Operations Management: An Overview

This assignment delves into the core principles of operations management. It examines diverse facets of this discipline, including strategic planning, operational efficiency, performance measurement, and contemporary trends such as sustainability and supply chain risk management. The assignment synthesizes insights from prominent research papers and academic texts to provide a comprehensive overview of operations management.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Task 1 ..............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Different roles of leaders and manager in M&S....................................................................1
Task 2 ..............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Role of leader and function of manager in various situations...............................................3
P3 Different theories and models to leadership approach...........................................................4
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................5
P4 Leaders and managers role and key approaches to operation management..........................5
P5 Importance in operation management in achieving business objectives...............................6
Task 4...............................................................................................................................................7
P6 Assess the internal factors which affect in decision making.................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Management and operations (MO) is responsible for reducing cost of production while
manufacturing products. Utilising resources at optimum level best always gives the best results
in products. MO is responsible for getting best efficiency and a better performance by employees
in their working style. Manager of company helps in reducing wastage of resources which helps
in getting the goals and objectives in an efficient manner (Alderton and Saieva, 2013). The
operation manager is responsible for transforming ultimate resources into goods and services
which will help in development and growth of firm. Report is based on M&S founded in the year
1885 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer, having around or more than 85,500. Even
company is serving a large population with their branded cloths. Report will discuss about the
roles and functions of leaders and managers. Different theories of leadership and their key
approaches as well as importance of OM and finding out the factors affecting decision making
within business premises will be discussed in this report.
TASK 1
P1. Different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager in M&S
The leaders and managers; both are pillars of organisation. They are responsible for
getting effectiveness and efficiency in the working of employees (O'Fallon and Rutherford, Eds.,
2011). Although the leaders is a part of managers. Both the pillars work hard so that they can
help in attainment of goals and objectives of entity. The different role of leaders and manager is
having in organisation is as follows:
Leaders
Motivate: The leaders are those who motivate his/her employees in such a way that they
perform in a great way. Leaders inspire workers through many other theories of influencing them
to work hard and in the right direction.
Supervise: The leaders have responsibility to supervise everything. Thus, they support in
knowing the performance of employees and somewhere supervising something helps in bringing
productivity by workers and gain their performance too. Even though keeping eyes at employees
help in solving their issues related to work.
Provide direction: It is something which helps to attain goals and objectives of the
organisation as leaders have to provide the right direction to employees so that they can work in
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an efficient and effective way. Correct direction helps in using the resources effectually and
procurement of quality products.
Managers
Decision maker: Managers are those who take and make plan for the betterment of
business. Decisions related to company as whole have to be made as this brings effectiveness in
the working. Decisions are made after having complete information of the market and thus, it
helps in getting efficient outcome.
Interpersonal role: Managers are an important part of company as they are responsible
for making decisions and manage all functions and tasks of the firm which directly help in
getting goals and objectives of entity in a perfect manner (Hill and Hill, 2012). They use various
styles like participative, authoritative, consultative and exploitative.
Informational role: Managers do responsible to provide every information to production
department for manufacturing product according to requirement in outer market
(Kuruppuarachchi and Perera, 2010). Information of outside market should also be there just
because this helps in using new technology in a perfect manner. Knowledge of market helps in
making effective decisions which help in attaining set aim and objectives.
The characteristics of leaders and managers:
MANAGERS LEADERS
They are responsible for making goals. They are responsible for creating vision.
Managers try to control the risk as much as
possible.
They are the risk takers as more is the risk;
more will be gain.
Managers usually build system and the
processes.
Leaders build relationships among the
employees at various levels.
Managers generally direct the employees and
various departments to work effectively in a
proper manner.
Leaders are those who coach everything to
employees within organisation
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Leaders and managers are those who are having various responsibilities and roles in the
organisation. Thus, it helps them to be very effective and efficient in getting the goals and
objectives in a proper manner. Leaders and mangers both motivates employees and whole firm
as one which helps entity to attain the goals and objectives in proper way.
