Blog six- Enterprise Week

During enterprise week I attended ‘Ella’s kitchen’, which was held on the 9^th November 2010 in the old boardroom. The presentation by Paul Lindley, the managing director of the company, lasted approximately one hour and consisted of a PowerPoint presentation which was then explained in further detail. ‘Ella’s Kitchen’ was set up by Paul to encourage his daughter and other children to eat healthier food. ‘Ella’s Kitchen’ (2010) passionately believes that children should have the opportunity to learn that healthy food can also be tasty and fun. The company is innovative and different, using unusual combinations of fruit and vegetables to create tasty snacks. The presentation explored the company’s journey from initial start-up to the products being stocked by major retailers such as Tesco.

I found ‘Ella’s Kitchen’ very informative as Paul Lindley’s presentation explained that he had used his daughter as the model for the products to build an emotional brand based on his family. I thought it was unusual that they have successfully aimed the product at two consumers, the mum and the children, as most competitors only target the parents. ‘Ella’s Kitchen’ uses colourful packaging and imagery on their adverts for the children as well as including all the nutritional information parents would be interested in. In my opinion the company is unique as it uses an unusual marketing technique.

To conclude, i found this presentation extremely beneficial because, after having recently created a business idea as part of my degree, I found it interesting to see how this could be put into practice in the real world. After listening to Paul Lindleys presentation it has inspired me to follow my dreams of setting up a beauty salon in the future. The knowledge that Paul Lindley provided was therefore invaluable advice as it explained how to ensure that your business is not one of the many that fails every year.

References

Ellas Kitchen (2010) Homepage [online]. www.ellaskitchen.co.uk [accessed 29 December 2010].



Blog 5- Power and Conflict at work

Conflict can be defined as behaviour that is intended to obstruct another individual from achieving their goal. Brooks (2006) stated that ‘conflict is apparent when at least one party perceives that it exists and where an interest or concern of that party is about to be compromised or frustrated.’

I experienced conflict at school when I was put into a group for geography to create a presentation relating to the formation of volcanoes. I was put with people that I wouldn’t normally work with as our teacher would usually let us work with our friends. This meant I found myself having to motivate others that weren’t interested in doing the work whereas I on the other hand wanted to get a good grade. Subsequently are group was not able to achieve its purpose to the best of our ability as only 50% of the group were pulling their weight. I didn’t think it was fair that only a few people were doing the work and the rest were being carried and would get the same grade. We decided to delegate everyone in our group aspects of the presentation that they would need to research individually and then present in front of the class. This worked effectively as they didn’t want to look bad in front of their classmates when we presented. From this conflict I learnt that it is best to deal with it straight away rather than waiting for it to progress. Also some people like to follow and be given tasks to do rather than using their initiative and just getting on with it.

French and Raven suggested the sources of power theory in 1959. There are five different sources of power, these are coercive, reward, expert, legitimate and referent. Coercive power is when people are afraid of their managers so their power is based on fear. Reward power is achieved when individuals have the perception that they will be rewarded in the future. The saying all knowledge is power can be related to expert power, this is when an individual has the expertise to carry out the job so is therefore rewarded with the power. Legitimate power is when somebody has achieved the right to be power, for example they have worked their way up the company’s hierarchy structure rather than coming through the back door at managerial level. Finally referent power is when somebody wants to be like somebody else and idolises them.

In order to overcome conflict at work there are many different strategies that organisations can use. The first strategy is the use of human resource management and procedures. As Mullins (2010) suggests areas of conflict can be reduced by paying careful attention to HRM policies and procedures such as equal pay and opportunities for example. By adhering by these policies and procedures it makes it a lot harder for somebody to complain and say that they are being treated unfairly. Another strategy is to clarify goals and objectives, this helps to avoid misunderstandings and conflict. By having clear goals this ensures that staff are aware what is expected of them. The third strategy is to ensure there are good communication, consultation and involvement in decision making between staff and management. It is important that if there is going to be a change that staff are prepared for this change to occur. To overcome conflict it is also important that employees have the chance to air grievances and have a grievance policy and procedure. The final strategy is to ensure there is a disciplinary procedure that all employees are aware of. All disciplinary procedures have three stages and it is important that employees understand what these are in order for conflict to be avoided in the workplace.

