Operations Management and Decision Making

This assignment requires a detailed analysis of operations management concepts, including decision-making processes, energy management systems, and project management strategies. It involves reviewing various research papers on these topics and identifying key takeaways for effective operations management. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how to manage operations efficiently and make informed decisions, with a focus on real-world applications and case studies.

MANAGEMENT
AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Compare and define the various roles and characteristics of managers and leaders.............1
TASK 2 .........................................................................................................................................4
P2 Functions of managers and role of leaders implement in various situations.........................4
P3 Different models and theories of approach............................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P4 Key approaches to operations management and role of manager and leader within the
organisation.................................................................................................................................8
P5 Value and importance of operational management in an organisation................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P6 Factors within business environment which impacts upon operational management and
decision.....................................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14
.......................................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Operations management is having responsibility of managing, directing and controlling
whole manufacturing process as well as workforce. These all functions aid a business to
accomplish their work in an appropriate manner (What is Operations Management?, 2014).
Company have to manage all the activities of operational in an effective way. John Lewis
Partnership was established in 1929 by John Spedan Lewis. This organisation provide
employment to 88,900 employees in 2016. Products of this company are watches, clothing,
jewellery, furniture, food, direct services, computing, audio visual, photography, giftware and
many more. In this assignment, roles and characteristics of managers as well as leaders will be
compared and discussed to understand their importance in John Lewis. Organisation will apply
several theories and model of leadership approaches to regulate business operations effectively.
Along with this, the importance of operations management is also assessed to meet the objectives
of enterprise.
TASK 1
P1 Compare and define the various roles and characteristics of managers and leaders
Leaders definition
Leaders is a person who is having the ability for motivating peoples within working
environment so they can achieve their targets and objectives in an adequate manner. Leaders
direct as well as guide group of persons to work together. Their skills of leadership aid a
company to compete with its rivals within a working environment.
( Source: Leaders and managers, 2017)
Managers definition
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Illustration 1: Leaders and managers, 2017

Managers have to manage all the activities as well as operations of a company. They have
to work in a systematic and disciplined manner by making use of their skills of management
properly. Major activities or functions of managers are planning, organising, directing,
motivating, decision making and controlling (Thaler, Priest and Fuchs, 2016).
Role of leaders
Major role of leaders within the company is to influence employees to work in right
directions. They motivate people to bring out their talent out in a working environment. Some of
the leaders roles are discussed in brief below: Communication: Leaders are required to have proper skills of communication at the time
of leading people. They have to inform about plans, policies and objectives of the
organisation to all their workers. In order to provide effective directions to workers,
leaders can work effectively and efficiently manner. Instruct organisational decisions: Each divisions including lower as well as higher level,
require proper instructions and directions to make workers perform accordingly. Leaders
on higher level of management concentrate on making strategies and plans that fulfil such
demands (Slack, 2015). At lower level, they give guidance as well as supervise their
work. Guiding workers: A Leader's major responsibility is to build employee relation within
groups to give adequate information as well as acknowledge disputes and problems
which are raised in John Lewis Partnership. Therefore, give proper guidance and
instruction to their staff members for accomplish their work in an effective way.
Role of managers
There are different duties which are performed by managers of John Lewis Partnership
are given below: Informational role: It is an important tactic which defines that management should
communicate adequate data to employees about objectives as well as targets that are
needed to achieve within a given period of time. John Lewis Partnership is a retail
industry which is providing several varieties of products like as clothing, jewellery,
furniture etc. It is an responsibility of managers to give full information about their rivals
and goods to their employees.
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 Interpersonal role: Management should establishes a friendly environment of working
as well as maintain strong relations with their managers by giving them proper data
about their duties as well as targets so that employees can work effectively for meeting
the targets (Ravindran ed., 2016). In John Lewis Partnership, conference and meeting are
organised by their managers to communicate periodically with their employees and
along with that they are also made aware about their results, performance and goods
information. Decisional role: Managers and workers are involved in the process of decision making
for taking effective judgement as well as selecting of best decisions among all the
alternatives which are beneficial for John Lewis Partnership. It is important to make
changes within tactics and systems which are made by managers to give proper customer
services and facilities.
Characteristics of managers Communication: It is important that managers should have better skills of interaction
which aid them in connecting with their employees. They also communicate the adequate
information about targets as well as objectives are important for achieving them. Experience: Administrator need to have effective knowledge on various theories and
concepts of management so that proper judgement and decisions are made in the context
to market objectives and its situation (Balasubramaniam and et. al., 2016).
