The Impact of Ineffective Communication on Team Performance at Costa Coffee

Introduction

Background/ Context of the Research

The scope of the research project is to evaluate the current impact of ineffective communication on the team performance in the Tunbridge Wells store at Costa Coffee, a branch that is situated in retail park, with a big size shop, and a wide range customer with different ethnic background, different occupation, and age groups. Costa Coffee is one of the most famous international brands, founded in 1971 in London, with the main purpose of creating delicious and special coffee for its customers. From the beginning, Costa Coffee focused on marketing its products to hotels and restaurants. The 1995 purchase of Costa Coffee by the global hospitality business Whitbread helped Costa Coffee go from having 39 cafes to being the UK's most significant cafe firm (Gruber, 2022). In 2018 Coca-Cola, one of the biggest beverage businesses in the world, acquired Costa Coffee. The acquisition was a crucial turning point for the company and has helped it increase its global exposure (Costa.co.uk, 2023). With 2,792 locations, Costa Coffee is the largest coffee shop chain in the UK as of January 2022 (Statista, 2022).

Like any other business, Costa faces challenges in providing excellent coffee and services. One of these is ineffective communication, which can create communication barriers between team members, but also between employees and management. These issues can impact customer's satisfaction and loyalty as well, as the relationship between staff and customers.

Research Question

What are the long-term effects of the ineffective communication on the team performance at Costa?

Research Aims and Objectives

Aim: To investigate the reasons that make communication ineffective between managers and employees and offer insights that can help improve team performance and organizational success.

Objectives:

• Investigate the main cultural and behavioural communication barriers at Costa Coffee Tunbridge Wells.

• Explore the employees response to those communication barriers.

• Determine the factors that impact the communication between team members and between employees and management at Costa Coffee Tunbridge Wells.

• Critically analyse the impact of ineffective communication on the employees performance at Costa Coffee Tunbridge Wells.

• Recommend solutions for improving the level of communication between team members and between employees and employer at Costa Coffee Tunbridge Wells.

2. Literature Review

a. Key Papers

For an organization to function well and prosper, communication is an important factor. Effective communication with customers and employees is vital for most businesses to increase sales and promote expansion. Inadequate or ineffective communication often leads to poor organizational management and adverse business results (Kalogiannidis, 2020).

To communicate effectively in groups or with individuals, at work, or in the community, we must be aware of the communication environment and the obstacles that stand between the sender and receiver of the message. Anything that prevents people from hearing and understanding the communication that others use to share their knowledge, concepts, and thoughts is a barrier to communication (Kumbakonam, 2016). These five types of barriers to effective communication include attitudinal barriers, behavioural barriers, cultural barriers, language barriers, and environmental barriers. The main obstacles that can take part in the study and are relevant to the branch that are behavioural obstacles where communication difficulties may arise from actions such as stereotyping, generalisations, and bias, these views being wrong, and it impacts people's wellbeing to ignore them and the cultural obstacles where being able to communicate with people from other backgrounds and cultures requires understanding the disparities in attitudes, values, and beliefs held by individuals and in order to break down cultural barriers to communication, empathy is essential. (Kumbakonam, 2016)

According to a study by the London School of Economics in Royal Mail, an organization can benefit more from investing in employee wellbeing (Marsden and Moriconi, 2009). According to Fisher's (2003) research, a satisfied employee is more likely to become a productive employee. Baptiste (2008) comes to a similar conclusion that improving employee well-being has a positive impact on their productivity.

b. Conceptual Framework

The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model and The Johari Window model, offer an opportunity to understand the origins and dynamics of poor communication in the case study investigated and help exposing new ways that can be used to solve conflicts and improve communication.

The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Model

The TKI evaluates a person's behaviour in conflict situations or when two people's concerns appear to conflict (Thomas and Kilmann, 2008). TKI can be used as a psychometric self-assessment, to find out how someone typically reacts to conflict. (See figure 1 for the 5 ways a person can respond to conflict) (jemima, 2022).

TKI can be applied also in the study to be able to define better those behavioural barriers of the staff and provide solutions to the communication issue.

Figure 1 (Thomas and Kilmann, 2008)

The Johari Window Model

The technique was created in 1955 (see figure 2) and the goal was to help individuals identify the flaws that could place them in a tough situation, fix them, and improve their group compliance behaviours through effective communication (Ince, 2020).

This model is relevant to the study as can bring a different approach in terms of the staff understating its own self better to be able to emphasize more with their colleagues and improve their relationship with more effective communication.

