Analysing Organisational Behaviour: Unilever's Culture & Motivation

This report provides an analysis of organisational behaviour within Unilever, focusing on how organisational culture, politics, and power influence individual and team behaviour and performance. It evaluates content and process theories of motivation, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs and McClelland's theory, and explores motivational techniques for effective goal achievement. The report also explains the characteristics of effective versus ineffective teams and applies organisational behaviour concepts and philosophies within the Unilever context, referencing legitimate, expert, coercive, referent, and reward power. The impact of organisational politics on employee productivity and morale is also discussed, highlighting the importance of a positive working environment. Desklib offers a platform for students to access this and other solved assignments.

Organisational
Behaviour

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Analysing how an organisation's culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behaviour and performance..........................................................................................................1
Organisational Politics-................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P2. Evaluating how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques
enable effective achievement of goals in an organisational context............................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P3. Explanation to makes an effective team as opposed to an ineffective team..........................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P4. Applying concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour within an organisation. . .8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Organisational behaviour describes behaviour of human resources in the working
environment of the organisation. It helps companies in order to analyse their employees
performance for performing an task (Abdulmuhsin, Zaker, and Asad, 2021). This helps
management of the company to develop an effective working environment in an organisation in
order to make their employees more productive. Organisational culture is developed by sharing
beliefs, values and assumptions about individual behave and interact in decision making process
and performing their job within a organisation. Workforce motivation refers to a situation where
are motivated and perform their work in fastest and effective manner. For this report, selected
company is Unilever, it provide consumer goods in all over the world. It is a public limited
company, founded in 2 September 1929 and its headquarters is in London, England.
The report covers analysation of organisation of culture, politics and power influence
individual and group behaviour and performance along with content process theories of
motivation and motivational techniques in order to motivate individual and teams towards the
achievement of goals. It further analyse factors to make an effective team as opposed to an
effective team. It also describe applying concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour.
TASK 1
P1. Analysing how an organisation's culture, politics and power influence individual and team
behaviour and performance
Organisational behaviour is a study of individual's behaviour and performance within an
organisation. It helps organisations to develop an effective strategy by understanding individual's
behaviour in order to motivate their employees, increase their productivity and help organisation
for developing an effective and strong relationships with their employees in better manner (Al-
Swidi, Gelaidan, and Saleh, 2021). In context of Unilever, it helps its management in order to
understand their employees behaviour for making them highly motivated, productive and
trustworthy for their organisation in effective manner. For developing their employees behaviour
and performance in effective manner by maintaining organisation's culture, politics and power
are described below:
Organisation's Culture-
1

Organisational culture is refers to a highlights some basic assumptions, beliefs, values
and method for interacting in order to to make unique and effective working environment in the
organisation. It describe company's goals, expectations, objectives and values that helps and
guide employees in order to perform their functions in effective manner. It is important in the
company for in order to make effective culture within a company for achieving their goals in
effective manner. Various type of methods are there which helps company's in order to develop
organisational culture in effective manner (Anwar, Faezah, and Khalid, 2020). One of the
effective method of organisational culture is Handy's organisational culture. This model is given
by Charles Handy and it classified organisational culture in 4 types according to different power
of decision making within a organisation. In respect of Unilever, four types of Handy's
organisational culture are described below:
Power culture- This type of culture are used in those organisation where power and
authority to take decisions are remains in few hands. They get special privileges in working
environment of the company and they are most important person in order to make decision for
the company.
Task culture- In this type of culture, a group is formed for achieving target or goals and
solve critical issues. This makes a team of those individual whose interest and specialization are
common. It allows each members in order to contribute their suggestion equally in order to make
decision for the company.
Person culture- This type of culture are used in those organisation where employees are
treated important in order to make decision for the company. This makes employees highly
motivated and trustworthy for the organisation.
Role culture- In this type of culture, powers are provided the employees according to
their educational qualification, interest and specialization in order to make best decision for the
company.
Organisational Power-
Power refers to a possession of certain skills, authority and influence over others. In an
organisation, powers allows some persons for controlling employees in order to guide, influence
and motivate them towards the achievement of goals (Anyaegbunam, Ndukaihe, and Ugwu,
2021). There are five sources of powers which is used in an organisation such as legitimate
power, expert power, coercive power, referent power and reward power. In regards of Unilever,
2

