Developing Skills for Business Leadership

This essay examines the development of leadership skills through the lens of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Marks and Spencer. It analyzes the various elements of CSR practices and initiatives implemented by the company, evaluates their strengths and weaknesses, and examines how these practices contribute to the development of leadership skills within the organization. The essay also includes a personal development plan and a learning log reflecting on the author's own experiences and insights gained from the study.

Developing Skills for Business
Leadership

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
SECTION 1......................................................................................................................................1
a) Various elements of CSR practices and initiatives at Marks and Spencer.............................1
b) Significance and influence of these elements and actions that are taken in consideration by
the management of CSR activities at M&S................................................................................3
c) Evaluate the viewpoints on strength and weaknesses of the CSR polices. It will help in
proper placing of operational and behavioural aspects...............................................................4
SECTION 2......................................................................................................................................6
1. Reflection of proper skills and operations that are been developed by the employee or
leaders of business organisation for their future career using personal development plan.........6
2.) Draw an effective learning log plan involving various learning activities and operations
related to implementation of CSR including various interpersonal and learning theories.........8
c.) Brief review of the learning process that is been carried out by Marketing manager of
M&S by having speakers programme and organisational visits...............................................10
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Developing an ethical and suitable leadership is necessary for setting up of a successful
enterprise. The proper handling of corporate social responsibility (CSR) helps in effective
evolution of a company. The appropriate arrangement of ethics and learning practices will help a
firm to increase their potential a business enterprise (Lucas, and et.al., 2018). The effective
following of ethics and roles or responsibilities that are been taken in consideration by a business
organisation is important for growth of CSR. This plays a very important role in managing the
business operations. The report is been presented in regard to UK and Spain. The report is been
presented in reference of UK based retail enterprise, Marks and Spencer. The report will cover
details about proper management of CSR within the company will help in effective rise in
goodwill. Report will cover the importance of proper ethics as well that are required to be
followed.
Also, effective planning of business operations and measures that are been taken for
proper handling of theoretical and practical issues related to implementation of CSR within
organisation. Proper assessment of strength and weaknesses is been performed. A suitable PDP
is been developed on the basis of interpersonal and learning theories for better management of
leadership within the firm.
MAIN BODY
SECTION 1
a) Various elements of CSR practices and initiatives at Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer is a retail enterprise that is specialised in food and clothing services.
Then proper implementation of CSR policies that are been implemented within the business
organisation will help in effective growth of the firm (Lawton and Páez, 2015). A good
following of corporate social responsibilities policies within the cited retail firm helps in
improving the quality of operations and their executions. Besides this, it will help in placing
effective strategies and actions that will help in suitable rise in meeting the business operations
and activities. The improvement of these strategies involves various elements or factors which
help in implementing effective measures of improving work process and meeting of
requirements of people. Some major elements of an effective CSR within an organisation taken
by leadership are:
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 Internal assessment: The effective internal assessment assists management of firm to
place effective policies, programs and structures. It helps to identify the gaps and rectify
them effectively.
 Embedding CSR within company's operations: Effective assimilation of high quality
corporate social responsibilities measures is important. It is been taken in consideration
by firm to make a suitable environment and setting up of effective strategies.
 Developing a good process for raising employee's awareness about CSR issues:
Proper measures are followed for raising the awareness about different ethical and
operational issues. It is one of the easiest and effective ways to implement the policies
and measures (Bird and Mendenhall, 2016).
 Formalising the board and executive level issues: The management board and
executive level issues are taken into consideration. This helps the organisation in
improving implementation and execution of corporate-society welfare procedures using
proper leadership.
 Carrying out proper communication: M&S is required to carry out effective
communication process in order to have effective growth and development of a business
organisation. This will help in reducing the conflicts or confusion as well as help in
appropriate implementation of CSR model.
 Providing significant trainings: The employees and members of management are
required to be trained well in order to effectively carry out CSR related operations and
actions. This will help in placing suitable strategies and handling the actions related to
CSR in a suitable manner (Grimard and Pellerin, 2018).
 Measuring and communicating the performance: After training process is imparted,
proper assessment is carried out that will help firm to find out feasibility of various CSR
measures. It is taken in consideration by the management of firm. This will improve the
customer satisfaction level and brand image of company.
The effective and proper assessment of various operations are carried out by an
organisation. This will help the firm to have a significant rise in a wide range of business
activities and operations that help in effective execution of corporate social responsibilities and
measures related to it in a significant manner (Goetsch and Davis, 2014.). The appropriate
assessment of operations and actions will help M&S to improve its brand image and customer
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satisfaction level. A good placing of firm and adoption of functionalities like imparting
appropriate training and skill improvement process will help the organisation to manage the CSR
related issues. It takes place in an effective way with a suitable leadership. These elements help
the firm to handle the business operations and activities to have a successful business operations
and activities (Lucas, and et.al., 2018).
b) Significance and influence of these elements and actions that are taken in consideration by the
management of CSR activities at M&S
The proper assessment and implementation of these policies and actions assist firm to
handle business CSR activities in a significant manner. This will help in placing of proper
strategies and activities. The above discussed elements and actions will help firm to enhance
performance of cited retail enterprise in various countries and thus, will lead to proper
improvement of business operations and activities. M&S will look after the effective assessment
and placing of business operations and activities. These key elements of corporate social
responsibilities will lay influence on CSR policies and measures, that are been taken in
consideration by cited retail enterprise (Martin and et.al., 2016).
Major impact of the elements and actions that are taken in consideration by management
of M&S with regard to CSR are as follows:
 The internal assessment helps organisation to carry out business operations and activities
in an effective and significant manner. This assists organisation to carry out business
operations and activities as well as assist organisation to carry out various ethical
activities and functions related to CSR. Besides this, it will help in the identification of
proper learning measures and supports proper improvement of different social welfare
measures that are taken in consideration by M&S.
Effective implementation of CSR processes and actions will help organisation to test feasibility
and efficiency of an organisation in real time conditions. This will help firm to enhance
performance measures that are taken in consideration and thus, will help in improving the quality
of measures that are been adopted by the firm. The corporate social measures are required to be
handled with effective care and consideration that will lead the firm to improve their
performance. Not all procedures and activities will be adopted by M&S (Elegbe, 2016). The top
management and leadership will select appropriate approaches and activities and will look after
the proper imbibing of business operations and activities by cited retail enterprise.
3

