Comparison between roles and characteristics of managers and leaders

This article compares the roles and characteristics of managers and leaders in an organization. It discusses the responsibilities of managers and leaders and highlights their key differences. It also provides insights into different leadership theories and their application in various situations. The content is relevant for students studying management and leadership courses in colleges and universities.

Management and
Operations
Table of Contents

Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Comparison between roles and characteristics of managers and leaders...............................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P2 Evaluation of role of leaders and functions of in different situational context......................6
P3 Application of different leadership theories...........................................................................8
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P4 Key approaches of operations management and role of leaders and managers...................11
P5 Importance of operations management for achieving business objectives..........................13
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................14
P6 Factors affecting operations management and decisions of leaders and manages...............14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Operations management can be considered as a process which helps a business organisation
in turning raw materials into final goods or services depending on the needs and requirements of
customers. Every single business organisation looks forward to develop an effective operations
management practice in order to sustain in the market for a longer period of time. This type of
management not only helps a company and manufacturing the products and services based on the
demand of clients but it also helps in taking right decision so that waste material can be reduced
to minimum (Chevalier and et. al., 2015).
In present context, company that has been taken into consideration is Tesco PLC, which is
one of the famous British multinational grocery retailer along with the general merchandise
group. This organisation is coming under big four supermarkets of United Kingdom and offers a
range of products like food, grocery, and many more other type of items to the customers. Jack
Cohen was the founder of Tesco PLC and address launched in the year of 1919. Along with this,
report will be delivering information in relation to rolls along with the characteristics of both
leaders and managers. Also, this report will also deliver the information in regards to leadership
theories and also so this assignment will focus on importance of operations management
considering the internal and external factors impact on a organisation like Tesco. Lastly, report
will also deliver information in relation to two key approaches of operations management.
TASK 1
P1 Comparison between roles and characteristics of managers and leaders
Management
Management of a business organisation specifically deals with all the actions along with
the activities that takes place in a company when it comes to attain desired goals and objectives
(David and David, 2019). In other words management specifically consists of different elements
like planning, processing, managing, controlling, directing and staffing which helps managers in
taking right decisions for the company in order to improvise the overall performance of a
company like Tesco PLC.
Managers
In a business organisation like Tesco PLC, it can be said that managers plays an
important role as they manage the overall activities within operations management system and

also takes decisions in order to deliver right task to the capable person on a daily basis so that
appropriate outcomes can easily be pulled out. In other words, a manager is the individual within
Tesco PLC who manages the whole work from recruiting to controlling the overall process of a
particular task in order to obtain a desirable goal.
Roles of manager
 Motivators- Primal role of a manager in Tesco PLC is that he or she would required to
motivate staff members along with the subordinates so that they can perform daily tasks
in rightful manner. Motivation specifically enhances the employee engagement towards
Tesco’s desired goals and objectives. This not only impacts positively on overall
performance level of staff but also enhances their own capabilities and skills which helps
them in becoming much more potential based employee while working at work station
(Ferguson and et. al., 2016).
 Information provider- Another primary role that came in front of managers Tesco PLC
is to deliver the information to all the staff members that are connected with a particular
task. It is considered as the duty of a manager to deliver right information to the correct
staff members so that appropriate results can easily be pulled out.
Characteristics of managers
 Risk avoiders- Over the years, it has been analyzed that risk avoiding is considered to be
the characteristic of a manager. It is said because the Primal duty of a manager is to
manage the overall work with tried and tested plans and procedures. It is the leader who
specifically takes the risks not the managers because they only need to manage the whole
book which has been given by leaders and board of directors of Tesco PLC.
 Reliable- Another characteristic that came in front of manager within Tesco PLC is that
day stays reliable towards any sort of task which are linked with enhancing the
performance level of Tesco PLC. It has been found that, reliability is considered as a
crucial element which impacts on overall performance level of the subordinates that a
working under a manager (Fu and Wnuk, Red Hat Inc, 2015). A person or a staff member
can rely on the information given by the manager is which helps in enhancing the
efficiency of them towards a particular task or a common goal within a company like
Tesco PLC. This automatically enhances the proficiency level of staff members if the
reliability e is being shown by managers towards different aspects.