these sources of powers that helps its management to improve their employees behaviour and
performance are described below:
Legitimate Power- This powers are provided those person who has a strong position in
the company and they have certain right and responsibility to distribute task to the employees as
well as seen their work and give feedback to their work.
Expert Power- This powers are provided to the employees according to their
experience and knowledge. It helps employees in order to guide other employees in their work
with the help of their experience and knowledge (Aslam, Azeem, and Saeed, 2021).
Coercive Power- This type of power are used to threat and coerce other employees. It
allows the employees who have coercive power to use strict and punishable actions in their
working environment in order to make employees to work effectively.
Referent Power- It describe the consequent personality of a person in which they
develop effective relationships with other employees. It helps them in order to develop behaviour
and performance of their employees.
Reward Power- This is used to analyse rewards for the employees on the basis of their
performance. It provide authority to a person in order to provide rewards and motivate other
employees to give their best in their performance.
Organisational Politics-
Organisational politics are refers to self-actualisation behaviour that is used by the
employees in order to raise the probability to get positive outcomes within a organisation. In this
situation employees use wrong method in order to influence employer for fulfilling their wants
which is not good and appropriate in nature (Benuyenah, 2021). In case of Unilever, its impacts
that affects performance of other employees are described below:
Decreased productivity- Politics make employees unproductive and do not perform
their duty in proper manner, it decrease the productivity of the company. It distract their
concentration towards the achievement of goals and makes them to perform wrongful activities
in the organisation.
Demotivate employees- By performing wrongful activities in the organisation, it
demotivate other employees who is performing best in their organisation in order to complete
their task and help company for achieving their goals in effective manner.
3

Spoiled Ambience- Politics develop negative environment in the working area of the
organisation where employees mistreat other employees and do not perform their duty. It create
problems in order to achieve target in effective manner.
TASK 2
P2. Evaluating how content and process theories of motivation and motivational techniques
enable effective achievement of goals in an organisational context
Motivation – Motivation is related to influence the behaviour and attitude of an
employees towards the achievement of organisational goals and objectives. Motivation is one of
the most important aspect which plays an important role in the success of organisation (Cross
and Carbery, 2022). The reason for the importance of motivation in the organisation is that it
motivate the employees to actively part in the organisation task and projects and also to work
with their greatest strength. The activity of providing motivation to employees are done by the
managers of organisation. It is very important for the managers to have effective motivational
skills as well as leadership skills which can be used to influence the behaviour. Unilever plc is
one of the biggest organisation of the world under which the huge number of employees are
working to manage their business activities. It is important for the management of Unilever to
stay their employees motivated so that the provide effective results. There are different theories
of motivation are present which can be used by the managers to understand the concept of
motivation clearly.
Motivational theories:
Content theory – The content theory of motivation is related to those group of motivational
theories which provides effective information to the managers how to motivate the employees
and other person to achieve the efficiency and effectiveness in the organisation (Dahiya, 2020).
The managers of Unilever can use these theories for the motivation of their employees. The brief
discussion related to McClelland theory and Maslow hierarchy of needs are given below:
Maslow hierarchy of needs – It is one of the greatest theory of motivation which is used
by many managers to motivate their employee because of their results. The main concept of this
theory are based on the different needs of the employees which should be satisfied by the
management to make their employees loyal towards the company. This theory includes the
4

