Influence of Power, Politics & Culture: Walmart's Report

This report delves into the organisational behaviour of Walmart, examining how power, politics, and culture influence the behaviour and performance of individuals and teams. It explores different cultural models adopted by Walmart and how they affect employee motivation and satisfaction. The ...Read More

Organisational
Behaviour
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Determine how power, politics and culture can influence the behaviour of individual and
team member and their performance......................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
Content and process theory in order to accomplish objective in an organisation..................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
Effective as well as ineffective team......................................................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Discussion on different concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour..............9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Organisational behaviour is a process in which a manager studies the attitudes as well as
behaviours of a person or a group of people who are working in a business organisation. Along
with this there are a number of different functions which can be included in organisational
behaviour these functions help in monitoring, predicting and controlling behaviour of individuals
as well as group in an organisation (Singh and Rani, 2017). With analyzation of these behaviours
an Organization can work towards its benefit by increasing productivity when its employees.
There are a number of concept included such as motivation, rewards, business environment,
subordinates and soul. This report is carried on Walmart. Walmart is an American multinational
retail Corporation which has its discount Department stores, grocery stores and hypermarkets
throughout the world. This company was started in 1962 by Sam WaltonAs of now Walmart has
more than 11,000 stores in 27 countries which are being operated under 56 different names.
Report talks about how different political, power and cultural factors can have an impact on
business organisation. Along with-it various theories and concepts which are adopted by
Walmart in order to offer a healthy and positive environment to their employs are also
mentioned.
TASK 1
P1 Determine how power, politics and culture can influence the behaviour of individual and
team member and their performance.
Organisational behaviour is determined as a procedure of how politics, culture as well as
power affect the performance level of subordinates within business organisation. There are
different methods in which business firm focuses on performing their work in better way for
boosting the efficiency and effectiveness level. In context of Walmart, it is the multinational
company which is located in Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S (Ali and Farid, 2016). provide wide
variety of goods and services such as footwear, jewellery as well as clothing and many more to
its buyer. In addition to this, it provides positive atmosphere to its employees for achieving the
goal in short span of time. There is different method of organisational culture, politics as well as
power that is discussed below:

Culture
There is different method of doing work in the company. It enforces both favourable and
adverse effect on behaviour of individual person which follow by business organisation. It
generates positive atmosphere at workplace and treated fairly with all employees working in the
organisation. Whereas, some enterprises do not give opportunities to its subordinates to take
participation in the decision making that will be beneficial for the business organisation. Thus, it
reduces motivational as well as satisfaction level of employees at workplace (Zheng and Tanaka,
2017). In context of Walmart, there is different kind of culture adopted by manager which is
discussed below:
Power Culture: In this culture, it is necessary for employees to follow rules and
obligation of the company. The authority is provided to manager that helps in taking an
appropriate decision at workplace. In reference of Walmart, there are different theories and
concepts which are adopted to take speedy decision of the company.
Task Culture: In task culture, the business organisation builds a team for assessing
particular issues and problems for completing the project in stipulated period of time. In addition
to this, there are different task which is performed in such a manner that helps in increasing goal
and objective of business organisation.
Person Culture: In person culture, the individual person is considered as unique for
company. Herein, the member of team performs their work in better way for increasing
efficiency and profitability level.
Role Culture: The role culture is based on different rules as well as regulation. In
business organisation, every individual person knows their role as well as work in the company.
In addition to this, these are types of firm which is generally bureaucratic.
It is important for Walmart to provide positive environment to employees for increasing
the level of performance of individual person working in business organisation. Apart from this,
the manager offers rewards, bonus and incentive to its subordinates based on their performance.
Politics
In business organisation, politics is the cause which imposes adverse influence on level of
performance of subordinates in business organisation in proper way (Candelo, 2019). The primal
aim of politics is to interrupt the employees in order to perform their work. In addition to this,