TASK 2
P2. Role of leader and function of manager in various situations
Thus leader and manager those who makes firm stable in market and this helps in getting
their aims. Both are the main pillars of organisation which helps in increasing effectiveness of
firm and employees too. The roles of leaders and function of managers in different situation in as
business is as follows:
Problem solving: Thus the leaders and managers both plays an effective role in solving
the problem of organisation as one. Problems can be in form of conflict, not getting right
direction and coordination issues etc. all such problems in organisation is solved by the leaders
and mangers (Chiarini and Vagnoni, 2015). Such problems create issues for the development and
growth of firm. Solution to these problem by both the pillars makes the employees to perform
better and to increase the productivity in their performance which helps the fork to attain its
goals and objectives in pro[per manner.
Handling subordinator: The leaders and managers are responsible for handling their
subordinates in correct way. Subordinates do helps the firm in attaining their goals and
objectives in correct way. Leaders and managers has to provide the right direction to employees
of their organisation which help them to increase the productivity of themselves in proper
manner. Handling them in right way makes them to perform in coordination with each other.
Decision making process: The leaders and managers do helps in making decision in
right purpose which helps in making planning for organisation. Decision should be proper and
this has to be made the whole organisation as one which helps in attaining the goals and
objectives of firms (Subramanian and Ramanathan, 2012). Decision are made with having all the
research and information available to them. Information should be relevant which can help in
making a efficient decision in organisation.
Strategy maker: Thus the leaders and managers are responsible for making the strategy
in perfect manner. Strategies are those which is being made by senior managers in firm which
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helps employees and members of firm to work in right direction which can help in attaining the
goals and objectives of the entity. Strategies helps in expanding the business in market and this
helps in satisfying the demand and needs of customers. Strategies are those which helps in
competition of market and attracting the millions of customers towards there products in the best
manner.
P3 Different theories and models to leadership approach.
Thus theories and models are used in different situation as this helps in getting work
effectively which somewhere helps in getting the M&S goals and objectives in efficient manner
too. The leaders uses such approaches to get effective working from the employees in proper
manner. The various theories and models to leadership approach is as follows:
Situational theory: This is in the hands of leaders to manage the situation in their own
way. Leaders are those who manages their employees in effective way in various situation. As no
leaders are best in every situation thus it is their perception and perceived criteria in different
situation and it is in their hands how to use that situation in positive manner which will help
company to attain their targets (Peng and Lai, 2012). Leaders looks forward and they are those
who motivates employees in perfect manner which help them to complete work in effective way.
As leaders styles are of two types which are (supportive and managerial).
System leadership: This theory is effectively used by every company as leaders are
nothing without the followers of them. The M&S company has used such theory for the better
results. Leaders are those who brings in the new thoughts and views which helps employee to
accept every changes in organisation. Even with systematic leadership the conflict situation also
be solved by them in minutes. Although they include all such which help in bringing the
relationship in between employees and levels too. Generally leaders create a friendly
environment which helps the company to get the effective working by every member in
organisation.
Contingency leadership theory: Thus contingency theory is closely related with
situational theory as, in other words they are similar to each other. In this theory leaders are put
in the score to see what kind of leaders they are in firm. If leaders scored high in scale then they
are relationship motivated and thus if they scored low in their worki9ng then they are task
motivated in organisation (Stadtler, 2015). Somewhere this approach of leadership looks that
which style or model is adapted by leaders in various situation. Leaders are those who motivates
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employees to work in proper manner whatever the situation is, there are few theories is included
in contingency theory these are as follows:
Task structure: Having structure or framework in which direction the work has to be done
helps in completing the task in perfect way.
Position power: They works to see the kind of reward and punishment they will be
having over the members of various levels and departments in organisation.
Leader relation: Leaders do try to create a environment where trust and loyalty should be
there which helps in getting the effective working by different members in firm.
Task 3
P4 Leaders and managers role and key approaches to operation management.
