Management and Operations: Roles, Theories, and Styles

This document provides an overview of the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, different management and leadership theories, various management and leadership styles, and key approaches to operations management. It also discusses the importance of operation management and the factors within the business environment that impact operational management. The content is relevant to the subject of management and operations.

MANAGEMENT
AND OPERATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Roles and Characteristics of a Leader and a Manager.................................................................1
Management Theories..................................................................................................................2
Leadership Theories.....................................................................................................................4
Management and Leadership Styles............................................................................................5
Key approaches to operations management.................................................................................7
Importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives...................8
Factors Within Business Environment that Impact Upon Operational Management................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Operations are the small activities which are done in the business to achieve objectives as
a whole. It is very essential for business firm to analyse all their actions and assimilates them in a
managed format to reduce risk and increase opportunity to grow and compete in market
effectively. Operation management provide effective strategies and theories which help business
enterprise to develop its potential and attain core competency in market effectively. There is an
increase in demand in every industry due to rapid changes in the customer’s trends and
globalization also helps business organization globally to increase their productivity to increase
their market share and profit margins effectively. Operation management provide better
information to make decision and reduce cost of activities effectively. Human resources are the
essential part of operations to achieve objectives of the company with the help of different leader
and managerial skills they are managed effectively. This report has a brief description about role
of a leader and function and manager in Soft Company which is a manufacturer of mobile units.
Report also highlights different theories and models of leadership which helps the company to
increase efficiency in their operations. Furthermore, report provides information on importance
of operation management and environmental factors which helps to formulate effective operation
strategy.
Roles and Characteristics of a Leader and a Manager
It is very essential for business organization to analyse the effective roles of leaders and
mangers which helps to increase the efficiency of organization effectively. As managers and
leaders is essential aspect of any business to grow and increase its potential in the market. There
are many theories and factors which Soft company has to analyse in order to distinguish the roles
of leaders and manager to design effective structure of the company and provide positive
organizational culture (Piper, 2016). This analysis also provides effective understanding for Joan
Pearson to determine effective leadership style to increase production efficiency of mobile units
effectively.
 A manager is responsible to ensure the proper flow of resources in the organization to
achieve objectives. Whereas leader have the role to use the human resources available in
the organization to achieve objectives by influencing them (Akhtar and et.al., 2018).
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 Leader has the role to use his knowledge and experience in formulating effective vision
for the organization and manager has the role to use their management knowledge to
make policies for organization.
 Manager has the ability to manage all the employees and use them to achieve their
objectives effectively. Whereas leader hare responsible for analysing the market trends an
implementing change in the organization to increase the performance of business
effectively.
 Leaders have some unique skills and knowledge which not any leader posses. Leaders
also use this knowledge according to their personality and leadership style to achieve
objectives of the company. Manager uses the fundamental management principle which
is common universally to solve the problems.
 Leaders are more innovative and open to lean new thing and communicate with other.
Whereas managers only focus on their objectives and do not use innovation to create new
policies and strategies (Francis, Hasan and Li, 2016).
 Managers have the ability to control risk and leaders have the potential to take risk and
increase the efficiency of the company.
 Leader has the potential to influence employees and increase their followers to achieve
objectives by gaining effective relationship in the organization (Martin and et.al., 2017).
Managers have the ability to create effective management system which helps them to
fulfil the set goals effectively.
Management Theories
Management By Objectives
Management by objectives is the strategic management framework which focuses on
increasing the efficiency of business organization by formulating clear vision and objectives. The
objectives which are formulated are according to potential of employees and approved by
management (Alves and et.al., 2017). This theory helps the employees to increase their potential
in developing effective culture which integrate with the mission and objectives of the company.
Soft company need to adopt this management theory at the initial stage of manufacturing
operations. Joan Pearson also has to understand all the factors to develop effective strategies to
increase productivity of company effectively.
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Classical Management Theories
This is the traditional management theory which focuses ion only aspect that employees
have economic and physical needs to increase their satisfaction and improve their performance to
achieve objectives of the company. This theory helps business to delegate the authorities
according the potential of a person and reduces workload. This improves the ability of workforce
of the business to achieve objectives effectively with less mental and physical stress on one
employee. However, this theory focuses on management structure of organization and not on
employee’s relation which reduces the efficiency of the company to retain employees due to lack
of job satisfaction (Zurich, Instruction and Documentation, 2018). Joan Pearson due to her
military background also need to understand all the aspect of management which can help her
make effective decision in increase the production capacity and improve the quality of mobile
units effectively. This Theory provides understanding about hierarchy structure which helps to
improve the quality of team work in the Soft Company effectively.
