Woolworths Marketing: Organizational Behavior and Effective Teamwork

This report provides an in-depth analysis of organizational behavior within the marketing department of Woolworths, focusing on team performance and leadership. It highlights the significance of effective teamwork in achieving business success, particularly in a diverse customer environment. The study examines the role of a team leader in fostering collaboration, making informed decisions, and maintaining team coordination. Various leadership theories, including participative, autocratic, and transformational styles, are critically evaluated in the context of Woolworths' marketing strategies. The report also explores the influence of external leaders and the application of trait and behavioral leadership theories. The team development model, encompassing forming, storming, norming, and performing stages, is discussed in relation to Woolworths' marketing team formation and objectives. The ultimate goal is to understand how organizational behavior and ethical practices contribute to the overall success of the business.

Running head: ORGANIATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Organizational Behavior
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Executive Summary
The study provided deep insight on how effective team performance can render success of a
business organization. Marketing department of Woolworths is chosen for evaluating the team
performance. In order to draw the attention of customers from various cultural as well as
psychological backgrounds the marketing executives have to play significant role. This very
specific study has focused to give in-depth overview on how team members of marketing
department by maintaining organizational behavior and ethics can share necessary views and
information. My role is to become an effective team leader who has to provide immense support
and cooperation in rendering the success of business. In this very specific study, various
leadership theories are critically evaluated.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction:................................................................................................................................3
2. The group/ team:..........................................................................................................................4
3. Team leadership:..........................................................................................................................6
4. Effectiveness of the team:..........................................................................................................10
5. Conclusion and recommendation:.............................................................................................12
Reference List:...............................................................................................................................14

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1. Introduction:
Woolworths is considered as one of the most prestigious supermarket chains occupying a
predominant place in the realm of retail industry. After starting their journey from the market of
Australia the organization has expanded their entire business in multinational countries. The
business experts have spread their business wings in the market of New Zealand
(woolworths.com, 2018). However, this very specific study has selected marketing team of
Woolworths as a group. In order to run the entire process of business, marketing department
plays one of the most significant roles in introducing the brand towards global market. Therefore,
maintaining a good team rapport among the members is highly significant based on which the
organization would be able to meet objectives.
This very specific study has focused to make in-depth overview on how marketing team
of Woolworths tends to provide effective good performances towards the services. In order to
draw the attention of customers from various cultural as well as psychological backgrounds the
marketing executives have to play significant role. This very specific study has focused to give
in-depth overview on how team members of marketing department by maintaining
organizational behavior and ethics can share necessary views and information. However, in this
very specific study, I have played the role of a team leader in the marketing department of
Woolworths. As a team lead I would be able to give a proper guidance on how to maintain an
effective team rapport for providing good services to the customers. In order to reach the
organizational I as a team leader should have the capability of team management, decision,
maintaining team coordination and so on.

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2. The group/ team:
The team that is selected amidst Woolworths is marketing and sales department. As per
the opinion of Binder (2016) the role of marketing department is to promote the products and
services so that it can create an awareness among the international customers. Maintaining
quality of products and services is not the only objective of a business organization. People
belonging to different geographical backgrounds and attitudes tend to show their interest in
purchasing a product only when the concerned product creates an image on the market.
Therefore, marketing executives have to face play a major role in creating product image and
product identity. The primary responsibilities that marketing department has to follow include
collecting customers’ feedback, identifying target customers, making in-depth research on the
needs and demands of the customers, maintaining promotional activities and so on.
Before designing a particular product the product managers have to get detailed overview
about the needs and demands of the customers in current market trend. However, marketing
executives have to play major responsibility in collecting customers’ feedback either directly or
indirectly (Majchrzak et al., 2014). Based on their needs and demands, the product packaging
and designing methods are decided. With the help of an effective STP analysis the marketing
executives have to select their target customers. With the help of marketing manager the
executives tend to make an effective promotional budget based on which the products are
introduced. Woolworths after expanding their entire process of business in different countries
tend to select both digital media platform as well as traditional media platform.
Team development model:

