“LEADERS LEAD THE WAY”

- A TESCO CASE STUDY

Group members
1. Amiya Paul
2. Arindam Mitra
3. Rittik Bag
4. Sk. Asfaque Hossain
5. K.Kiran
6. Md. Samimuddin
7. Zeeshan Sowket
8. Karan Ram
Case summary
The entire case study shows us the success story of Tesco. They believe in not
only acquiring new customers but also hold the existing customers. The concept
is simple if they hold existing customers and if they keep acquiring their
business grows. This is the ultimatum for all business.

Tesco believes in the way of having good leaders will always lead to positive
outcome yielding better result.

Their leaders are of such a kind that the people who are working there gets the
utmost respect in every level and are treated equally henceforth producing the
best working atmosphere, this way motivation is done and rapid growth takes
place as performance is of top notch.

In this case study it is shown three leaders of the same company but of different
departments working and leading in different ways. Though their leadership
styles are different they have a couple of things in common as all of them
respect all work force that work under them all of them listen to all their
teammates and consult regarding planning, implementation and how work can
be done along with creative freedom.

Any team heading towards a proper goal must have a good leader Tesco does
not have a shortage of leaders that is the reason for success.
Case Study Answers
PART 1

Today’s business organizations operate in an increasingly global environment.

Leaders must be prepared to succeed in a fast-moving, complex and competitive
world, making the most of every resource. And it’s not just lip service to say
that people are truly our greatest assets. Those in positions of leadership or who
write about effective leadership all come to the conclusion that competitive
advantage comes to those who make the best use of their people, providing
environments that engage and enable employees.

As organizations grow and expand into more complex environments, leadership

and management challenges grow as well. The manager of a small, local
business is likely to supervise a mix of employees with similar experiences and
shared values. Those same cultural aspects are often shared with customers and
others likely to interact with a small, local organization. However, as
organizations grow and expand across regional and national borders, both the
analysis of organizational culture and its effective adaptation to accommodate
multinational settings grows ever more complex and challenging.

Suppose we take two countries Japan and America for examples and both
have adopted separate styles of leadership. Each culture must deal with
questions that can be resolved according to a series of dimensions depending on
the degree of intensity within each of five dimensional variables measured
across a spectrum.

 Individualism/Collectivism- The first of these variables evaluates whether

people within a culture see themselves at a very deep level as part of a
larger group, or as single, independent actors. Cultures that traditionally
call upon individual obligation to place the needs of the whole above
individual needs represent more collective or communal societies,
whereas cultures that place greater emphasis on independence, self-
fulfillment and personal advancement score high on the individualism
scale. This is not a measure of whether people like to be members of a
group, rather is it a question of how people self-identify their relations
with others.
 Uncertainty Avoidance- In some cultures, people prefer to have
everything spelled out in detail so there will be few, if any, surprises.
 Bureaucratic organizations often rely upon this cultural element and
would be described as having a high level of uncertainty avoidance. In
other cultures, especially where various economic, environmental and
social conditions limit an individual’s ability to control circumstances,
members learn to be more passive and exhibit more relaxed expectations
and are not anxious when some factors of a situation are unknown.
 Power Distance- Power structures and hierarchical organization is a
feature of most human life, but in some cultures, the relative gap between
high and low power is wider. In those cultures where wider gaps exist
between the various echelons, people show a greater deference and
respect to those in power, and there is lower expectation of movement
between classes, castes or levels. In cultures where power distance is low,
people tend to expect that those in power will have earned it, rather than
simply gaining power by virtue of position. These cultures often tend to
diminish the value of ranks and titles in favor of a more horizontal and
less formal power structure.
 Masculine/Feminine- Sometimes labeled “aggressiveness,” this
descriptive label refers to a gendered view of relationships and
competition. Cultures ranking as more feminine represent values
emphasizing negotiation and consensus building. Establishing and
maintaining relationships are recognized as a fitting goal both at
individual and organizational levels. More aggressive, masculine cultures
tend to emphasize competition, value assertiveness and place winning
above all else. While associated with gendered labels, individuals and
organizations may demonstrate different positions along the spectrum
regardless of biological gender.
 Long Term/Short Term Orientation- Hofstede’s initial research only
focused on the previous four variables, but as he expanded his research to
analyze Asian cultures, a colleague steered him to this fifth cultural
variable. Cultures identified with long-term planning, thrift and
industriousness were labeled as long-term orientation cultures. Those
cultures that place greater value on living for the day, immediate
gratification and emphasis on short-term gains are associated with a
short-term orientation. The long-term end of the continuum has been
associated with what are sometimes called Confucian values, although it
is important to note that cultures that are neither Asian nor Confucian can
also be labeled long-term cultures.
Organizations with significant differences between their corporate culture
and the cultures of others in their shared environment would be smart to
evaluate relative strengths and opportunities for accommodation to lessen the
challenges that arise from too rapidly changing your own corporate culture
or expecting others to embrace the cultural values of your organization
without a significant period of adjustment.
PART 2

To make a business organization successful, leadership plays a very

significant role in pushing the organization forward to achieve greater
heights in coming years.