Leadership
Leadership can be defined as an approach which is followed by a leader in order to
motivate, inspire and direct the subordinates as it specifically e helps them in in enhancing the
overall productivity of Tesco PLC or of any other business organisation which is dealing with
and retail or any other sector. It is the responsibility of a leader to be much more creative in order
to achieve a common goal within a company like Tesco PLC.
Leaders
A leader is considered to be the person who specifically leads the subordinates of a
particular team towards different goals and objectives. Innovation, creativity, directing are said
to be some of the elements on which a leader keeps his or her focus. This motivate staff in
enhancing the productivity and profitability of a business organisation like Tesco PLC.
Roles of leaders
 Delegating authorities- Delegation is considered to be one of the crucial element which
helps a leader in assigning jobs two different capable employees while performing a
particular task (Gibson and Parkman, 2018). Basically, it is the role of leader to push
others towards their goals through motivating them with the help of a speech or with
other compensation related policies. Over the years, delegating authority has not only
helped leaders to take the right decisions but it also removes all the range of risks which
are linked with the desired goals Tesco PLC.
 Coordinator and supervisor- Supervising and coordinating is another crucial role of a
leader in Tesco PLC. This could be understood with the very good example where Tesco
PLC is looking forward to improve by sales by 5%. This is where it is the responsibility
of leader to co-ordinate with all the staff members and also supervise them so that the
particular goal can easily be achieved right on time (Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016).
Characteristics of leaders
 Risk takers- A leader is the one who specifically takes the risk in order to achieve a new
goal through considering innovative approaches. Risk taking specifically helps in
enhancing the chances of attaining the goal and also lead a business organization like
Tesco PLC to gain competitive advantages in much effective and in efficient manner.
 Decision maker- One of the crucial characteristic of a leader is that he or she is a
decision maker which is required to be followed by all the subordinates. This can be done

through adopting different range of leadership styles where utilizing democratic
leadership styles will help leader in taking right suggestions from his or her subordinates
and then reach to a conclusion of taking decision over a particular task.
Differentiation between the role of leaders and functions of managers according to their
characteristics and roles.
Basis Managers Leaders
Characteristics Managers are not the risk
takers as leaders are.
Basically, they utilizes the
tried and tested approach
which help them in reaching
to the success level without
risking over any aspect in
Tesco PLC.
It is considered to be the
primary characteristic of a
leader to take risks, in order
to achieve the desired goals in
a short span to improve the
productivity and profitability
of Tesco PLC.
Roles Managing is said to be the
Primal role of a manager in
Tesco PLC. They do not
develop policies but leaders
do (Kopardekar and et. al.,
2016).
Developing policies, directing
staff members, motivating
them towards daily targets are
said to be some of the rules
which are followed by a
leader in Tesco PLC.
TASK 2
P2 Evaluation of role of leaders and functions of in different situational context
SITUATION 1: PRODUCT LAUNCH
Roles of Leader
Tesco PLC is an enormous retail grocery supermarket which is topographical assorted
variety and with the assistance of its huge number of stores accessible in various land areas
around the world. Tesco is additionally a market chief and considered as the main grocery store
in the United Kingdom. At the hour of an item dispatch managers assume a significant job, as

they are the people who lines their individual groups with authoritative goals. The managers of
separate groups give and guide the colleagues alongside keeping them educated about the
hierarchical goals and their particular target of the group (Nakagawa, NEC Corp, 2015).
The managers consistently keep a mind the exhibitions of the partners and guide them
right way alongside persuading them to act in the most potential and the most profitable way.
The managers are the visionary is who to centre over the drawn out goal instead of a momentary
target and in this manner they generally make a dream which is imaginative and embraces an
inventive way to manage the staff so as to effectively finish their individual employment jobs
and contribute their groups endeavours towards the launching of a whole new product.
Function of Managers
There are a range of functions which are followed by managers of Tesco PLC and these are
organising, controlling, directing, organising and planning. All of these functions are presented
in a detailed manner underneath:
 Planning and characterizing the extent of the undertaking, the administrators of Tesco
will make and create compelling designs for the item dispatch so as to portray sure that
the task turns as a triumph.
 Organizing, as per the spending plans and plans created in the arranging stage the
directors of Tesco now will find all the assets required for the item dispatch.
 Controlling is the fundamental capacity of managers (managers) where they will keep
fitting check and control the working of the tasks occurring in connection with the item
dispatch.
 Directing, when all plans a created and assets are sorted out now the managers will
relegate explicit targets to all the groups accessible in the organization and who are
progressing in the direction of a particular venture of propelling another item in the
commercial center (Reid and Sanders, 2019).
SITUATION 2: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Roles of Leader
Famous association that is Tesco which are diversifier and works from various land areas
the representatives or workforce of organization are likewise broaden and having a place with
various foundations holding various encounters. In such huge association strife it is a typical
thing which happens either in the middle of various groups and representatives or in the middle