Figure 2 (Hampson, 2021)

3. Methodology

a. Research Approach

The research will use deductive approach towards the ineffective communication issue. The National Institutes of Health states that mixed methods allow you to intentionally mix or integrate advanced quantitative and qualitative research methods to achieve the best of both worlds. By combining inductive and deductive reasoning, mixed methods approach allows researchers to utilize a variety of techniques while overcoming the limitations of quantitative and qualitative studies alone (Harvard.edu, 2023). In the context of ineffective communication, mixed methods are the best method to solve these problems, because the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods helps overcome the shortcomings of each method, resulting in more support and greater reliability. Compared to using each method separately, their combination will yield more accurate results (gov.uk, 2020).

b. Research Strategy

The research is a Case Study on a branch of Costa Coffee in Tunbridge Wells and will use questionnaire, and in-depth interviews to gather enough data of the issue and to able to develop accurate solutions. On one side, questionnaires allow clarifications of problematic or unclear questions and answers to assist in making sure the replies are representative of the intended number of people (Bhandari, 2021). Interviews, on the other hand, allow researchers to access verbal and nonverbal cues that may reveal participants' emotions, intentions, and meanings, allowing them to build communion and rapport with participants, which can amend the quality and affluent of the data. (Linked in, 2023)

c. Methodology & Tools

For this research, tools such as interviews and questionnaires will be used to understand the issue from customers and employees perspective. Questionnaires will be distributed personally to different groups of people, to individuals that will come into the store, individuals that are also interested to take part into this activity. Those questionnaires will be divided into two sections: section one about sex, age, marital status, occupation and ethnic background, and section two will address questions about the impact of ineffective communication on staff performance. The questionnaire will contain multiple answer questions. Interviews will also be put in practice, the semi-structured interview, which is the most appropriate for this research as they provide flexibility but also have a thematic framework, which can help in the overall research.

d. Sampling Approach

According to Ackoff (1953) the convenience sampling approach involves the selection of participants based on their frequent availability. This sampling approach is the best option for this research as it does not necessarily need to make use of unknown individuals, and instead friends, family, colleagues, and familiar customers can take part into this research, which can lead to more accurate responses to the interviews and questioners and the people that take part are more familiar with the environment and the issues that raise within it. The sample will include 100 people, those people being both employees, employees family members, customers that come often at the store and are more aware of the situation but also customers that just come in for a drink and would be happy to participate. I will personally approach them and ask them if they would like to take part in this study, and once they agree I will be able to offer them the printed questionnaire made by me at home.

e. Ethical Considerations

To run this research smoothly, I will be taking in considerations factors such as voluntary participation where research respondents participate voluntarily, without using any form of compulsion or pressure to participate (Bhandari, 2021), allowing the participants to choose if they want to take part into this research and explaining them that they can refuse without a side effect. I will also address data confidentiality which denotes that you have eliminated all identifying information from your report but are aware of the participants' identities (Bhandari, 2021), and will also apply to this case, as such information would not be requested or added to the research. As a last ethical consideration that would be also considered is the potential for harm, in any way, which will be kept to the minimum level in this research as well.

4. Conclusion

Limitations of Proposed Approach

The main limitation of this research project can be found in the closeness of the researcher to the situation investigated, and a possible lack of objectivity into analysing the results of the interviews, or potential bias into applying the sampling method. Another limitation might be due to the also lack of previous research studies, inexperience of the researcher (since this is the first research project conducted); to end with, as well as time limitations and lack of participation that can could also impact the research. There should be also taken into consideration the risk of interviews or questioners errors.

Expected Research Outcomes

Based on the research aim and objectives, this research is expected to find the issues that impact the communication between team members and the manager itself and provide solutions that can be incorporated into management to improve the overall store performance.

Assessment Number 2

Assessment Type (and weighting): Dissertation 70% (8,000 words)

Assessment Name: Dissertation

Assessment Submission Date: Sunday 10 March 2024, by 23:59

Learning Outcomes Assessed:

LO1: Identify an appropriate research topic and formulate appropriate objectives.

LO3: Produce a critical literature review and research methodology

LO4: Undertake primary research and critically appraise the results.

LO5: Synthesise research findings and make informed judgements in the light of these

Assessment Brief:

Write a dissertation of 8000 words (10%). Your dissertation is a structured report on the process and outcomes of a significant piece of independent research. In this you will examine the context of your research to provide motivation for your work; you will clarify the aims and objectives of your proposed research; demonstrate critical engagement with key areas of relevant literature, using this to develop an initial conceptual framework; you will present and justify the theoretical perspective underpinning your proposed research approach, contrasting this with alternative perspectives, and use this to inform the systematic development of your research design; you will present and discuss your findings and their implications, and consider the limitations of your proposed approach; you will also reflect on your contributions and to what extent your proposed objectives were met.