Behavioural Theory
Behavioural theory of management helps to develop effective employee relation within
the organisation to increase the potential of business and gain higher productivity. This theory
provides information about different aspect of the human behaviour which help to increase the
performance of employees by developing effective strategies (Van Wassenhove, 2019). Joan
Pearson need to understand this theory of behaviours which can increase her potential manage
employees. Training and developing her skills and knowledge will help her to develop
interpersonal skills and provide her better opportunity to increase efficiency of the production
unit of Soft Company effectively. This theory will also provide better relation with her
employees to motivate them and support them to achieve their task. By adopting this theory Joan
Pearson will improve the relation with employees and increase retention power to reduce cost of
hiring new employees and training them.
Contingency Theories
Contingency management theory is a modern management theory which helps to
understand all the factors on the market and within the organization and make effective
management theories integrating leadership style of leaders (Melnyk, Flynn and Awaysheh,
2018). This management theory provides a better understanding of employees shared values
while defining objectives of the company. This management theory provide better perspective
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for Joan Pearson to understand market trends and increase the efficiency of product
manufacturing to achieve competitive advantage in the market effectively.
Leadership Theories
Leader theories are designed to understand and determine the most effective theories
which is suited to a leader acceding to their skills and knowledge. This helps the business
organization to provide an effective approach in attaining objectives effectively. All the theory
provides effective information to leaders which help them to adopt effective theory and improve
their potential effectively (Grant, Trautrims and Wong, 2017). Joan Pearson also needs to
evaluate her effective leader theories to increase their performance in influencing and motivating
employees to increase production of mobile units in Soft Company.
Trait Theory
The trait theory of leadership describes that leaders are not made and are having the
potential and skills of leaders from birth. This theory provides a basis of all the factors and
characterizes that proves that leadership traits are very essential to achieve their objectives and
become successful leader. There are many leadership qualities like decision-making, innovation
skills better values and morale which help to develop an effective and power leader to influence
and inspire many employees in the organization and improve the performance of them to attain
organization objectives effectively.
Contingency Theory
Contingency leadership theory explains that there in no particular leadership strategy
which helps to increase the efficiency of a leader. This theory states that there are many
leadership styles and leadership qualities which are hidden and unknown by a leader. Every
situation as different style of leadership and thus this changes the efficiency of a leader to
perform (Bai and et.al., 2018). To analyse the best style a leader need to perform all the task in
every situation to determine their hidden qualities.
Transformational Theory
This theory states that it is very essential for a leader to implement transformation in the
business organization as it helps to develop better relations with the employees by influencing
them to increase their efficiency and accept the change. This also helps the employees to become
more encouraged and increase productivity of the company effectively.
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Transactional Theory
This theory is majorly used to increase the motivation of employees in the organization as
this theory helps to develop a relationship between employee and leader which is based on
exchange of benefits. This theory also helps to increase the positive working environment in the
organization and improves the performance of employees to achieve the objectives in order to
gain rewards per achievement.
Action Cantered Model
This model focuses on attain the set objectives by managing and enhancing the efficiency of the
teams and employees to gain effective potential of the organization (Swink and et.al., 2017). This
leadership model helps the leaders to achieve their goals and objectives by focusing in purely
work and team efficiency and coordination. Model helps the leader to increase the efficiency to
lead and provide effective command to employees and team.
Situational leadership
This theory is very effective in the organizations which has rapid changes in the market trends
and have high productivity to grow. As in this theory the leader have to adopt new leadership
styles according to the change in the factors and situation which to increase the performance of
employees effectively.
System leadership
This theory provides a better perspective for a leader to formulate effective system according to
objectives with the help of effective rules and principles which is governed by a leader (Hill and
Hill, 2017). This help the leader to support productivity of employees at all level of organization
effectively.
Management and Leadership Styles
Management Styles
It is very essential to determine the effective management style to determine strengths
and weaknesses of Joan Pearson in Soft Company.
Participative management style
This management style promotes the participation of employees to contribute indecision
making process with the superior management. This also increases the motivation level of the
employees and improves the innovative skills of them.
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Network management style
Network management styles focuses on increasing the communication channel within the
organisation to develop effective relations between employees to increase shared values for
business organisation. These help employees to increase their performance in aching objectives
effectively.
Mentor management style
This management style emphasizes on development of employees by providing guidance
and training according to required skills and knowledge task (Karlsson, 2016). This also
increases the potential of employees to achieve objectives.