 Making the work force aware about the work process and operations will help the
organisation to effectively carry out a suitable strategy that will help in significant
improvement of policies and actions that supports organisation to find out employees
perception towards implementation of different policies by M&S. Other then this, the
major advantage of involving the employees within the CSR procedures is that it will
help in effective decision making and placing of strategies and actions that will help an
organisation to have a good rise in capabilities and ideas about effective implementation
of social welfare measures by cited retail business entity. The feedback received and the
measures that are been undertaken by the firm will help in enhancing quality of services
followed by cited business entity (Gurdjian, Halbeisen and Lane, 2014).
 The proper formulation ODF strategies and communicating it with the employees on
different organisational level will help the firm to enhance the business performance and
thus will help in suitable rise in effectiveness and handling of different business activities
and operations along with CSR processes. The effective, clear and appropriate
interactions between the leaders and work force within organisation will help the firm to
manage their operations and activities in an effective and significant manner. It will help
M&S to have visible results or outcomes or measures that are been obtained by business
actions and activities. Besides this, it helps in suitable placing of an employee to execute
the operations on basis of its capabilities and roles which are been allotted. Proper
arrangements of meetings will help the organisation to discuss and interact about the
issues related to placing of CSR policies within firm (Bedwell, Fiore and Salas, 2014).
c) Evaluate the viewpoints on strength and weaknesses of the CSR polices. It will help in proper
placing of operational and behavioural aspects.
The CSR policies that are been taken in consideration by M&S that will help in effective
placing of business activities and operations which are been placed within M&S. However, these
measures or approaches which are been placed within the cited retail enterprise will have certain
advantages and drawbacks which can impact its operations and thus will help in proper placing
of social welfare policies within the firm. The effective assessment of these strengths and
weaknesses factor is required to be taken in thought process by leaders at cited firm. These will
help in proper placing of policies and actions within a business entity that will help in improving
policies and measures. The effective assessment is as follows:
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Strengths:
 The CSR polices that are been followed by M&S will support proper handling of
budgeting and other business processes that helps in effective rise in effectiveness of firm
to carry out social welfare polices and actions that will help in suitable placing of
business operations and activities in an effective way. This will also help in improving
the quality and meeting the operational requirements of a business entity with suitable
manner (Desai, Berger and Higgs, 2016).
 This helps in the setting of effective objectives and placing of proper business activities
this will help in appropriate placing of business activities and actions which will lead to
significant rise in customer's and social welfare by the organisation. The increase in
operational quality of an organisation will help the firm to provide their customers with
high quality products and services in UK and Spain, alike. It leads to increase in customer
satisfaction level in both UK and Spain. Other than this, the placing of appropriate aims
and objectives will lead the cited retail enterprise to define their strategies and execute the
related operations in a significant manner (Bullough and et.al., 2015).
 The proper placing of CSR policies and measures also help the organisation to have a
good sustainability in market. This will help in placing the firm in a significant position
where it has a very good brand image, customers and stake holders relationship and
profitability. Also, it will help the firm to have a good competitive advantages over their
rival firms. It increases their sales and goodwill with their customer base. It assists the
firm to have a good connectivity with their consumers in both countries.
On the other hand, the CSR policies and actions will have certain weaknesses and
drawbacks too that may cause the organisation to have certain seizers and fall outs. Some major
limitation of CSR are:
Weaknesses:
 It will divert the firm from its core business objectives and thus is required to be managed
along with the core compatibility and functionalities of firm. The effective placing of
business activities and actions along with CSR process is required to be managed and
handled with effective care. Other than this, these processes involves different agencies
related to public welfare, which will cause an unnecessary interference within operations
5

