Management and Leadership Roles in Operations at Aston Martin

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of management and operations at Aston Martin, a British luxury sports car manufacturer. It explores the company's management structure, defines the roles of managers and leaders, and differentiates between management and leadership. The rep...Read More

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Introduction of Aston Martin management structure..................................................................1
Definition and role of manager and leaders along with difference between management and
leadership....................................................................................................................................2
Analyse different role of management and leadership in different organisational situations ....4
Recommendations for future improvements...............................................................................7
PART 2............................................................................................................................................7
Explain the key approaches to operation management and the role that leaders and managers
play..............................................................................................................................................7
Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.
.....................................................................................................................................................9
Assess the Factors within Business environment that influence the decision making of leaders
and manager in operation management.....................................................................................10
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Operation and management demonstrate as a transformation of raw material or varied
resources into the finished products for the purpose of attaining high edge in competitive market.
These are mainly emphasis on initiating business in such a manner so that needs of customers are
to be satisfied in an effective manner so that more profits are to be attained proficiently.
Management and operations helps organisation to attain high profitability effectively. This
particular report present concept of management and operation along with background
information of Aston martin company (Barnes, 2018). Aston martin is a British independent
manufacture of luxury grand tourers and sports car. The company was founded on 1913 in
London, UK. This report explains functions and role of leaders along with the concept of
operational management.
PART 1
Introduction of Aston Martin management structure
Aston martin is a leading British luxury sports car manufacture company in UK since
1913. In this organisation around 3000 employees are working in all over the world. The
company mainly emphasis on services, spaces, restoration operations etc. Although Aston Martin
also traded on London stock exchange (Lowe, 2019). However, it have their presence in 53
countries of world. To maintain its brand image and management at workplace it is crucial to
understand the role of leaders and managers so that profitability results are enjoyed by
organisation.
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Definition and role of manager and leaders along with difference between management and
leadership
Leader refers to that person who influence or guide followers within workplace so that
goals are accomplished on time in effective manner. In terms of Aston Martin, leader are those
who are capable to perform the duties and responsibilities in terms of handling human resource
of business so that targets are achieved on time.
Role of leaders
There are several role of leaders that are presented below in context of Aston martin:
 Motivate and inspire- Leaders are those who inspire or motivate staff members so that
performance of team is to be improved (Sheidaei, 2018). In terms of Aston martin,
leaders encourage team mates by evaluating performance and offer training and
development sessions accordingly so that targets are attained proficiently.
 Provide vision- It is another role of leader within Aston Martin where leaders provide
vision to entire team related to completing targets. It is useful to develop coordination
between team members in terms of attaining common goals.
Characteristics of leaders
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 Delegation- In Aston Martin leader perform the responsibility to delegate authority and
task appropriately so that company growth is to be enhanced. It is essential to develop
trust of employees over leaders.
 Good public speaker- A leaders is a person who have skills to speak in public in which
they convey message to subordinates in prominent manner. Hence, this characteristic of
leader helps Aston Martin to generate positive results and eliminate obstacles present in
coming path.
Manager refers to a person who is responsible for managing, planning, directing,
controlling and monitoring the activities so that it should be aligned with employees that is
important to goal attainment. In terms of Aston Martin, manager take whole responsibility to
plan activities, manage employees in order to reach business goals effectively.
Role of managers
In terms of Aston martin several role of manager are demonstrate below:
 Interpersonal role- It is an effective role that manager of business person (Aubry and
Lavoie-Tremblay, 2018). Interpersonal role means manager perform interpersonal task
such as figurehead, communicator, leader, liaison to complete the task in appropriate
manner. In context of Aston Martin, manger have interpersonal skill due to which they
perform multitasking role to attain profitable results.
 Decisional role- Manager of Aston Martin perform the decisional role where they take
decisions as an entrepreneur so that at the time of complex situation changes are
implemented very effectively and efficiently.
Characteristics of manager
Various features of manager of Aston Martin are presented below:
 Time management skill- Time is very crucial and in Aston Martin, manager have time
management skill where they made plans in order to complete the targets systematically
and on specified time frame. Without time management skill manager does not gain
profitable results.
 Effective social skill- It is linked with communication skill, presentation skill, public
speaking skill and many more. In context of Aston Martin, manager is laced with
effective social skills that helps in effectively control the activities within business.
Differentiate between leadership and management
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Basis Management Leadership
Role Management within Aston
Martin perform interpersonal
and decisional role to align the
profits with company aims and
objectives.