hierarchy of needs which the employee is having in their life. The brief discussion related to the
duifferent needs of employees which should be fulfil to motivate them are given below: Physiological needs - It is the first stage of the maslow need hierarchy theory under
which the needs of the employees which is related to their food, shelter, water, clothes
and many more are included (Domínguez-Escrig, Mallén-Broch, and Alcamí, 2021). It is
important for the managers of Unilever to provide considerable pay to their employees so
that they improve their life style. Safety needs – This need is related to the safety of employees which are working in the
organisation. There are different types of safeties which the managers has to provide their
employees such as financial or non financial to stay them motivated towards the work. Social needs – It is related to those need of the employee under which it requires love
and belongingness in the organisation. It is important for the management of Unilever to
provide considerable freedom to their employees so that they becomes able to develop
effective relations with other employees. Esteem needs – This section of maslow need hierarchy under which the need which the
need of respect, self esteem and recognition of the employees are came under. It is
essential for the managers of Unilever to provide considerable recognition to their
employees so that their esteem needs can be satisfied.
 Self-actualisation – It is a highest need of the maslow hierarchy which is related to the
self growth of the employee.
McClelland theory – It is also an important process theory of motivation under there are
some factors which should be provided by the managers of Unilever to motivate their employees
 Achievement: Needs of achievement emphasise on urge of a person to achieve
something.
 Affiliation: Need of affiliation is based on urge of a person to have social and
interpersonal relationship with other people. Power: Need of power refers to desire of a person to hold authority and control over
another person and create influence in changing decision.
Process theory: It is related to those group of motivational theories which focuses on the
psychological and behavioural process of employees instead of need of employees (Du, 2021).
These are very important theories because it enables the managers of the organisation to target
5

the employees and follow those measures in the organisation which motivate the employees to
actively participates in the organisation. It is very important for the management of Unilever to
develop those measures in their organisation which motivates their employees towards the
achievement of organisational goals and objectives.
Vroom expectancy theory: It is one of the greatest process theory which is used by
many organisation to understand the concept of motivation effectively and applies them in their
organisation (Fridell, Maskaly, and Donner, 2021). This theory is based on the assumption that
the behaviour of employees are based on the conscious choice and the main objective of the
management behind this concept is to increase the pleasure of employee and decreases their pain.
This theory is also states that the motivation of the employees are depend upon their
performance. The brief discussion related to the different factors of this theory in context of
Unilever are given below:
 Expectancy: This factor of theory is related to the belief of employee that the increase in
efforst would lead to increase in the performance. It is important for the organisation to
provide adequate resources to the employees.
 Instrumentality: It is related to those belief of the employees under which it believes
that if their performance will improve then the desirable outcome will come. It is affected
with understanding of relationship with outcome and performance, transparency of
process.
 Valence: Valence includes importance which an individual place upon expected
outcome.
Adams equity theory: It is related to those theory under which the managers of the
organisation assumes that they maintain fair relationship between the rewards and performance.
It is based on the results under which become demotivated if the results are not according to the
efforts made.
TASK 3
P3. Explanation to makes an effective team as opposed to an ineffective team
Effective team- Effective team refers to a group of those people who are highly
productive, motivated and skilled in order to perform their work and help companies to increase
their growth in effective manner (García-Tadeo, Sharma, and Manoharan, 2021). The team
6

members of effective team perform their work by putting their best efforts in order to get
productive results from it. It is important for the manager to develop comfortable, relaxed and
informal working environment in the organisation and provide task to them which are proper
understandable and accepted by the team members in order to perform them in effective manner.
In accordance with Unilever, effective team helps them to improved their employees motivation
and make them work hard for the organisation in order to achieve organisational goal in effective
manner.
Ineffective team- Ineffective team refers to in which it have lack of team focus, in-
equal team membership, errors, negativity and poor cohesion within a team. Its team members
are low skilled, inexperienced and less productive in order to complete their task inappropriate
manner (Ghalamkari, Kazemi, and Teimouri, 2021). It create problems for the organisation in
order to achieve their goals and increase their growth. It create negative environment in the
organisation where employees missed deadlines, boredom and petty confrontations in order to
perform their task in effective manner. It is important for the manager to analyse various aspects
which makes their employees ineffective in order to perform their duty in better manner. In
account of Unilever, it create problems for them in order to operate their functions, maintain
their position and competitive advantage in effective manner. It is essential for its managers to
identify various factors in order to improve their employees performance and make them to work
hard for achieving their organisational goals in effective manner.
The Tuckman Team Model-
The Tuckman team model is a team development theory which help companies to
develop their team in effective manner. By the development of an effective team it helps
companies to improve their productivity and achieve their goals in effective manner. It classified
this theory in four stages that is Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing (Gillam and
Cosford, 2021). Communication is needed in all the stages in order to develop effective team
and them productive for performing their task in better manner. In context of Unilever, these
stages for developing an effective team is described below:
Forming- In this stage, employees are meet with other employees in order to get know
each other, develop good and effective impression as well as they share their expectations, team
charter and guidelines with each other. This helps companies in order to make their employees
more comfortable and develop more trust in order to perform their duties in appropriate manner.
7

