unimportant to the CEO (Kevin Plank) and executive team, and hence
lack a strong feeling of organizational commitment. Jobs become only a way of obtaining a
salary under these situations, and employees are no longer linked to the organization or their
function within it. (Kulczak, 2016)

How politics influence behaviours,
The Machiavellian personality is at ease with utilizing politics to further the Under Armour
teams’ self-interest. The inclination to seek unlawful means of political activity is influenced
by an individual's interest in the organization's perceived alternatives and hopes of success.
There appear to be various elements that drive political behavior, Others are a product that
Under Armour uses of the business's culture or internal environment. Some are individual
traits resulting from the distinctive attributes of the individuals the organization employs.
Individual factor
one of the factors that influence behavior of Under Armour is employees with a high craving
for power, an internal center of control, and a high level of self-monitoring are more likely to
participate in political conduct and the other is the comparison to the low self-monitor, the
high self-monitor is more attentive to social cues and more likely to be skillful in political
conduct. And when talking about
organizational factors,
Political involvement is most likely influenced by organizational factors rather than
individual differences. When an organization's resources are dwindling, the current pattern of
resources is shifting, and promotions are available, politics is more likely to emerge.
One of the factors influencing the behaviour of Under Armour is also low trust, position
ambiguity, confusing performance evaluation systems, zero-sum incentive distribution
methods, democratic decision-making, strong performance expectations, and self-serving
senior managers will spawn politicking in the workplace and yet another is People may
participate in political measures to protect what they have when organizations reduce to
increase efficiency. (IeduNotes, 2021)

How power influence behaviour,
The capacity to influence others' conduct with or without opposition by employing a range of
strategies to push or prod action is referred to as power. The ability to accomplish goals is
referred to as power. People in positions of power have the ability to influence the conduct of
others in order to attain a goal or purpose. The capacity to influence others' conduct with or
without opposition by employing a range of strategies to push or prod action is referred to as
power. The ability to accomplish goals is referred to as power. People in positions of power
have the ability to influence the conduct of others in order to attain a goal or purpose.
Power may also be viewed as a resource in Under Armour of the people employ in their
interactions. The term downward power refers to a leader's ability to influence subordinates.
This can also be seen as someone wielding authority over another. Subordinates, on the other
hand, employee can use upward power by attempting to influence their boss's decisions.
Indeed, leaders rely on their teams to get things done, and as a result, they are vulnerable to
the authority of their subordinates.
Performance affected by Power
Under Armour Employees' inventiveness is boosted when they have access to authority in
the firm. As a result, people might abuse their influence in the company, negatively
impacting the organization's overall effectiveness. As a result, it is seen as the primary
downside of power. (Daniels, 2021)
How politics affect performance
The impact of politics of Under Armour have on organizations and employees is the subject
of this article. In general, and in terms of production, there has been a decrease. Politics
reduces an individual's production, which has an impact on the organization's productivity.
Has an impact on concentration it is difficult for people to concentrate on their task. ruins the
atmosphere Politics creates an unfavorable working atmosphere. (Juneja, 2015)

5. Hence, provide recommendations on how to improve organizational
culture/politics/power/motivation that enables teams and organizations to succeed.
How the Under Armour can improve organizational culture
The number one is listen to the employees, allow their staff to express themselves in a safe
setting. Listen for ideas, listen to resolve problems, and listen to assist in the development of
a stronger business culture. WordPress, the web behemoth, has Town Hall meetings on a
regular basis where these ideas are shared between management and lower-level staff. they
Should acquire their employees' trust and support by listening to them.
The second is communication key, effectively convey the purpose, vision, and values of the
Under Armour group. This fosters a feeling of common purpose among its employees,
transforming them from cogs in a machine to valuable members of the team. They do not,
however, allow successful communication to be a one-way street. They promote active
communication inside their company. This strengthens employee-employer connections and
can aid in dispute resolution.
The last but not least is to be transparent, Transparency with workers is a good method to
establish trust. A culture of secrecy and mistrust may develop as a result of a lack of
openness, which can be highly destructive to Under Armour. When staff are taught in a
transparent culture, it builds a trust loop that extends to customer transactions. People want to
buy from well-known companies. (GrowthEngineering, 2021)
How Under Armour can improve motivation that enables teams and organizations to
succeed
To motivate them they need to share their vision and set clear and good goals, they can only
encourage and inspire their team if they understand the goals they are pursuing. They make
certain that all personnel are informed of their vision and the company's long-term objectives.
This motivates everyone to collaborate in order to attain greater outcomes. Additionally,
create clear and measurable objectives that are framed by this vision on a regular basis so that
their teams may measure progress and observe their success in a practical way. Supporting
alignment inside and across teams may help employees feel appreciated and engaged while
also increasing productivity.
The Under Armour should also encourage teamwork, Under Armour is a company where
everyone works together as a team. Encouragement and promotion of cooperation increases