politics is the common factor which occurs in every organisation; thus, it influences adverse
effect on the performance level of individual employees at workplace.
Demotivation of subordinates: Sometime, the employees take participation in inner
politics gets valued by manager of business organisation. Whereas, the individual person put
their extra efforts in performing their work and they are not appraised by its senior manager. It
decreases the motivation level of employees at workplace.
Productivity is reduced: Herein, the individual person who takes part in inner politics,
they do not put some extra efforts in order to perform their task in an effective manner. And, they
are not capable to achieve objective as well as goal in short span of time.
Ambience is spoiled: Due to internal politics, it creates adverse environment in the
company. The individual person who gets involved in such a nuisance activity like amusing,
bulling others. Thus, due to such nuisance activities, it is difficult for organisation to achieve
objective in short span of time.
In context of Walmart, the top management emphasised on avoiding such kind politics
which occur at workplace. In addition to this, they focus on boosting the confidence as well as
satisfaction of employees within business organisation (Olry-Louis, 2018). It assists in enhancing
the awareness between employees towards achieving their goal.
TASK 2
Content and process theory in order to accomplish objective in an organisation
Employee motivation is said to be a process where the level compete is, creativity or
ability in a subordinate must exist. It is important for every supervisor to motivate their
subordinates in order to increase their productivity. Employs are increase in a way so that the
goals can be accomplished in the given time period. In context of Walmart, it is one of the
biggest supermarket chains in the world. They have a number of employs working under them.
It is very important for managers in Walmart to keep their employs motivated and encouraged.
Motivation is an important part of a management which helps the employs in accomplishing the
work as well as organisational goal in stipulated time period (Murshid and Mohaidin, 2017).
Many philosophers as well as scholars has come up with a number of motivational theories in
order to motivate employees in an organisation. Motivation can we basically divided into two
kinds. These are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation: Intrinsic motivation is the kind of motivation which occurs from the needs
of specific employee or person. There is no external effect put by anyone to drive this kind of
motivation. This occurs from needs and wants of a person. Here a person motivates them self in
order to achieve a goal which they personally required. It is a specific motivation unique of its
kind which provides benefit to company.
Extrinsic motivation: Extrinsic motivation is in which an employer is motivated through a
number of external factors. Managers in an organisation provide a number of sources of such
motivation which includes power, rewards, perquisites, promotions, incentives and so on.
Motivation theories: A number of philosophers and scholars have come up with a number of
queries in order to motivate employees in an organisation. It is very important for every
organisation to maintain a positive and healthy workplace through motivating the employs.
Walmart effectively follows a number of theories for motivation of employs in their
organisation. Some of the stories are mentioned below:
Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory: This theory was introduced by Abraham Maslow. It was
discovered in year 1950. This theory is divided into different levels which every individual needs
to gain while working in any organisation. It has a hierarchy in which an employee wants to
achieve various targets personally. In context of Walmart, the managers of company focus on
each level that employs require to fulfil. This also helps the managers to motivate employees in
order to achieve organisational goals along with their personal goals (MWENJE, 2018). The
hierarchy of various needs in this theory are mentioned below:
Physiological need: Physiological needs are the basic needs which are required by every
individual in order to live a peaceful life. It basically includes the needs regarding food, water,
air, house and so on. The managers at Walmart make sure that all the basic needs of an
individual is satisfied in order to survive in this world.
Security and safety needs: Kind of need is in walls safety as well as security of an employee. In
an organisation this is provided by job security, insurance, old age pension and so on. The
managers at Walmart make sure that they protect all the employs working for them. They
provide them with medical benefits, for national security and a number of insurance plans for
this.
Social needs: Third in this hierarchy is social needs. Social needs consist of satisfying the social
belongingness which every employee needs. In order to satisfy this need managers make

effective team and make sure that effective communication between individuals and employs
working in the same team take place (Klimontowicz, 2019). It helps them to build superior
position and reputation in the society which fulfils their social needs.
Esteem needs: Esteem needs are related to prestige, social status, self-respect and so on. It is
when social needs are satisfied employs focus on self-esteem needs. Managers at Walmart
provide promotions, and various rewards to employees in order to fulfil their self-esteem needs.
Self-actualization needs: actualisation need is well all other needs of an employee is achieved.
It is a self-driven need where an employer focuses on improving their work and their
productivity. This is done by employees to satisfy themselves. Proper training and guidance is
provided by managers in Walmart to make sure that employs achieve self- actualization needs.
Vrooms expectancy theory: This expectancy theory was founded by Victor Vroom in year
1964. This have three types of factors included in it which are mentioned below:
Expectancy: according to this process it is necessary for employs to increase quality of the work
in order to achieve all the business objectives in a given time period efficiently. If they fail to do
so this will directly affect productivity of the organisation. Is required by managers at Walmart to
make sure that employees fulfil what they are expected of (Dickson, 2017).
Instrumentalities: When employs are effectively motivated they will perform their work in a
better manner and helps in achievement of personal as well as organisational goals in a given
time period. Managers at Walmart provide enough opportunities to all its employees so that they
can take part in decision-making processes and feel belonged. This helps them to motivate
employees as well.
Valence: This step in this theory explains that every manager needs to analyse all the needs and
requirements of employees working for them. Managers at Walmart provide effective rewards as
well as incentives to their subordinates in order to increase productivity in the organisation.
There are a number of employs working in Walmart throughout the world. It is required
by managers at Walmart to create a proper balance between a number of strategies created by
them in order to manage human resource and attend given objectives of company in stipulated
time period.
There are a number of issues which are faced by employs in every organisation.
Managers at Walmart critically analyses all those problems and try to resolve it in order to create
positive and healthy work environment. They encourage their employees with a number of