Characteristics of leaders Empathetic: It defines that leaders have to communicate with managers as well as
acknowledge their thoughts and thinking. Hence, give them adequate facilities and things
as per their needs and demands. Influential: They have to maintain the friendly employees relations which will aid them
to make their members feel connected with operations of John Lewis Partnership.
Workers feels their importance as well as valuable part of company so they can organise
their work properly.
Difference between managers and leaders
Leaders Managers
 They lead people by motivating and
encouraging them to meet set
 They manage all operations and
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objectives.
 Leaders need to gain trust of persons.
 Leaders established guidelines and
principles (Fayol, 2016).
 Leaders are proactive within nature.
 They bring modifications.
 Leader must be creative.
 They must be risk taking.
activities of an company.
 Managers control person by their skills
of management .
 They apply procedures and policies.
 Managers are reactive within nature.
 They maintain stability.
 Manager should have decisive
personality.
 They should be organised and
experienced.
Similarities
 Leaders and managers both should be more communicating personality.
 Both of them are liable to motivate their co workers.
 Both of them pursue of vision of organisation effectively among peoples.
TASK 2
P2 Functions of managers and role of leaders implement in various situations
Administration give work to employees and duties in the context of their abilities as well
as skills. Besides this, managers are providing responsibility to guide and direct staff members.
So, they can carry out functions effectively as well as accomplish work within a time period.
Leaders and managers are very essential part of John Lewis Partnership which aid company to
functions properly by helping them in various conditions that affect on enterprise. Here are
discussed major functions of manager given by Fayol to manage operations and management of
organisation described below: Planning: Managers should plan for future situation, develop objectives of strategies and
secure to meet future targets. For e.g. planning distinct operational events. Organizing: John Lewis partnership manager organise their staff in an effective and
efficient way. It will align and structure the companies activities. For instance, organsing
that planned events to execute in John Lewis.
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 Commanding: Organisation managers must manage their team in their day to day work
along with that motivate them in meeting organisation targets and goals. For e.g.
controlling and commanding activities through making allocation. Coordinating: Companies manager harmonize the activities are performed by the
organisation, each activity of every company unit can be enrich and complement the task.
For e.g. coordinating work activities accordingly to manage and track records
accordingly.
 Controlling: John Lewis partnership manager have to control all the business activities
which are in line with general organisation objectives and policies. For e.g. controlling
activities through making allocation.
Some of situations in which managers and leaders play a important role are as follows:
Decision making: Executive include employees and managers within meeting as well as
conferences. So, they acknowledge system functionally as per market conditions. John Lewis
Partnership is an retail industry which require to update their goods as per market preferences
and trends of their customers (Giuliani and et. al., 2015). This aid organisation to make
modifications within system for achieving objectives and goals effectively. i.e. organisation had
decided to look for expanding its operations by establishing a new product.
Managers functions in this situation of decision making is to give proper information to
their employees about targets and work which they have to accomplish. It is important for John
Lewis Partnership management to make policies and strategies to direct employees as well as
inspire them to accomplish activities in an effective way. Hence, organise a training and
development sessions for increasing workers abilities. In this, managers will make decisions but
employees will apply them and meet desired outcomes. They need to utilize proper resources as
well as have proper staff which are able to provide proper goods and services within a
marketplace.
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( Source: Decision making, 2018)
In this situation, role of leaders is to use different theories and concepts of management
for building relations among all the employees to direct and encourage them to perform their
work effectively (Handschin and Petroianu, 2012). John Lewis Partnership managers connect
with buyers along with that they acknowledge their preferences and taste as well. In this, leaders
will make best policies and take effective decisions.
Risk taking: It is an another situation which define that each company has several issues
as well as difficulties. In the context of limited resources as well as need to utilize properly. It is
important that manpower, material and funds should use effective which aid management to run
a business properly.
In this condition, role of leaders is to conduct meeting as well as communicate with
employees about conflicts and problems are faced by them at a time of applying advanced
technology (Rani and Moreira, 2010). It is essential for John Lewis Partnership should have
competent and skilled workers which are able to give quality of services and products to
customers. In this, leaders have to make a system functionally effectively as well as results their
difficulties and threats.