In conclusion conflict can occur in the workplace for a number of reasons for example limited resources, role conflict, differences in perception and inequitable treatment. This can have a very negative impact on the workplace so it is important that strategies like the five mentioned previously are followed in order for conflict to be avoided. From my own experience I have learnt that conflict will always arise within a workplace but its how you overcome this conflict that will affect the outcome

Resources

Books

Mullins, L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour.9^th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Websites

Mind tools (2011) French and Ravens five forms of power [online], Available from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_56.htm [ accessed 22 January 2011].

Blog four- Leadership

The term leadership can be interpreted in many different ways. Simply leadership is others following an individual. Leadership is sometimes a behavioural characteristic of an individual’s personality or can be an attribute of their job role, knowledge or wisdom. According to Mullins leadership ‘ is a relationship through which one person influences the behaviour or actions of other people (2010, p.373). The term management is also subject to many interpretations, it can be seen as an everyday activity that involves people interaction. It can be said that to an extend everyone is a manager as we manage our own time and make decisions as to whether or not to do something. The two terms leadership and management often interlink however management usually refers to one individual carrying out an objective through others and relates to a management role within an organisation. Leadership on the other hand is based on interpersonal behaviour, where followers are more than happy to just follow. This differs to management as there aren’t many individuals that are enthusiastic about being managed. Leadership does not necessarily take place within a hierarchy in an organisation as many managers outside an organisation are not seen in a leadership role.

The Blake and Mouton managerial grid is a method of evaluating different styles of management. The grid uses two principles in order to compare different managerial styles. These principles are concern for production and concern for people. Concern for production is represented on the vertical axis of the grid and relates to the level of production and emphasis on completing the tasks. Concern for people is represented on the vertical axis of the grid and relates to the level of emphasis the manger gives to their colleague’s needs and expectations. The conclusion that can be drawn from the grid is how the manager expresses concern about people or production. The four corners and the centre on the grid make up the five combinations of degree of concern for people and production these include the impoverished manager, the authority-compliance manager, the country club manager, the middle of the road manager and the team manager.

I have identified the leadership style of Philip Green and Partners as the team manager, which has a 9,9 rating. This means that they have a high concern for both production and people. As Mullins suggests ‘team managers create a situation whereby people can satisfy their own needs by commitment to the objectives of the organisation’ (2010, p.462).    Any problems are handled with staff directly to ensure any issues are resolved quickly. By discussing the problem staff are provided the opportunity to suggest their ideas. I believe that after reading the five different combinations of leadership style that this best describes Philip Green and Partners. As it is a small company all issues are resolved quickly to enable the team dynamics to remain constant. They believe it is important that the staff are recognised for their hard work rather than just focusing on the job itself.

Martin Luther King is a well know leader that revolutionised the way our society is seen today. He is greatly remembered for his leadership role during his campaign for peace and justice. He was an inspirational speaker who delivered the well known 'I have a dream speach at the civil rights march on August 1963. His non-violent approach to challanging white oppression grew him a large following which in turn helped to change society. I believe Martin Luther King is a strong leader beacuse he fought for his beliefs and as a result created equal rights for hundreds of thousand of black americans.

References

Books

Mullins, L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour.9^th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Websites

BBC history (2003) Martin Luther King [online]. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/recent/martin_luther_king_01.shtml Accessed 8 January 2011].

Google images (2011) The managerial leadership grid [online]. http://www.google.co.uk/imgages [accessed 8 January 2011].

Blog three- Organisation Culture

Organisational culture was defined by Hofstede (1984) as ‘a body of learned behaviour, a collection of beliefs, habits and traditions, shared by a group of people and learned by people.’ People working within an organisation develop their own culture in the same way a national identity is developed in societies. Culture normally refers to group of people that follow the same behaviour, when relating this to an organisation it gives a sense of identity for example ‘what we do’ and ‘how we should behave’. According to the CIPD, companies with strong cultures tend to perform better than those that are weaker.