Leadership in Aston martin
render the motivational role
where they encourage staff to
fulfil company vision
effectively.
Characteristics Manager within Aston martin
have good time management
where they plan activities and
deliver to leaders so that they
influence workers to complete
in effective manner (Barbour,
Bowman and Bendall, 2019).
Further they have social skills
due to which they properly
communicate plan to leaders.
Leadership within Aston
martin is useful delegate
authority so that targets are
attained smoothly and leader
also communicate visions and
guidelines to properly reach
the goals.
Theories Management adopts
bureaucracy theory,
behavioural theory within
organisation.
Leaders mainly adopts
leadership, system, situation
theory to influence workers.
Analyse different role of management and leadership in different organisational situations
Within an organisation there are several situational context on which company need to
focused to properly managed so that activities and functions of business run smoothly. In terms
of Aston Martin, various situations are demonstrated below along with how manager and leader
have to deal with this.
Situation 1: New launches
Aston Martin focus on re-engineering of Lagonda that represent first digital SUV luxury
car. In 2021, the products of Lagonda are fully digitalised. At this time it is crucial to share detail
information with staff members so that they must aware about new launches of company (Stimec
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and Grima, 2019). At this time manager and leaders perform different role that are presented
below:
Role of leader
In this Leader of Aston Martin emphasis on build strong team so that company easily
launch new products and services with innovative ideas. Therefore, for successful launch of SUV
leader influence or guide workers to work efficiently and present innovative ideas that is useful
to grow the value of SUV cars.
Function of manager
In Aston martin, manager perform the several function at the time of new launching of
product. In this manager plan the activities related to manufacturing of SUVs and direct the
direction to workers so that they perform task promptly. In this they also emphasis on promoting
and launching of car within market.
Situation 2: Conflict management
Conflicts within organisation are raised due to misunderstanding occurs among
employees. It is crucial for business to resolve conflicts on time so that it doesn't impact working
atmosphere negatively. In context of Aston Martin, company emphasis on solve conflicts with
professionalism so that effective working atmosphere is to be maintained within organisation.
Functions of Manager
In Aston Martin, manager emphasis on organising meeting to solve the conflicts by
discussing the problems (Campbell, Coldicott and Kinsella, 2018). Therefore an open discussion
is to be done where each and every member give their opinion to resolve the disputes.
Role of Leader
Leader within Aston Martin develops a strong bond with employees so that conflicts are
handle properly and in this leaders are ensures that it must not raise again. In this leader try to
guide employees in terms of conflicts resolution.
Theories
Situational leadership
In this theory of leadership, leaders change their style to influence staff for developing
their skills. In this leaders adopts leadership style as per situation occur within organisation so
that proficient results are attained successfully. This mainly involves four styles that are
presented below for development of Aston Martin:
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 Directing- This mainly emphasis on provide directions to team members where manager
of Aston martin clearly explain duties and responsibilities of every member.
 Coaching- In this style leaders of Aston Martin offer direction and give personal support
to employees. In this employees are not aware how to perform the duties but they are
motivated to complete the task. By using this style employees have good knowledge what
they have done effectively.
 Supporting- In this leadership style, leader within Aston Martin support employees by
encourage them towards working. In this leaders timely take follow-ups to encourage
employees for attain goals prominently.
 Delegating- In this leaders offers minimum direction and support to employees but they
delegate the responsibility into several team members so that no burden is faced by
employee.
Role of Leader
In this leader of Aston Martin adopt various styles as per situations. To remove conflicts
leaders adopts this style by providing proper support and direction to employees.
Role of Manager
In Aston Martin, manager need to assess the employees and organisation before changing
their style (Kibbe, 2019). Therefore, manager should appropriately guide employees so that they
perform task efficiently.
Strength and weakness of Situational Leadership
The strength of situational leadership is that it helps in developing employees as it is
focused on the situation needs. Another it is most effective and simplest style of leadership from
leaders and employees viewpoint. It also have disadvantage because of style is fixed and when
task are recurrent than same leadership style fails and goals are not fulfilled on time.
System Leadership
In this theory, leaders of company develop system and situation for employees to
maximise potential so that productive results are attained by business. In this plan was generated
by examine system, strategy and process of entity. This represent development of employees by
completing company objectives. In Aston Martin, system leadership is appropriate because it is
large organisation that is effective to use system leadership.
Role of Leader
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In this leader play a role to encourage staff for develop innovation so that business
agenda are attained properly.
Role of manager
In Aston martin the role of manager is to improve skill and capabilities of workers that
helps in support system process by adopt proper techniques and apply effective strategies (Yuan
and et. al., 2020).