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The marketing team of Woolworths is formed at the very beginning of their journey in
order to place their products and services in the international market. While developing the team,
business experts have decided to use team development model. Morgan, Pullon and McKinlay
(2015) stated that team development model is primarily constituted with four major factors
including forming, storming, norming and performing. Before forming this specific team the
business managers had to take a participative decision. The managers after taking a collective
decision have decided that the organization needs to launch a new team named marketing
department in order to introduce the products and services in the international market. In
addition, organizational managers had to face difficulties in collecting customers’ feedback. In
this kind of situation, the business experts did not get the scope to form new strategies and
policies for business development (Schwalbe, 2015). However, in this situation, the business
authority has decided to form a new department of marketing for handling these specific sectors.
Storming is the phase where the team intends to set their goals and objectives. In this
very specific stage the team has to focus on meeting customers’ needs and demands. The target
of every team member of a specific department is same. In this very specific stage team leader
has to give a clear description about team objectives (Laudon & Laudon, 2016). Norming is the
phase where team members have to show their commitment in reaching organizational goal. This
very specific stage enables every individual employee in performing well towards the services.
Performing is the last phase of team development model where the employees have to give their
best endeavor towards services. In this specific phase every team members are well aware about
the aims and objectives (Peng, Babar & Ebert, 2014). Based on that specific aims and objectives
the employees have to provide effect services in meeting business target.

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Figure 1: Team Development Model
(Source: Fernandez, Le Roy & Gnyawali, 2014)
After forming a specific marketing team the business experts have focused to create
awareness about the brands and their services. By establishing a proper hierarchy on marketing
department Woolworths is able to get customers feedback before making an effective marketing
strategy and policy.
3. Team leadership:
Overview of leadership and leadership style:
Leadership within a group leaves a major significance in enhancing the entire
performance level of a specific team. In order to render team success the team members have to
maintain a proper discipline and culture at the workplace. On the other hand, every single
performer would be able to meet team productivity only when the members would be directed by
a team leader (Oakland, 2014). Leaders play an important role in leading and controlling the
performance level of an entire team. People from various geographical backgrounds and attitudes

7ORGANIATIONAL BEHAVIOR
are associated within a team. Therefore, the role of team leaders is to give motivation among the
team members and to provide them necessary feedback. Leaders tend to give both positive and
negative feedback to the team members (Gilbert et al., 2015). Based on that particular feedback
the employees have to improve their level of performances.
While leading a very specific team leaders can use different forms of leadership style
which include participative form of leadership style, autocratic form of leadership style and
transformational leadership style. Participative form of leadership style enables the leaders in
maintaining an effective collaboration among the team members. In this specific form of
leadership style employees do not have to face challenges in sharing their views and thoughts
regarding the business goal (Hoch & Kozlowski, 2014). Employees have every right to share
their own opinion on the marketing and promotional strategies with leaders. On the other hand,
autocratic form of leadership enables the leaders to impose their own decision on the employees.
With the help of this very specific leadership style employees do not have right to share
their own opinion regarding the process of business. As a result, both the employees and the
managers do not get scope to share their own opinion together. However, transformational form
of leadership style is entirely dependent on the business situation. In order to overcome any kind
of crisis the leaders tend to take immediate strategic decision to make their entire situation within
control (Yan & Dooley, 2014). On the other hand, in order to make the entire business process
democratic the leaders tend to involve every employee within decision making process.
Therefore, leadership style is transferred as per needs and demands of the situation.
Woolworths’ marketing department follows participative form of leadership style for
motivating the employees towards services. In addition, with the help of making participative

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leadership, both the employees and leaders get equal scope and opportunities in sharing views
and thoughts.
Influence of external leaders:
External leaders have major significance in enhancing the entire performance level of
the employees. External leaders indicate senior managers or any member from board of director.
It is often observed that team leaders alone is facing challenges in maintaining an effective
rapport with the team members due to the lack of effective resources or lack of efficiency. In this
kind of situation, the senior managers can give an effective support to the team leaders in
enhancing the performance level towards the services (Landis et al., 2014). The role of an
efficient leader is to motivate the team members towards reaching the proper goal. If the team
members are from different geographical backgrounds the leaders have to face immense
hardships maintaining effective communication. Therefore, an external leader with the help of
experience and skill tends to control the performance level of the employees. As per the
instruction of senior manager the leaders may have to take effective training and development
session based on which leaders can enhance their professional skill and competency level. Senior
managers tend to maintain a personality at the workplace that leaves a major positive impact on
the productivity of employees (Brown, 2014). In addition, any kind of positive feedback from the
senior managers influences and motivates employees for performing well towards the services.
Leadership theories:
Among several leadership theories the marketing department of Woolworths tends to
follow two primary theories including trait leadership theory and behavioral theory. Trait
leadership theory implies that leaders should be constituted with several traits in order to lead a