productivity by making people feel less alone and more interested in their job. They may
achieve this by organizing team-building exercises and chances for their employees to bond
and get to know one another on a regular basis. Consider how new employees will fit into the
team and the workplace culture when employing new employees. Even if someone has prior
expertise in a given position, this does not guarantee that they will get along with the rest of
the team. (Jackson, 2021)
How Under Armour can improve power
The Under Armour can make use of human resources, The human resources department of
the Under Armour firm is critical to the companies’ organizational performance. Human
resource professionals contribute to organizational success by assisting in the development of
innovative business strategies. Human resources experts have an influence on a Under
Armour goals since they are responsible for employing new personnel. Involve human
resource experts in the planning and implementation of company-wide initiatives to enhance
the organization. They provide distinct viewpoints that executives may overlook, and they
actively participate in selecting qualified candidates for new jobs inside the organization.
The second is they can work quality services or products, although clients have a part in
Under Armour's performance, the company must also choose an adequate degree of quality
for the items or services given. The aim is to strike a balance between quality and cost-
effectiveness. The purpose of this company is to improve items while staying within a certain
budget or pricing range. Active engagement in decision-making processes is required for
organizational leadership. A leader receives many perspectives and suggestions about better
methods to develop the organization by enlisting individuals from other professions in the
decision-making process. (CCCK, 2016)
How Under Armour can improve politics
The one way to improve politics in organization is build connection, they might begin to
construct their own social network. They look beyond their immediate team and across the
formal structure, to coworkers, supervisors, and executives in all directions. Instead, they get
to know them and form meaningful ties rather than relying on hollow flattery. They aim to be
nice to everyone while avoiding becoming overly identified with one group or another. They

also believe that any personal contact at work should be founded on permission, prevent any
indication of unlawful or inappropriate influence, and never breach confidentiality.
The second way is neutralized negative politics, they may contribute to a more positive
workplace by avoiding adding fuel to the fire and participating in bad politics. Avoid
spreading rumors without carefully considering their source, reliability, and impact, for
example. They don't rely on secrecy either. It's safer to presume that everything they say will
come back to haunt them. They should maintain a professional demeanor at all times and
avoid taking sides or becoming involved in fights or recriminations. There doesn't have to be
a winner and a loser when a disagreement emerges. It is frequently feasible to develop a
solution that is acceptable to the groups.
Lastly, the Under Armour can recognize the informal network, once they've figured out
where the power and influence are, they need to look at people's interactions and
relationships to figure out what's going on in their informal or social networks. they Observe
carefully, but quietly and politely, to see who gets along with whom and who has a harder
time interacting with others. They should look for cliques, in-groups, and out-groups.
Consider whether their relationships are built on friendship, respect, or something else.
(Mindtools, 2021)

Group Discussion-Reflective Summary
What I learned in the previous lessons
In the past address I found out with regards to various sort of authoritative objectives like
productivity, business development, maintenance, market administration and some others. I
additionally found out with regards to various sort of the board abilities like specialized
abilities, human abilities and applied abilities which are immensely significant with regards
to business. Except for that I additionally found out with regards to the three levels in
Organizational conduct Individual, Group, Organization and not just that I likewise realized
what necessities are needed for every one of the three levels. Right off the bat, for the
Individuals Job fulfilment, Motivation, Empowerment, Ethics and Attitude is vital. For Group
Team Spirit, Diversity, Norm are significant and finally for the Organization Productivity,
Corporate Culture, Efficiency is for the most part vital. Continuing on I found out with
regards to what Organizational conduct truly is about authoritative conduct is framed by 5
central concerns which are brain science, humanities, social science, social brain research,
and business.
Continuing I found out with regards to the corporate culture, organization culture and its
significance. I likewise found out with regards to the Culture Web and the six interrelated
components to make up the worldview. Those six components are stories, images, power
structures, hierarchical designs, control frameworks and ceremonies schedules. I likewise
found out with regards to certain organizations who are great at corporate culture and how
they are so great at corporate culture. I found out with regards to various hierarchical
construction components like Departmentalization, Span of control, Formalization,
Centralization.
For the discussion the first thing we talked about was which motivation theory was the best
for the Under Armour. According to my groupmate he thought ERG theory was the best
because the theory is based off of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and as this both theories
have been chosen by my groupmates and I chose theory x and y as this hypothesis X and
Theory Y are not contrary energies nor is one totally better than the other one. Hypothesis X
says that the normal person is lethargic and egotistical, needs desire, hates change, and
yearns to be determined what to do. Hypothesis X and Theory Y expressed that
representative can either be spurred by severe heading or permitted to work openly. Both of
these two speculations would augment a worker's work inspiration and would deliver glad
representatives pursuing the associations objectives.
Overall, I felt that we had a very good conversation it definingly developed my
understanding of corporate culture. I also got to know that how important choosing a
proper structure is for your specific organization and that even though there are structures
which has a lot of benefits people look at but people tend to forget about limitations which
are equally important if not more.

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