Leadership and Management

This document discusses leadership and management in the context of continuous improvement. It covers topics such as continuous improvement methodologies, strategies for encouraging participation and ownership, and the impact of continuous improvement measures. The document also includes a portfolio of work that focuses on communication strategies and procedures for continuous improvement teams.

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Leadership and management
Name of student
Name of University
Author note

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Table of Contents
Assessment Task 1................................................................................................................................3
Part B report on contents...................................................................................................................3
Part C Portfolio of work....................................................................................................................6
References.............................................................................................................................................7

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Assessment Task 1
Part B report on contents
Reviewing the scenario
As the continuous improvement consultant at Australian Hardware, I need to analyse the business
scenario and make sure to undertake approaches for enabling continuous process improvement with
the use of Lean or Six Sigma methodology. This kind of approach can facilitate continuous
improvement in various areas, especially for the management of sustainability, costs of operations,
satisfaction regarding customers’ services delivery and times associated with the delivery lead for the
customers (Australianhardware.simulations.australiantrainingproducts.com.au 2019). In order to do
so, the continuous improvement methodologies are applied for determining the best fit for Australian
Hardware and ensure that the trial of quality systems and processes at the store in Wollongong
becomes successful.
Australian Hardware documentation
Based on the Australian Hardware documentation, the strategic plans and operational plans
are associated with the development of priorities and focus on managing the resources effectively, to
ensure enhancing the efficiency of functions and processes along with allowing the employees and
other stakeholders to commit towards the accomplishment of common goals and objectives,
furthermore make the trail process involving quality systems and processes successful for the
Wollongong store (Fitzgerald and Savage 2013).
To improve the operational plans, Australian Hardware has made sure to set strategic
directions at the national levels for meeting the local conditions at the Wollongong store, furthermore,
aimed at managing key performance indicators and staffs effectively. This has been effective for
managing marketing mix strategy and at the same time, cater the local market conditions, manage
recruitment, selection and training of individuals to engage in the sponsorship and community events.

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The company to manage its strategic and operational plans correctly, enabled proper
recruitment and selection options with the deployment of targeted advertising of the job role in online
platforms and even managed training programs (Kasemsap 2013). The company maintained good
relationships with the suppliers and the customers are communicated with via emails, social media
platforms, etc.to make them informed about the products and services delivered.
The goals and objectives of Australian Hardware are as follows:
 To enable continuous improvement across various areas in business with the use of Lean or
Six Sigma methodology
 To make the trial of quality systems and processes at the Wollongong store successful
 To become a leader in the hardware and home improvement market of Australia.
 To increase the sales revenue and gross profit, furthermore enhance the market share
From the above analysis, it is understood that the various stakeholders are the suppliers, employees of
the organisation, shareholders or investors and most importantly, the customers. The customers
belong from different target markets consisting of the home improvers, DYIs and even the
tradespeople (Rai 2015).
Continuous improvement methodologies
a. TQM
Considering the focus on continuous improvement at the organisation, the TQM or Total Quality
Management will be useful for committing to the consistent improvement of quality in terms of
products and services, business functions and operations, furthermore engage all the organisational
memebrs together to fulfil the long term commitment towards the customers and ensure meeting their
demands and expectations appropriately (Forman and Ross 2013). Not only maintenance of quality of
products and services is essential, but also it is important to enhance the quality of human resources
that can be possible with the help of training and development programs arranged for the employees
of Australian Hardware. This will improve their skills, knowledge and expertise, furthermore allow