awards as well as incentives based on their performance. There are a number of different
programs generated by company in order to make sure that the career development of employs
working for them takes place throughout.
TASK 3
Effective as well as ineffective team
A team is a group of people who work together in order to perform a similar task or
achieve a similar goal or objective in a given time period. Working in a team helps in
organisation to increase efficiency and productivity in it. When taking Walmart into
consideration management have efficiently made teams in an organisation and distributed tasks
within them in order to achieve goals in stipulated time period (Olaide, 2018). Any organisation
may have two types of teams. These kinds are effective team as well as an ineffective team.
Effective team. An effective team is a team which is clear about all its goals as well as objectives.
All the team members in an effective team are effectively completing the work and task in a
given time period with the best quality possible. Effective team provides profitability to
organisation.
Ineffective team. Ineffective team are those team which do not have a clarified goals or
objectives. The leader in this team cannot solve the grievances and conflicts between the
employs. Productivity of this team is not up to the mark. They are insured losses for an
organisation.
Tuckman theory of team development
The inventor of this theory was Bruce Tuckman who invented this in year 1965. It is a
theory which describes how can a team manager or a team leader effectively form a team
(Oduor, 2020). There are basically five levels for development of team according to this theory
which are mentioned below:
Forming stage: Forming stage is the first level in team development. It is the basic level where
the team is developed. In this there are a number of tasks distributed and work allotted to team
which is the team objective to be achieved in a given time frame. It can be seen that there are a
number of people in a steam which comes from different cultural backgrounds. Everyone here
focuses on effectively completing the task.

Storming stage: The storming stage is well communication between members of a team start
here all the team members come together and they discuss a plan in order to complete the project
or work allotted to them (Anwar and et. al., 2020). Every individual have a different opinion in
the beginning due to which there can be some conflicts or grievances between team members
while they complete their tasks.
Norming stage: Norming stage is a stage where all the individuals perform their work dependent
on their values as well as believes in order to finish the given time period. All the team members
try to solve out their issues and work towards achievement of goals.
Performing stage: Performing stage is a stage where the actual task which is allotted to all the
team members is performed. Here after solving all the grievances between various employees in
an effective team all the employs focus towards completing their task (Perry-Smith and
Mannucci, 2020).
Adjourning stage: This is the final and end stage of a team development where the task allotted
all the objective of team is identified and all the team members are separated. All the members
go back to their individual work or another team where they have a different task. Teams in an
organisation are usually formed for a given task and are not permanent.
From the above discussion it can be seen that the management is an important element which
helps and supervisors to assist their subordinates and get the work done from them in a given
time period. Managers at Walmart perform all the expected task in order to make sure that they
can efficiently manage working within an organisation. They focus on managing effective team
in order to get the work done on time. Major focus is paid by managers in order to resolve
grievances as well as issues which are arising between team members in norming stage. In this
way they help in increasing employee satisfaction, retention rate of employs, productivity of
employees, as well as profitability of the organisation.
TASK 4
P4 Discussion on different concepts and philosophies of organisational behaviour
Organisational behaviour can be said to be a process in which identification of attitudes of a
person working in an organisation or a group of people working together in an organisation is
done. There are a number of elements which are included in this which can be customs, beliefs,
values as well as the traditional understanding of different people in an organisation. In reference