There are various key approaches to operation management and this helps in the
production department which helps in reducing wastage and cost of production which makes a
quality products and services as outcome of such approaches in firm. This helps in utilising the
resources in perfect way and effectively operation management do provides there hand in
development of the organisation in efficient manner (Brandon and Mullan, 2013). Cost effective
product helps firm to make themselves stable in the market. There are various approaches to
operation management those are as follows:
Queueing theory: This theory works with the mathematical concepts of waiting lines or
can say queues. This model is useful in making predictions and evaluating the performances
which helps operation management to know the system of working in firm. Theory is generally
used for measuring in operation research, manufacturing industries and system analysis. Thus
M&S in the leading companies of UK in clothing segment and even this theory is applicable on
such firm as well. Basically this theory is used to know the time taken to provide services to
ultimate customers.
Lean manufacturing: Manufacturing with good quality resources helps the firm to
produce products and services with less cost of production. Less cost helps the firm to sell
products to ultimate customers in reasonable prices (Wu and Pagell, 2011). Less input with high
output makes the firm to earn a maximum profits. Lean manufacturing is used in industry as this
helps in reducing the wastage of resources and utilising them in proper manner which helps in
making a product which satisfy needs and wants of consumers.
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Six sigma: Generally this method is used in manufacturing firms where quality products
are produced and this theory helps in eliminating the defects and errors in producing products.
Thus with minimising cost and using resources effectively helps to satisfy customers in effective
manner. Eliminating errors and defects help in effectively utilising the time management and this
helps in saving time in work. Six sigma helps in increasing productivity of firm and employees
both at a single time and somewhere this helps in bringing growth and development of industry
in efficient manner.
Just in time: This theory help firm not to have a wastage of products as this makes the
firm to produce at a time whenever the demand for product arise. Before having production in
company it is required to know demand of such item is there or not, such this helps in not having
wastage of resources. Firms do not keep products and services in store to use it whenever
required. In this the item is produced at a time of need. It makes lower in inventory cost and
increase in working efficiency .
P5 Importance in operation management in achieving business objectives.
The operation management do helps in the development of the firm and somewhere this
also attains organisational objectives. Operation management is that which helps in decreasing
the cost of production and it makes to utilise available resources in proper manner (Dekker,
Bloemhof and Mallidis, 2012.). Operation manager performs all his/her tasks in great manner
thus it helps in getting higher results as well. The importance of OM is as follows:
Customer satisfaction: Thus M&S has the objective of customer satisfaction and they
provide as such to them. Customers are those who need to satisfy their wants if they are paying
for products. The company has the responsibility to provide the quality items to those in correct
manner. Utilising available resources without making any wastage with those helps in making
less inputs and it gives best outputs and through this items and services can make available to
customers at the reasonable prices.
Reduction in wastage: The operation manager do uses the quality resources and tries
there level best to reduce the wastage in company. Reduction in wastage helps firm to produce
the products in right manner. Decline in wastage helps to produce more with the product which
helps in gaining more profits and satisfying consumers makes them to become existing
customers for long. It also helps in keeping the prices low and attracts customers to but their
item.
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Profit maximisation: This helps in bringing the profit to upper level. Earning higher
profits by company helps them to grow in perfect manner. The operation management use the
information of outside market and utilise such in right track. Profit maximisation helps in
increasing the goodwill of firm as well. M&S has the aim of satisfying customers which helps in
attaining goals and objectives too and such helps in earning profits.
Coordination: Thus operation management is something which also helps in developing
the coordination among various departments and levels of organisation. Coordination among
everyone helps in bringing the effective working by firm and this makes up to getting the goals
and objectives of the business. Cooperation and coordination both are the important aspect of
company which helps directly in development of firm.
Branding image of company: The company has motto of branding their products. Thus
though the products firm wants to satisfy needs and wants of consumers in proper manner. Firm
makes research and finds information about demands of customers and with that they provide the
same item as they wanted (Tang and Musa, 2011). Normally, million of people are or rationale in
nature who wants full satisfaction for the amount they are paying for product. Such by providing
quality items helps firm to have a brand of their product in right way.
All such these helps in the development of company and somewhere they brings into
helps for achieving goals and objectives of entity. Importance of all these of operation
management helps in attaining the goals and objectives and aims to in effective and efficient
manner.
Task 4
P6 Assess the internal factors which affect in decision making.