Managers function is the situation of risk taking is to analysed the external and internal
factors which are technological, government, competitors, public, suppliers, shareholders and so
on which indirectly or directly influence on enterprise are managed acknowledged. Management
theories and concepts are used to manage risk as well as take effective solutions. Functional
manager can assure their core issues linked to identify change so that it aid in mitigated the
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Illustration 2: Decision making, 2018

factor of risk. John Lewis Partnership has issues of applying new technologies within the
working systems can not properly functioned along with that it affect on enterprise activities.
P3 Different models and theories of approach
Managers need to make system function as well as enterprise activities in an effective
way that it support within growth and development of company. It is important for management
to manage all the various conditions as well as sustain reputation and goodwill within a market
situation. Therefore, there are certain leadership theories which are given below:
Situational leadership theory: It is an effective model which is founded by Dr. Paul
Hersey. In this, it is an most effective leaders which are able to adopt their style condition as well
as look all cues like as group nature, kind of work and many others. (Pinto, 2015). Therefore, it
is essential for management to use effective tactics and styles to guide employees in performing
functions properly. Advantages: It is an best theory which assist in managing the use of theories as per
market situation as well as function system effectively so they should maintain stability
in the context of maintaining operations. Disadvantages: Management need to have full information of market situations as well as
abilities of system so that effective technologies and tools can be used to provide
effective things within a marketplace. It is important for enterprise to organise regular
analysis of market which is very expensive and time consuming.
System leadership theory: The theory refer that an organisation must have and execute a
proper and new strategy of leadership, distinct and conventional from the existing program
which claims modifications in the system but rarely do. It is important that their should be
effective facilities and working situations are given to employees for accomplishing work in an
appropriate way. Hence, if an organisation adopt this theory, the spent training amount become
wasted entirely invested for conducting change. Advanced technologies as well as tools are
applied within the systems. So, that quick services and quality products are given by organisation
to their customers which aid in increasing the reputation within the marketplace. Advantages: In this, it is very much easy to understand as well as meet the leadership
effectiveness (Jørgensen and Zaccour, 2012). Disadvantages: In this styles of leadership, it is having a limited flexibility which is not
able to deal with dynamically changes of business environment.
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Contingency leadership theory: In this leadership approach, it specifies leaders
personality, activities nature and several others components which determine leaders functioning
as well as system. Each sector is having large numbers of companies and preferences as well as
taste of customers are changing time to time. In this, various problems emerge within the
organisation coordinating group members while managing contingency leadership theory. Advantages: It will aid in giving flexibility within a working structure. They use the
styles of leadership as per conditions as well as also remove unfavourable circumstances
of enterprise.
 Disadvantages: In this, there is not having a particular style of leadership are used by
leaders. It is very much difficult within nature. They have to posses with some experience
to implement this method.
Hence, John Lewis Partnership management is adopting a situational leadership theory
which aid managers to make a effective design and judgement system as per their objectives and
goals. Workers are involved in conferences as well as meeting for communicating proper data
about the tactics and strategies as well. In this, they also delegate their duties to their team
members for motivating them in an effective manner.
TASK 3
P4 Key approaches to operations management and role of manager and leader within the
organisation
John Lewis Partnership need to organise the activities of business properly. So, that
effective goods and services are provided within a marketplace as per customers wants and
needs. It is important that John Lewis Partnership management should adopt proper concepts,
models and theories for proper utilization of resources effectively along with that achieving the
objectives and goals within a given period of time. Their are several approaches which are used
by management for making a system function properly are as follows: Six sigma: In this concept, it defines that managers need to acknowledge problems, so
that adequate objectives and goals are framed. It is important that results as well as
workers performance are measured by adopting effective techniques of performance
appraisal like as cost accounting, 360 degree, MBO etc. This aid management to assess
the relationship of cause and effect within business activities (Mendis, Muttaqi and
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Perera, 2014). Changing in technologies, strategies are made to execute effective
mechanism as well as increase the employees performance which is evaluated by
managers of an organisation. Lean manufacturing: It is a systematic process of using appropriate resources like as
finance, manpower and materials for eliminating wastage. System of management design
as well as applying effective techniques and tools. So, the process of production should
organise properly. Mass production is an effective tactic which gave advantage to John
Lewis Partnership to provide quality goods as per customers needs and wants. Executions
bring out perfections within functions by providing importance to things which are
essential along with that it will aid organisation in grabbing higher numbers of buyers. In
this method, manager operate a plan systematically as well as predicts the demands so
that they can make the inventories available. Total quality management: It is an very important strategy which gave advantage to
management for making a business successful for a long time by giving products as per
customers wants and needs. If they are satisfying their buyers it will improve reputation
as well as goodwill of John Lewis Partnership within a marketplace. Modern techniques
and tools are adopted by management to provide innovative as well as creative products
along with that provide customers facilities. Survey and market research are effective
techniques which aid managers to have full information about customers preferences and
taste. In this, workers are involved in the process of decision making for selecting a
proper choices and judgements. Training and development sessions and seminar are
conducted to increase employers abilities. Therefore, required to provide quality services
and products to their buyers. In this leadership approach, it motivate employees to
participate within companies activities so they can attainable it lead to form better
outcomes. Just in time: This method is inventory framework, also considered as management
strategy which is adopted within the department of production to avoid excessive and
wastage stock. John Lewis Partnership is adopting this tactics for eliminating wastage of
products within warehouse. In this, they prefer to make the goods as per needs of buyers.
