1. Luke Jones
Student Number: 129010146
Module Number: 3BM160
Dissertation
Faculty of Business
Monday 11th
April
Word Count: 8’316
“How does strategic budgeting affect the behaviours and
performance of managers within a business, focusing on the David
Lloyd Leisure York club?”
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1.0 Introduction
This dissertation paper looks into how budgets and the budgeting system have affected
manager’s behaviours and objectives regarding how to manage a business. The main topic
of this research and this paper is evolved around the organisation David Lloyd Leisure,
focusing in more detail on the York club. The senior managers of this organisation were
interviewed in their departments on a variety of different questions enabling to understand
how they perform and behave as a manger. Types of issues that have been looked into
include how different aspects of a business affect their leadership and management skills,
the use of targets and how they manage their team to achieve them and the use of strategic
budgeting and the budgeting system. Hope and Fraser (2003) explain how the budgeting
system has developed and advanced which focuses on the Performance Management
Process; this is evaluated across the financial year comparing different factors including
planning and setting expectations, monitoring performance and continually motivating the
team.
This paper demonstrates an understanding and researchers into the topic of budgeting and
critically analyses how performance and behaviours affects the decisions of managers.
Drury (2012) explains why budgets are so important within an organisation and how they
help to run an effective business. Most managers are constantly thriving to achieve and
always desiring for a successful business; this is done by effective decision making and
detailed action plans. With David Lloyd, I looked into their mission statement to see how
this can be related to the budgeting system and relate the aspects of the organisation. David
Lloyd’s vision is to be ‘Europe’s leading health, sport and leisure business’.
1.1 Research Question:
How does strategic budgeting affect the behaviours and performance of managers within a
business, focusing on the David Lloyd Leisure York club?
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This reports main objectives include:
1. To explore and evaluate the statistics of the budgets set for the David Lloyd Leisure
York Club, comparing the change in the financial position.
2. To assess the appropriate literature and theories regarding the budgeting process
and the relation to management within running a business.
3. To research and critically review on how the budget system can affect the
behaviours and performance of the management team at David Lloyd Leisure York
Club, comparing the different departments including Sales and Membership, Sports
participation and operations of the club.
4. To compare the affects of managers reaching and meeting targets by applying the
use of brand standards and team effectiveness to reach these goals.
The paper looks into David Lloyd’s background and into detail studying the organisation’s
annual reports relating specific literature on how the budgeting systemmight have affected
the results. Fridson and Alvarez (2002) explain the use of financial statements and how the
use of financial data can help predict future budgets and predictions of a business. This
paper expands of David Lloyd’s predictions and how the managers of the business believe
they can achieve their budgets. The idea of this project is to evaluate how different
managers within the company react and manage their department when their
budgets/targets are set; relating this to the different qualities and factors that are used
within a business including communication, motivation and competition.
The next part of this dissertation project will look into the literature around budgeting and
how managers deal with them. It will look into the different management styles and
theories behind the behaviours and performance of managers and how they can run a
business.
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Budgets
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Budgets can be defined as a strategic plan and help determine the future of a business (Atrill
and McLaney, 2007). Atrill and McLaney (2007) go onto explain how budgets are for the
short-term process and have been broken down from the strategic plan – they are always
expressed in financial terms. Kemp (2003) goes onto explain why it is important for a
business to set budgets and how planning can help the business succeed in the long term;
when a business creates a plan they can search for mistakes and resolve the matter at the
planning stage rather than when the business is in action.
2.2 Functions of Budgets
When looking at the function of budgets, Emmanuel and Otley (2004) help explain the
purposes and uses of budgeting through management. Drury (2012) shows a similar
approach in the factors of management budgeting making the use of all the same purposes
as Emmanuel and Otley (2004) apart from authorization. This shows that many different
theorists explain budgeting in a similar approach and help explain the differences in the
purposes of budgets from a manager’s point of view. These functions include
Planning
Coordination
Communication
Motivation
Control
Performance Evaluation
Authorization is used as a use of assurance, looking into the managers giving approval of the
budgets set; will the money be used appropriately and efficiently? Will the business
overspend these budgets? Etc. As society evolves, its up to the senior management team to
approve reachable and achievable targets taking into consideration the internal and
external factors; authority is needed so finances are kept organised and structured for the
work environment and society (Emmanuel and Otley. 2004). Cadle, Paul and Turner (2010)
help explain the use of the PESTLE analysis and how it helps identify key external factors
that can affect a business. The PESTLE analysis focuses on 6 factors that are outside the
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control of a business; these include Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and
Environmental. The PESTLE analysis provides businesses with an outline of issues that could
potentially effect the organisation; it helps evaluate and analyse these issues and makes the
business more knowledgeable in the current work environment and how they can succeed.
Atrill and McLaney (2007) state the difference between budgeting and forecasting,
explaining how budgeting is a plan on what a business is going to achieve or take action on,
whereas forecasting is a prediction of what the outcomes might be and are only
expectations of the business. When it comes to a business, planning is the most crucial part
of budgets; this can determine the profit and loss of the organisation and help see the steps
of success. Planning can be long and short term; budgets are related to the short-term
process and are usually annual related. Planning can help determine the results for the next
annual years budgets and see how they can be improved, whether the targets are too high
or too low to be achieved (Shim and Siegel, 2005).
The key to successful budgeting involves the coordination of all departments within a
business, with the occurrence of excellent communication. Hofstede (2012) states how the
profit of a business is affected by the use of more enhanced coordination from the different
departments within a company and the decisions the managers can make. Different
departments will look at what works best for them, so the right coordination and budget
control could help impact the finance of a business. With this, communication is vital and is
highly expected across departments and management to achieve successful budgeting.
Drury (2012) explains how each manager in an organisation should be clear in their set tasks
and actions in order to reach the annual budgets; higher management will communicate to
lower level management regarding the expectations and how the managers can coordinate
the different plans between each other.
