Organizational Behaviour: A Case Study of Hindustan Unilever Limited: Organizational Behaviour

By Djordje Teofilovic

This is a contributed book developed by Djordje Teofilovic and his students from India. It analyzes Hindustan Unilever Limited through the lenses of organizational behaviour (OB).

 

Chapter contributors:

 

Aarushi Madnani, Battini Rahul Tej, Suvankar Das, Amogh Hegde, Vinuta G Anantpur, Nandini Gupta, Abhayjeet Kumar Lal, Sanmita Patnaik, Kavvya Yagnik, Harshita Mohan, Gauri Agarwal, Chelsea Moria and Tarun Yadav

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eleon Publishing
• Release date: Apr 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9781990546075

Book preview

Edited by Djordje Teofilovic

Copyright © 2023 by Eleon Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a database or other retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means now existing or later discovered including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-1-990546-07-5

Cover design: Ivan Krizmanic / Grafolik

Editor

Djordje Teofilovic is a marketing professional. Born and raised in Serbia while formally educated in the United States. An educator since 2005 in various roles and subjects from the business/social sciences area. Small business owner and entrepreneur; Eleon Publishing is the latest start-up. Associated with the International Institute of Marketing Professionals (IIMP) since 2009.

Authored book What Serbs Must Do to Survive. Particularly passionate about strategy. Self-proclaimed guru of Template Marketing. Business Instructor at Trios College, Toronto, Canada, and Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, India. 

Contributors

Aarushi Madnani, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Battini Rahul Tej, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Suvankar Das, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Amogh Hegde, Ramaiah College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Vinuta G Anantpur, Ramaiah College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Nandini Gupta, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Abhayjeet Kumar Lal, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Sanmita Patnaik, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Kavvya Yagnik, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Harshita Mohan, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Gauri Agarwal, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Chelsea Umesh Moria, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Tarun Yadav, Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Table of Contents

Editor............ ..............................................................................................3

Contributors..................................................................................................4

Explaining Organizational Behavior........................................................................6

Hindustan Unilever Limited: Background...............................................................17

Groups........................................................................................................27

Teamworking................................................................................................39

Leadership....................................................................................................48

Decision Making.............................................................................................59

Power and Politics...........................................................................................71

Explaining Organizational Behavior

Aarushi Madnani and Battini Rahul Tej

Organizational behavior studies the behavior of employees and management to solve organizational issues, particularly those involving people. This entails looking at the organization as a whole, individual human behavior, and how individuals interact in an organizational setting.

Organizational behavior can be categorized as an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates knowledge from other disciplines like psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, and economics. It studies an organization’s functions based on the behavior and conduct of its personnel while using a psychological approach to determine an organization’s operations (Fields & Bocarnea, 2005). Organizational behavior considers all the factors that influence how an organization operates. Moreover, it has been developed and modified to understand human behavior in a socio-psychological context. Since socialization significantly impacts individuals' and groups' attitudes and social behaviors, sociology contributes to organizational behavior by researching interpersonal dynamics such as leadership, team dynamics, and communication. Furthermore, anthropology aids in the comprehension of cultural influences on organizational behavior, as well as the implications of value systems, norms, attitudes, cohesiveness, and interaction. Political scientists study how or why people gain power, as well as political behavior, decision-making, friction, conflict, and group behavior, all of which are key areas of discussion in organizational behavior. Lastly, organizational behavior also focuses on topics such as labor market dynamics, productivity, human capital planning and forecasting, and cost-benefit analysis to positively influence and guide employee behavior and optimize organizational efficiency (HotChalk, 2022).

Organizational behavior theories and principles are frequently applied to increase organizations’ overall efficiency. Organizational behavior researchers are primarily interested in determining the presence of employee motivation, job alienation, organizational commitment, or other work-related variables to better understand how these characteristics explain employee work behaviors and how they are influenced by other factors like working conditions, company policies, or human resource programs (Student Paper: Waterford Institute of Technology, 2022).

Organizational behavior has great importance in today’s corporate culture. Organizational behavior may be better understood and predicted by studying organizational behavior as it aids in comprehending the nature and actions of individuals inside an organization (Student Paper, Republic of the Maldives, 2022). Moreover, it is critical to encourage personnel and sustain interrelationships inside the organization. Organizational behavior study elucidates how employees behave and perform at work. It assists in building awareness of the factors that might encourage employees, improve their performance, and assist employers in developing a strong and trustworthy connection with their workforce.

The origins of organizational behavior may be traced back to the early twentieth century when behavioral theorists sought to enhance factory output. Organizational behavior is a relatively recent subject of study that emerged during the Industrial Revolution. The introduction of technological advances and the adoption of new industry practices, including greater mechanization, factories, and, automation generated a completely new workplace in the 1760s. The industrial revolution ushered in tremendous social and cultural upheaval, as well as new organizational structures. The following schools of thought emerged as a result of three rounds of evolution: Theories of Classical Management, Neo-Classical Management, and Modern Management Theories.

Influential Theories of OB

Scientific Management Theory, Human Relations Theory, X & Y Management Theory, and Bureaucracy Theory are some of the most influential OB theories to date. Fredrick Taylor's Scientific Management Theory aimed to promote organizational efficiency by increasing individual productivity. Taylor's study concentrated on routine, repetitive chores