 The most effective managers have always been the ones who modified
their behavior to fit the situation. Now there are situations that include
more and more people with different personal, cultural, and
organizational understandings. The organization will do better if the
leaders adapt to a behavior that’s likely to succeed rather than expect
people to adapt to him/her.
 It would be nice if the leaders could follow a recipe for every
management situation that they face. Then they would know exactly
what to do. But that’s impossible. The leaders will be more effective if
you Observe, Ask questions, and then React based on that information
– a process called OAR
 As a global leader, they will always be in learning situations.
Investigate and ask questions. Take notes on what surprises them,
what they did and how things worked. Make notes about how to do
things differently next time. The best managers keep asking and
learning for their entire lives.
 There are certain parameters that the leaders gets encountered to
influence their decisions in the workplace. The four dimensions are:
Patterns; time; communication style; and formality.

 Some people like to think about the results first and figure out how to
reach them second. Others like to have a more detailed plan in order to
reach outcomes. This is what is meant by thought patterns.
 There are two extreme dimensions with respect to time: Those who
believe deadlines and appointment times are flexible, and those who
believe they should be fixed.
 Communication style relates to how directly or indirectly a person
communicates. If your manager gives you feedback and it feels like a
slap in the face, this indicates a direct communication style. If you
have trouble understanding what the feedback is referring to exactly,
this is an indirect style.
 Formality dictates how people feel about and react to hierarchy. This
is very important to understand in order to establish credibility as a
leader. Some individuals feel a manager is should make all the
decisions and deliver bad news. Others feel managers are there simply
to facilitate a team of experts and should leave the solutions to the
individual team members.
PART 3

Yes according to our understanding we believe we think that Tesco has most
certainly followed the appropriate style of leadership henceforth there success
story.

The 3 instances of three leaders of three different departments is an clear

symbol of successful leadership style followed and embraced tesco .

rtin uses a more authoritarian style if something needs achieving in a particular

way or in a very quick timeframe. Sometimes budgets need to be reduced
quickly in order to make cost savings. Martin will tell managers what needs to
be done and by when, so that they can then resubmit their budgets in line with
expectations.

Stephen regards inspiring, guiding and influencing his staff as an important part
of his role. Sometimes he may need to inform his teams about a new in-store
innovation or corporate initiative. Even though this is a 'tell' situation, Stephen
aims to 'sell' the idea. He tries to ensure that staff understand why it is
necessary. If his people are able to give their opinions, it is more likely that they
will readily support the initiative.

Managers have to be aware of the possible consequences of using the wrong

style in a particular situation. For example, Berian would not adopt a laissez-
faire approach with a new member of the bakery team. If the employee is not
given proper instruction before operating the baking equipment, the bread might
be overcooked. Employees might also injure themselves if they don't use the
equipment properly. In this situation, it is essential to adopt a 'tell' approach.

Tesco leaders need to be inspirational, creative and innovative, ready to

embrace change and with a long-term vision for achievement. Effective leaders
manage by example and in doing so, develop their teams. Tesco encourages all
its managers to lead by example. It requires leaders who can motivate, problem
solve and build great teams. Tesco employs people in a wide range of roles and
provides a career structure which allows employees to progress through the
organisation. Tesco’s process of 360-degree feedbackallows its employees to
reflect on their own progress and improve. Even if someone starts as working in
store filling shelves – as did Stephen – they can progress through the
organisation into positions of authority and responsibility.

If there is any alternative style that can be implemented for equal or better
success rate then our advice would be
1. Charismatic – charismatic leaders will inspire the entire workforce they
will give a positive vibe along with mutual respect and will listen to all
relevant opinions henceforth can be adopted by Tesco

2. Strategic – every situation during different time will need different steps
and different actions to be implemented for functioning strategic leaders
are an expert situational pioneers who is capable of of getting out of
sticky situations they can drive the company towards success.
Conclusion
We can conclude by saying that the most important element in building and
sustaining a business is a leader. A good leader can give the team a positive
outcome not only will the business grow but every individual in the organisation
will grow and learn even the leaders developing in both fronts will take place.
Acknowledgement

We thank Globsyn Business School and Malaysia University of Science and

Technology for giving us the wonderful opportunity to work and learn. This
short time period was of great learning which helped us grow and function in
corporate world properly.

Thank you