2.3 Manager’s behaviors and Performance
Human behaviours can vary in different ways within a business; this can be dependent on
how budgets are set and the targets reached (Warren, Reeve, and Duchac, 2012). Warren,
Reeve and Duchac (2012) help to explain the importance of budgeting compared to
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management and how the levels of budgeting can affect the performance of staff within an
organisation. Behaviours can alter if the budgets are either set too high, too low or are in
conflict with the outcome.
Behaviours and Performance of managers can be easily affected by budgets; managers can
become more conscious and alert depending on what level they are at (Hierarchy). Banks
and Gilberti (2008) talk about how performance can be measured within the business and
how now many higher-level management teams support the lower levels managers into
accessing financial information, so they have a better understanding of the budgeting
process. The use of budgets should create a positive attitude throughout the business; each
feature should be more of a game setting and task related rather than looking into financial
data more in-depth (Raghunandan, Ramgulam and Raghunandan-Mohammed, 2012).
2.4 Hopwood’s Management Styles
Raghunandan, Ramgulam and Raghunandan-Mohammed (2012) go onto expand on the use
of management styles related to budgeting and the job related behaviours. Dugdale and
Lyne (2010) explain how a theorist named Anthony Hopwood (1944-2010) devised 3 main
management styles that related to budgetary information and evaluated the performance
and the business aspects. These included:
BudgetConstrainedStyle
ProfitConsciousStyle
Non-AccountingStyle
Dugdale and Lyne (2010) explain more on Hopwood’s theory and showed how each style
compared different managerial approaches and affected the way on how an organisation is
ran. The research carried out was aimed to show the managers response when dealt with
budgets and meeting targets, looking into how they are controlled and evaluated on their
performance.
The budget-constrained style looks at how managers are evaluated on their budget
achievement; the fact that managers are criticized if they do not reach their set budget.
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Atrill and Mclaney (2007) help identify the management style by stating that this approach
means employees must meet their set budgets. Lower level managers have to reach their
budget in a short term period; behaviours of this aspect can result in managers making
short term decisions, pressure throughout the job and no long term gain (Dugdale and Lyne,
2010). In relation to an employee not reaching the set budget, if the manager were to use
the constrained approach, there would be a lower job satisfaction from the employees, with
the relationships between managers and employees poor. This management style focuses
the attention to reaching the budgets, forgetting other important aspects that, in the long
term, could expand the goals and targets, and even relationships within the working
environment (Atrill and Mclaney, 2007).
The profit conscious style of management looks at improving the business in the long term
and the affects of, rather than achieving the budgets, but reducing the costs associated
within the business. This method allows managers to achieve long-term profit and
effectiveness of the organisation; the approach is more flexible in management and usage
of the operations of the business (Dugdale and Lyne, 2010). Atrill and Mclaney (2007)
explain when management respond from budgets and financial information stating that the
managers look into a wider and clearer scale, taking other factors into perspective; these
factors that have affected the budgets may not have been present when planning and
creating them to start with. So with the profit conscious management style, managers are
able to justify and think more about the situation before deciding the outcome of the
employees. There is said to be less stress with this style of management and can create
more working relationships with employees and managers.
The non-accounting style looks at the non-financial aspects within the management. The
idea that the actual figures of the budgets pay no importance when it comes to achieving
them; the use of factors involved around the non finance part to management including
quality of goods and services and customer satisfaction (Drury, 2009). Atrill and Mclaney
(2007) identify this management style where budgets are of no importance towards the
business; the fact that if managers concentrated and focused on the performance of the
organisation, then the business will run effectively and efficiently. When related to failure in
reaching the budget, this management style isn’t concerned and is classed as being
unimportant.
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Dugdale and Lyne (2010) explain Hopwood’s study well in supporting the profit conscious
style as the most efficient and effective to achieving the budgets and a more successful
business. Failure to meet budgets can have an impact on the working relations of the
management team, as well as a cost effective downfall. Managers will have to deal with this
in what they believe is the most effective way and how they see the outline; the senior
management team need to justify why they believe their junior managers will reach the set
budgets and the performance they are going to give (Atrill and Mclaney, 2007).
2.5 Theories behind Budgeting and Different Management Styles
Budgeting has many impacts within an organisation; there are different concepts to
examine how managers behave around the numerical figures. Different theories of
management styles can affect how managers use and see the budgets of a business.
Wildaysky (2009) helps explains why traditional budgeting has been so popular in todays
society and why business are using this method of budgeting; the fact that traditional
budgeting examines the past and previous income statements to provide evidence to
support planning the budgets. A more theoretical approach into the budgeting systemis
needed in order to look at the managerial behaviour around budgets, and the different
theories behind management styles and methods.
Northouse (2010) looks at the contingency theory, which revolves around organisational
theory, and how there is no best way to manage and control a business, explaining how
managers make decisions based on situation. Contingency Theory is described how different
leaders and managers are corresponded to different management styles and how different
contexts can affect the leadership (Northhouse, 2010). Yukl (2011) helps explain how
managers can be affected by the budgets relating to contingency theory and the adaptions
it can cause. Managers can control situational factors that can adapt and alter the financial
position of an organisation. The contingency approach to the finance of the business looks
at the internal and external factors that managers have to make decisions around. There are
set to be five elements that use the contingency theory and the variables that effect the
managements behaviours for finance and budgeting control including; the environment;
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technology; organisation size; structure; and strategy and national culture (Abbadi, 2013);
management’s behaviour on a situation can affect the business’s budgets.
Agency Theory is described as the relationship between a principle and an agent, comparing
the managerial approaches with each other and the decisions that can be made between
them (Douma and Schreuder, 2008). This approach looks at how the principle has control
over the agent, where the principle controls the agent, but the agent makes the executive
decisions for the organisation. The Agency theory has been looked at with differences and
diverges between the principle and the agent, where agent’s actions can affect the
principles interests and welfares. The idea is that principle’s help control the use of the
agent’s resources through budgeting; how much they spend and their costs for the business
(Hill and Jones, 1992). In order to create a smooth running of the organisation, the interests
of both the agent and the principle need to be on the same level; a difference can cause
conflict with decisions where profit and expenditures can not be used to their full potential.