Strength and Weakness
The strength is that this style helps development of followers and helps in assessing
internal and external factors so that proper plan is developed. Weakness is that within this delay
in decision making is present and it is not suitable for small company.
Contingency Leadership
This is mainly based on assessment of various aspects of environment for deciding style
of leaders. In this no fix leadership style is applied to all situation as it changes as per changing
variables. In Aston Martin, this helps in overall development of employees by taking
assessments of factors to lead them.
Strength and weakness
It has strength as it develops employees by design policies according to them. It help
leader to flexible in every style to understand employees. On the other hand it create irritation in
manager because of change style every time.
Recommendations for future improvements
The manager and leader of Aston Martin play a crucial role in guide and influence
employees and for creating path for attaining vision. For Aston Martin it is to be recommended
that they apply contingency leadership model as it helps in solving different situation and helps
manager and leader to take decisions as per situation occurs.
PART 2
Explain the key approaches to operation management and the role that leaders and managers play
Operation management emphasis on managing activities and functions of business.
Several operations of Aston Martin are presented below:
 Production operation- This aspect works for examine the quantity and value of luxury
cars that are to be produced within given time period. Therefore, they find an appropriate
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way to reduce the cost of production and develops quality of luxury cars so that huge
customers base are attracted towards organisation.
 Sales operations- The role of sales department within Aston Martin is to enhance the
sales (Nuruzzaman, Gaur and Sambharya, 2019). For this they adopts various
promotional activities that they used to identify the needs and wants of customers so that
strong relationship is to be build with customers.
There are different key approaches that are used by manager to understand operation
management of business in an effective aspect. These approaches are six sigma, lean production,
continuous improvement, TQM etc. However, these approaches are helpful to improve
performance of Aston Martin. Some of the approaches of operation management are presented
below:
Lean Production
This is mainly used by the company to develop the quality by reducing waste. The main
principles of lean production are create knowledge, eliminate waste, deliver fast, respect people
and many more. Company like Aston Martin adopts this strategy where they emphasis on
production to distribution for eliminate wastage and make business more efficient.
Role of Manager
The role of manager is to train employees so that they perform task effectively by
optimum utilisation of resources. In this they define the product, create state map, optimise state
map using lean techniques and execute plan within the manufacturing process of Aston Martin
cars.
Role of leader
The lean leader emphasis that workers mainly contribute on customer value by
eliminating manufacturing time and offering best quality. In context of Aston Martin, lean leader
create vision and develops culture accordingly to attain high success.
Just in Time
It is an operation management approach that represent that while producing products
company emphasis on reducing the cost of production and increases efficiency (Irene and et. al.,
2016). In terms of Aston Martin manager adopts this approach to enhance efficiency by reducing
waste within production process as it helps in reducing the inventory cost.
Role of Manager
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The manager of Aston Martin ensures that employee works effectively be keeping in
mind to minimise the wastage within inventory. Therefore to reduce the wastage Aston Martin
maximise their efficiency that leads to high productivity.
Role of Leader
The role of Aston Martin leader is to focus on increasing the productivity and
performance of employees within manufacturing process so that proficient result is to be
presented. Hence it could be done by offering proper training to employees so that distractions is
to be removed so that employees remains happy with their work.
Therefore, by adopting these approaches, Aston Martin could improve quality of products
and reduces the wastage within production process. Hence, it support in developing efficiency so
that organisation attain more profitable results.
Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.
Operation management is a type of business function that emphasis on managing,
organising, planning, supervising the process of manufacturing and production within
organisation. In Aston Martin, an operation management ensures that they turn input into output
successfully in effective and efficient manner. In this leader and manager both play crucial role
in managing functions and activities at workplace. There are various benefits and value of
operation management that helps in attaining business objectives are presented below:
 Increasing sales- Operation management is very helpful for Aston Martin in increasing
the sales and profits (Rowe, 2020). In this they properly plan, organise, coordinate the
resources that are essential to produce the Aston Martin cars due to which company sales
is to be developed.
 Maximising profit- Operation management within Aston Martin ensures that company
profits are to be maximised. It is mainly done when there is regular improvement in cars
is to be done while attracting customers attentions towards buying the products.
Operation department ensures that quality that they serve to customers are best and for
this Aston Martin regularly examine customers viewpoints to make changes effectively.