Visible aspects of organisational culture relate to the physical and social environment. There are two main theories which explore the levels of culture within an organisation these are Schein and French and Bell. According to Mullins (2010) Schein suggested in 1992 that ‘the most visible level of culture was artefacts and creations.’ This level includes technology, language both written and spoken and the behaviour of group members. This theory is often related to an onion as the outer layers are visible aspects of culture, the middle layers are deeper aspects of culture and the centre is the basic beliefs on which the organisation was built. The second theory is French and Bell’s organisational iceberg.  French and Bell (1990) suggested that there were two contrasting aspects to organisations; the first is visable and formal whereas the second is more hidden and refers more to what goes on despite the formal structure.

 

            Shein (1992)                                                                                                                                      French and Bell (1990)

Using my own work experience at Philip Green and Partners estate agents I am able to provide examples of a few ‘visual’ aspects of culture in their organisation. Firstly estate agents use different language and certain phrases that are specific to this industry for example, vendor and probate. There are also many phrases that are written in short hand for example first time buyer is always written as FTB and everyone within the organisation uses this shorthand.  Aside from language there are certain unwritten rules and expectations that employees are expected to follow. When an employee is showing applicants around a property for example they are expected to take their shoes off and treat the house with respect like they would their own. There are many other examples of visual aspects of culture within this organisation that I could comment on but the final aspect I have chosen is atmosphere. Philip Green and Partners is a professional business so members of staff are expected to act accordingly. This means if a customer is to walk into the office a member of stands up to greet them and talks to them in a formal manner. As well as having a business attitude staff are expected to dress formally in business suits.

 

Organisational culture can be classified in many different ways. Handy developed the ideas of Harrison and came up with four types of organisational culture; power culture, role culture, task culture and person culture.

Power Culture

Within a power culture there are a selection of powerful figures at the centre and few rules and procedures. Decisions are often made quickly as communication is made in person. According to Mullins (2010) ‘A power culture is often found in small businesses as it relies deeply on trust, empathy and personal communication.‘

Role Culture

A role culture is typical of a beurocracy as work is decided via rules and regulations. The job role or title is often seen as more important than the individual and therefore power is based on the level in the company hierarchy. People in a role culture work to a job description, these are often seen in the public sector for example hospitals and local governments.

Task Culture

A task culture is a project based organisation that involves a lot of team work. This type of culture utilises the right resources and people to create a unique business. A task culture is based more on expert power rather than personal power as it is the task that is key rather than the individual or company rules. Within this type of culture there is a lot more freedom and flexibility.

Person culture

Within a personal culture the individuals are the main focus of the organisation. This means that there isn’t a hierarchy as the company only exists to serve the interests of those within it. Examples of this type of organisation include barristers, architects, consultants and doctors.

Every organisation will have its own unique culture so some businesses are likely to be a mix of cultures for example in different parts of the organisation there may be different cultures. This will make it hard to classify this culture under just one of the types mentioned previously.

To conclude organisation culture refers to the behaviour, beliefs and traditions of a group of people within an organisation. It can be said that it is the glue that holds an organisation together. There are a few theories that explore organisation culture further two of which I have mentioned previously. These are both based on a similar concept but Schein splits an organisation into three layers whereas French and Bell only split it into two. These visual layers can be applied to culture in organisations such as Philip Green. Not all organisations will have the same visual aspects as it depends on the type of company. Every organisation is unique and will therefore have a different culture. These can usually be classified under by the four types of culture suggested by Handy however this is not always possible as many organisation contain different aspects of all four cultures.  

References

Books

Mullins, L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour.9^th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Websites

Google images (2010) Organisational iceberg [online]. Available from: www.google.co.uk/images [accessed 22 December 2010].

Philip green and partners (2010) home page [online]. Available from http://www.philipgreen.co.uk/ [accessed 22 Decemeber 2010].