Leadership Style
Democratic leadership style
This leadership style aims at increasing the participation of employees in decision-
making process and leader also take their opinions which make them important and make them
loyal to organization effectively. According to Joan Pearson current style she need to adopt this
leadership and increase the efficiency of the company to achieve its objectives effectively.
Autocratic leadership style
Autocratic leaders are those which give commands and do not listen to anyone. In this leadership
styles the employees are mostly discourages and increases the turnover of the company due to
lack of two-way communications. Pearson is using this style which has discouraged the
employees in the operation unit and is impacting the productivity of the company negatively.
Laissez-Faire leadership style
This leadership style believes in the employee’s potential and motivates them to take
decisions and achieving the objectives. This style is not successful for manufacturing and large
scale organization and reduces the efficiency. Joan Pearson should not use this style as it can
reduce the efficiency of Soft Company (Cheng and et.al., 2019).
Joan Pearson needs to adopt Democratic leadership style and implementing network
management style she can increase the communication relation with employees to evaluate their
issues and problems. By adopting transformational and contingency leadership theory Joan
Pearson will understand her potential and flaws and determine the most effective management
sand leadership style with time to increase the performance of Soft Company in market and gain
higher profit margins effectively.
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Key approaches to operations management
Operation management is the process to create the highest level of efficiency within
organization with an administration of skilled business employees. There are many methods and
techniques which are used in Soft Company for its better functioning and the organization will
be able to perform better. Leaders and managers have to consider those models which are being
used by the organization so that they can give their best in the organization.
 Just in time
This is a very essential and cost friendly measure which can be taken by Soft because this
can make the organization save on a lot of cost for the future (Agrawal, Atasu and Van
Wassenhove, 2019). Only the products which are required by the organization are ordered by the
management and nothing more than that because that will get spoilt and the organization will not
be able to maintain their quality of the product. Soft company is producing mobiles for the
customers which needs resources which have to be technological so that the manufacturing of the
products can be faster which can make the organization get a lot of profitability. Leaders have to
make a list of requirements which are there in the firm so that the managers can order them but
after rechecking the requirements which are being made by the leaders so that there is no extra
purchasing.
 Lean Manufacturing
There has to be an effective dealing of waste which the organization is having. Soft is
having a lot of technological waste which has to be disposed off well otherwise the harm on the
environment can be huge. Managers of Soft have to take decisions accordingly to the zero waste
disposal in the organization so that the company can have a good impact on the customers and
leaders of the organization has to ensure that the decisions which are taken by the managers are
being followed in the firm.
 Six Sigma
Six sigma is used in organizations so that they can improve their image in the market and
for smooth functioning in market (Roth and et.al., 2016). Six sigma helps to improve the quality
of the products which are being used in the organization so that the customers get the best of
services which is going to help the company have a better customer base for themselves. Leaders
and managers have to analyse the factors which can improve the quality and leaders have to
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guide the employees according to the management of the company and the decisions which are
being taken. It is very important for the leaders and managers to come to a common decisions so
that the organization can have a direction of functioning so that meeting the objectives is easier
and the organization will be able to penetrate deeper into the organization.
 Theory X and Theory Y
Theory X and theory Y are very different from one another, theory X involves
authoritative style of management and theory Y is participative style of management. In case of
Joan Pearson she has an army background and she is not used to listening to others and putting
out her order to people which must be followed but in an organization this is not possible.
Everyone in the organization has to have a say and freedom to do what they are skilled in so that
the organization can make a lot of profit and the organization has a better functioning for
themselves (Gunasekaran and et.al., 2018). This way quality of the products of Soft will also not
decline and the organization increases its efficiency to achieve its objectives and attain
competitive advantage. Theory Y people are more self motivated and that would be present in
the Joan which is going to be very good for the organization.
Importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives
There have to be right decisions which have to be taken by the organization so that there
is a high productivity in the business organisation and achieve objectives effectively. There is a
prerequisite of lot of skills and knowledge which has to be present in the organization so that
they can have a lot of productivity and have a better productivity of the organization.
 Objectives
There are a lot of goals and aims which all the organizations have for them so that there is
a sense of direction which has to be fulfilled in market. For the organization to achieve their
objectives and aims they have to have a better managers and leaders so that they can have a base
for themselves and function effectively (Merigó and Yang, 2017). Managers have to make sure
that soft company is being able to achieve their objectives from time to time because that is very
important. There are a lot of objectives which have to be fulfilled and getting a competitive
advantage is only possible when there is a sense of direction in the organization.
