Operations and Supply Chain Management

This assignment delves into various aspects of operations and supply chain management. It covers core concepts like lean manufacturing and just-in-time systems, examines the role of sustainability in modern supply chains, and discusses how technological advancements, such as big data analytics, are shaping the field. The provided research papers offer valuable insights into current trends and challenges within operations management.

Management and Operations
INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................................................3

TASK 1..........................................................................................................................................................3
1. Introduction to organisation and its management structure...............................................................3
2. Roles of manager in the Marks and Spencer are defined below:.........................................................4
3. Analyse differences of managerial functions and leadership roles by effectively applying a range of
management theories and concepts. .....................................................................................................5
4. Examples of different situations in your organization and examine how the roles of a leader and
functions of a manager apply in those situations....................................................................................6
5. Different management and leadership theories to your chosen organization to support growth and
sustainable performance.........................................................................................................................7
6. Strengths and weaknesses of different theories and approaches.......................................................9
7. Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................9
TASK 2........................................................................................................................................................10
1. Operation management and its key approaches adopted by an organisation...................................10
2. Roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders in successful management of the operation of
your organization...................................................................................................................................11
3 Examine the importance and value of operations management in attaining business goal...............12
4. Evaluate how managers and leaders could be effective in improving operational efficiencies to
successfully meet business objectives...................................................................................................13
5 Illustrate factors present in the business environment which impact upon the operational
management and decision-making of Leaders and managers...............................................................13
6. Include critical evaluation of the application of operations management to manage the factors that
impact on the wider business environment. .........................................................................................14
7. Conclude and suggest recommendations for future improvements to be taken by the organization.
...............................................................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Management and operation is very important for an organisation as it carry out different
functions in order to utilise resources in an effective way so that customer needs can be met
(Alderton and Saieva,2013). Marks and Spencer is British company which was established in
1884and since then they are delivering best quality services and facilities. Thus, Worldwide
M&S is known for providing high quality clothing and home product. The main branch of the
respective undertaking is located in Westminster, London.
This report will discuss about the role of leader and function of manager according to
different situation within the organisation. Along with this, various approaches of operation
management is studied which will help in reducing production wastage as a result, it will
ultimately enhance productivity. Moreover, it also states about importance of operation
management with different style of leadership. Lastly, it talks about various external
environment factor which affect working environment of the business.
TASK 1
1. Introduction to organisation and its management structure
Marks and Spencer is world-wide recognised for providing qualitative product in the field of
clothing, luxury food products and home products. Company serve worldwide and around
84,939 employees work for providing benefits to the organisation. Flat organisation structure is
followed by Marks and Spencer in their working, under which limited control is shown by top
level management and front line managers. In this structure there is less or no level of
management between management and employees. It is beneficial for the respective company
because it improve communication, low operation cost, motivate and satisfy employees. This
was adopted by organisation so that employees get more involved in decision making and
working of the firm.
Managers: Managers mainly perform five functions in an organisation such as planning,
organising, staffing, directing and controlling and majorly all the activities are performed under
this (Omansky and Kanner,2014). Managers are present on various levels of the organisation in
order to manage working of various departments such as finance manager, general manager,
marketing manager, project manager and many more types of manager is present.

Leaders: They are the one who guide team members so that work can be done and business
objectives are achieved. Leaders play an important role in motivating staff so that they can
support business in achieving goals and targets. Main aim of leader is to inspire and influence
employees in such a way that they make effective performance which directly increase business
productivity.
2. Roles of manager in the Marks and Spencer are defined below:
Planning: Manager plan the operation of business in such a way that it help in
accomplishment of the business objective.
Resource allocator: It is duty of manger to allocate resources such as fund; machine and
labour etc., properly to various department of the organisation so that employees related to
particular division perform their work effectively and timely.
Characteristics which manager sinks in their personality and behaviour
Confident: Manager of marks and Spencer should be confident about their skills and
thought process otherwise they are not able to motivate the leaders to follow their orders.
Patience: Manager of concerned business should be patient so that employees able to tell
their problem easily which are affecting the work and overall business profitability (Brandon and
Mullan,2013).
Roles of leader are mentioned below:
Representation: Leader of Marks and Spencer should sit with concentration in meeting,
conference and seminars as they have to represent the business to other people who can get
influence and invest in business activities. If they do not know information correctly than it will
put a false representation is done in the external world can which affect business’ profitability.
Merge personal goal with organisation goal: By the use of personal skills leader of
respective concern able to merge personal goal with business goal. This type of merger motivates
employees to work with full dedication as with organisation objective their personal aim is also
achieving. For example: if an individual is passionate about developing applications of software
than working in IT department will fulfil both personal as well organisational goals. So, here
manager must look out for skills and knowledge in order to accomplish the same.