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the manager of the organisation to create a vision, reinforce values and beliefs considering the quality
and manage deployment of resources effectively too (Mohammad Mosadeghrad 2014). The TQM
methodology is applied to Australian Hardware for creating continuous change and focus on both
enhancement of production level and improvement of quality. This could also be possible at the
company with the engagement of manager, who should create a vision, set quality based goals and at
the same time, facilitate the formation of a learning organisation where skills are developed and make
the workforce empowered to implement the changes required (Yunis, Jung and Chen 2013). The
TQM approach should further be successful by monitoring the collection, analysis of data and
acquiring feedbacks to ensure continuous improvement of business operations, thereby, aim at
reducing the operational costs, lesser errors, higher customer satisfaction level and better revenue
generation capability at Australian Hardware (Fonseca 2015).
b. Problem or opportunity identification and decision-making tools
The risk management action plan should help in overcoming the risks associated with the
problems of difficulty in sourcing skilled staffs and ensure determining the degree of risk and its
impacts too. The control measures could be the advertisements developed online and in newspaper
and magazines for the job role and at the same time, create training and development opportunities for
improving the sourcing of trained and skilled staffs in Australian Hardware
(Australianhardware.simulations.australiantrainingproducts.com.au 2019).
Australian Hardware made sure to use decision making tools such as value stream mapping,
brainstorming and root cause analysis for determining the right opportunities, furthermore resolve the
issues and problems associated with the business functioning. The value stream mapping has allowed
the company to analyse the present state of the business functions and them developed a strategy to
meet the future requirements involving the life cycle process of products, from the beginning to the
end delivery to the consumers (Evtukh and Mikhalchuk 2015). This has to be done though with the
consideration of reducing the lean wastes associated with the business functions and processes. The
various activities designed to meet the future requirements should be done by managing acqusitions of

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products such as timber, hardware components, imported tools, home wares and outdoor events’
management such as reviewing the product line and providing discount options for the trade persons
(Hietschold, Reinhardt and Gurtner 2014).
For the success of business, it is important to resolve problems and mitigate the risks effortlessly,
which shall be done with the application of root cause analysis. The root cause analysis would allow
the company to determine the actual causes of different issues such as the lack of skills among staffs
can be due to poor training and development programs whereas the poor sustainability management at
Wollongong store can be due to the incapability of establishing environmental goals and becoming
environmentally responsible.
The brainstorming is another decision making tool that can help Australian Hardware to create
ideas for resolving an issue. The managers made sure to engage the staffs altogether to share their
individual ideas, views and opinions and extend the scope for solution to the issues (Kohlbacher
2013). The issues illustrated above can be dealt with by forming an action plan and by setting clear
environmental goals, which can help the company to achieve sustainability and become
environmentally responsible. The training and developmental sessions could make them informed
about the clear goals, keep them motivated by remaining aligned with the strategic goals and
directions for achieving the desired positive outcomes.
c. The strategies to encourage participation of members are to keep them informed about the
subject before the discussion meeting is managed while open questions must be asked to each
one of them so that they can feel confident to share their ideas, views and opinions (Lam,
O'Donnell and Robertson 2015).
d. The strategies to develop ownership include clarifying the roles of each team members, create
a future action plan and communicate with them via emails by demonstrating about the team
project and its related aspects. To form a healthy work culture, the managers should engage
team members altogether and low them to share their ideas, view and opinions while the
training and developmental programs can also be effective for improving their skills and

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knowledge (Holtskog 2013). The anti-discriminatory practices and laws will prevent
discrimination within the workplace while assessing their development needs should further
help in creating a healthy work culture where team work and coordination should be
promoted.
Impact of continuous improvement measures
a. With the management of continuous improvement measures, communications have been
much easier and convenient. The employees are interacted with via emails while the
customers, who are considered as important stakeholders, are communicated by emails and
through social media platforms. By providing training to staffs at Australian Hardware, the
employees have understood the importance of communicate and shared or exchanged
information and messages related to the business functions (Young 2014).
b. The Management Information system or MIS at AH has maintained a database consisting of
relevant information and data and maintained confidentiality to ensure preventing any
unauthorised access. The MIS integrated with the ICT has further facilitated storage and
retrieval of information and ensured better flow and exchange of information within the
workplace (Laudon and Laudon 2016).
c. The sustainability objectives at the Wollongong store are to utilise the ethically produced
products and use environment friendly practices to reduce consumption of Water and energy.
To maintain sustainability, AH ensured partnership with community organisations to support
fundraising campaigns and even prioritised on the waste management principles and policies
to create a positive impact on the environment largely. The Lean manufacturing procedures
enabled increasing value creation and reducing the wastes by managing sustainable business
practices while maintaining the ISO standards can assist the company to establish
sustainability goals, implement the process, monitoring the success of processes against
policy objectives and lastly act continually to improve processes’ efficiency (Chester et al.
2013). The National Environment Protection Council Act 1995 and Environment Protection