Aim of this concept is to reduce wastage as well as overproduction products which are
not kept in store because of outdated trends. Appraisals of John Lewis Partnership is very
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much costly due to higher product quality. Method of just in time aid them to avoid huge
loss because of overstock.
Role of operations manager
There are several management responsibilities which are described below: Planning: It is an management responsibilities to make effective strategies and program
for making a system function properly. It is an main process which assist in organising
execution of operations systematically. Workers are providing proper knowledge of
goods which are presented within stores to attract customers by giving them effective
data about goods and its features (McPherson and Pincus, 2017). Setting benchmarks: Management provide the targets to employees. So, they can
organise activities as well as accomplish goals within a given period of time. It also assist
managers to acknowledge employees capabilities by comparing actual results with its
standards.
Leaders role
There are responsibilities which are adopted by followers to perform the activities by
team members which are as follows: Managing: Workers are providing guidance as well as instruction about duties given by
leaders. They also manage all the functions like as motivating, directing, leading, solving
conflicts and many more. So, that effective activities are organised within the company.
 Coordinating: They introduce a strong and friendly relations with their employees for
making them to perform functions within team or groups. Various divisions such as sales,
production, research and development, marketing and so on. It require that team members
as well as coordinating of work so that effective products should be provided to their
buyers. With this, team members cooperation is an another important role of leaders for
retaining competent persons.
P5 Value and importance of operational management in an organisation
Operational management is defined as main concept in a firm that deals with producing
products or services in a desired manner. People who take such kind of responsibility are known
as operational managers. They are performing various functions as well as facing different
problems in obtaining best outcomes in a firm. The main motive of them in conducting all
operations in an association is to gain sustainability and competitive advancement of business for
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long-term profitability (López and et. al., 2015). For this purpose, managers are needed to plan
and allocate different kinds of resources in a adequate way so that proper utilisation of the same
can be gained. In addition to this, operational managers should use proper measures in order to
build an effective coordination among all departments including human resource, finance, sales
and marketing. They keep an eye on performance of each division and provide them resources
and techniques as per their requirement so that functions of them can be carried out properly.
Importance of operations management for an organisation in John Lewis Partnership
are as follows
Every company has its own targeted goals and objectives which are achieved by
performing all kind of functions in a proper manner. It includes management of finance,
operation, human resource and more. Among all these processes, main function id operational
management, in which managers are needed to have a control on entire operations of business. In
context with John Lewis Partnership, which has 336 branches having 61000 partners, managers
play an important role in managing overall functions of various stores. They helps people
associated with business in conducting operations in a proper way. The main functions
conducted by them are planning, organizing, commanding cooperating and controlling entire
business activities. Through these functions they used to make necessary action plans by inviting
all people in the same. In addition to this, operational managers give command to employees to
follow rules and regulations of business as well as encourage them to work in cooperation so that
better outcomes can be obtained.
Importance of operational management Buyers need satisfaction: Operations of management mainly concentrate over the
process of manufacturing that ensure the goods quality within the company. e.g. John
lewis partnership minimise their production cost and enlarge the rate of quality by
satisfying buyers needs. Assist in transforming output from input: It is important for company to avail in
transferring a raw material into useful product. Mainly, John lewis partnership help
manager in recognising resources required to bring the manufacturing process out which
increase the influence of enterprise activities.
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 Attract numbers of buyer amount: It decline the cost of producing process and focus on
goods and services quality for attracting higher numbers of customers within marketplace
effectively.