Characteristics of leader
Positive attitude: In respect to this, leaders undertake activities with positive attitude
which encourage employee to work with passion and spirit even in adverse situation. For
example: even after loss in achieving certain objectives positive attitude of leaders of
encouraging team members will definitely motivate them in performing their activities in a better
manner.
Communication skills: Managers of Marks and Spencer leader should have good
communication skill in them so that they are able to act as mediator between top level and
employees of the team. For example: Superior assign a task to a team and it is prime role of
leader that he/she communicate all the related information to its team members in an effective
manner so that work can be done in a better way because if leader does not communicate
properly than work can get affected.
Basis Managers Leaders
Aim They perform several
activities in firm for fulfilment
of end result (Gillen,Jacquillat
and Odoni ,2016)
.
They work for development of
all persons who are related to
the business.
Communicate Managers communicate
policies and plans to leader
regarding the working of the
organisation.
Leaders guide employees in
such a way that all the plans
and strategies made by the
manager can bring into action.
Vision Managers perform the task in
an organisation, according to
the vision and mission of the
company.
Leaders communicate the
vision to workers and motivate
in such a way that business
vision become their personal
thing.

3. Analyse differences of managerial functions and leadership roles by effectively applying a
range of management theories and concepts.
Manager and leader sometimes uses interchangeably but their roles and responsibility are
completely different in an organization (Wu and Pagell,2011). They both work for the
achievement of business goal.
Basis Functions of manager Role of a leader
Planning Managers do planning and set
goals for completing business
objectives in order to achieve
success and growth.
Leaders communicate the role
set by managers to employees
for attaining business
objectives. Leaders do
planning of the activities for
teams which are in their
control.
Organising Manager organise resources
required by employees to fulfil
their duty so that business
objectives can be
accomplished in an
appropriate manner.
Leader allocates resources to
employees according to their
task. With the allocation
leader inform employee the
correct way of using resources
for getting best outcome.
Directing Manager communicates the
task to employee or staff
performed by them.
Leader makes a team and
direct how the work should be
done with available resources
in the organisation.
Manager and leader of concerned business react differently in the situation on the basis of
their working in the enterprise .Let understand this with one situation
4. Examples of different situations in your organization and examine how the roles of a leader
and functions of a manager apply in those situations.
A manager in an organization do very crucial job, they have to plan, coordinate, produce
and market. The success of the company depend upon the caliber of a manager's skills in
utilizing the resource in effective manner. A leader play numerous role in organisation some of
them are:-
Risk taking: Risk is the first step towards the big success(Singhal and Singhal,2012)
and skills of a manager. Leaders of a Marks and Spencer have tendency to take risk and are
always willing to perform new things without making a thought of upcoming future and the

growth. They know that through walking on the unknown path success can be achieved.
Manager of the respective firm take steps to minimize the risk as they does not want to become
responsible for the loss happen due to inventing new thing.
Conflict resolving: In an organisation like Marks and Spencer there is a possibility that
employees who are working are from different culture which can give rise to conflicts within the
organisation. To avoid it managers can conduct meetings on a regular basis so that issues and
problems can be resolved and mutual understanding can be maintained. Whereas leaders in this
situation can lookout for the reason for the rise of an issue so that it can be discussed with
superiors and better outcomes or solutions can be found out. It must be skills of a manager to
maintain peaceful culture and avoid conflicts in the organization.
5. Different management and leadership theories to your chosen organization to support growth
and sustainable performance
Leader generally use one leadership style in their working but great leaders adopt two
three management style for leading their people on the basis of situation (Ageron,Gunasekaran
and Spalanzani,2012). There are various kind of leadership style present in the external
environment which leader of Marks and Spencer can adopt according to their requirement and
skills, here is a description of most commonly used styles which can be applied by respective
company :-
Situational leadership: It is a leadership style which leader adopt on the basis of skills
and knowledge acquired by staff members whom they want to guide and control for the
fulfillment of task. Due to this style manager and leader of Marks and Spencer make changes in
their operation because all these are as per different situation. In the case of increment,
situational leadership can plays an important role in overcoming with this situation. When leader
adopt style according to the employee than firm enable themselves in earning large amount of
profit as the workers perform major activity that are undertaken for getting maximum benefits.
Advantages:
 Simplicity of this approach makes it easy to apply in the respective organization.