9ORGANIATIONAL BEHAVIOR
specific team. The quality of a leader implies effective communication skill, managerial skill,
time management skill, decision making skill, sense of intelligence and so on. In order to become
an efficient leader an individual should have proper management skill of coordinating the entire
team towards the services (Van Wart, 2014). By maintaining an effective communication with
the employees team leader has to make effective rapport with every single team member. People
from different geographical backgrounds and attitudes should be treated with equal respect and
dignity. Leaders should have the trait of being unbiased towards the services. In addition, while
making effective marketing strategies the team members may have to face innumerable barriers
while promoting the products. The business leader should have the efficiency to make effective
decision at the proper time. In order to handle sudden crisis leaders should have the trait of
management skill as well as technological skill (Puni, Ofei & Okoe, 2014). Technological skill
and competency takes a major priority based on which the skill and competency level of an
employee highly dependent.
On the other hand, behavioral theory implies that every leader should have a proper
mental, physical or social characteristic. The mentality of an efficient leader should be unbiased.
Every single team member should get equal respect and dignity. In addition, leaders should have
cooperative outlook with the help of which team members can easily share their workplace
problem without any hesitation. Woolworths tends to apply these two theories within their
marketing team (Scott & Davis, 2015). . As a result, team members would not have to face
immense challenges in receiving effective cooperation from the experts.
4. Effectiveness of the team:
Structure of the group:

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The marketing group of Woolworths is constituted with several members under a team
leader and assistant team leader. In order to control the entire team management the team leader
has to take the assistant of a manager who constantly guide towards reaching the business goals
and services. The role of team leader in the marketing department is to motivate executives in
making effective promotional activities. Woolworths’ marketing department follows a proper
systematic hierarchy (Baesu & Bejinaru, 2014). Under a senior marketing manager the assistant
manager plays a major role. Under an assistant manager the team leaders are there in separate
teams. Team leaders’ responsibility is to control the performance level of the employees.
Cohesion of the group:
Team members try to maintain a proper cohesion among the group so that customers do
not get deprived of receiving effective services. In addition, in order to run a marketing
department effectively the members have to maintain a team rapport which leaves a positive
impact in maintaining brand image and reputation. However, it has been observed that team
members of Woolworths are from different geographical and cultural backgrounds. Therefore,
the team members have to face immense challenges in maintaining coordination due to language
barrier, psychological barrier and cultural barrier (Okoroji, Anyanwu & Ukpere, 2014). As a
result, leaders have to face challenges in maintaining an effective coordination. However, based
on the issue identified within the marketing department of Woolworths the team leaders have
recommended some of the members for receiving an effective training session on
communication skill as well as communication skill.
Communication within the group:

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As already mentioned, team members of marketing department of Woolworths are from
diverse cultural backgrounds and attitudes. Therefore, communication barrier among the team
members have become a major issue for rendering organizational success. The team leaders of
Woolworths based on the communication style and approach have identified several members
(Miner, 2015). Those members are decided to refer to the human resource managers for
attending an effective training and career development plan on communication skill.
Decision making process:
Based on the decision making process success of a business organization is highly
dependent. Woolworths likes to take an effective collaborative decision by involving the
employees towards services. Team leader of marketing department does not like to take
autocratic decision without making any communication with the employees (Struve, 2015). A
proper decision should be taken by involving every team member associated with marketing
department.
Effectiveness model:
T7 model of team effectiveness implies that team leader while supporting the team tends
to follow several phases that include task (execute successfully), thrust ( push towards proper
direction of business objectives), trust (on each other), talent (show skills) and teaming (operate
by taking every single talent). This particular model helps the team leader in directing the team
members towards proper goal. Team effectiveness is highly important in rendering the success of
business (Ahmad et al., 2014). Both the organizational manager and the employees can give their
best services by following this model.