of the top officials and the operational staff. The managers of Tesco have the particular job of an
arbitrator and aggravation handler where they have to build up a successful correspondence with
the clashing people haggle with them by giving them suitable answers for their issues which are
potential and quick coming about.
Function of Managers
In present context, the company that has been taken into consideration is Tesco PLC which
is considered as one of the crucial diversified association holding activity in a few diverse
geological areas yet so as to keep up the tasks running easily and adequately it is significant for
organization to build up promotion guidelines and systems (Saucedo-Martínez and et. al., 2018).
The supervisors of Tesco holds the capacity of creating peace promotion arrangements so as to
diminish any kind of contentions to occur in the operational units of organization. The directors
will built up a typical peace making approaches which are should have been trailed by everybody
and whenever penetrated then suitable moves can be made.
P3 Application of different leadership theories
Situation leadership theory
This theory was specifically propounded by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. If it is talk
about situation and leadership Theory then and a leader of a company like Tesco PLC
specifically take into consideration at the time of diversifying situations. It helps in in taking
right decision based on the different elements like behaviour, high competency, variable
commitment, and many more other elements as well. On the other hand, this theory consist with
four leadership levels and all of these are mentioned underneath:

 The leader tells, in a situation like product launch where it is the responsibility of leader
to deliver the right information to staff members so that they can perform based on the
scenario which has been given by leader. Also, a few modifications can also be made
where is on the requirements of the leader if any risk is about to reach to the desired goal
or any other situation takes place.
 The leaders sell, where information is specifically being given to all the staff members
so that all the tasks can easily get finished right on time. Therefore, any sort of
modifications if required to be made then also it is the leaders responsibility to deliver the
same information which will help Tesco PLC in launching the product and gaining the
competitive advantages (Slack and Brandon-Jones, 2018).
 The leaders advises, when any sort of conflicts takes place in Tesco PLC. It is
considered to be the behavior of a leader in a company like Tesco PLC to deliver the
advice to all the staff members in order to reduce the risks in relation to contract that
might take place in the company.
 The leader delegates, different range of activities along with the tasks to staff members
based on the capabilities that they have in order to who launched the product of Tesco
PLC in rightful manner.

System leadership theory
System leadership theory is considered to be an approach which empowers the managers
of an organization to build up a condition and a workplace where the individuals and the
representatives at all various levels can work in the most profitable manners with their most
extreme possibilities. The managers are furnished an apparatus with the assistance of framework
administration that empowers them to anticipate and investigate the conduct of their workforce
and furthermore for building a successful framework that is beneficial and progressively
effective towards the authoritative reason. The framework initiative methodology will help the
managers of Tesco to build up a solid situation and lessen clashes between the work power and
in the middle of the top officials and the representatives. The framework initiative will empower
the managers to dissect the conduct of people and in like manner create viable framework so as
to make them generally proficient and gainful (Uhl and Gollenia, 2016).
Contingency leadership theory
This is considered to be one of the crucial leadership Theory where leaders of Tesco PLC
adopts the right leadership style based upon the situation that took place. This helps in in taking
right decision considering the contingency approach. Basically, this theory was propounded by
Fred Fielder, where it was mentioned that a decision can be changed based on the situation if it is
needed for the better opportunities. On the other hand, this theory specifically consists of three
different elements and all of these are mentioned underneath:

 Leadership style, is considered to be e a particular soil which is required to be adopted
by the leader of Tesco PLC based on the situation.
 Situation, here can be referred to the favorable situation considering the leadership style
which has been adopted by leaders of Tesco PLC.
 The relationship, can be considered as the balance of both the elements that is situation
and leadership style which is being taken into consideration buy leaders of Tesco in order
to resolve a particular conflict and to gain competitive advantages through launching the
product in much effective and efficient manner (Uhl and Gollenia, 2016).
TASK 3
P4 Key approaches of operations management and role of leaders and managers
Key operations of Organisation
Sense, Tesco PLC is performing operations in retail market therefore it consists of two main
departments and these are production and sales. Is pretty much required by organisation to
improve its operations management considering the roles of leaders and managers and this can
help them in reaching to new limits in a short span like launching a new product at market place.
 Sales department can be considered as one of the crucial function of Tesco PLC because
demand of products if increases then automatically the productivity and profit margins of
company will rise.
 Production department is considered as another crucial function that is introduce in
Tesco PLC for enhancing the overall productivity and profitability of the company. What
is the role of manager to keep on managing the productivity see-through to removing all
the risks involved in the production department. On the other side, it is responsibility of
leader to develop right it policy for the workers so that they can perform tasks with the
help of motivation.