Dissertations follow a standard format; a proforma with guidelines, structure and formatting requirements will be available on Moodle. An indication of the main structure and contents is given below.

Minimum Secondary Research Source Requirements at Level HE6 (Dissertation): It is expected that the Reference List will contain thirty to fifty sources, with no fewer than twenty high quality journal articles.

Assessment Preparation and Submission:

See section 12 of the module guide for Guidelines on the Preparation and Submission of Assignments.

Additional Submission Instructions:

You are required to submit a soft copy via Turn-it-in UK on the module Moodle page. The software will allow you to check your work against other material on the internet. It will also compare your work against other students work.

You will be able to upload drafts of your written work into turn-it-in as many times as you wish before the deadline.

You will not be able to overwrite the final submission after the deadline. You can only submit a single file.

Dissertation Presentation Guidelines

The following guidelines should be used in preparing your written document in order that all dissertations conform to a similar style and structure.

Length

The dissertation should be 8,000 words in length (excluding cover page, contents page, tables, figures, reference list and appendices).

Word Count. You are expected to revise and edit your dissertation to remain within +/- 10% of the allocated word limit for that piece of work. In order to ensure that word counts can easily be checked you should include:

A note of the word count, as performed by your word processing package, should be included in the dissertation. A deduction is made for all tables, figures, appendices and bibliography, which DO NOT count towards the overall word limit.

It is likely to be an exceptional piece of work that covers the dissertation requirements fully in much less than the set word countless 10%.

Structure of the Dissertation

The dissertation should follow the structure below:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Acknowledgements
• Glossary
• Contents page
• List of tables
• List of figures
• List of appendices
• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Findings and Analysis
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• References
• Word count
• Appendices

Title Page

This should be presented in the following manner:

The front page should create an accurate impression of the content of the dissertation. The dissertation title should communicate concisely the main thrust of the work. It can be followed by a longer clarification of the area investigated. For example, the title may be:

MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES

A Case Study of job satisfaction in Bank X in London

Abstract

This is a summary of about 250-500 words which describes the issue under investigation and the aims of the study. It should also briefly identify the main conclusions and recommendations. It should be no longer than one page.

Acknowledgements

This is a brief summary of the people and organisations you may wish to thank.

Glossary

Explain any key terms employed.

Contents Page

This should show the reader how the report is structured and how the author has developed their approach to the problem. The contents page should be presented in the following manner:

List of Tables, Figures and Appendices

It is likely throughout the dissertation that you will want to use tables or diagrams to present information. If these are directly related to your arguments it is better to include them in the main body, rather than the appendices. In such cases, it is conventional to provide a special "contents page" List of Figures/List of Tables which identify clearly where tables and figures are located.

Introduction

The introduction should set the context and tone for the rest of the dissertation. You should outline the reasons giving rise to the problem or issue to be identified. It should give a broad introduction to the topic under review and the issues raised. The main point is to set clear objective(s) that you are seeking to achieve by the end of the dissertation report, which should be relatively concise and precise.

Literature Review

The review should examine the relevant literature and develop a conceptual and theoretical framework, based on models and theories, which will be used to analyse the topic under investigation. It should also involve a synthesis and a critical evaluation of current knowledge and background material on the topic being explored. Information from textbooks, academic and industry journals, newspapers and organisational documentation should be discussed, compared and contrasted in a structured and critical manner. Write selectively and focus on what is directly related to your topic. The review may consist of a number of sections or subsections.

Methodology

This section should provide a critical discussion of the research methods and approaches considered and your rationale for the research design developed. The issue of triangulation and validity in the research design need to be covered in detail together with a critical discussion and evaluation of the design framework. Any limitations in the research design that emerged from the investigation should be acknowledged. The methodology should provide sufficient detail to allow your supervisor to assess the reliability and validity of your methods.

Findings and Analysis

In this section the results of your primary research should be presented and analysed, in a clear and concise manner. You will need to determine the key elements of your study and structure your results accordingly (it is not appropriate to simply list responses to questionnaires/interviews in question order). Your analysis and evaluation of data should be clearly linked to and supported by the academic concepts discussed in your literature review. This section may include tables (numerical information), figures (qualitative responses, graphs, charts) and photographs to illustrate points.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Your conclusions should naturally flow from your discussion and analysis of your findings. The conclusions should include a summary of your main findings which can be brought to bear on the defined objectives of the study. You should also include a discussion about the alternative courses of action available and their feasibility, desirability and acceptability to the organisation. Your conclusions need to be referenced back to your Literature Review and Findings and Analysis. The recommendations should emerge from the conclusions and should be feasible and practical: where costs are likely to be incurred, there needs to be a justification of the likely benefits. In addition, you need to consider and identify the possible human, political and managerial implications of any recommendations. This section should not introduce new material.