Resource Dependence theory is based on external factors and how these can influence and
alter the behaviours of an organisation. Pfeffer and Salancik (2003) talk about how
organisations rely on each other with their resources; certain companies will need specific
resources that other companies provide. Basically, organisations look towards the external
environment for resources where they might be dependent towards another organisation
who holds the power to supply these resources. Hillman, Withers and Collins (2009) talk
about how managers within an organisation must make creative and empirical decisions
regarding the finance and budgets to provide the resources they need for their business.
2.6 Alternative Budgeting Technique
Hope and Fraser (2003) research into how organisations and society are using the same
business model that doesn’t really expand on their set aims and objectives. The use of the
“plan-make and sell” model around the traditional budgeting technique can be described as
predictable, where targets are created via the resources the companies have, and the
previous income provided. A further look into how an organisation can control its financial
figures and expand a strategy is a method called Beyond Budgeting. Beyond Budgeting is
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described how budgets can be examined and stretched into a further in-depth meaning;
organisations are able to use this method to focus more on performance management
within their strategy and manage more information with the current society and
environment (Hope and Fraser, 2003).
The Beyond Budgeting method has many advantages including higher managements
involvement within the company and the work environment. The idea is that managers are
set in a ‘comfort’ zone when it comes to finance and budgets when in the traditional
budgeting method; the beyond budgeting approach looks at a more ‘stretched’ zone where
managers within an organisation are more concerned and interacted with the current
targets, which indicates that they have more time to evaluate the set targets and whether
they are achievable or can be expanded due to the workforce (Bourmistrov and Kaarboe,
2013). With this in mind, Ostergren and Stensaker (2011) look into the beyond budgeting
method by stating that it is a more adaptable and active way to research how to create a
successful organisation. The process of managers being more involved and engaged with
the goals and budgets can help generate a strategy, which works well in the current human
society and work environment. This method can provide organisations to seek more into
why budgets are being met or why managers aren’t performing to their full affect.
The next section of this paper involves the methodology of the research and how the
research was conducted. This will involve the research question, the samples of data and
how they were collected.
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Research
Glatthorn and Joyner (2005) help to structure the methodology and look at the different
sectors involved that will help the process. These include data analysis, the different types
and perspectives and then the different methods involved. They go into explaining the use
of qualitative and quantitative perspectives and the use of the participants and location of
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research study. In order to complete a research project, there needs to be some knowledge
and awareness of what research actually is and how to sustain this knowledge (Kumar,
2008). Kumar (2008) also goes into a few definitions that describes and explains research;
this can be generalised as collecting, analysing and explaining data collected to result in
finding theories and exploring more around the topic examined. In order to collect the
research, here were the methods to accompany the dissertation project:
1. Type of researchandspecificsubtype
2. Contextandaccess
3. Participants&how selected
4. Instrumentation
5. Data Collection
6. Data analysis
Research is branched into many different aspects; one method of looking into this theory is
the research onion. Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009) go into detail and explain more
around the model and the layers around what research entitles. There are different layers
of research focusing on the types of research, the methods to use and the types of
paradigms. The University of Derby expands on this model explaining how there are 3 types
of philosophies, which divide the philosophical strand; these include epistemology, ontology
and axiology. Epistemology is looked at as the acceptance and recognition of knowledge in
theoretical practice; this can then expand into the realism philosophy (Crotty, 1998). The
research onion conducts the methodology of research dividing into different layers and
sectors (from outwards – in):
1. Philosophies
2. Approaches
3. Strategies
4. Choices
5. Time Hr
3.2 Purpose
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The Purpose of this research was to determine whether budgets have an impact on the way
managers run a business. With this, this research has examined some of the different
departments within an organisation and compared how each manager differs in their
performance when assigned with their set budgets for the year.
3.3 Research methods
This research has looked into the realismapproach through philosophies and shows the use
of both qualitative and quantitative data. Flowers (2009) explain how critical realismtakes
the approach of researching on how things behave and the outcomes of this. This research
has looked at the use of budgets using figures of each department in the business, analysing
quantitative data while also interviewing each manager of how these figures affect them
through feelings and emotions.
The method of this research has consisted of undertaking interviews within the David Lloyd
Leisure York club, as well as collecting some of the set budgets for the departments over the
last financial years. These will be compared with the results of the interviews. There will be
6 managers being interviewed for this research; these include:
General Manager
Operations Manager
MembersRelationManager
SportsManager
SalesManager
Head/LeadCoach
Interviews are used for great observation and to get the in-depth information of feelings
and attitudes; this is the main reason why interviews have been operated in this research.
The use of an interview is to dive deeper into the thoughts and feelings of individuals and
what they believe in. In appendix 1, you can see the full set of interview questions that have
been used in this study. The negative approach from using interviews were mainly time
consuming; they took up majority of the time to record and analyse the data collected.
Gillham (2000) explains the use of time consumption when using interviews to research a
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topic; the use of transcription and analysis can take a lot longer than most other data
collection tools. There is also the use that the subjects taking part in the research may be
untruthful in their statements and answers aiming to be more biased in what the research
was aiming to find out.
3.4 Sample Selection
King and Horrocks (2010) talk about the impacts of interviews and how they should be used
when conducting research including where to take the interview and the recordings. The
subjects have ethically approved the information that has been recorded through the
interviews; the information provided will be private and confidential for the subject’s
confidentiality.
The results from the interviews have been demonstrated by both quantitative and
qualitative approaches. As seen in Appendix 1, there is a large use of scales used to identify
quantitative findings; the results have been analysed through bar graphs and charts to help
expand and see if a regular patterns occurs. For the qualitative questions, the data has been
analysed through the use of gathering themes and specific patterns that occur through
audio and notes. The use of thematic analysis occurs; this is a qualitative data analysis
approach which will help identify the use of reoccurring themes throughout the research
and help solve the research question (Braun and Clarke, 2006).