of Walmart, the management team of the company have effectively adopted some of the
concepts and theory in order to provide a better working environment to its employees. The
following theories and concepts I mentioned below
Business conditions: In reference of Walmart, the current situation business faces is not very
good as there has been barriers in communication among subordinates due to which the
productivity of companies hampered. There have been a number of grievances and conflicts
between the employs as well as members in the same team. Managers of Walmart need to take
efficient and effective steps to stop this as soon as possible. Due to this the organizational goals
are not achieved on time (Tear and et. al., 2020). The manager at Walmart has found out that the
Path Goal Theory which he would be applying on his organisation in order to tackle all the
situation arising between employees. The path goal theory is mentioned below:
Path goal theory:
Path goal theory helps in specifying a number of different leadership styles in order to
accomplish the goals and objectives of an organisation in a given time period. When taking
Walmart into reference, the management team of company focuses on increasing the satisfaction
level of the subordinates as well as employees working in company
Categorisation of path goal theory
Employs characteristics: it is important for top management to identify appropriate strategy
which will assess all the needs as well as requirements of the employs and increase them
regularly in effectively performing their task. This will require Walmart to identify the
characteristics of their employs and then apply steps to create a healthy environment within the
organisation. It will help boost up confidence level of employs and the goals can be met on time.
Environment and task attributes: through this the management team of Walmart have greatly
emphasised on all the issues and problems which every individual has to face in an organisation.
There have also been taken a number of steps in order to resolve all the conflicts as a less
grievances which have been arising between employees in the organisation and between
employees working in the same team. This have greatly helped the company in creating a healthy
as well as positive environment within the organisation. It has also helped in boosting the
productivity as well as profitability level of the company.
Leadership behaviour: there are a number of leadership style present in market. Many great
analysts have developed a lot of concepts regarding leadership. In path goal theory manager has

to decide which is the most appropriate style of leadership for their organisation. Through This
the managers at Walmart decide on the best leadership style to be followed. It will help the
company to accomplish their organizational goals as well as objectives in the given time period.
For leadership style which are mainly used by any business organisation are mentioned below:
 Participative style: Through the help of this style a leader decides to take participation of
employs in decision-making processes. Through this employee are included in important
decision-making processes by the leaders which make employs feel motivated and
important for the firm. This boosts up their morale and there is a feeling of belongingness
arrived in employs which helps them to work efficiently (Carlucci, Mura and Schiuma,
2020).
 Supportive style: In such leadership style a leader is always ready to support and help
their employs in completing their work rather than just dictating and distributing the task.
The managers at Walmart have taken this leadership style seriously and they are always
ready to help their employs and support them in order to increase efficiency in their work
and increase productivity for organisation. When guided and supported correctly employs
satisfaction as well as their personal goals can also be achieved along with organisational
goal.
 Achievement style: This is a leadership style in which all the focus of leader is only on
completing and assessing the goals and objectives set up for the organisation in the given
time period. In this leadership is kind of a dictatorship where extra work is provided to
employees in order to finish the task within time frame. Most managers at Walmart do
not practice this as it demotivates employees and bring them dissatisfaction.
 Directive style: in this style of leadership directions are provided to employs which will
help them perform their work in a better way. Rather than guiding the employs
throughout their work they are at the beginning of work directed towards efficient work
by managers. Managers at Walmart need to stop this practice and analyse and examine
the employs at every part of their work rather than just directing them towards the goals.
When they are supported at every level of their work the productivity can be increased
which will lead to increase in profits for the organisation.
Walmart have effective and efficient managers who have undergone a lot of studies in order to
choose the best and effective style for their management (Adil, Hamid and Waqas, 2020). The

managers have chosen and supportive style of leadership along with which they also practised
participative style. This helps the employees to feel belongingness with the company as well as
they are supported throughout the task. This helps company to achieve their goals and objectives
in a given time period. Along with this company is also able to provide employees with a
positive and effective working environment increasing their productivity which will boost up
profits for the organisation.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion in the report it can be clearly seen that attitude as well as
behavior of an individual working in an organization have a direct impact on productivity of
company. It is the duty of supervisor to make effective and officiant strategy in order to identify
the needs of all the individuals who are working within an organization. This helps in creating
healthy and positive environment in company for the employs. Along with this there are also a
number of concepts and theories that a manager needs to adopt in order to fulfil all the needs of
their employs and bring up maximum satisfaction to employees. This helps in reducing the
employee turnover rate and increasing employee retention rate. It is also important to maintain
an effective team in order to accomplish goals in given time period by any organisation.

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