Working with your Supervisor

Allocation of supervisors

You will be allocated a Dissertation Supervisor at the beginning of semester 2. The Supervisor will be responsible for guiding you through the dissertation module. To maximise your chances of gaining a good grade, it is important that you make an appointment with your supervisor as soon as is practical. It is the students responsibility to contact his or her supervisor.

The role of dissertation supervisors

Your dissertation supervisor is an important resource who can give you advice on how to organise, conduct and produce your dissertation. The responsibilities of the dissertation supervisor are as follows:

• To agree proposed dissertation title

Your dissertation supervisor must approve your dissertation title. Any change in the title and/or subject matter of your dissertation must be agreed in writing by your supervisor.

• To provide advice, support and guidance throughout the dissertation

Your supervisor cannot do the work for you, but can help you to define:

• The overall objective of the research in broad terms
• The specific dissertation objectives what you want to look at in detail
• The proposed approach, theoretical framework, conceptual models, methodologies
• An estimate of the resources required and time available, plus interim deadlines
• Contingency plans; Ethical considerations

In summary, your supervisor can help considerably by acting as a sounding board for your

ideas and plans. Your supervisor can indicate lines of thought that you may not have considered, or ask questions which will force you to explain and justify your ideas and

directions.

• To assess your dissertation

Your dissertation supervisor will be the first assessor of your dissertation. A sample of all of the students dissertations is internally and externally moderated.

Key Stage Progress Meetings

Purpose

Although the dissertation has been built around the concept of independent learning this does not mean that the student will be given total responsibility for controlling the time line for the production of the dissertation. As part of the assessed workshops programme you will agree a series of meetings designed to monitor and support your progress.

You must consult your supervisor at regular agreed intervals. You must make an appointment with your supervisor to discuss each piece of draft work that you submit. The appointment should be made at the time that you submit each draft.

Drafts

Drafts of the dissertation should be submitted to the dissertation supervisor, subject to prior arrangement. Failure to submit draft work at the stated times is likely to have a significant impact on your final grade for the dissertation.

Failure to meet with your supervisor could lead to failure of the module. It is your responsibility to contact your dissertation supervisor to arrange meetings to discuss your progress. The importance of these key stage progress meetings cannot be over-emphasised and are designed to act as deadlines to motivate you to achieve particular stages of the dissertation and obtain feedback from your supervisor.

Feedback

Formal summative feedback is provided on the standard feedback form below after your submission. Because of its length and complexity dissertation coursework in this module is not usually marked on Grade mark. However, during your supervision you can expect to receive significant and frequent formative feedback.

Specific Assessment Criteria: (See Page 9 for General Assessment Criteria)

Exceptional (85%+): Your dissertation will be of exceptional quality where you demonstrate exceptional knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and excellent research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of exceptional quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a very high standard indeed.

Excellent (70%-84%): Your dissertation will be of excellent quality where you demonstrate excellent knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and excellent research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of excellent quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a very high standard indeed.

Very Good (60%-69%): Your dissertation will be of very good quality where you demonstrate a very good knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and excellent research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of very good quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a very good standard. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require some or limited development.

Good (5059%): Your dissertation will be of good quality where you demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and good research skills and abilities. The analysis of relevant models and concepts will be of good quality. The dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing will all be of a good standard. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require some development.

Good (40%-49%): Your dissertation will demonstrate a satisfactory awareness of academic models and concepts relating to academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and satisfactory research skills and abilities. There will be some omissions of expected content and the analysis of relevant models and concepts is likely to be cursory. There will probably be significant problems with any combination of the dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require extensive development.

Unsatisfactory (1%-39%): Your dissertation will demonstrate limited awareness of academic models and concepts relating to your chosen academic subject area and a deficit of research skills and abilities. You are likely to offer limited analysis of relevant models and concepts and there will probably be significant omissions of expected content. In addition, there will probably be very significant problems with any combination of the dissertation structure, its presentation, your written English and your referencing. The academic content, the quality of discussion, referencing, and other elements will be likely to require very extensive development. Only the most obvious issues are addressed at a superficial level and in unchallenging terms.

Are you struggling to keep up with the demands of your academic journey? Don't worry, we've got your back!
Exam Question Bank is your trusted partner in achieving academic excellence for all kind of technical and non-technical subjects. Our comprehensive range of academic services is designed to cater to students at every level. Whether you're a high school student, a college undergraduate, or pursuing advanced studies, we have the expertise and resources to support you.

To connect with expert and ask your query click here Exam Question Bank