Study on work teams of Aftab Group (Jahurul Islam Companies) in Bangladesh For Ms. Sohana Wadud's MGT201class

1. A Team Affair
This is a study based on organizational behavior chapter 10: Understanding Work Teams; by
taking real-life dealings at Aftab Group, (Jahurul Islam Companies) in Bangladesh, into account.

2. A Team Affair
April 4, 2013
SUBMITTED TO
Ms. Sohana Wadud Ahmad
Course Instructor MGT 201
Date of Submission: April 4, 2013
SUBMITTED BY
Sl. Name I.D. E-mail ID
No.
1. Samiya Yesmin 11304043 samiya.yesmin@gmail.com
2. Sawda Nusrat Haque 11305007 sawda009@gmail.com
3. Kazi Tamanna Mahin 11104136 tmahin391989@gmail.com
4. Abrar Aqib 10204035 abrar.aqib@gmail.com
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, we would like to convey our thanks to Ms. Sohana Wadud Ahmad, our course
instructor for her valuable guidance, which helped us to complete this assignment
successfully.
Next, we would like to acknowledge the help of Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Ahmed, Manager,
Brand Marketing, Aftab Group (a concern of Jahurul Islam Companies), for sharing his
insights on the topic and providing us the support and information we needed. We greatly
appreciate his help.
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CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................. 3
Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 5
1. Literature Review ...................................................................................................... 6
2. Teams at Aftab .......................................................................................................... 8
2.1. Team Classification: ............................................................................................ 8
2.2. Why were the teams formed? .............................................................................. 8
2.3. Is Time an issue? Why? ....................................................................................... 9
2.4. Problems the teams faced .................................................................................... 9
3. Team Effectiveness ................................................................................................. 10
3.1. Team Classification: .......................................................................................... 10
3.2. Team Work Environment .................................................................................. 11
3.3. Team Work Procedure....................................................................................... 12
3.4. Task Design ....................................................................................................... 13
4. Team effect .............................................................................................................. 14
5. Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 15
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Understanding Work Teams, chapter 10, talks about the growing trend of creating
work teams. Throughout this chapter we learn how, when and why teams and groups are
formed in the business world. This great way of using employee talents and helping them
grow has encouraged the creation work teams. Companies make different types of teams to
carry out different tasks and goals. The chapter also gives us ideas on how teams are properly
perceived, composed and handled. Along with this, we learn how the managers or the staffs
turn into team players to achieve their goal. Working conditions also play a huge role on how
team work gets done. Some hurdles may arise while, however an effective team would curtail
those issues by managing conflict and minimizing social loafing. To further understand the
functions of team work, we are doing this study on a real-life company- “Aftab Group”.
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1. L ITERATURE R EVIEW
Aftab group is one of the leading enterprises with businesses in banking sector,
textile, food, readymade garments, agriculture, compressed natural gas, industrial pump
manufacturing so on.
Aftab Group started its venture in 1964 as a concern of the Jahurul Islam Companies
by Jahural Islam. Jahurul Islam Companies features a diversified collection of companies
from a variety of industries such as marketing, construction, real estate, international trade,
and finance. With the guidance, leadership, and foresight of Jahurul Islam, the Jahurul Islam
Companies have become a very prominent business in Bangladesh. Following his death in
1995, the Jahurul Islam Companies was divided into three parts – the Islam Group, the
Navana Group, and the Aftab Group. All three of the groups continue to make head-ways in
the business sector of Bangladesh, Aftab Group being the most dominant one.