Value based management (2010) Three levels of culture edgard schien [online]. Available from: http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_schein_three_levels_culture.html

[accessed 22 December 2010].

Blog two- Improving staff performance

Motivation can be separated into two different types of theories; these are content and process theories. Content theories explore the factors that actually motivate an individual whilst at the workplace. It identifies the goals an employee wishes to achieve in order to satisfy their needs and progress within their role. Process theories on the other hand refer to the relationship between variables of motivation and the steps taken in order to influence behavior.

‘Wallis is part of the Arcadia group which is the Uk’s largest privately owned clothing retailer’ (Wallis, 2010). Wallis target their distinctive products at the middle age business woman, who is 30 +. Conducting research into Wallis proved an insight into the many different techniques Wallis use to motivate their staff. Wallis follow a ‘shine’ training scheme which incorporate the levels; trainee, standard, advanced, top level, deputy manager and manager. Certain tasks, for example stock take, must be completed in order for employees to complete each level. Employees are motivated to complete each level in the scheme as they receive a pay rise, £75 bonus and more responsibility. Wallis pride themselves on their training scheme as they think it is important to allow employees to work themselves up the ‘ladder’ rather than employing new members of staff at a supervisor level for example. Staff are also given regular incentives to help improve the store performance. These incentives include; £35 worth of clothes, a night out for the team, capital bonds, jewellery and an extra 30 minute paid break. Being part of the Arcadia Group Limited, all Wallis staff receive 25% discount in all seven arcadia stores and 20% in BHS. These techniques used by Wallis enable a good working atmosphere and relationship between members of staff.

The ‘shine’ training scheme used by Wallis can be applied to Locke’s goal setting theory, which explores how goals can motivate an individual. Mitchell and Larson suggest that ‘An organisation can have a strong influence on the work behavior of its employees by influencing their goals’ (1987, p.165). These goals need to be SMART goals for them to be achievable, this stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound. If a goal is set following these criteria then it is likely that the employee will reach it, however it has to be a challenge, there is no point setting a goal that can be achieved too easily. Arnold et al (2005) believed that by setting goals that are specific and difficult but not impossible, it will improve an individual’s performance at work as long as they receive feedback and recognition. Once a goal is achieved it is essential for recognition to be received in order for the employee to be motivated when aiming for their next goal. The ‘shine’ training scheme follows the SMART targets mentioned in Locke’s goal setting theory. Each employee is given 3 months to complete the trainee, standard and advance levels and 6 months for top level, deputy and manager. The tasks that need to be achieved in order to be signed of a level are relevant to the job and work commitment involved in the next level. The job role is broken down into bullet points, which are then ticked off when the employee shows the manager over time that they have mastered this skill. By making off those that have already been achieved the employee can track the progress they are making. This motivates employees as they always have a goal to work towards and can choose to stay at the level that suits them they don’t have to keep progressing up the management ladder.

Process theories help to provide further understanding relating to work motivation. Many theories are not able to be linked to just one writer but the main theories include; Vrooms Expectancy theory, Adams Equity theory and Locke’s goal setting theory. From the research I conducted into Wallis it can be seen that they use motivation theories effectively in order to ensure their members of staff perform to the best of their abilities. Although I feel Locke’s goal setting theory is best applied to Wallis many other process theories are also used in practice by this organisation, for example Vroom’s Expectancy theory.

References

Books

Mitchell,T and Larson,J.(1987) People in organisations: An introduction to organizational behaviour.3^rd ed. Singapore: McGrow-Hill Book Co.

Mullins, L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour.9^th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Websites

Arcadia group limited (2010) Arcadia brand history [online]. Availible from: www.arcadiagroup.co.uk/about/wallis.html [Accessed 5 January 2011]

Wallis (2010) Wallis History [online]. Available from: www.wallis.co.uk [Accessed 5 January 2011]

HR Zone (2010) If I make the effort do I meet my goals [online] Available from: http://www.hrzone.co.uk/blogs/brendanwalsh/360-degree-appraisal-and-performance-reviews/if-i-make-effort-do-i-meet-my-goals [Accessed 22 December 2010]

Blog one- Motivation

‘Motivation can be described as the direction and persistence of action.’(Mullins, 2010, p.253). Motivation is studied to basically determine why people behave in the way they do as every person is unique and have different factors which will motivate them. The basic concept of motivation is that individuals work towards a goal in order to fulfil an expectation or need.