Key approaches of Operation Management
Total quality management
The total quality management is said to be one of the usual, tried and tested and
traditional operational approach. Basically, this type of approach has helped companies in
reducing all the errors from different departments like manufacturing production unit and many
more. It has also helped forms in in enhancing the quality of different range of products and
services offered by them.
In the same way, it is pretty much needed by both leaders along with the managers of Tesco
PLC to take into consideration of total Quality management approach as it will not only help
from in smoothening the overall process of production unit but it will also improve the quality of
products that company is offering to the customers based on their needs and requirements. Role
of the leader is to develop total quality management strategy and on the other side it is the role of
manager to manage the staff members based on the strategy, has been built by leader so that
implementation can be done in an effective and efficient manner (Nakagawa, NEC Corp, 2015).
Just in time approach
This is another crucial approach of operations management which helps a company in
reducing all the waste materials through delivering the raw materials at the correct time based on
the requirements of the manufacturing for sales unit based on the actual needs considering the
real time approach (Just In Time (JIT), 2020). With the help of this approach, Tesco PLC can
reduce the expenses that took place earlier on the extra materials like maintenance cost of
different units like inventory and so on.
Primal role of manager is to keep on maintaining the records of all the stocks that are available
and which is required considering a particular store of Tesco PLC. The other side, it is the role of
leader to develop innovative strategy in order to reduce the chances of increasing expenses like
training the staff members based on their requirements in order to reduce the risk of extra
expenses that may take place in sales unit like maintenance cost of stock (Reid and Sanders,
2019).
Kaizen
The kaizen operation management method expresses that the Tesco PLC should have to
make changes in their practices for moving towards advancement and constant improvement
phases of the operational units. The kaizen approach includes huge scope of thoughts that

includes the workplace for making it best and proficient for representatives which keeps them
spurred and happy with their activity jobs.
The business office is the suitable activity where kaizen approach can be embraced by the
supervisors and managers. The pioneer's job will be to keep the earth solid and generally gainful
for the workers so as to keep them fulfilled and eager towards the efficiency of the association
and towards the group targets.
P5 Importance of operations management for achieving business objectives
Operation management is a significant idea for an association like Tesco PLC and for the most
part those which are huge and differentiated in different various areas of the world. The activity
the board idea empowers the organization to accomplish their foreordained targets in the most
beneficial and the most productive way. Tesco has a few tasks occurring in it which is should
have been overseen and run in an appropriate manner by the directors and managers of the
organization. In this manner activity the executives is a significant idea and procedure fore Tesco
as the outcomes will be viable and productive workers and tasks through which organization can
give upper hand and remains one stride in front of others (Saucedo-Martínez and et. al., 2018).
 Product quality- When it comes to improve the overall product quality of a particular
product then company can take into consideration of total Quality management where le
the board permits the administrators and managers of Tesco to keep the nature of items at
its most elevated and give the best great to the buyers in the most conceivable and the
least expense. The complete quality administration approach empowers them to lessen
every single additional cost and take out any blunders from the assembling unit making it
beneficial.
 Reducing waste- Executives approach that can be taken into consideration is just in time
where in order to spare permitted the association and the managers to decrease all the loss
from the tasks and minimize the costs and the creation level high. In the nick of time
approach permitted the directors to keep up the stock in the most gainful way and
diminishing the costs and other overhead expenses.

TASK 4
P6 Factors affecting operations management and decisions of leaders and manages
In present time, business operations can be considered as a capacity or function that is
impacted and influenced by a few distinct elements which are either inside or outside to it. Tesco
works in a dynamic and changing business condition upsetting for encouraging for its tasks.
Hence the administrators and the managers of Tesco need to settles on their choices as per these
inward and outer elements and their suggestions on the tasks of organization with the goal that
they can capitalize on it and upgrading the benefits of Tesco. These inward and outside powerful
factors are as per the following:
 Culture, is considered as an internal element that impacts the activities the dynamic of
administrators and managers of the organization. The way of life of a specific association
go about as a manual for the individuals related with it and in this manner the supervisors
and managers of Tesco PLC needs to settle on their choices in connection with activity
the executives and making the association profitable must be as indicated by the way of
life of organization and their effects on the workers (Slack and Brandon-Jones, 2018).
 Sustainability is the external or outside factor that impacts the dynamic of managers and
managers of Tesco. The maintainability factor is connected with ecological factor as the
shoppers are these days more pulled in towards those items and associations which are
created with the assistance of economical methods and in this manner the all out quality
administration approach is significant and advantageous for Tesco PLC.
 CSR alludes to the obligation of the association towards the general public and towards
nature in which they are leading and running their activities. Each organization utilize the
assets accessible in the earth and in the specific area they are working (Hitt, Xu and
Carnes, 2016). The managers need to concentrate on the CSR approach of Tesco PLC
and in like manner create and propel their partners for acting in the important way.
CONCLUSION
With the help of above mentioned report, it can easily be said that effective operations
management specifically plays an important role for a business organisation that is dealing in any
sector. On the other hand, total quality management and other approaches like just in time can
help an organisation to improve the quality of a particular product or the service offered by them

and also reduces the waste materials which may increase the expenses. Including this, boot
leaders and managers plays an important role in a company as they manage and direct the overall
procedures of a company which have in reaching to new limits and getting the desired goals and
objectives.

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jit/t328>./