The questions used in the interviews were specific towards to the literature in management
styles and how the managers believed their budgets affected their work performance and
whether changes were necessary. The idea was to create questions that would help explain
how the manages behaved through different factors associated with financial information
including communication throughout the organisation, motivation towards their
department and their own work performance as a senior manager.
3.5 Gantt Chart
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A Gantt chart has been used to show the process of the research explaining timings and
deadlines associated with the methodology. A Gantt chart is mainly used for helping time
schedules and procedures along a set time period (Lester, 2007). The Gantt chart for this
research is located in appendix 2.
3.6 Ethics Approval including reliability and validity
When undertaking a research project, ethics approval needs to take place. Subjects that are
being examined and analysed will have to be protected depending on the type of research
being commenced (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson, 2011). Due to the researcher
having total control of the results taken in the research, it is their responsibility for that
information to be kept private and secure.
The interview questions have been reliable throughout the research conducting beneficial
and productive information. The data collected has been analysed through interpretation;
the questions that have been be asked have been asked to everyone taking part in the study
in order for the results to be reliable. The right questions have been asked to get the right
information and results needed for the research question; validity of the questions is
required. In order to for validity to occur within the research, the questions in the interview
have needed to input towards how the budgeting process affects the performance and
behaviours of the managers.
The next stage of this research involves the results and findings of the data collected. The
information collected from the interviews and how this is analysed.
4.0 Results andFindings
Throughout this part of the study, each question will be analysed either qualitatively,
quantitatively or both. The Subjects have been placed from A-F noting everyone’s position
within the company so that we can see whether they are department and subjected to the
questions.
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Subject A – General Manager
Subject B – Operations Manager
Subject C – Members Relations Manager
Subject D – Sports Manager
Subject E – Sales Manager
Subject F – Head/Lead Coach
This research is based upon 6 managers at David Lloyd Leisure York, where they were
expected to answer 14 questions related to the management styles they have and budgets
affect their managerial skills and their behaviour towards the organisation. Each question
has been analysed according to the subject’s responses and how they relate to one another;
each question has a different aspect towards management behaviours and performance
including communication, work performance and knowledge around budgets perspective.
As mentioned in the methodology, interviews can examine patterns and themes between
subjects to help create a broader understanding and more in depth knowledge around a
certain topic; in this case, how budgets affect management.
Question 1
Each Subject stated that they really enjoyed working at David Lloyd and how they’ve come
to their position. This question was an icebreaker in a sense that they should like working at
David Lloyd if they are in a senior management position working with a great team to build
on the business.
Question 2
There was a variety of different words associated with finance and budgets where each
subject had to express a feeling or an emotion related to these words. The results are listed
in the Appendix under table 1. As seen, the results show that the subjects vary with
similarities and differences in feelings regarding finance and budget related emotions.
However, for the word ‘investment’, we a similarity in all the subjects feeling ‘excited’
where there is support to show the management team are all on the same level.
Question 3
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The results are both quantitative and qualitative with the use of scale on how confident the
subjects were in financial information and numerical data. The results are listed in the
Appendix under Figure 1. The results show that majority of the subjects are confident with
their financial figures and data with evidence in transcript regarding learning and
improvement and learning. Question b shows a regular theme in that the subjects do feel
they are under pressure by their management, identifying a traditional budgeting method;
only subject C stated that they were not under pressure by higher management regarding
budgets.
Question 4
Again, both quantitative and qualitative looking at how work performance is affected. The
use of a scale was used again and the results can be shown in the appendices under Figure
2. The chart shows how many subjects chose which scale they believed budgets affected
their work performance; with all subjects being at the top end of the scale, there is another
regular pattern explaining how budgets can influence work performance.
Question 5
Using thematic analysis, regular ideas and themes were mentioned throughout the
question; the use of communication towards a business and how budgets are
communicated throughout the management team. We can results of subjects stating ‘vital’
and ‘impacts other departments’; the theme of importance occurs and how much
communication impacts the business. The second part of the question involved the subject’s
express their emotions of communication towards different members in the organisation
including head office. Quote from subject B states, “I don’t think they always communicate
very well because they don’t have that much front line focus”; they being employees from
head office. Subject D and E state that head office were late in delivering their budgets to
the management team, where subject D quotes “I would have liked to have been a little bit
more prepared – to work out a bit of a plan and a strategy”.
Question 6
This question resolves around how relationships build within the business and how
managers react to different departments. The results show us that the managers within this
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club have a great relationship and bond with each other, showing a difference in hierarchy
with managers. Subject F shows a different approach in competition between each sports
department quoting “there’s a little bit of competition there between departments – where
if F&B start smashing it, then that’s going to motivate me”. Regular themes include
similarity and connections, as well as competitiveness towards reaching goals and setting
budgets.
Question 7
The use of measuring motivation throughout the managers departments and themselves; a
quantitative and qualitative approach was used. The results for 7 a, are located in the
appendices under Figure 3. Throughout this question, the subject’s responses included a
few different themes involving the importance of motivation and how it can be applied in all
set budgets; subject A quotes “it can be both – if my budgets tough then, I have to really dig
deep and think about how I’m gonna convince everybody else – if the numbers low then the
opportunity is massive”. Subject D talks about self-motivation and personal pride in always
wanting to achieve to reach the end goals and targets.
Question 8
This question involved a variety of different qualitative approaches looking into work
performance from setting budgets and the behaviours of a manager. The themes include
work overload, acceding the budgets, positive feeling and time management. With 4
question each relating a different part of budget knowledge; there are a lot of different
aspects involved how they affect managerial experience. Subject D explains how budgets
can be used as both long and short term, explaining the use of how short term goals can
affect the long-term effectiveness; a long-term approach is broadened across each of the
other subjects. Subject C provides emotions of a work life balance to help support the right
mindset when it comes to managing budgets and targets; the use of helping and supporting
team members is important and you can’t be negative as this can spread into the rest of the
business. There is a mixture of themes and ideas across this subject with different managers
explain difference in opinion due to the department they work in.