of central business operations of the organisation. This can prove as a major threat factor
for cited retail enterprise.
 The excessive placing of CSR activities will lay an additional burden on M&S which will
impact its performance to a greater extent. Many times the social welfare operations
involve the utilisation of financial resources of organisation. This will cause the firm to
improve its performance and thus will lead to the significant rise in carrying out of
business activities and operations by the firm (Burns, 2016).
Theoretical issues like financial burden, placing of additional work force and splitting the
profit share has to be taken in consideration by M&S. Other than this, the practical limitation of
functionalities and unwanted involvement of supportive agencies may also impact he overall
business performance of cited retail enterprise. Other than this, the digressing from core business
operations and shifting of focus by firm can impacts its revenue generation and growth in an
effective manner. It also impacts decision making by retail enterprise.
SECTION 2
1. Reflection of proper skills and operations that are been developed by the employee or leaders
of business organisation for their future career using personal development plan.
The effective placing of learning process and operations that are been developed within
the organisation will help in appropriate amassment of skills and operation of leaders or
employees. This will help them for a better future planning and thus will support a good rise in
placing of learning and other operational activities that are been taken in consideration by firm.
As a Marketing manager of an outlet of M&S at UK, I will look after the roper placing of
business operations and actions which will help in effective placing of business operations and
activities to be placed and maintained by the organisation (McGowan and et.al., 2015.). This will
help in suitable rise in capability and handling of business operations and activities and CSR
operations: the effective personal development plan will be drafted by leaders or marketing
manager of a business organisation that will help in suitable rise in placing of business activities
and operations and activities in a better way. The suitable PDP of a marketing manager within a
firm is as follows:
What do I
want/need to
What will I do to What resources
or support will I
What will be my Target dates for
review and
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learn? achieve this? need? success criteria? completion
Effective
improvement in
communication
skills
Various steps are
been taken within
consideration that
will help in
suitable handling
of this issue. In
order to carry out
the business
operations and
activities within
organisation are:
Attending various
seminars and
work shops on
communication
and public
speaking. This
will help in
improving my
confidence level.
Different
resources and
actions are been
taken in
consideration by
the organisation
that will help in
effective placing
of learning and
skill
improvement.
Sources like
internet, articles,
journals etc will
be a beneficial
tool to manage
the performance
and operations
performed by me
as a Marketing
manager.
The effective
communication
and ability to
interact with
people, clients
and stake holders
will help in
suitable rise in the
communication
and learning skills
of as a marketing
manager of
organisation.
The targeted date
for review will be
2nd July, 2018 and
the completion of
skill
improvement
process will help
me to improve
my skills. The
completion date
will be by 10th of
August.
Enhancing the
time management
skills
Suitable time
management is
required to be
placed within the
organisation that
will help the
business
organisation and
Various time
management
tools, calendars,
work planning
softwares and
tools or
techniques will be
followed that will
Completion of the
work in stipulated
time frame
without any
restriction and
issue will help the
organisation to
carry out the
The reviewing
process will
occur on 24th of
July and the final
completion of
learning and skill
improvement
process will take
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activity of the
firm to enhance
the quality of
services and
products offered
by firm. The
effective
scheduling of
various business
and CSR
marketing
activities and
being adherent to
the time table will
be the major
approach that will
be followed
within the
business
organisations and
activity.
help the firm to
carrying out the
business
operations and
activities in an
effective way
(Moore, J.F.,
2016).
business
activities. The
fulfilment of
customers needs
and effective
delivery of
products and
services to
customer will be
a milestone or
assessment
measures of
improvement in
skill set.
place on 15th
August,2018.
2.) Draw an effective learning log plan involving various learning activities and operations
related to implementation of CSR including various interpersonal and learning theories.
Date Background to Activity/
Experience
What
Happened /
Outcome?
Reflections on
what your
Learned
How will you
apply the
Learning?
1st July,
2018 to
10th July,
Effective joining to a
PALS group will take
place which will involve
The effective
CSR policies
involves the
This process
helped in the
effective
The effective
gauining of skills
to carry out
8