Content theories explore specific factors that motivate the individual at work. These relate to goals the individual wishes to achieve in order to satisfy their needs. The main content theories of motivation are; Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model, Alderfer’s modified need hierarchy model, Herzberg’s two factor theory and McClelland’s achievement motivation theory.

Herzberg’s motivation theory can be split into two factors, hygiene and motivators. Hygiene factors are sometimes known as maintenance factors, these relate to an individual’s basic needs in the workplace for example good working conditions. Mullins (2010) suggests that these hygiene factors are essential in order for unfair treatment to be avoided. In order for an individual to grow, improve and do their job to the best of their ability these standards need to be met. Redman and Wilkinson suggested that ‘employees were more likely to be motivated by factors such as achievement and the work itself rather than simply money’ (2001, p.101). The other set of factors, motivators or growth factors refer to the job content or work itself. These allow the individual to move forward within their job and feel as though their work has been recognised. In order for an employee to give their best, the manager must pay attention to the motivator factors. I choose to conduct further research in Herzbergs two factor theory because I feel it is particularly relevant to me and my experience at my part time job at Wallis. As well as being motivated by salary, status and work conditions, I felt that recognition, a sense of achievement, growth and responsibility were more important. It was these motivator factors that enabled me to progress to a supervisor level in two years, for which I was promoted three times.

When I originally applied for university in January I was still unsure what my plans were for the next year and therefore decided to wait until I received my grades in June. The motivation to go to university came when I received my results and found out that my place at Bucks New University had been confirmed. I believed that if I had got this far I owed it to myself to continue my studies into Business and Human Resources. Now that I am at university I am extremely pleased I made that decision as the course is right for me. For the next 2-3 years I will continue to be motivated to ensure that I receive my degree at the end of all the hard work. Another motivational force is the cost of university which will be turn out to be extremely expensive for the three years, it is therefore important that I work hard to ensure it wasn’t a waste of money. These reasons for motivation can be related to Herzbergs two factor theory as mentioned previously. The cost of the course over the three years is a hygiene factor and receiving the degree and sense of achievement at the end of the three years is a motivator factor.

I have previously been de-motivated at my part time job at Wallis. Wallis has regular incentives to increase sales, one of which involved each store collecting email addresses and the store that received the most won £35 worth of clothes for each member of staff. As I was determined to win the incentive I had gone out of my way to collect the email addresses. Other members of staff saw how many I had collected and therefore felt that they didn’t need to collect any themselves. This demotivated me as I felt I was the only person pulling my weight, and therefore didn’t see why everyone should receive the same prize. To become more motivated I spoke to my manger privately and expressed my concern, as a result I was given the role of motivating the others to collect the email addresses. I had been apprehensive about mentioning my concerns to my manager encase she thought I was badmouthing other members of staff. However looking back now I wish I had mentioned my concerns sooner as she went out of her way to ensure the problem was resolved.

In conclusion content theories of motivation relate to specific factors that motivate an individual in the workplace. In order to satisfy their needs goals are set between management and staff. As mentioned previously Herzberg’s two factor theory explores the different factors that motivate an individual splitting them into hygiene factors and motivator factors. As everyone is different we will all have different factors that will motivate and de-motivate us. It is important that employers keep their staff motivated otherwise they will not perform to the best of their ability.

References

Books

Mullins, L. (2010) Management and organisational behaviour.9^th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Redman, T and Wilkinson, A.(2001) Contemporary human resource management. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Websites

Google images (2010) Herzbergs two factor theory [online]. Available from: www.google.co.uk/images [Accessed 20 November 2010].