Key Approaches to Operations Management and the Role of Leaders and Managers

This article discusses the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play in achieving business objectives. It covers topics such as Six Sigma, Total Quality Management, and Lean Production.

Management
and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Comparison and definition of mangers and leaders ............................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
P2. The role for the leader, the functions for the manager apply for various situational contexts
......................................................................................................................................................4
P3. Application of various theories..............................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P4. Key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play.. .7
Operations Management..................................................................................................................7
P5. Importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.............9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6: The factors for the business which impacts the management decisions for leaders and
managers:...................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Management implies administration and coordination of various tasks to achieve set
desired goals (Oloruntoba, Hossain and Wagner, 2019). These activities of administration
involve framing of firm’s strategies and coordinating the efforts of staff to accomplish these
objectives with the utilization of available resources. It defines longevity structure of all the staff
members within the organisation. These goals can be attaining through management of
operations which is concerned with designing, controlling and redesigning operations of business
in the production activities of product and services. For with report Waitrose & Partners
enterprise in consider, which is a British brand of supermarkets establish in 1904. They are the
eight largest retailers in UK for groceries.
In this report various roles along with features of leaders and mangers, different models
of approach and theories are also discussed. Further this report, includes key approaches to
operation management with role of leaders and value as well as importance of operation
management. Apart from this report, also throw light on the factors that impact operation of
management within environment of business.
TASK 1
P1. Comparison and definition of mangers and leaders
Leader: Leaders are those how visualises how things should be done, improve and they
gather people in order to move towards better vision (Magnet and Tschandl, 2020). Waitrose &
Partners leaders ensures that all employees work, understand and embrace in the same direction
for achieving objectives.

Manager: Managers are those who are liable for getting things done, setting and
achieving organisational goals (Mishra, 2019). Waitrose & Partners managers develop and
carries management process effectively so that their stores run and generate more income.
Difference Between Leader and Manager:
Basis Leader Manager
Role Waitrose & Partners leaders
perform following role-
 They ensure time
management in order
to do finish each
activity on time.
 Motivate and inspire
subordinates to
improve their working
skills.
 They inspire other
works.
Waitrose & Partners managers
perform following roles-
 They help management
to take effective
decisions.
 They monitor work as
well as employee’s
performances.
 They help enterprise to
allocate their resources.
Characteristics Features of Waitrose &
Partners leaders are-
 They are self-aware
about their qualities
and know how
effectively they can
do various things.
 They are focus on
how they can develop
skills of their staff
members.
Waitrose & Partners manager’s
characteristics are-
 They build work
culture were everyone
can easily trust each
other.
 They understand
employees values and
try to retain them in
entity.

TASK 2
P2. The role for the leader, the functions for the manager apply for various situational contexts
Managers wears many hats in order to perform various activities which provide road map
to enterprise to accomplish their goals (Wei and Akinci, 2019). In order to performance, there
activities in better way they try to perform functions like organising, leading, planning and
controlling. In reference to, Waitrose & Partners there managers perform all these function to
build company image and improve their performances. These functions are mention underneath-
Planning: Planning is the most basic function of management (Wei and Li, 2020). It
deals with framing future actions and determining in advance which course of action will be
appropriate in achieving goals that are pre determine. This function act as a bridge between
entities present (where they are) and future (what they are planning to be). Leaders of Waitrose
& Partners with this function can program their plan of action in advance that will save their time
and fulfil their desires.
Organising: Organising implies bringing physical, human and financial resources
together and build a productive relation between them (Yayla‐Küllü, Ryan and Swaminathan,
2020). This function includes determination, categorization of activities, assignment of duties,
delegating authority and maintaining coordination between responsibility and authority. Waitrose
& Partners with the help of organising can manage all their activities and it will also ensure
completion of work on time.
Staffing: This function is for manning structure of organisation with effective and proper
selection as well as development and appraisal of individuals (Djajasinga, 2020). It involves
promotion, recruitment, placement, selection training and development. In context to Waitrose &
Partners it will help them in staffing skilful workers for right job, at right place and at right time.
Controlling: Controlling helps managers to measure each and every individual
performance in order to take decisions accordingly (Yayla‐Küllü, Ryan and Swaminathan, 2020).
Leaders with controlling can evaluate how well they have accomplished their desired goals. They
can also keep processes in right place so that standards can be establish. Waitrose & Partners
with controlling function can determine what they should do more and what they have already
done to build more customer force.
Directing: It is that part of managerial function which trigger methods of organisation to
work effectively so that purposes of enterprises can be achieve (Wiboonrat, 2019). It deals with