 Satisfying customers- It is another major importance of operation management because
it is useful to satisfy the needs and demands of customers. It is crucial to satisfy the
customers because of them Aston Martin attain high level of profits and sales. In this the
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operation management make sure that they quality of products is highly efficient of
Aston Martin so that customers are satisfied to high extent.
Assess the Factors within Business environment that influence the decision making of leaders
and manager in operation management
Business environment is an accumulation of internal and external factor that impact
operations and functions of business enterprise. In context of Aston Martin, company need to
identify the factors that influence decisions making of manager and leader within operation
management. Some factors are presented below in context of Aston Martin:
 Corporate social responsibility is a framework that is used to build reputation and also
helps in gaining competitive advantage within marketplace. The benefit of CSR within
company is that it enhances sales, customer attraction etc. that helps company to sustain
in marketplace (Reid and Sanders, 2019). CSR policies also helps Aston Martin in attract
or retain staff for longer time period. Therefore, they decided to do business in
transparent and ethical manner. In this leaders of company must ensures that employess
must follow corporate social responsibility whereas manager make strategies for
employees so that they complete their work in ethical manner.
 Stakeholders are those person who directly or indirectly connected with the operations
and profits of company. Stakeholders are mainly suppliers, employees, investors,
government, community etc. Therefore stakeholders of Aston Martin influence the
company decisions making that was taken by manager and leader. However they hold
power to disrupt in the decision and also threaten management to follow.
 Ethics refers to moral duties that each and every employee and organisation have to
adopts while performing business activities. Hence, decision of leader and manager is
mainly influenced by ethics where and Aston Martin face various ethical issues and at
that time manager and leader focus on overcome it. These issues related to health and
safety at workplace, employer-employee relationship in organisation so that leader and
manager take decisions to solve these ethical issues.
Recommendations
From above information it is to be analysed that each and every company emphasis on
develop their efficiency by eliminating the waste so that high growth and profitable results are
attained by business. For Aston Martin it is to be recommended that Lean production technique
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is best for improving the quality of car of company (Lee, 2018). Therefore it is to be done when
employee have efficient skill and enough knowledge related to optimum utilisation of resources
so thaqt quality products are produced.
CONCLUSION
From above information it is to be concluded that there are several role and responsibility
of manager and leader that helps businesses to maximise the growth and productivity. Further
there are various approaches to leadership and management that is used to increase efficiency
and reduce the wastage of organisation. The company use these approaches to attain competitive
advantage. Therefore, it also elucidates value and importance of operation management that
helps in reducing wastage and enhancing efficiency along with using various aspects such as
CSR, ethics, stakeholders so that employees are retain within company and that is useful to
attract large base of customers.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aubry, M. and Lavoie-Tremblay, M., 2018. Rethinking organizational design for managing
multiple projects. International Journal of Project Management .36(1). pp.12-26.
Barbour, B., Bowman, S. and Bendall, J., 2019. Governance in practice: The role of boards in
measuring and managing the culture of their organisation. Governance
Directions. 71(10). p.540.
Barnes, D., 2018. Operations Management. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Campbell, D., Coldicott, T. and Kinsella, K., 2018. Systemic work with organizations: A new
model for managers and change agents. Routledge.
Irene, B., Marika, A., Giovanni, A. and Mario, C., 2016. Indicators and metrics for social
business: a review of current approaches. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship. 7(1).
pp.1-24.
Kibbe, M. R., 2019. Leadership theories and styles. In Leadership in Surgery (pp. 27-36).
Springer, Cham.
Lee, C.K.H., 2018. A review of applications of genetic algorithms in operations
management. Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence .76. pp.1-12.
Lowe, E.A., 2019. On the idea of a management control system: integrating accounting and
management control. Management Control Theory, p.63.'
Nuruzzaman, N., Gaur, A.S. and Sambharya, R.B., 2019. A microfoundations approach to
studying innovation in multinational subsidiaries. Global Strategy Journal. 9(1). pp.92-
116.
Reid, R.D. and Sanders, N.R., 2019. Operations management: an integrated approach. John
Wiley & Sons.
Rowe, S.F., 2020. Project management for small projects. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Sheidaei, M., 2018. Cloud-based system for collaborating engineering, operations, maintenance,
project management, procurement and vendor data and activities. U.S. Patent
Application 16/036,217.
Stimec, A. and Grima, F., 2019. The impact of implementing continuous improvement upon
stress within a Lean production framework. International Journal of Production
Research. 57(5). pp.1590-1605.
Yuan, Y., and et. al., 2020. Business strategy and corporate social responsibility. Journal of
Business Ethics. 162(2). pp.359-377.
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