TASK 4
P6 Factors within business environment which impacts upon operational management and
decision
In order to run operations of business in adequate manner, management of John Lewis
Partnership concerns more on bringing as well as maintaining ethics and sustainability. But in
this process, they have to face various difficulties due to several factors present at business
environment. It includes technology development, fluctuations in economical situations, social
responsibilities and more. These attributes impact on operational activities in both positive and
negative manner. These elements are present in internal and external environment so some of
them are under controllable which remaining ones beyond the same. Therefore, it is
responsibility of managers to understand concept of all such factors which affect decision
making of them. In John Lewis Partnership, some major factors in this context which affects on
working system are:-
 Innovation and Commercialisation: Changes in technology and advancement of
commercialisation aids a firm in accomplishing its goals in a short period of interval. In
this context, managers are needed to introduce best technology in management and
provide training to employees in order to make them able to work accordingly
(Moghaddam and et. al., 2011). While leaders are required to focus on performance of
each employee to judge that workers have gained skills by attending training sessions or
not.
 Corporate Social responsibilities: CSR activities are related to improve society in
which an organisation surrounds. It is a duty of managers and leaders to contribute their
efforts towards development of environment and society which enhance image of a
country too. Through this activity, operational management of JLP generate feeling of
unparalleled happiness among employees.
 Business ethics: It is considered as the most essential factor in which managers of a firm
are required to bring ethical culture in business. They have to develop policies and
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strategies by concerning more on providing welfare to stakeholders. The term ethics can
be stated as a set of principles used by organisation in its decision-making, strategies and
policies. Hence, the store manager of John Lewis has to assure whether their undertaken
decision and operated activities follows the principles and basic business ethics to avoid
conflicts. Therefore, this is very fundamental determinants considered by John Lewis
while decision making.
CONCLUSION
As per above report it has been concluded that management organise effective enterprise
operations as well as design system. So, they can accomplish objectives and targets within the
given span of time. It is important that manpower, material and funds are utilize efficiently
which aid organisation to provide effective products as well as services to buyers. Leaders and
managers have main role about providing information to workers along with that give guidance
and instruction to perform work properly. They are various theories which are used by managers
as per performance of organisation rivals. Six sigma, lean manufacturing and just in time and so
on are the theories adopted by managers or leaders to run activities properly. In this, external and
internal factors gave influence on business activities in an direct or indirect way. So, that they
can take a effective decisions which will be better for company.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
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Fayol, H., 2016. General and industrial management. Ravenio Books.
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evolutionary multiobjective direct policy search to improve water reservoir operations.
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 142(2). p.04015050.
Handschin, E. and Petroianu, A., 2012. Energy management systems: operation and control of
electric energy transmission systems. Springer Science & Business Media.
Jørgensen, S. and Zaccour, G., 2012. Differential games in marketing (Vol. 15). Springer
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Kerzner, H. and Kerzner, H. R., 2017. Project management: a systems approach to planning,
scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
López, M. A. and et. al., 2015. Demand-side management in smart grid operation considering
electric vehicles load shifting and vehicle-to-grid support. International Journal of
Electrical Power & Energy Systems. 64. pp.689-698.
McPherson, R. A. and Pincus, M. R., 2017. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by
Laboratory Methods E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Mendis, N., Muttaqi, K. M. and Perera, S., 2014. Management of battery-supercapacitor hybrid
energy storage and synchronous condenser for isolated operation of PMSG based
variable-speed wind turbine generating systems. IEEE Transactions on smart grid. 5(2).
pp.944-953.
Moghaddam, A.A., and et. al., 2011. Multi-objective operation management of a renewable MG
(micro-grid) with back-up micro-turbine/fuel cell/battery hybrid power source. Energy.
36(11). pp.6490-6507.
Pinto, J. K., 2015. Project management: achieving competitive advantage. Prentice Hall.
Rani, D. and Moreira, M. M., 2010. Simulation–optimization modeling: a survey and potential
application in reservoir systems operation. Water resources management. 24(6).
pp.1107-1138.
Ravindran, A. R. ed., 2016. Operations research and management science handbook. Crc Press.
Slack, N., 2015. Operations strategy. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thaler, T. A., Priest, S.J. and Fuchs, S., 2016. Evolving inter-regional co-operation in flood risk
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Online
What is Operations Management?. 2014. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.topmba.com/mba-programs/what-operations-management>.
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