Storming- In this stage, employees shared and expectation their ideas that helps to
makes their focus in order to complete their task and achieve organisational goals in effective
manner. It also allows employees to get know each other strengths and weaknesses in order to
determine their role for the accomplishment of the task in effective manner.
Norming- This stage solved conflicts in between their employees and make team
members flexible and know each other role in order to perform their work effectively without
any complications. This helps team members in order to perform their own duty in effective
manner without getting any issues.
Performing- This stage arise when all team members perform together effectively in a
project, have formed system and established a synergy in order to make their project
performance smooth and efficient (Khaola and Rambe, 2020). It help companies to get effective
results by developing an effective for the organisation and complete their task in effective
manner and on time.
Managers of Unilever develop an effective team for their organisation with the help of
these stages. It helps them to improve their productivity and growth in effective manner. It
makes their employees more productive in order to complete their task on time as well as helps
them to become more competitive in nature.
TASK 3
P4. Applying concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour within an organisation
Organisational behaviour refers to the application and study of individual's behaviour or
actions within an organisation. It helps organisation to analyse their employees behaviour in
order to improve their performance in effective manner (Miao, Newman, and Herbert, 2020).
Organisational behaviour are based on some concepts and philosophies that are important for the
organisation as well as for employees. This helps organisation do develop an effective working
environment in the organisation in order to influence employees to perform their task in effective
manner and achieve organisational goal. In respect of Unilever, its basic concepts are described
below:
Individual differences- Each and every person in the world are different from each
other. Science is also support this concept because each DNA are also different. This is the main
reason which create consequences in the organisation in order to operate their functions in
8

effective manner. In context of Unilever, it create problems in the organisation in order to
develop effective environment in the organisation.
Perception- If the person are different from each other their perception are also
different which also create problems in the organisation in order to operate their function in
effective manner. Two individual present their idea different for the same concept which create
conflicts in the organisation. In case of Unilever, it create problems in the organisation so, it is
important for the managers to develop organisational behaviour in effective manner.
A Whole Person- It describes that individual's personal life is not connected from its
working life. This create decrease in concentration of employees in order to perform their duty in
effective manner (Olivier-Pijpers, Cramm, and Nieboer, 2020). In accordance with Unilever, it
is important for the manager to develop an effective environment in order to make their
employees concentration towards organisational goals in effective manner.
Motivated Behaviour- An individual's have their own desire and needs and they wants
to fulfil them. It is important for the manager to fulfil their basic needs in order to motivate them
to work hard for the organisation and helps them to achieve their goals in effective manner. In
regards of Unilever, it is important for its manager to motivate their employees in order to make
effective organisational behaviour in the organisation.
The desire for Involvement- An employees always try to seek various opportunities in
order to get involve in decision making process of the organisation. By providing these
opportunities to them, an employer can easily influence their employees in order to work hard in
the organisation and help them to increase their productivity and profitability in effective
manner.
Value of the person- It is important for the organisation to treat their employees separate
from other factor of production. They want some care, respect, dignity and other things from
their company which make them effective in order to perform their duty in effective and efficient
manner (Shah, Khuhro, and Bakari, 2021). In account of Unilever, it is important for its manager
to provide some respect, value and dignity to their employees in order to influence them to work
hard for their organisation in effective manner.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, it is concluded that organisational behaviour helps
companies to improve and increase their employees productivity by establishing an effective
9