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and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 further contributed to the maintenance of
sustainability principles and reducing the environmental risks and negative impacts too.
d. The key performance indicators for sustainability management at Wollongong store are
ratings or score based on the reliability of suppliers, the reduced rate of water and energy
consumption by 10 and 7 percent respectively. The staffs’ retention rate of 100 percent and
meeting the sustainability goals are other KPIs.
The sales training will allow them to acquire relevant skills and knowledge, furthermore, keep
the motivated and encouraged to perform their tasks accurately. The rewards and incentives
must be provided to them based on their commitment to the tasks and performances, which
should encourage them to work harder and accomplish the business goals with ease
(Parmenter 2015).
e. The legislative compliance means following the legislations and policies such as the Anti-
discriminatory policy, Fair Work Act, Privacy Act along with abiding by the laws, rules and
regulations to ensure smooth business functioning and managing corporate governance too.
Part C Portfolio of work
Communications strategy
Communication objectives:
 To identify the needs for change and manage structural changes for improving the
communication process
 To facilitate the sharing and exchange of information among the employees of the
Wollongong store of Australian Hardware
 To promote establishment of positive relationships between the business and its clients
The two audiences are the work teams consisting of employees and the senior management
executives at the Wollongong store.
The two communication methods are by sending emails and by interacting with the help of
special media platforms. Face to face meetings and discussions are also useful communication

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methods required to facilitate the sharing and exchange of information and messages within the
organisation (Eagle et al. 2014).
Procedure for informing teams
Managing an audit and monitoring the progress of processes in business can help in keeping
track of the progress, furthermore engage the team members in discussions and meetings where the
team members will be informed about the things needed to be done. The corporate change processes
should be informed by the managers to the employees with the embedding of functional and
communication expertise in the implementation plan (Yunis, Jung and Chen 2013). The training and
development programs should also facilitate process improvement skills and allow the employees to
acquire both technical knowledge and business relationships, which could make the teams informed
and knowledgeable about the business operations and change processes.
Development of monitoring strategy
The targets are to become one of the most reputed company within the concerned industry
and aim at monitoring the progress associated with the trial of quality systems at the Wollongong
store.
The standards are maintained by implementing legislations such as Fair Work Act, Anti
Discriminatory Act and Confidentiality Act to ensure that a healthy work culture and good working
conditions are created, which can improve business functioning and at the same time, allow the
company to follow the organisational policies and principles. This would also help in maintaining
proper ethics, furthermore ensure deriving the best potential of employees.
The KPIs in terms of marketing for the Wollongong store are feedbacks of customers to rate
the quality of products, numbers of customers and awareness of the website managed by the company.
The budget and financial reports are the financial KPIs whereas the maintenance of quality standards
is based on making necessary changes according to the clients’ feedbacks and recording their
responses provided in the survey questionnaires distributed to them (May et al. 2015). The

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responsibilities include keeping the information confidential and preventing unauthorised access
while the Management information system or MIS helped in smooth information flow and better
storage and retrieval of information too.
Development of a procedure for continuous improvement teams
A team meeting or group discussion could be held at the Wollongong store with the inclusion
of managers, employees and other officials to find out any communication issues among the team
members and even focus on the quality system’s management. This would allow for analysing the
outcomes and then make changes that could create more opportunities for the business to sustain and
at the same time, create a learning experience of the employees associated with the continuous
improvement sessions (Yunis, Jung and Chen 2013). The assessment of development needs is also
critical to the success of the improvement sessions and allowing the team memebrs to speak and share
their views and opinions should ensure proper transformation and better performance of monitoring
systems.
Adhering to the legislative requirements for health and safety is possible with the
implementation of Health and Safety at Work Act, which shall enable forming a working environment
where employees can perform to their potential and their health and safety needs will be taken care of
as well. Keeping the employees healthy and safe will also be the cause of higher performance and
enhanced level of productivity with full commitment and dedication, furthermore shall make them
feel secured and encouraged to perform much better for the accomplishment of business goals at
Wollongong store (Pouliakas and Theodossiou 2013). The implementation of anti-discrimination laws
further should help in preventing any discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, colour, etc. and
maintain a healthy work culture and good working conditions too.

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automobile shifts: positioning transit to reduce life-cycle environmental impacts for urban
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