Question 9
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This question revolves around the use of strategic planning and how important it can be
when it comes down to budgets; the idea was how the subjects would plan and strategize to
reach their budgets. Themes involved restructure, training and development, and teamwork
within departments and the business. Subject C quotes “I think we need to look at a
restructure of the departments in my opinion, I think we need to look at the member
experience overall and where the perception come from”. The results from the subjects
shows an understanding of the organisation and how to achieve customer service with
subject C looking at how a restructure of departments could help provide the most out of
the budgets.
Question 10
Within this research, there needed to be an involvement and understanding question,
relating to past experiences and scenarios. This question provided the use of a situation
where there was a 15% increase in the annual budgets. Subject B quoted “I want to see the
work that’s gone into producing that budget, so if you’ve come up with 15% why is that?”
The themes related are decision making and the support provided, along with difficulty level
with some subjects stating it would be easy and others saying it would be too hard. Subject
E quotes “I’d be quite annoyed, based on the fact that we over delivered last year and to
replicate that same over performance this year is probably a little bit unrealistic.” stating
their initial thought. Recruitment is an occurring theme as stated that if they are increasing
the budgets, they’re going to need more staff to deliver.
Question 11
Competition is a feeling of rivalry, which can impact how a manager behaves. This question
shows an understanding of the relationship between working in a sporting environment and
managing a members club. Subject A mentions how much a manager wants their job
quoting “Our aspirations are already set high because we think we should be the best.”
aiming to provided competition between other companies. There were 3 aims from this
question on how competition affects the budgets from the subjects own department, other
departments and then other businesses/companies. Subject E looks at competition between
their departments and states a “healthy” competition is necessary – “For my immediate
team, I do challenge them, I make sure that they know that they’re up against each other.”
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Within the sports department, there is always going to be competition involved with each
line manager facing a different form of competition in order to reach their targets.
Question 12
Both qualitative and quantitative analysis were used in this question; the use of the PESTLE
analysis provided the subjects with a scale of 1-10 of how they believed each component
affected the budgets of the business. A table of the results is shown in the appendices under
Table 2. For an average results, the use of a radar diagram is presented; this shows the
different levels of importance each subject thought was most important noting that
Economic is the highest, where technological is the lowest. Each subject related their own
department towards each of the external factors and the importance of each one and how
it affects their budgets.
Question 13
This question relates to the previous question stating which component subjects thought
would affect them most from achieving their budget. The results are shown in the
appendices under Table 3, showing that economic was the most common component that
the subjects thought would affect their budgets.
Question 14
The use of thematic analysis is used where the identity of themes and patterns occur. The
use of planning and preparation occur along with research and knowledge. Subject B quotes
“it’s just about making sure you understand … what and how a budgets created / what’s
involved in that.” stating that it could be labour hours or even the age of the employees and
how much they get paid, and the use of resources provided making sure they are well
equipped and not over spending. Subject F quotes more about the short term and long-term
plans and how managing short term can have a negative approach towards the budget “you
are much more likely to achieve that budget because you are gonna set in plan, and set into
plan / you know long term / solutions rather than short term sited solutions.” The subjects
form a different but positive approach to strategic planning when it comes down to their
budgets.
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Subjects B and F’s transcriptions are located in the Appendices for reference.
The next chapter of this dissertation project will look into discuss the results established
from the questions and how the subject’s answers relate to managerial behaviours and their
work performance, and how they convey the different literature.
5.0 Discussion
Anthony Hopwood’s Management Styles
Understanding financial information in a business can be difficult and require different
levels of knowledge around the company (Fridson and Alvarez, 2002). The subjects were
tested on what feelings they had when interfaced with financial words and topics e.g.
budgets. Question 2 of the research manages to identify the subject’s emotions towards
finance and compare the difference in how they feel when having to deal with these
associated words. Table 1 from the appendices shows the results of what the subject’s
responded to; they have been colour coordinated to identify different patterns and feelings
regarding the answers. From the table, there is evidence to show that for the words
“Investment” and “Profit”, all the subjects were able to give a positive response. This shows
team cohesion within the management team as they are all at the same level regarding
income of the business and exceeding the targets. For the word “Budget”, there is a mix of
emotions; subject’s A and B are more positive around the idea and suggest that they are
focused around a budget guideline. Subject’s C and D show a more negative and challenging
approach towards the word “Budget” suggesting that their methods of managing the
business focus less on budgets but more on a steady approach and are feeling and people
orientated. When relating this to Anthony Hopwood’s performance evaluation on managing
the business around budgets, there is evidence to show that potentially subject’s A and B
are more towards the Budget constrained and Profit Conscious styles.
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Atrill and Mclaney (2007) have looked into the facts regarding Anthony Hopwood’s
management styles of budgeting; the three different styles all include a different aspect
around budgeting and how that helps manage a business. Subject D has quoted “taking a
step back, realigning some of the departments, and maybe looking to push back if necessary
on things that look a little bit unachievable, and then put in a bit of a plan in place, month by
month for each department.” This response to question 8 b shows that the subject looks
more in the long-term aspect of budgeting, showing potential that they would need to cut
back on other areas and departments to achieve an overall success. This, relating to
Hopwood’s theory suggests that this subject is shown to have a Profit Conscious style of
managing, where they focus on the costs of the business and are more flexible when it
comes to achieving the budgets in the long run (Dugdale and Lyne, 2010). Since subject D is
our sports manager, the job entitles managing different sporting departments within the
club, where each department has their own budget’s set. This suggests that subject D needs
to think more about each budget set and where they can be making the highest income,
where there is potential and which departments aren’t achieving; this then proposes that
subject D is thinking strategically and preparing the plan the budgets in the long-term to get
the most effective for the business. Subject A continues this approach and strategizes how
they are not stressful when they don’t perform to the target; quoting “So whilst we haven’t
hit the income retail this month, it’s nothing compared to the fact that we saved so much
costs. So some of that has come from the work in the last 5 months that we’ve put into the
utilities.” This also suggests that the management looks into cutting the costs as well as
reaching the set budgets, expanding on a more efficient company. The theme of overseeing
the whole business and analysing the areas of development connect a strategic plan from
the business as a whole.