supervising, motivating, guiding and influencing subordinates to accomplish those purposes.
Waitrose & Partners leaders with this role can properly communicate with their employees by
motivating them and supervising them.
Situations for company in context to leaders, managers:
Changing location: This circumstances arises when entities are planning to locate their
store in various areas to attract more customers and earn more profit. Waitrose & Partners is
planning to relocate its some of the stores so that they can reach more customers. Planning will
help in framing future actions and determining in advance which course of action will be
appropriate in achieving goals that are pre determine.
Change management: Change in management situation occurs when enterprises plan to
completely change their policies with the change in market trends and customer’s preference.
Organising will help them in determination, categorization of activities, assignment of duties,
delegating authority and maintaining coordination between responsibility and authority. In this
regard Waitrose & Partners with change in entire management system can perform in better way.
P3. Application of various theories
Organisations follow various kind of theories with models in order to manage those
situations which are not known or not recognise by them (Orsdemir, Hu and Deshpande, 2019).
Waitrose & Partners with the use of different theories can pull them off from any difficult
condition like change in location or conflict between employees. These theories are discussed as
under-
Situational leadership theory: Situational leadership theory give emphasis on leaders quality, it
state that best leaders are those who can change them according to situation prevailing at that
particular period of time (Akter and Wamba, 2019). They can act in many ways such as they
may coach, command, participate, persuade or delegate according to situation. In brief this
theory define how flexible leaders should be. In context to Waitrose &Partners, this theory will
help their managers in order to resolve the problem of location. In this regard managers can
examine which type of location they need depending on their stock level, transportation cost and
customers approachability.

Strength- Application of this theory will be an advantage as it helps in finding
uncertainties, alert about current situation and fight ambiguity.
Weakness- This theory primarily focus on supervisors that leads to the ignorance of
working conditions and this theory is not hard-hitting for task environment.
System leadership theory: This theory gives importance to each and every activity that requires
accurate tools and techniques in the way of achieving set or desired goals by the entities
(Banomyong, Varadejsatitwong and Oloruntoba, 2019). It describes inside relations and inter
dependencies among different departments of enterprises. It provides holistic view to managers
so that they can deal any kind of circumstance and complexities coming in their path. Leaders of
Waitrose &Partners with this theory can create such working environment where employees can
coordinate and work in efficiently.
Strength- System theory enhances adaptability power of an enterprise which helps them
to work in any dynamic conditions. Waitrose &Partners company can motive themselves to
adapt to any situation by studying entire structure of working.
Weakness-This theory does not render information relating to specific function of an
entity. Waitrose & Partners leaders may not take their decisions on time as this may delay their
work.
Contingency theory- These theories are collection of those behavioural theories which states
that there is no particular way or best method which arranges and keep a check on enterprise
functioning (Orsdemir, Hu and Deshpande, 2019). Regardless to this leaders, mangers who are
appointed should have quality and power of making decisions about any circumstance. Waitrose
& Partners can apply this theory in order to attain maximum output from any difficult
situation.
Strength- Managers, leaders of Waitrose & Partners can examine and apply any tool like
planning, coordination, controlling and directing depending on situation.
Weakness- Contingency theory is not stable and is a very critical approach as it does not
cater advise to managers about what they should do, when to do and how they can do it.
In context to Waitrose & Partners, managers, leaders should turn to situational theory as
it give full right to them so that they can modify and adapt to any kind of change and meet their
intentions in effective manner.

