This summary provides an overview of the leadership style at a KFC franchise in Al Ain, UAE. The researchers interviewed the manager and employees to evaluate the leadership approach. They found it to be a rigid, hierarchical culture with clear rules and expectations. The manager plays an important role in maintaining the culture and focusing employees on tasks and goals. He uses both autocratic and democratic styles depending on the situation. Culture plays a significant role in the leadership approach, with a high power distance and emphasis on titles. The manager's experience interacting with many nationalities contributes to the organization's success. While the leadership style works for KFC, it may not be easily transferable to other contexts that emphasize more participation and relationship-building.

1. GHUMSHA NAJMAL AND MOZA ABUNAMOUS (MOZA AE)
GROUP PROJECT (KFC)
GROUP PROJECT MEMBERS
GHUMSHA NAJMAL:
MOZA ABUNAMOUS: .
COURSE TITLE
LEADERSHIP AND TEAM WORK.

2. GHUMSHA NAJMAL AND MOZA ABUNAMOUS (MOZA AE)
Introduction
This project highlights the leadership style in one of the UAE domestic organizations. We chose a
KFC franchise branch located in Al Zafraan in the city of Al Ain. We chose KFC due to its many
branches across the country and worldwide. Also, we wanted to explore KFC who an
internationally renowned fast food industry in the world. It is well known that KFC is the world's
most popular chicken restaurant chain, specializing in fried chicken. It all started 75 years ago when
Colonel Harland Sanders created a finger lickin' good recipe. Today KFC still follows his formula
with real cooks breading and freshly preparing delicious chicken by hand in nearly 15,000
restaurants in more than 125 countries. KFC is passionate about bringing the fantastic taste of
Original Recipe to as many people on the planet as possible. With the help of incredible franchise
partners around the world, it became one of the fastest growing retail brands, both in emerging and
developed markets alike. Therefore, relevant data collection was undertaken though interviewing in
which we asked both the employer and employee similar questions to evaluate and understand their
leadership styles, and how that can relate to organization performance.
At the KFC branch, we interviewed the manager and two of his employees after a couple of visits
due to the employers hesitation and organizations strict rules. In the interview we asked both the
employer and employee similar questions to evaluate their responses to get a better picture. As a
result, we were able to write the report.
1. What are the key elements of organizational culture in your chosen organization?
Organizational Culture is the about the beliefs, customs, traditions and values shared by the members
of the organization. Through the course of the interview we came to the conclusion that KFC has an
Eiffel tower cross-cultural organizational culture which is hierarchical in structure and mainly

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focuses on task. In the course of our interview we asked both the employer and employee similar
questions. The responses of both the employer and employee reveal that it is a high power distance
culture. We asked both the parties about whether it is easy to get things done and both of them strongly
disagreed. The employer said that if his leaders does not approve of a change he cannot implement it.
Additionally, the employees said that we must ask our manger if we want to do something . He said
“We can only make a decision about drink and other small things related to service.” Then we asked
about the communication between the employees and the employer. Their answer to the question was
quite puzzling as both strongly agreed that the communication channels are very open here among
management and employees. However, when we asked them “My employees have to take an
appointment before they come to my office if they have some problem and both the parties strongly
agreed to the act that an appointment have to be taken beforehand. Therefore, KFC clearly displays a
rigid and strong culture. Moreover, the organization is task oriented as its employees has to meet a
monthly target or they will immediately receive a warning ( 3 warnings are given before a salary cut) .
In KFC leadership is a group and social phenomenon in following the boss’s order ; moreover, we can
notice the absence of goal directedness and action oriented while we asking the employees about the
organization goal. I asked if all employees know the goal. One of them said” no, I know some of my
friend who doesn’t. In addition, leader is acknowledged as a legitimate boss (head of the org. and has
full responsibility). Focus on the task and performance through orders and obedience as hierarchy in a
group is one of the most important element of leadership in KFC. For instance, I asked two of co-
worker to do the interview before the manger to save time. They said “he will not agree or maybe get
anger. Please, do it with the manger first. “
The Mission statement of KFC is to increase & maintain the quality in fast food industry: moreover
they aim at capturing the fast food market. They are expanding their branches all over the world to

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provide their products to everybody. Through giving maximum satisfaction & other better facilities to
people they want to increase their profit.
Their Vision is “Our passion, as a restaurant company, is to put a YUM on people's faces around the
world, satisfying customers every time they eat our food and doing it better than any other restaurant
company”.
Their Values are Food, Fun & Festivity, this is what KFC is all about.
2. What role does the leader play in the development and maintenance of the culture?
In any business culture leader plays an important role. In building an environment for work and in
the way of dealing with both followers and customers. The leader in KFC plays many roles. He
servants three groups. According to what the manager said, “ ‫ثالثه‬ ‫بخدم‬ ‫انا‬ " I am servant three
They are customers, employees and the company itself. In other words, he is completing the task.
Furthermore, when we asked the manager about that if all employees know the organization goal he
said “we ask them about it from time to time ‫للتاني‬ ‫وقت‬ ‫من‬ ‫عليه‬ ‫"بنسأل‬ “
So it means keeping the group orderly and focused on organization goal. Also, he is working on
himself by gaining experience and learning English. The manager said, I took many English courses to
deal with my employees because they are from different countries, some of them are Philippine and
the other is Indian also there are some Arabian.