2018 the following of CSR
policies and actions by
M&S. This will help in
effective placing of
business operations and
activities which will help
in effective rise in
customer satisfaction
level.
assessment of
needs and
demands of
customers and
lead to drafting of
proper business
and CSR strategy
that is been
followed by
M&S.
execution of CSR
process. It helped
in developing an
in sight about
various measures
and operations
that are been
carried out at
PALS group by
M&S under the
CSR process
(DuBrin, A.J.,
2015).
market and need
assessment
process that can
be carried out by
me as a marketing
manager. This
will help in
enhancing my
skill set and thus
will help in
improving the
quality of
operations and
activities.
11th July
2018 to
31st July
2018
Suitable distribution
process and attaining of
seminar on time
management that has
taken place within a rival
firm is been attained. This
process will help in
effective handling of wide
range of business
operations and activities
that will include the
effective execution of
different business and
CSR processes.
The execution of
these processes
had multifold
benefits. The
effective
distribution
process that was
carried out helped
me to gain
knowledge about
effective supply
chain
management.
Also, visiting for
the time
management
seminar will help
Effective
execution of these
operations and
activities will
help in suitable
handling of
various business
operations and
activities that are
been taken in
consideration by
PALS group and
M&S for
effective
execution of CSR
measures.
The proper
gaining of
knowledge about
effective
management of
supply chain
management will
help in proper
utilization of
resources
effectively. Other
than this, the
visiting at various
seminars and
workshops will be
carried out that
will help in
9

in improving my
time management
skills.
improving skill
set of cited
organisation.
1st
August
2018 to
15th
August
2018
Effective assessment of
financial resources that are
been utilized and proper
assessment of
communication skills are
been taken in
consideration (Lussier,
and Achua, 2015).
It helps me to
connect with
potential
customer base of
the cited retail
firm and have a
deep assessment
of their needs and
demands in an
effective way.
The suitable
adaption of the
learning
processes and
implementation
of effective
interaction
activities helped
in enhancing my
personal
communication
skills in a
significant
manner.
As a marketing
manager of the
firm, the suitable
management of
communication
process will help
in effective rise in
capabilities and
carrying out of
proper
identification of
buyers needs and
demands even in
Spain.
c.) Brief review of the learning process that is been carried out by Marketing manager of M&S
by having speakers programme and organisational visits.
The proper management of the business operations and activities that will include the
business operations and CSR carried out by M&S. As a marketing manager, the effective
planning of business operations and activities that will help in suitable rise in business operations
and activities. The execution of social welfare factors that are been carried out by cited retail
enterprise will help the firm to meet operational requirements in an effective way.
First of all, the suitable assessment process that is been carried out within organisation for
effective handling of social development measures that are been followed by a business entity in
an effective and significant manner. This will help me as a Marketing manager of M&S to
implement the knowledge gained by the learning process to have a proper assessment of needs
and demands of buyers and the people who are been benefited by the CSR process carried out by
10

cited retail enterprise. It will help in effective planning of different activities and operations and
thus will help in increasing my efficiency (Ward, 2016).
Other than this, the effective seminars and distribution drives that are been carried out by
other organisations will help in improving my personal skill sets. Visiting the seminars on
communication skills and public speaking will assist me to improve my interaction skills with
customers and stake holders. On the other hand, the workshops and visiting made for gaining a
suitable knowledge about time management has been the effective source of education and
learning that is been carried out within organisation. Besides this, it will improve my effeciency
as the marketing manager at M&S.
CONCLUSION
Hence, on the basis of analysis that is been carried out at cited retail enterprise M&S, this
can be concluded that the effective placing of CSR processes and activities within a fiorm in
various countries will help in improving its good will and brand image. It lkays a positive impact
on performance of organisation. In the report, prop[er assessment of various key elements of
CSR process and the impact of these elements on the business operations of the firm. Effective
assessment of strength and weaknesses is been carried out and with regard to theoretical and
practical issues to be faced by retail business entity. Other than this, a PDP is been presented for
the assessment of improvement in knowledge of a marketing manager of firm. Proper reflection
log and viewpoints are been placed related to different measures undertaken for improvement of
knowledge and skills related to business operations and setting of CSR under an effective
leadership.
11

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Gurdjian, P., Halbeisen, T. and Lane, K., 2014. Why leadership-development programs
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Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper
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