Subject E talks about strategies and procedures put into place to reach targets explaining
how this is done “We have a sales activity planner, which is broken down by day and targets
the number of sales you want on that day and the number of leads that you want on that
day, and then the activity that’s going to drive the lead in and sales for the next 3 days, and
that’s broken down by day, and then by sales consultant.” This carries on to a structured
procedure for the staff where “everyone knows their expectations, but also what they need
to know in order to achieve target.” This suggests that the subject bases their performance
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around a working target, always striving to reach for that goal. Subject E is the sales
manager within the company; looking at this from a qualitative point of view, people who
work in sales are target driven and constantly need a number to work towards in order to
achieve success. This could represent a budget constrained style approach due to the fact
that the management is always constantly working on a budget and target (Drury, 2012).
Subject E will have come from a sales background and will have always had to work with
budgets each and every month; this can alter and adapt the managerial behaviours aiming
towards the budget constrained approach after working in the industry for over a long
period of time.
Planning and Communication
The idea around this research was to see how strategic budgeting affects the behaviours
and work performance of managers in a business. The results from the interviews show a
reoccurring pattern of planning and preparation of budgets, and the importance of knowing
the length of time needed to achieve this.
Subject C talks about communication and the importance of it within a work environment
quoting “Key, absolutely key. I f we don’t communicate, we don’t know, we don’t learn, we
can’t share knowledge. We won’t deliver if we don’t communicate.” Communication is vital
when it comes to budgets; depending on the budgeting method, the working management
is able to give their input towards the final budgeting say and can pass these on the higher
management who decide the budgets. Drury (2012) shows the importance of
communication and how if the right information isn’t passed on, then the business could
end up with higher, or lower, budget then what they should actually be receiving. This
proposes that, within the business, communication varies throughout the company with the
emphasis of “key” explaining that it sometimes doesn’t happen, which can lead to a
negative affect on the business. Strategic planning of the budgets needs to be
communicated to all departments, and managers, in order to achieve successful
communication to the members of the club.
Competition around Management and the Sports and Leisure workenvironment
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Competition plays an important part within a business; the idea being behind managers
want to succeed and be better then others. Subject F shows a competitive edge between
other departments within the organisation stating their relationships and the strategy used
to build on their budgets “everyone’s a little bit competitive / so yeah in departments like if
I saw another department flourishing where as I’m, you know, not doing too well then / I
would want to work harder and pick that up because, you know, I’m a quite competitive
individual.” This suggests the use how competition in sports can adapt to the business
environment; subject F is the Lead/Head coach in the gym, therefore, automatically, should
be really competitive. In this situation, we can see the use of the Contingency theory and
how the subject managed to adapt and change their management style when the
department was exceeding (Northhouse, 2010). The decisions made in this situation could
alter the financial figures and the set budgets for the end of year figure, explaining how, the
regular theme competition, is always constantly changing the way managers manage their
budgets.
Subject A talks about competition on a scale of reaching a target and the aims that they can
reach to as a team quoting “well because we’re more competitive, I’m naturally
competitive. So I always aim for a goal that I think we can achieve, but also a goal that will
stretch us as a team.” This suggests using competition to bring in teamwork in order to
achieve the budgets. When subject A suggests a “stretch”, this can relate to the beyond
budgeting terminology. The idea here explains how the subject uses more of a stretched
zone; this suggests that the manager builds on the beyond budgeting method where there is
more interaction and connection with line managers and updated budgets. Rather than
using the comfort zone, the subject expresses the use of reaching out to their team in order
to achieve and exceed in reaching the budgets – a stretched zone (Bourmistrov and
Kaarboe, 2013). Competition can help strategic planning with the budgets in this work
environment with the evidence from the subjects that they are “naturally” competitive. The
idea is that, in a sports environment, people are usually competitive, so applying this to a
business point of view, reaching the goals and targets is the game, and competition
between departments and business will encourage managers to reach those aims.
Managers behaviours can evolve around a beyond budgeting method with the use of using
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competition to provide performance measurement and evaluations on how the managers
can progress (Hope and Fraser, 2003).
External Factors
The use of the PESTLE analysis was used in the interviews to get information regarding
whether the subjects thoughts these factors could influence their budgets. The results are
presented in a radar chart to help see the different levels of importance, on an average; the
subject’s though would have an impact on the effects of their budgets. The results show
that the Economic factor is the most popular from the subjects, coming to an average at 8.3
as seen from Table 2, and Figure 4. This suggests that finance is a major factor in the
subjects managing work performance; the use of budgets and the economy have a major
relation, which management needs to rely on. Looking at Table 3, the results show, which
factors the subject’s mostly, affected them from reaching their budgets. These results
support the radar chart and the subject’s initial choices of the PESTLE analysis. Subjects B
and C are the only 2, which didn’t choose economic as the component that mostly, affected
their budget.
Subject C stated that the environment was the factor that would impact the most of their
budgets stating, “So my budget is attrition, so it’s about retaining people.” The subject also
added “The membership, the experience within the club and outside of it is important for
reputation. We need to keep this reputation up to high standards by keeping out
environment at the highest level.” The resource development theory is based on external
factors and how these can influence the behaviours of managers. Hillman, Withers and
Collins (2009) show this approach where managers must make financial decisions regarding
the external factors and how these can affect the budgets; subject B talks about the
resources and utilities quoting “We have to make sure that all of our waste is got rid of
properly. We have to make sure we don’t use too much energy, that all staff members
understand that.” This shows that the operations side to the business has a budget of
cutting down costs from the resources of utilities. In relation to the resource development
theory, the budget can be influenced by any external factor including fixing the heating,
cleaning of the pool and gas monitoring. The decisions made by the management team will
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affect the budget of department with the resources that are used. Strategic planning of the
budgets can help manager’s behaviours around the budgets on what resources are needed
and can be used on a monthly basis without overspending; this will reduce the risk of
situations where external factors can shift the balance of the budget spending.