working environment. Organisational culture, power and politics has a great impact on
companies which helps them in order to improve their employees productivity and performance
in effective manner. Content theory such as Maslow hierarchy of needs and McClelland theory
along with Process theory in which Vroom expectancy theory and Adams equity theory are the
different type of motivational theory which help companies to motivate their employees in
effective manner. The Tuckman Team model help companies in order to develop an effective
team for their organisation in effective manner. Individual differences, Perception, A Whole
Person, Motivated Behaviour, The desire for Involvement and Value of the person are some
basic concept of organisational behaviour that will develop an working environment within an
organisation in effective manner.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Abdulmuhsin, A.A., Zaker, R.A. and Asad, M.M., 2021. How exploitative leadership influences
on knowledge management processes: the moderating role of organisational citizenship
behaviour. International Journal of Organizational Analysis.
Al-Swidi, A.K., Gelaidan, H.M. and Saleh, R.M., 2021. The joint impact of green human
resource management, leadership and organizational culture on employees’ green
behaviour and organisational environmental performance. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 316, p.128112.
Anwar, N.,, T., Faezah, J.N. and Khalid, W., 2020. Green Human Resource Management for
organisational citizenship behaviour towards the environment and environmental
performance on a university campus. Journal of Cleaner Production, 256, p.120401.
Anyaegbunam, E.N., Ndukaihe, , O.A. and Ugwu, F.O., 2021. The interplay between
interpersonal relationships and organisational learning behaviour: Influences of
psychological safety. Journal of Psychology in Africa, pp.1-6.
Aslam, H., Azeem, A. and Saeed, A., 2021. Developing organisational citizenship behaviour for
the environment: the contingency role of environmental management
practices. Management Decision.
Benuyenah, V., 2021. Theorising an organisational citizenship behaviour model for managerial
decision-making: from history to contemporary application. Management Research
Review.
Cross, C. and Carbery, R., 2022. Organisational Behaviour. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Dahiya, R., 2020. Does organisational sustainability policies affect environmental attitude of
employees? The missing link of green work climate perceptions. Business Strategy &
Development, 3(3), pp.395-403.
Domínguez-Escrig, E., Mallén-Broch, R. and Alcamí, R.L., 2021. Effects of emotional healing
on organisational learning and radical innovation: a leadership-based approach. Journal
of Organizational Change Management.
10

Du, S., 2021. The Organisational Behaviour of LVMH Group during the Period of Covid‐19
Based on the Stakeholder Theory and Social Contract Theory. Frontiers in Science and
Engineering, 1(8), pp.1-7.
Fridell, L.A., Maskaly, J. and Donner, C.M., 2021. The relationship between organisational
justice and police officer attitudes toward misconduct. Policing and Society, 31(9),
pp.1081-1099.
García-Tadeo, , L., Sharma, T. and Manoharan, G., 2021. Comparing the impact of Internet of
Things and cloud computing on organisational behavior: A survey. Materials Today:
Proceedings.
Ghalamkari, S., Kazemi, A.S. and Teimouri, H., 2021. Investigating the impact of innovation on
organisational performance given the mediating role of organisational culture and the
moderating role of market demand. International Journal of Business Innovation and
Research, 26(1), pp.110-125.
Gillam, S. and Cosford, P., 2021. Organisational behaviour. In Leadership and Management for
Doctors in Training (pp. 32-39). CRC Press.
Khaola, P. and Rambe, P., 2020. The effects of transformational leadership on organisational
citizenship behaviour: The role of organisational justice and affective
commitment. Management Research Review.
Miao, Q., , N., Newman, A., , I. and Herbert, K., 2020. Ethical leadership and unethical pro‐
organisational behaviour: The mediating mechanism of reflective moral
attentiveness. Applied Psychology, 69(3), pp.834-853.
Olivier-Pijpers, V.C., Cramm, J.M. and Nieboer, A.P., 2020. Residents’ and resident
representatives’ perspectives on the influence of the organisational environment on
challenging behaviour. Research in developmental disabilities, 100, p.103629.
Shah, I.A., Khuhro, R.A. and Bakari, H., 2021. A study of organisational determinants
influencing employees' behaviour in the educational sector: a scoping
review. International Journal of Management in Education, 15(6), pp.523-543.
VARLAMI, K., 2021. Responsible Innovation and Organisational Change.
11