Management and Operations: Roles and Characteristics of Managers and Leaders

This report explores the roles and characteristics of managers and leaders in the context of management and operations. It focuses on the case of ASDA, a popular supermarket chain in the UK, and discusses various approaches and theories to leadership that apply within the organization.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
PART 1............................................................................................................................................2
Overview of company and its management structure............................................................2
Traits and roles of managers & leaders..................................................................................2
Different roles of leadership and management applied in varied organizational situations...3
Approaches & theories to leadership that apply within ASDA..............................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
Management and operations are two different key elements of success and growth of
companies, operated in the world of business. Management help managing organizational
performance and practices, while operations can be define as work of organizing inner working
and performance of organizations. The current study will be based on ASDA, which falls under
list of well known supermarkets in the UK. This report will define roles & characteristics of
manager and leader. It will justify both roles in different situations at workplace and will also
clarify range of concepts and methods of leadership. Furthermore, this report will describe
further suggestions in context of chosen company progress.
PART 1
Overview of company and its management structure
ASDA is one of the most popular and leading supermarket chains in the United
Kingdom. They provide range of quality products to local people in nation and satisfy them
successfully. With the effective management structure and board of members, firm has managed
their operations in systematic manner. It has formal hierarchical functional structure that manage
everything according to plan. Company has 9 members in executive board who are able to drive
its business towards great success. The chief executive officer of venture provides appropriate
suggestions and guidance to other team members, in order to get competitive edge.
Traits and roles of managers & leaders
Roles and traits of leaders-
A leader is a person who can see how work can be improved and better than last few
months or years.
His or her role within company is quite beneficial and helpful in term of increasing
performance and productivity level (Yang and et.al., 2020). The most important role of leaders in
workplace is to provide a clear vision in front of all staffs member, which make applicants able
to work accordingly.
Influence is the main characteristics of leaders which allow him or her to motivate
workers and encourage them to perform even better.
Characteristics and roles of managers-
A manager is accountable for making plans, processes of obtaining practices completed
successfully with and via other individual (Rehman and et.al., 2019).
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Planning, leading people, managing functions and controlling employee performance are
the major roles that managers can play within ASDA.
The best trait of a manager is conflict handling and effective communication that permit
them to manage business operations effectively.
Similarities between leadership and management functions-
Functions of leader and manager are similar on the basis of their motive and that is to
achieve set objectives and goals of ASDA in ethical manner. Leaders and managers develop plan
and strategies to enhance performance of workers as well as business.
Differences between functions of both terms-
Leadership Management
 Leaders function is to motivate people
through implementing plan and tactics
at workplace.
 Their function or role is to increase
employee performance.
 Manager’s function is to develop
strategies and approaches that can help
to encourage applicants, after
implementing in company by leader.
 It’s another function is to boost
business performance within retail
industry.
Different roles of leadership and management applied in varied organizational situations
Situation 1-
Conflict resolution is one of the most critical situations that can impact productivity of
ASDA. In this condition, manager can lay their role by using principles of contingency theory,
for example he or she can plan to conduct a meeting where seniors can make discussion with
staff members and gather information about their problems. At the similar time, leader can also
play his or her role in term of motivating people by communicating with them and take action
according to situation, along with following norms of situational leadership.
Situation 2-
Work load in workplace lead to decrease productivity and morale of each applicant. At
that moment, manager by playing their role handle situation successfully and can create plan to
hire skilled workers who can make work load time much easier and stress free for everyone.
Leader by considering situational leadership style can encourage people to work without taking
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stress which is possible when he or she guide existing and new candidates about how to divided
tasks and accomplish on time.
Approaches & theories to leadership that apply within ASDA
Situational leadership-
In list of leadership styles, situational is one of the best and easiest forms because it can
be implemented practically without understanding too much (Zigarmi and Roberts, 2017). It
suggests leaders to take action or any decision by considering current factors and overall
environment.
Systems leadership-
This style or approach is a set of abilities and skills that leaders and managers can use to
support employees and procedure of workplace degree change.
Contingency leadership-
According to this theory, leader needs to understand that not every leadership styles suits
a specific situation, he or she has to analyse current condition and then handle everything
accordingly (Vidal and et.al., 2017).
Chao Theory-
It is interdisciplinary concept state that within apparent randomness of chaotic difficult
process, there are underling systems, constant feedback and interrelatedness and self
organization.
Management by objectives-
With this method, manager can improve performance of firm in effective manner because
it aims to enhance productivity of business by clearly defining goals and purpose that are agreed
by manager and workers.
CONCLUSION
By summing up above discussion, it has been concluded that leaders and managers put
positive impact on ASDA success and progress by managing two different situations and taking
right decisions during that time. It has been indentified that by using principles and following
norms of situation, contingency, system and management by objectives theories, management
and leadership successfully managed activities and performance of company as well as workers.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
1. ASDA will obtain competitive advantages and enhance their productivity level when its
managers and leaders would develop effective strategies.
2. For example, management before work load period should conduct a group meeting
through which they will encourage people to share their innovative ideas and thoughts
that make work easier than before, it will help in the future development of business.
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REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Rehman, W.U and et.al., 2019. High involvement HR systems and innovative work behaviour:
the mediating role of psychological empowerment, and the moderating roles of manager
and co-worker support. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology.
28(4). pp.525-535.
Vidal, G.G and et.al., 2017. Contingency theory to study leadership styles of small businesses
owner-managers at Santo Domingo, Ecuador. International Journal of Engineering
Business Management. 9. p.1847979017743172.
Yang, X and et.al., 2020. A relational model of career adaptability and career prospects: The
roles of leader–member exchange and agreeableness. Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology. 93(2). pp.405-430.
Zigarmi, D. and Roberts, T.P., 2017. A test of three basic assumptions of Situational
Leadership® II Model and their implications for HRD practitioners. European Journal of
Training and Development.
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Bibliography-
https://www.imd.org/imd-reflections/leadership-reflections/situational-leadership/
#:~:text=Combined%20with%20the%20use%20of,situation%2C%20no%20matter%20how
%20complex.
https://study.com/academy/lesson/contingency-theory-definition-and-significance-to-
organizational-behavior.html
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