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3. What are the characteristics of the organizational leadership? How would you describe the
leader’s style?
The characteristics of the organization in KFC is complex and clear at the same time. Complex
because it depends on the reward system. It is clear to all employees that just follow the rules then
you will be reworded. However, the manager used Autocratic Leadership style in making the final
decision, but It is democratic Leadership style in allow them to participate in any event and make a
small decision when the manager is not available or busy. For more explanation, in our survey,
there is a question about if the employees have any authority? The manager said” their power is
limited only to changing a drink or order. ‫قدرو‬ ‫يعملوه‬ ‫حاجه‬ ‫صغيره‬ ‫يغيرو‬ ‫عصير‬ ‫او‬ ‫طلبيه‬ "
KFC leader is in between in charismatic leader and leader who uses transactional leadership. He is a
charismatic leader at some point in his high self-confidence for instance when he said: “ I am sure
our restaurant is bigger than anything”.
Moreover, he is high energy and enthusiasm for more explanation, he kept his face smiling from
the first time that we enter the restaurant until we left, and exchange a smile with his followers. And
because of the same reason he has a positive expressive with both followers and customers.
4. To what extent do you think culture plays a role? What role does culture play in who the leader
is?
First of all, culture is a set of norms that guide people behavior. It means that culture plays an
important role in our personal, social and business life. Culture in business field has different
aspects. one of them is Power Distance. It means the Level of acceptance of people, who have no
power, of the unequal spread of power in their society. There are two types of Power Distance

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there are high power distance and low power distance. KFC has a high power distance culture
because of heretically style. Which is focusing on title and position. In our survey, we asked the
manager if his employees call him by his first name. He said “they call me by rees ((‫.ريس‬ Calling
the manager by using a title emphasis that KFC has a high power distance culture. In the other
hand, it is Loose culture because of tolerance for a mistake from employees according to what
the manager said about punishment system .he said that “we give a warn for three times before
giving a real punish.”
Moreover, KFC is not an equality place between female and male. According to our survey, there
is no female manager in all branches of KFC .
5. What are leader’s key personal characteristics? How do they each contribute to his/her success?
Success is the achievement of an action within a specified period of time or within a specified
parameter. Also, it can be completing an objective or reaching a goal. The organization, followers,
and leader are part of success in any company. In a big restaurant as KFC, success is all that it is
looking for. Having an educated manager with years of experiences is one element of success for
KFC. Gaining experience by dealing with tens of nationalities daily. For instance, the manager
said:”here, I toked with more than hundred nationalities.” In addition, KFC uses a transactional
leadership which based on the exchange between leaders and followers. In giving reword and
waiting for the employees and the manager himself to obey. We may consider this as the reason
behind the success of leader in KFC.
6. Can the leadership style be implemented elsewhere?
KFC offers several leadership styles depends on the necessary tasks to complete, for example,
autocratic leadership style in allowing the manager to make decisions alone without the input of

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others. Although, KFC ignored any relationship with employees outside the company. KFC does
not give employees chance to participate in making decision s or in building a relationship with
their manager. For instances, we asked the employees if they deal with their manager outside the
restaurant. One of them said, “yes I do but with some of them”. The second one said “not at all. We
can understand that the leadership style is not working anywhere in this company. Also, there is no
one in one relationship.
7. Which rules apply in the decision making process?
Decision making is a daily activity for any organization Also; it is a habit and a process as well.
Effective and successful decisions make a profit to the company and unsuccessful ones make losses.
Therefore, the corporate decision-making process is the most critical process in any organization. In
the process of decision making in KFC uses autocratic style. It means that followers have no
opportunity to participate or discuss the decision. Moreover, there is a possibility to see the
consultative style in the small decision as what the manager said “only they can deal with simple
things. Whoever, there are absences of Group consensus and Delegation styles in making decision.
8. What elements of power are present in this leadership style?
Power is the fuel that drives leader ability to influence and lead employees. There many elements of
power in leadership field. Furthermore, The Elements of Power does an exceptional job of
explaining the critical sources of power, and how to build power in property way. There are many
elements of power in KFC . for more explanation, all employees accept the rules even if they don’t
like it. For example, the way that the employees used to talk did not show any interest in working. It
means that they obey not committed. Also, the source of power in KFC are Legitimate, coercive ,
expert and reward power. For instance, The manager said,” after three laters we will punish the
employee.” Moreover, the coworker said that” our manager had more than 15 years experiences.

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9. How do you explain success/failure of leadership style?
KFC is the second largest food chain restaurant in the world. KFC has 1500 stores in 125 countries.
KFC gets nearly 8 million customers every day from the US alone. Furthermore, the manager said
that “ We get the first place in any competitions for fast food”.
KFC is one of most popular fast food restaurant is a fact and it does not need any prove. However,
getting a huge number of customers is not telling the truth about leadership. From my perspective,
leadership is more than gaining a prize or getting the first place. It is a way of dealing with
employees. Employees in KFC are not free to say or to do any things before taking permission. All
in all, from business perspective KFC is a successful restaurant but from the leadership perspective
it is not.