 Productivity
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The productivity of Soft is good because of the managers and leaders of the organization
which are making the company have such a good productivity level for them. Managers are
taking decisions in the organization considering all the employees of the organization so that
business increase its productivity for themselves which will help the company have a better
customer base for themselves (Choi, Chan and Yue, 2016). There is a personal and professional
growth if the productivity of the organization increases because then there will be a better skilled
and knowledgeable than the other employees in the organization.
 Cost
The management has to make decisions for the benefit for them. Management has to
make decisions accordingly so that there is an effective performance and the organization can
have a competitive advantage. Leaders have to implement those decisions in the organization so
that the organization can have a high level of profitability. There will be demand and needs of
the customers which have to be met by Soft so that there is a better functioning and cost has to be
reasonable so that there is a large customer base for the company.
 Resources
There are limited resources which are present in the world which has to be well planned
and used. Managers and leaders have to be good in the resources so that they can have a better
functioning for themselves which is going to be very useful for the organization. There are going
to make the customers needs and demands be met and the organization should have what they
want. This will get a loyal set of customers so that there is a better functioning of the
organization.
 Labour
It is very essential for Soft company to have a strong workforce and it is only possible
when the manager and the leaders of the company work together so that they can get the best out
of the employees (Thomé, Scavarda and Scavarda, 2016). Managers must know what is the kind
of pressure that the employees can take and the chances of adapting to the changes. Leaders have
to have a good relationship and a trustful relationship so that they can adapt to the changes in the
company. There are a lot of technological changes which are taking place in Soft which have to
be accepted by the employees therefore the leaders must have a good command on the
employees which is present therefore the company can get a competitive advantage in market
very quickly.
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Factors Within Business Environment that Impact Upon Operational Management
 Business Ethics
Any changes which are taking place in Soft have to be updated with all the employees of
the company so that the organization can have a common direction to function in so that the
organization will be able to have a competitive advantage. Treating all employees with the same
business ethics is very essential so that the organization will be able to have a common
functioning for the company (Haksever and Render, 2017). Managers and leaders have to make
sure that they are doing their work in Soft with full dedication so that the employees can also
have a good environment to function in. There has to be proper attention which is being received
by all the employees of the company so that the company can have an effective functioning for
themselves and the organization will be able to function better.
 Value
There are a certain gets of values which the Soft company is holding for themselves in
the market which have to be followed so that they can have a better functioning for themselves.
It is very important for the organization to have a competitive advantage for themselves so that
they can have a long run in market which is going to be very fulfil for the company (Cachon,
Girotra and Netessine, 2020). Standards of Soft company are set which is why the company will
have to make measures accordingly so that they can have a powerful functioning for themselves
because there is a lot of competition in market. There has to be equality in the organization so
that all the employees continue to give their best in the organization which is going to be very
helpful for a long run in market.
 Corporate Social Responsibilities
The impact on the environment of Soft is not so much and whatever there is the company
has already taken measures according to that factor so that they can have an effective functioning
for themselves which is a very essential factor for them. Leaders have to have a good command
on the employees of the company so that the measures which are being taken by the management
are being followed in the organization and that will be very good for the company.
 Culture
The culture of Soft is making workforce of the organization feel equal which improves
the functioning of the business enterprise effectively and can be healthy (Nair and Reed‐Tsochas,
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2019). It is very important for employees of the business organisation are being provided with a
healthy atmosphere to work in so that they can make the company achieve their objectives and
aims from time to time. Managers have a mission and vision for the company and with the help
of the leaders of the company the organization can achieve them because they can motivate the
employees in the right measure so that the company can get a fulfilment of the goals. Employees
should also have a level of satisfaction with the kind of work they are doing in the organization
which helps to make the organization have an effective functioning. Soft is a well developed
company and is a technological friendly as well therefore adapting to the changes is not going to
be all that difficult in organization.
CONCLUSION
This report concludes that there are techniques and methods that can be used by the
organization so it can attain their objectives and goals accordingly. The leaders and managers
have a great role in creating the organization to achieve their objectives and goals. There has to
be a skilled and knowledge in leader and managers of the organizations which helped the
business organisation and the decisions for the future will be taken in a better way so that the
organization can achieve a high level of profitability in market. There are lot of employees
turnover and conflicts which rose in organizations but an effective leadership and management
style had solved all those factors which is going to be very beneficial for the organization.
Internal and external factors have to be analysed by the managers and leaders accordingly so that
they can make the decisions for the future which is going to be very helpful for the future.
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