 By this a manager of Marks and Spencer creates relationship between manager and leader
which is very necessary for the development of the organization.
Disadvantages:
 It focuses on the immediate need of the organization due to which long term goals of
association get ignored.
System leadership: It is situation in which people at all levels of organization able to work
with full potential. Under this leader communicate situation of business to employee and guide
them to work according to it for the fulfillment of firm goals. If Marks and Spencer want to make
changes in the operation of business related product than the employees have to find way
through which they are able to make low cost qualitative product. Due to this, business does not
have to incur big cost to make changes in their working.
Advantages:
 This approach focuses on individual as well as overall goals of the firm.
Disadvantages:
This system does not get change according to prevailing opportunity due to this benefits
are missed which required modification in the whole system (Closs,Speier and Meacham,2011).
Contingency leadership: It is a leadership style under which leader make changes in his
style and strategies according to sudden condition and challenges present in the external
environment. Leader of marks and Spencer makes changes in their strategies according to
prevailing situation in the market. This theory say that there is no one way to lead people of
organization, one theory is best for some business is not appropriate for another. Due to this no
opportunity get missed and business able to survive for longer period in the outside world.
Advantages:
 Due to contingency style leader is able to adopt the new things in their working at the
same time when it get occurred. This method helps business to earn competitive
advantage over its rival firm.

Disadvantages:
Sometimes, changes are made in business to cope with the uncertain situation which can
create loss to the business because it was adopted without making any analysis of the future
outcome (DeHoratius and Rabinovich,2011).
Marks and Spencer should organize time to time training programs for their employees so
that they are able to know the correct way of performing the task. They should fix the equipment
which bring economies of scale means provide the product as a reasonable rate so that their
customer base get increased.
Therefore, all the above mentioned theories are helpful in running business in an effective
manner. For example: company will be able to perform their activities according to different
situation. For instance: in order to increase sales and profit firm can use situational leadership
and manufacture products according to the needs and wants of customers. Whereas for their
special customers organization can use contingency leadership style for giving effective services.
Whatever theories are used if they are used according to the situation than it will ultimately
provide benefit to the company.
6. Strengths and weaknesses of different theories and approaches
Situational Leadership:
Strengths: The biggest strengths of this theory is that it is easy to understand and leaders
can easily adopt this style according to the follower’s need so that work can be done in an
effective manner.
Weaknesses: Although situational leadership provides benefits to organization according
to the situation but it has some limitations as well like it put lot of pressure on employees in
order to finish the task. Along with this, to workers it provides limited flexibility because of
which employees cannot use their creative minds while performing any kind of task.
System Leadership:
The system leadership style create the condition in an organization where employees of
all level work productively to their potential, it use human behavior to create good leadership,
organization strategy, system design and social process.

Strengths: One of the strength of system leadership is that it allows company in
performing their activities in a systematic manner which enable firm in delivering best quality
product in a speculated time frame. Other than this, it is adaptive and dynamic in nature.
Weaknesses: System leadership does not always work according to the contingencies or
a particular style which is its biggest weaknesses.
Contingency Leadership:
This leadership style highlights the effectiveness of a leader to match right leadership
style in right situation. It outline two style of leadership:-task motivation and relationship
motivation.
Strengths: As contingency leadership in an empirical research in nature it provides
leaders with predictive powers.
Weaknesses: This approach is generally reactive in nature and doesn’t provide any kind
of clue regarding what steps must be taken by managers in relation to a given situation.
7. Conclusion
With the above mentioned points it has been concluded that manager and leader are two
different person of the firm who move in same direction for the accomplishment of goals. Thus,
both are important for an organisation. Along with this in order to know the significance of both
leaders and managers different theories and the management style which are used in business to
take it on the highest position. Mentioned theories explain about the characters and
responsibilities of a manager and leader which help the organisation to achieve new stage in the
market by maintaining the culture of organization, motivating and satisfying the employees.
TASK 2
1. Operation management and its key approaches adopted by an organisation
Operation management and its approaches support organisation for effectively and
efficiently resources so that their goals can be achieved by satisfying customer (Muller,2014). By
the support of below approaches operation management can enhance the concerned organisation
productivity and with the less resources.