Stepping into 20th Century, starting venture since 1961. Aftab group is proclaiming
luster presence in business arena and made a remarkable history in the private sector era that
has been nourished and bloomed in different business concerns. Where most of the projects
are telling successful stories resulting in playing a vital role to our economy
Over the series of decades AFTAB itself became a brand having wide range of
industries comprising of Aftab Global Textiles Ltd., Milnars Pumps Ltd., Sea Trade Fertilizer
Ltd., Aftab Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd., Aftab Milk & Milk Products Ltd., Aftab Foods Ltd.,
Aftab Garments Ltd., Aftab CNG Ltd., Aftab Holdings Ltd., Aftab Properties Ltd., Aftab
Global Foundation Ltd., A.G. Companies accompanied with other Local Concerns and
Overseas Business named ALIB GROUP. Moreover Aftab Group is one of the major
shareholders of Uttara Bank Ltd.
Aftab Group is well positioned to Capitalize on strong growth across industries in
both the domestic and global markets. Each Group Company is managed by an independent
professional team with significant depth of experience. Management teams have established a
clear strategic plan that will further strengthen the overall platform. Mr. Azharul Islam is the
Executive Chairman of Aftab group and also the Chairman of Uttara Bank Limited. The
Chairman & Managing Director of Aftab group Mr. Iftekharul Islam is also the Vice
Chairman of Uttara Bank Limited. In recognition of its corporate success and creation of
shareholder value, the Aftab Group continues to make significant contributions to Bangladesh
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7. A Team Affair
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society. About 500 employees and more than 2,000 workers are involved in the group years
together. The entire Aftab group is being run by the dynamic, enthusiastic and towering
capability Chairman Mr. Azharul Islam and the Vice Chairman & Managing Director Mr.
Iftekharul Islam associated with a team of caliber professionals having a mission, vision and
value to help.
Aftab Group is well positioned to Capitalize on strong growth across industries in
both the domestic and global markets. Each Group Company is managed by an independent
professional team with significant depth of experience. Management teams have established a
clear strategic plan that will further strengthen the overall platform.
The Group intends to leverage its market position and global scale, further diversify
operations into highly profitable sectors, Capitalize on the domestic growth opportunity and
selectively pursue international opportunities going forward.
To adapt the changes and meet the demand of 21st century this farm has a modern
poultry processing plant, the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The organization is not only
concentrating on the agro-business within the national boundary, also they are focusing on
exporting to the other parts of the world, thus, contributing our economy with the poultry,
farming, dairy and other agro sectors.
We got the opportunity to study some of the sectors of this Group, which are Aftab
Bahumukhi Farms Ltd, Aftab Feed Products, Aftab Hatchery Ltd, Aftab GP Farms Ltd., with
the help of Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Ahmed, Manager of Brand Marketing .
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2. T EAMS AT A FTAB
Our organization makes teams very frequently. We make teams as a certain issue arises or
a specific goal needs to be attained.
2.1. TEAM CLASSIFICATION:
We mostly make Problem Solving and Cross-Functional teams, the following
characteristics of the teams were very much in effect,
• Problem-solving Teams
– Groups of 5 to 12 employees from the same
department who meet for a few hours each week to discuss ways of
improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment. They only
recommend possible solutions.
• Cross-Functional Teams
– Employees from about the same
hierarchical level, but from different
departments, came together to
accomplish a task. The team was
effective with implementations rights.
2.2. WHY WERE THE TEAMS FORMED?
The Coding Team: This team was formed with the aim of automation and to give
every client a specific code number. This code will contain the information of a certain
predefined parameter. The team consisted of a Business Analyst, DGM & Consultant of the
Sales dept, AGM of Distribution, Operative Director who is also the Head of Finance and
AGM of Finance. Level of hierarchy was maintained in the sense that the AGM of
Distribution is the highest post in that Department therefore he was included with the rest of
the member. This team is still in operation.
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The New Product Team: This team was created when KFC approached our
organization for processed chicken. This team has representation from the sales, marketing,
product development, procurement, costing, and packaging and distribution department It
also had member from the client (KFC) and the agency.
The Event (Fair) Team: This team was formed so that our organization could
successfully take part in the Agro fair that took place last month. This event consisted of
establishing a stall in the fair and running it smoothly for its duration. This team consisted of
people from the Branding and Sales department and the agency was also involved.