6.0 Conclusion
6.1 Research Question
The research question - How does strategic budgeting affect the behaviours and
performance of managers within a business, focusing on the David Lloyd Leisure York club?
Strategic budgeting can influence managers behaviours on the planning and organisation of
the budgets. The idea of long and short term planning is vital within the business and how
each subject speaks about that in one form or another. The use of Anthony Hopwood’s
management styles from budgeting is extremely valuable when it comes down to
performance evaluation; the results have shown that managers respond positively towards
the budgets and use them as guidelines when organising and manage the business.
Different subjects stated around the fact how they plan and prepare themselves with the
budgets in order to achieve their job entitlement. Strategic Budgeting shows the
performance of managers and how they respond to the financial figures, whether it is a
positive or negative approach. The idea around this research was to see how managers
responded to the set budgets and whether a more strategic approach should be used;
evaluating the certain aspects of a business including motivation, communication and
strategic planning.
The results show that strategic budgeting is important to achieve a successful business
stating different managing styles react differently towards different departments. Does
strategic budgeting affect the managers behaviours and performance? Yes. There are more
aspects within this business which can alter how they achieve their budgets; the idea
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around planning and preparing these budgets shows that, in time, success comes from the
how the managers perform to their team and building these relations improves the success
of the budgets. Different qualities and skills associated can impact the budgeting process
and affect how each employee can act to achieve their budgets.
7.0 Recommendations
This research has shown a variety of different aspects that could potential be explored. The
idea around competition in a sports, working environment is essential; throughout the
leisure industry, many different employees seek to perform to the best of their ability,
relating to a sporting challenge. Managers within this industry should have a competitive
edge and are, more than likely, to participate in sporting activities. The research into how
this affects success could lead to achieve more interactions with other business industries.
Budgets can be crucial in certain aspects of a business; different business can react
differently to budgets and targets. The potential thought of identifying the different
departments and subjects could be interesting to see whether budgets need to occur, or
can a business survive without them?
8.0 Reference List:
1. Abbadi, S. (2013) Contingencies Influencing the Budgeting Practices in the
Jordanian Financial Sector. World Applied Sciences Journal 22 (7) pp. 991-1000.
2. Atrill, P., and McLaney, E. (2007) Management Accounting for Decision makers.
Pearson Education Limited, Edinburgh Gate, Harlow.
3. Banks, A., and Gilberti, J. (2008) Budgeting. North Ryde, McGraw-Hill Australia.
4. Bourmistrov, A, and Kaarboe, K. (2013) ‘From comfort to stretch zones: A field study
of two multinational companies applying “beyond budgeting” ideas’, Management
Accounting Research, 24 (3) pp. 196-21.
5. Braun, V., and Clarke, V. (2006) Using Thematic Analysis is Psychology.
6. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2). pp. 77-101. Routledge.
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7. Cadle, J., Paul, D. and Turner, P. (2010) Business Analysis Techniques. 72 Essential
Tools for Success. BCS the Charted institute for IT.
8. Crotty, M. (1998) The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in
the research process. SAGE Publications,
9. Douma, S., and Schreuder, H. (2008) Economic Approaches to Organisations.
Pearson Education Limited, Edinburgh Gate, Essex.
10. Drury, C. (2009) Management Accounting for Business. Cengage Learning EMEA,
Cheriton House, Hampshire.
11. Drury, C. (2012) Management and cost Accounting. Cengage Learning EMEA,
Cheriton House, Hampshire.
12. Dugdale, D., and Lyne, S. (2010) Budgeting Practice and Organisational Structure.
CMIA Publishing, The Boulevard, Oxford.
13. Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., and Jackson, P. (2011) Management Research. SAGE
Publications Ltd. London.
14. Emmanuel, O., and Otley, D. (2004) Accounting for Management Control. Thomson
Learning, High Holborn House, London.
15. Flowers, J. (2009) Research Philosophies – Importance and Relevance. Research
Leading Learning and Change, Cranfield School of Management.
16. Fridson, M., and Alvarez, F. (2002) Financial Statement Analysis: A Practitioners
Guide. John Wiley & Son’s, New York.
17. Gillham, B. (2000) Research Interview. Continuum, London.
18. Glatthorn, A., and Joyner, R. (2005) Writing the winning thesis or dissertation: A
step-by-step guide. Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, California.
19. Hill, C., and Jones, T. (1992) Stakeholder-Agency Theory. Journal of Management
Studies. 29 (2) pp. 131-154.
20. Hillman, A., Withers, M., and Collins, B. (2009) Resource Dependence Theory: A
review. Journal of Management. 35 (6) pp. 1404-1427.
21. Hofstede, G. (2012) The Game of Budget control. Routledge, London.
22. Hope, J., and Faser, R. (2003) Beyond Budgeting: How managers can break free
from the annual performance trap. Harvard business School Publishing, Boston.
23. Kemp, S. (2003) Budgeting for Managers. McGraw Hill Professional, New York City.
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24. King, N., and Horrocks, C. (2010) Interviews in Qualitative Research. Sage
Publications, Oliver’s Yard, London.
25. Kumar, R. (2008) Research Methodology. APH Publishing Corporation, New Delhi.
26. Lester, A. (2007) Project Management, Planning and Control. Butterworth-
Heinemann, Linacre House, Oxford.
27. Northhouse, P. (2010) Leadership: Theory and Practice. Sage Publications, Thousand
Oaks, California.
28. Ostergren, K. & Stensaker, I. (2011) ‘Management Control without Budgets: A Field
Study of ‘Beyond Budgeting’ in Practice’, European Accounting Review, 20 (1) pp
149-181.
29. Pfeffer, J., and Salancik, G. (2003) The External Control of Organisations: A resource
dependence perspective. Stanford University Press, Stanford California.
30. Raghunandan, M., Ramgulam, N., and Raghunandan-Mohammed, K. (2012)
Explaining the Behavioural Aspects of Budgeting with Particular-Emphasis on
Public Sector/Service Budgets. International Journal of Business and Social Science,
vol,3 No 14.
31. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thornhill, A. (2009) Research Methods for Business: A
skill binding approach. Wiley and Sons ltd. West Sussex.
32. Shim, J., and J, Siegel. (2005) Budgeting Basics and Beyond. John Wiley & Sons.
Hoboken, New Jersey.
33. Warren, C., Reeve, J., and Duchac, J. (2012) Financial and Managerial Accounting.
South-Westerern Cengage Learning, Natorp Boulevard, Mason.
34. Wildavsky, A. (2009) Budgeting and Governing. Transaction Publishers, London.
35. Yukl, G. (2011) Contingency Theories and Effective Leadership, ch 21, The SAGE
Handbook of Leadership. SAGE, London.
9.0 Appendices
1. Questions for Methodology:
1. Can youexplainhowmuchyouenjoyworkingatDavidLloyd?
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Can youexplainafeelingoran emotionrelatingtoeachof the wordslistedbelow?
a) Budget
b) Finance
c) Investment
d) Labour
e) Management
f) Members
g) Pressure
h) Profit
i) Stress
j) Team
4. a) On a scale of 1 – 4, howdo you believe yourannual budgetsaffectyourwork
performance?
Low 1 2 3 4 High
b) Can you explain why you selected this number?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. a) On a scale of 1-4, howconfidentare youwithfinancial figuresandnumerical data
whenitcomesdownto costs?
Low 1 2 3 4 High
b) i) Do youfeel youare underpressure byhighermanagementintoreachingyourset
targets?
ii) Howdoesthismake youact as a manager?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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6. How isyour relationshipswiththe otherdepartmentswithinthe businessandcanyou
explainsome of the feelings?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8. a) Howdoesmeetingyoursetbudgetsaffectyourworkperformance?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
b) Providing relevant examples, can you explain how much time and effort you put
into your work when it comes to achieving your budgets/targets?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
c) Budgets are set to be a short-term plan; do you think budget are long term or
short term? Expand
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
d) Does keeping your staffs content and motivated mean more to you than achieving
your budgets? Explain
5. a) Can youtell me howimportantcommunicationistowardsthe business?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
b) Whenit comesto achievingthe overallannual budgetsforthe business,how isthe
communicationbetweenyourself and:
i) Headoffice:
ii) Seniormanagementteam
iii) OtherDepartments
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
7 a) On a scale of 1-10, howdo your monthlybudgets/targetsaffectyourmotivationto
carry out your setjobwithinyourdepartment?
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
b) Can you expand of this please?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
10. Scenario1:
a) Your managementteam have decidedtoincrease yoursetbudgetswitha15% incline
fromthe previousyear;howdoyoureact?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) Since youachievedyourbudgetsthisyearalot higherthanexpectedwithnotsomuch
labour,yourmanagementteamhave decidedtocutyourlabourcosts by 15 hoursa
weekinyourdepartment;how doyourespond?
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
11. Competitionplaysanimportantpartwhentryingto achieve budgets.Canyouexplainhow
competitionmightaffectachievingyourbudgets?Include fromwithinyourown
department,otherdepartmentsandotherbusinesses/organisations.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
9. Comparinglastyear’sannual budgettothisyears,whatstrategyand actionsare you
planningtocertifythatyouwill reachthe set targets?Examplesinclude complete
restructure of the department,increase motivationwithinthe department,improve
teamcohesivenessetc.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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14. Can youexplainwhyyouthinkstrategicplanningandcontrol overyourbudgetscanaffect
the business?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
12. External factorswithinabusiness canhave a majorimpact whenitcomesto targets.
Usingthe PESTLE analysis,canyouidentify,onascale of 1-10, how much of onan impact
each componenthasonyour job?
Political (Government):
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
Economic:
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
Social:
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
Technological:
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
Legal:
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
Environmental:
Low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 High
13. a) Outof the PESTLE analysis,whichcomponentdoyouthinkaffectsyoufromreaching
your budgetthe most?
___________________________________________________________________
b) Can you verifyyouranswer?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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Table 1.
Question 2 Words associated with financial topics
Subjects A B C D E F
Budget Excited Winning Stress Tasky Job Important
Finance Clear Money
What’s
the pot? Balance Boring Interesting
Investment
Really
excited Improve Great Exciting Excited Exciting
Labour Challenging Best staff
Use of
time
HR, people
management Fun-team
Frustrating/r
ewarding
Management Simple
Looking after
staff Strong Responsibility Control Interesting
Members Love them Retention Happy
Exceeding
expectations Mostly nice
Important/d
ependant
Pressure Fun Reactive Sad Inevitable Standard Motivating
Profit Amazing
No point if
you don't get
profit Good Goal/target Satisfaction Yay
Stress Always Pressure Not good Pressure, always
Apart from
last 2 days -
positive Apparent
Team Important Same goals Great Reach goal Happy Community
Figure 1
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
A B C D E F
Scale
Subjects
Confidence Scale on Financial Figures
Confidence Scale
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Figure 2.
Figure 3.
Table 2.
PESTLE ANALYSIS
PESTLE/Subjects A B C D E F Average
POLITICAL 8 9 5 8 5 6 6.833333333
ECONOMICAL 10 10 7 9 9 8 8.833333333
SOCIAL 8 7 9 8 7.5 9 8.083333333
TECHNOLOGICAL 8 5 8 8 3 7 6.5
LEGAL 8 10 5 9 9.5 8 8.25
ENVIRONMENTAL 8 10 7 9 9 8 8.5
2
4
How do budgets affect Work
Performanceon a scale of 1-4
1
2
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
A B C D E F
Scale
Subjects
Budgets affection on motivation
Motivation
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Figure 4.
Table 3. The component that mostly affects managers from reaching their budget.
Subject Component
A Economic
B Legal
C Environmental
D Economic
E Economic
F Economic
0
2
4
6
8
10
POLITICAL
ECONOMICAL
SOCIAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
LEGAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
Average of PESTLE Analysis results