Six sigma: Six sigma is a statistical approach used for eliminating defects and reduce
variability. It is a methodology which was developed by Motorola in 1986 for improving quality
of product or services by removing the defects in the production process. It is a method which is
adopted in business in order to eliminate wastage and improve productivity of the organization.
Six Sigma is an approach in which 99%of products which are manufactured are free from
defects. Various types of cost get reduced by sis sigma such as transportation, over-processing,
wastage in inventory and many more things.
Total quality management: It was adopted in the organization so that business achieve
all those factors in the product and service which are important to client (Storbacka, 2011).This
approach aim is to make improvement in the quality of goods and services offered by the firm so
that customer needs and wants can be satisfied. Under this all person of organization get
involved in making process, product and service so that best product is offered to the client.
Just in time: JIT is manufacturing refers to producing the items in required quantity only
when its need arises. It is process which says that raw material is ordered form the supplier when
there is a demand of the product from the customer (Crevier,Cordeau and Savard,2012). This
method increments the efficiency and remove the wastage of production in the organization.
Basically, it is processing system in which commodity transfer from the system according to the
need.
Figure 1: Just in time manufacturing
(Source: Just in time manufacturing, 2018)

2. Roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders in successful management of the operation
of your organization
When manager of Marks and Spencer apply six sigma in business than they plan such
strategies which help can them in accomplishing goals with effective utilization of the resources.
Manager of the concerned business ensure that six sigma project is perform properly within
organization so that it will help business in achieving its objectives. Main duty the leaders of
Marks and Spencer is to implement strategies and effort in such a way that it will help in the
development and success of enterprise.
Under TQM manager of Marks and Spencer plan and apply such strategies which bring
continuous improvement in production. Role of respective business leader is to encourage staff
to work in a team so that employees get a chance to enhance their skill and able to perform their
work effectively for the improvement in quality of product of undertaking.
Manager guides to the operation and manufacturing department in such a way that
inventory is controlled so that product quantity remains in control on a regular basis. Respective
business leader evaluate time taken by their employee in the production so that they can inform
manufacturing department about schedule in which they have to make the product. By the help
of this unwanted storage of inventory is not done in the warehouse.
3 Examine the importance and value of operations management in attaining business goal.
Management converts raw material, energy, time and labour into qualitative product and
services is regarded as operation (Bujak,Carvalho and Sriramulu,2012). It is an important part of
organisation which deals with designing, controlling, organising and administrating the
production process of operation management. Operation management supports all other
department of firm such as finance, marketing and production etc. Major importance of operation
management is described below:
Reduce cost: Operation management reduce cost of company as it deletes the
unnecessary activities taken place in the Marks and Spencer or doesn’t add value to the product.
When cost is saved by the help of operation management than it can be utilise in other important
things of an organisation so that firm objectives can be achieved.

Managing inventory: Operation management supports in managing the inventory of
business as it tell economic order quantity and reduce ordering and storing inventory of cloth
production (Davidson and Olsen,2013). With the help of this operation department of Marks and
Spencer able to know safety stock, reorder level and idle time for the management of the
inventory.
Optimum utilisation of resources: Operation management of Marks and Spencer is
helpful in effective usage of resources through different mathematical and statistical technique
such as linear programming. Due to this the concerned firm able to earn large amount of profit as
raw material is effectively converted into service and good which decrease the overall production
cost.
Attaining aims and objectives: Marks and Spencer operation department activity is
important in the achievement of business aims and objectives as it save time and cost which are
utilised in unnecessary things.
Quality: Operation division of business help in total management of quality in the
production and operation process (Ashby,Leatand Hudson-Smith,2012). Due to this management
there is reduction in the defects of goods which directly increase quality of cloth and food
products of Marks and Spencer. When concerned business able to produce qualitative products
than large number of customers get attracted to the firm which increase profitability, total
income and financial performance of the association.
4. Evaluate how managers and leaders could be effective in improving operational efficiencies to
successfully meet business objectives.
Both leaders and managers play their crucial role in providing benefits to an organisation.
They manage things, allocate roles and responsibilities according to the skills and knowledge
they acquire etc., some of the factors are mentioned below through which operational efficiency
can be improved in order to meet business objectives and these are given below:
Governing Mechanism: Company sustain in the market on the basis of goods and services
they are providing to its customers. Thus, if leaders and managers handle activities such as
training and performance in a better manner than company can be able to deliver best quality