2.3. IS TIME AN ISSUE? WHY?
Certain time frame was maintained by every work team. A time frame was maintained
because some projects demanded instant attention, some did not. We have seen that
maintaining a time frame becomes hard. Different teams had different time limitations, some
were long run and others served for a short time.
2.4. PROBLEMS THE TEAMS FACED
Most teams face three basic problems which may eventually lead to dismantle of the team.
o Imbalance of Power (Hierarchy Issues)
o Undefined Jurisdiction
o Attitude Issues
Other than these issues teams are not usually dismantled, unless the purpose for which
the team was made is not in existence anymore or has expired. A team dissolves only when
the goal was achieved and the reason they were formed was fulfilled.
Our Coding team and New Product team has not come across any such problems yet.
However, sudden problems had been raised at the fair due to undefined jurisdiction. The
representative of the Agency and the representative of the organization had a falling out
which cause major problems for the leader of the group. The leader had to maintain an upper
hand and calm the situation down. He had to convince and pursue these two and made them
work together regardless of their differences.
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3. T EAM E FFECTIVENESS
3.1. TEAM COMPOSITION:
It relates the abilities, traits and characteristics of team members to their work.
Composition Coding Team New Product Team Event(Fair) Team
Size of Team 10 members 14 members 11 members
Abilities of member are decided based on the goal or issue that needs
to be achieved. A certain set of criteria‟s have to be met, however, that can
Abilities of only be done with the resources that are available. For e.g. The manager has
Members an employee who can give him a performance of level 5 but he requires level
8. However he does not have an employee of that level then he would have to
make do with what he has.
There will always be some members who agree to everything and
some who have a preconceived notion and disagree to everything. These
Personality of kinds of member are good for any team. The one who agrees to everything
Members gives positivity among a lot of negativity and the one who disagrees to
everything even when the work done is perfect he finds in there a scope to
improve. However, this is only good in small doses.
All roles were allocated according to the member‟s specific expertise
Allocating Roles & and possibility of them functioning to their fullest. There was not much
Diversity diversity in work because that causes lack of concentration and fall in
productivity of a member.
Being a part of a team means extra work and no one wants to do that.
Member‟s However if a certain goal needs to be fulfilled or an issue needs to be
Preference for addressed teams are to be made and the member‟s expertise are gravely
Teamwork important. Therefore employees have to be willing and should prefer team
work.
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3.2. TEAM WORK ENVIRONMENT
The working conditions, circumstances and situations the team is required to work in.
Context Coding Team New Product Team Event(Fair) Team
Adequate Resources Yes Yes Yes
No leader existed.
Effective Leadership Coordinator existed who
A leader was A leader directed the
and Structure worked as a link between
appointed. team.
higher authority (also
members of team) and team.
Trust can be both visible and invisible. Some members voice their issues
others do not. Nonetheless, when a member has trust issues then s/he starts putting
Climate of Trust in less effort in their work which indicates distrust. Unwillingness to work also
displays distrust. Therefore the performance of the team will show if there was a
lack of trust. In any case both our New Product and Event(Fair) team has not
faced this difficulty and we are hoping the same for our Coding team.
A reward system usually works for a Sales team. Operational teams do
not usually get rewards based on team performance. This is more so because the
Performance and
Sales team bring home the profit and we just deviate a way to spend more money.
Rewards Systems that
We here are given a pat on the back and complemented for our good work.
Reflect Team
Evaluation is done once a year. However this is very paradoxical because an
Contributions
employee is evaluated on his performance in a team and the team is again
evaluated on the performance on the employee.
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3.3. TEAM WORK PROCEDURE
It is the process by which the work is to be done.
Process Coding Team New Product Team Event(Fair) Team
Commitment to Commitment can be classified into two. Imposed and willing commitment.
Common Purpose The goal or addressing an issue is the common purpose of the formation of the team.
