Approaches to Operations Management and the Role of Leaders and Managers

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.........1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.......................................................................................................3
P3 Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.........................................................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play..............................................................................................................................6
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P6 Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers.....................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Management is undertaken as the concept which is useful in terms of providing guidance
to company in terms of its effective operations considering its staff members as well. In regard of
this, organisation is considered as an administration which include the people, culture, structure,
goals and objectives in an effective manner (Burns, 2018). In terms of this, operations
management the procedure which is useful in terms of taking significant decisions that has major
impact on the performance and productivity of company and an organisation also gets influence
at the time of change. To carry forward this report, farmfoods is considered which is a British
Frozen Food supermarket chain situated in Cumbernauld, Scotland. In regard of this, company
also operate its functions in UK and also has around 300 stores. Along with this, report tends to
cover the functions of manager and role of leader as per various situations in order to get better
vision for the significant concept. Furthermore, it tends to cover several models and theories
considering the operations management with effective execution. It also undertake the
significance of operations management practices and undertake several factors that has major
impact on the decision making of leaders and managers.
TASK 1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
Leaders are those individuals who has the effective power that has major influence on the
mind and thinking pattern of employees according to them. Furthermore, these people has major
influence on other individuals in terms of work done by other (Gillen, Jacquillat and Odoni,
2016). Moreover, it is useful for the leaders to motivate employees and make significant
improvement in their working pattern regarding the effective achievement of targets and
objectives in an effective manner.
Characteristics of leader:
Positive attitude: It is significant for the leader to have positive attitude as it is helpful for
the followers in terms of increasing their morale in an effective manner and make things possible
within the stipulated period of time. Therefore, this attitude is essential among leaders in terms of
accomplishing their objectives and tasks in an effective manner.
Hard worker: It is undertaken as the significant characteristic of a leader as in this,
leaders influences others to work harder and for this, leaders need to set an example among its
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employees and followers as due to this, they can follow the pathway of leaders considering the
requirements and preferences.
Role of a leader:
 Leaders tends to offer prominent guidance and support in terms of encouraging their
employees as it is prominent to enhance the performance level of employees as it is
related to the work which is offered to them (Bozarth and Handfield, 2016). Additionally, leaders also tends to take decisions and provide guidance as per their goals
and objectives of the benefit of both company and employees so that there is no
employee who feel left over in company.
Manager are the individuals who is responsible for proper management undertaking
various tasks which is performed in company and by employees as well in an effective manner
regarding the achievement of objectives and goals of company (Ferguson and et. al., 2019).
Characteristic of manager: There are various characteristics of managers that are important for
the effective working condition in an organisation in terms of Farmfoods which is mentioned as
underneath:
 In terms of this, communication is significant characteristic of manager in which
managers need to immediately transfer the information to their employees and also tell
them regarding the responsibilities and roles of as by this they can work in an effective
manner. Managers also tends to assign power and duties to their employees as by this they can
also get motivate in order to improve their performance undertaking their objectives and
targets in company.
Role of a manager:
 Managers need to provide effective guidance to their employees as by this they can
prominently complete the work which is assigned to employees in an effective manner. Managers also need to monitor the overall working performance and progress of
employees in terms of taking better decisions to make effective enhancement for the
performance of employees.
Comparison among the leaders and managers:
Basis Leader Manager
Meaning Leaders are those individuals Managers are those who work
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