There are various internal factors which affects the decision making of firm, as effective
decision are made by studying everything from internal environment. The leaders and managers
cannot make a efficient decision because factors affecting them (Galindo and Batta, 2013). The
internal factors are as follows:
Customers: The customers do affect the firm as needs preferences and wants of
customers changes with the time on regular basis. It is required by firm to have research before
producing anything because time is changing on higher speed and it is becoming hard to get their
wants. New technology should be used by company to satisfy million of customers. Customers
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are those who makes firm and make the firm to wind up as well through liking or not liking their
products in company.
Suppliers: These are those who provide raw material to organisation to produce the
products in effective way. It is required by firm to choose the best supplier to produce because
for quality products a quality resources is also required. Company has a issue of selecting
suppliers for resources because its hard to have quality material from them even the firm take
risk by adopting raw material in proper manner.
Employees: These are those who works effectively in organisation so that aims and
objectives can be achieved in proper manner. Employees has to increase their productivity so
that companies can attain goals and objectives (Brandon and Mullan, 2013). Organisation thus
gets affect with internal environment. It is required by employees to work in efficient manner
and thus they are responsible for producing the quality products and services in correct way.
Structure of firm: The structure of business should be perfect which helps in getting
goals and objectives of firm. Different departments in entity helps in dividing work among them.
Task or work should be allotted according to their skills and knowledge for that particular thing
which will result into higher productivity in performance and it brings into profit on
organisation.
CONCLUSION
The report is based on management and operation who works hard to minimise the cost
of production and reduces the wastage of resources as well. The operation manager is
responsible for effective working and utilising available materials in proper manner so that a
perfect output can be received by firm and can met with the needs and demands of customers in
efficient manner. Operation management is also responsible for creating coordination among
various levels and departments in organisation which helps in getting the effective working. The
leaders and mangers do have the responsibility to motivate their employees and the organisation
as whole to increase the productivity and can earn the highest profits and growth.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Akkerman, R., Farahani, P. and Grunow, M., 2010. Quality, safety and sustainability in food
distribution: a review of quantitative operations management approaches and
challenges. Or Spectrum. 32(4). pp.863-904.
Alderton, P. and Saieva, G., 2013. Port management and operations. Taylor & Francis.
Brandon, C.J. and Mullan, P.B., 2013. Teaching medical management and operations
engineering for systems-based practice to radiology residents. Academic radiology.
20(3). pp.345-350.
Chiarini, A. and Vagnoni, E., 2015. World-class manufacturing by Fiat. Comparison with Toyota
production system from a strategic management, management accounting, operations
management and performance measurement dimension. International Journal of
Production Research. 53(2). pp.590-606.
Dekker, R., Bloemhof, J. and Mallidis, I., 2012. Operations Research for green logistics–An
overview of aspects, issues, contributions and challenges. European Journal of
Operational Research. 219(3). pp.671-679.
Galindo, G. and Batta, R., 2013. Review of recent developments in OR/MS research in disaster
operations management. European Journal of Operational Research. 230(2). pp.201-
211.
Hill, A. and Hill, T., 2012. Operations management. Palgrave Macmillan.
Kuruppuarachchi, D. and Perera, H.S.C., 2010. Impact of TQM and technology management on
operations performance. IUP Journal of Operations Management. 9(3). p.23.
O'Fallon, M.J. and Rutherford, D.G. Eds., 2011. Hotel management and operations. John Wiley
& Sons.
Peng, D.X. and Lai, F., 2012. Using partial least squares in operations management research: A
practical guideline and summary of past research. Journal of Operations Management.
30(6). pp.467-480.
Stadtler, H., 2015. Supply chain management: An overview. In Supply chain management and
advanced planning (pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Subramanian, N. and Ramanathan, R., 2012. A review of applications of Analytic Hierarchy
Process in operations management.International Journal of Production Economics.
138(2). pp.215-241.
Tang, O. and Musa, S.N., 2011. Identifying risk issues and research advancements in supply
chain risk management. International journal of production economics. 133(1). pp.25-
34.
Wu, Z. and Pagell, M., 2011. Balancing priorities: Decision-making in sustainable supply chain
management. Journal of Operations Management. 29(6). pp.577-590.
Online
Bizdaq makes selling simple, 2017. [Online]. Available through<https://www.mybizdaq.com/>.
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