The member‟s commitment has to be either imposed or willing. All our teams have
had members who were willing themselves and it had to be imposed on some.
Establishment of Of course specific team goals existed which led to the formation of the teams
Specific Team Goals in the first place.
Team Efficacy One cannot consider „No‟ as an answer here. Definitely there was team
efficacy but then again it depends on the actual need of talents and the extent to which
those skills were available. The gap between the actual need and available skillss must
be fulfilled by the team leader. The leader/coordinator must be able to identify and fill
these gaps
Mental Models Yes we had some preconceived mental models of international standards as
Aftab is always striving for the doing best by following the best.
Conflict There were many task and decisional conflicts in our teams which gave us, the
members, a scope to be more competent and work harder for a better result. As
interpersonal conflicts can be both beneficial and harmful. A few interpersonal
conflicts did happen but they were minor and did not last long. However intense
conflicts may result in dismantling the team.
Social Loafing Members avoid social loafing for their own benefits. If a member takes credit
for everyone‟s work in a team then if such a similar problem arises again then that
person would be asked to solve it by himself and he will not be given a team. Plus, if
one member takes all the credit other members get de-motivated and start to
purposefully not perform which eventually affects the team.
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3.4. TASK DESIGN
It is how the job is tailored to be achieveable.
Work Design Coding Team New Product Team Event(Fair) Team
High, as this will help bringing in
Moderate, as it will Relatively Moderate, as the
Task a huge new account as well as
help speed up work aim was branding and
Significance taking Aftab to an international
process advertisement
level
All members have a Freedom to Express. Autonomy exists only at a minimum level
Freedom and
in our teams because too much autonomy creates chaos. Our teams are either led by someone
Autonomy
or our coordinators are in authority.
Different members of the team offer different varieties of skills. Each member also
Skill Variety has a variety of skill which they display in the team. These skills work as enhanced tools that
help the team to function.
While this team was in
function the member knew what
their jobs were and they had the
The team that was
All the expertise to perform them. For
made for the fair included
member in the team e.g. the members from the
members of the Brand
knows what their product development team
Task Identity Marketing Dept, the Sales
functions are and decided what the recipe for the
Dept and the Agency. Each
when and how to processed chicken was. This
member knew his assigned job
perform them. decision did not lie on the
and performed it well.
member from the marketing or
sales team as this is something
that is not their jurisdiction.
Task
Moderate High Relatively Moderate
Significance
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4. T EAM EFFECT
1. Which sort of team have you found to work most efficiently and effectively for your
organization? Why?
It is hard to compare and contrast between a Problem-solving and Cross-
functional team. Their compositions and functionality are extremely varied.
Moreover, as Problem-solving teams do not have implementation right according to
the book they cannot be effective. However, there are circumstances when the
Problem-solving team comprises of the company‟s director or chairman then the
group itself has implementation rights. Composition and the kinds of member the
team has make it efficient and effective. Effective and efficiency also depends on the
goal or issue the team is trying to attain.
However, if I have to name one I would say a Cross-functional team has been
more effective and efficient in our organization but then again it was due to the
purpose of the goal we were trying to achieve.
2. Do you think it was necessary to create a team?
Yes. Teams are very crucial in an organization. They help solve problems,
sometimes take initiatives towards a mutual goal, perform certain specified tasks, organizes
events and so on. We make teams for issues as simple as excessive glue was delivered to
the factory for packaging which needed to be returned, to as important as hosting an event
where we launch fie of our newest products.
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5. C ONCLUSION
All teams depend on the intensity of the problem/ the reason behind the
formation of the team/ or the jurisdiction of the team itself. Difference in balance of
power, willingness to work, commitment, ability, resources and conflicts will always
exist between members. Picture perfect teams that match the text book definitions do
not exist. The corporate scenario is very paradoxical and contradictory. However, the
key challenge for a team is to perform its best with the resources that are available to
them.
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