products and it will ultimately assist company in achieving its goals and objectives in a
speculated time frame.
Inventory Control: It is considered as one of the most difficult system in a company
because managers and superiors have to keep a record of funds used in different kinds of
activities. Therefore, this is required to be managed managers must undertake things like whether
employees have appropriate resources or not.
5 Illustrate factors present in the business environment which impact upon the operational
management and decision-making of Leaders and managers.
In external environment there are various thing such as technology, customer,
government which are not in the control of the business, if they want to turn it into opportunity
than they have to made modification in the policy and strategies. There are various factors which
affect businesses are as follows:
Government rules and regulation: Rules and regulation of the country have a strong
impact on the business (Choi, Chan and Yue,2017). For example: if government make any law
regarding the wastage of raw material than manager and leader of Marks and Spencer have to
make modification in their production method and material which will cost higher to business.
Whatever rules legal bodies make business have to follow it whether it make positive or negative
impact otherwise they have to face close down of their business. Government always make many
rules for the protection and security of the person of society, Marks and Spencer should keep
them update regarding this so that they don’t have to face consequences of it.
Supplier: They are most important part of the organisation because they are transferring
the material which is needed by the management while manufacturing product and services.
When suppliers provide raw material on high cost than business fully get affected by that.
Manager and leader of concerned organisation have to make changes in their policies and
strategies or make new version of them so that extra cost in the production does not get charged
by the customer. They can do it reducing some of their unwanted expenses. Change in the
decision can also be done in case when the supplier does not provide raw material on time due to
any reason. In this case manager of Marks and Spencer have to find out some alternative route so
that their production should be done in the similar way and the customer get the product timely.

Technology: In today’s time technology is changing at a very fast speed the person or
business that does remain linked with it remain behind with their competitors. Manager and
leader of Marks and Spencer should make adopt new technology in their working so that it
supports them in fulfilment of their objectives. With the adoption of new technology authorities
have to make many changes in their existing polices and plans so that it get synced with the new
advance technology for the fulfilment of the desired position (Benzarti,Sahinand Dallery,2013).
Concerned business should organise games and various trips in the organisation time to time
so that employee get stress free and able to work in their full capacity. Leader talks to employees
within a proper schedule so that their problems can be solved.
6. Include critical evaluation of the application of operations management to manage the factors
that impact on the wider business environment.
Operation management’s main purpose is to manage all the activities that happens in an
organization such as managing purchases, quality inventory etc., other than this, they also assist
firm in evaluating things that are happening in market area such as getting detailed about new
technologies which can provide benefits to the company. Other than this, operation management
helps in making appropriate plans and strategies so that things can be accomplish in a speculated
time frame. Operational management requires the coordination between the operational
functions, marketing, financing, accounting,IT and human resource in the organization. This may
coma up with the disadvantage because if all departments do not work together than it affect the
success of the organization.
7. Conclude and suggest recommendations for future improvements to be taken by the
organization.
From the above report it is concluded that operation management is important for managing
different functions in an organisation which start from converting input into output.
Furthermore, it describes about Six-Sigma, TQM and JIT which is used for quality control and
the development of a company. Moreover, it tells about the importance of operation management
in remaining the business into existence. In last the external factors such as government and
supplier impact on the manager and leader working is known. Further it can be suggested that
Marks and Spencer can must go according to the market environment and implement activities
accordingly so that all the demands and needs of customers are fulfilled. They also motivate,

satisfy and coordinate to their staff so that they work efficient and effective which leads to the
success of an organization. For the desired business growth and success, firm needs to pay their
maximum attention towards customers expectation and desires ion order to providing them
quality services.

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