TASK 3
P4. Key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play.
Operations Management
It is concerned with planning and designing the procedure in context of manufacturer of
goods and services to achieve highest level of efficiency in enterprise (Gencer, 2019). It converts
raw materials into goods and services efficiently and effectively to maximize profit in entity. In
an organisation, it helps firm to achieve each and every aspect of planning, designing and
controlling the operation and determines how firms can improve their quality confidence and
financial problems. Several key approaches are affiliated to operations management that plays a
significant role in respect of managers and leaders with context of Waitrose and Partners are as
follows:
Six Sigma:
With relevance of six sigma, it is a process to improves quality of services and remove all
defects, cost decrease and time saving procedure (Orsdemir, Hu and Deshpande, 2019). In Case
of Waitrose and Partners, this will help to increase their performance and ensures product quality
which lead to employee team spirit and increment in profit in respect to customer satisfaction.
Managers guide performance of their employees and create a biological environment. Leaders
have some responsibility in firm like they manage team to provide a better direction and give
total effort to their team.
Total Quality Management:
According to this management, it provides a long term success in firms and improve
customer satisfaction (Oloruntoba, Hossain and Wagner, 2019). It is concerned each and every
aspect of quality that determines continuous improvement and effective communications with
organisation. With context of Waitrose and Partners, it ensures to check overall quality
management and enhanced the manufacture procedure to improve the quality of services with
achieving a certain goals and objectives. Managers used in quality management they focus on
customer satisfaction and communicate those customers who have delivered to confront
misunderstandings. Leaders plays a vital role in this because they promote the quality of
management and provide the instruction of some employees in firm as well as customers and
suppliers.
Lean Production:

The concept of lean production is a movement that manufacturing process used for a
destruct waste and focus on maximizing the productivity (Djajasinga, 2020). It improves the
product quality and reduction of overall cost by making firms can effectively and efficiently. In
case of Waitrose and Partners, mainly it focus on the quality of services and each and every
aspect of firms through manufacture to organisation that meets market needs. With lean
production, managers ensure that every employee in organisation contribute 100% to the
improvement procedure and identify actual problems constantly. Leaders play a significant role
in lean production because they always promote those employees who work with efficiently,
honesty and create a learning environment in entire entities.
P5. Importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.
Operations Management is significant in firms because it helps to develop and manage
effectively and efficiently. The effectiveness of operations management defines function and
responsibilities inside and outside the enterprise. It efforts of employees and convert various raw
materials into finished goods to achieve their optimum utilization of resources. Key importance
and values that defines operations management to achieve business objectives in context of
Waitrose and partners are as under:
Customer Satisfaction: In this, operations management determines whether customers
are happy with their good and services or not and if they are happy then it include feedbacks and
surveys to recognize how they can help to improve or modify its products and services. In case
of Waitrose and partners, customer satisfaction is important in management because it measures
how products and services to meet their customer expectation and make sure that service quality
is best for customer. It is used to help quality management that firms maintain a good quality
service and make sure to choose the right customer at right roles. Customer will be satisfied
when product and services of firm are good and to meet a long term needs according to
customers’ expectations and client is happy with products and services then firm can achieve its
goals and objectives.
Competitive Advantage: The concept of competitive advantages requires activity of
system that has a specific benefit over competitors (Yayla‐Küllü, Ryan and Swaminathan, 2020)
(Djajasinga, 2020). The main aim of this advantage is that to create a customer value in a
suitable and efficient way. With context of Waitrose and Partners, firm can compare their
products to other competitors whether it is a low cost in market or higher quality through with

discrimination. An effective operations manager means a firm can grow in advance of its
competition and if both factors internal and external are managed inside and outside the
enterprise that means great position in marketplace.
Values of Operations Management:
Product and Service Quality: According to this quality, products and services meets
their customer needs and wants and enhance a customer satisfaction. The operations manager
will determine a list of product and procedures that everything is order in respect of production
process. It ensures hiring a suitable employee so that they can give the maximum result and
enhance profitability on enterprise. With context of Waitrose and Partners, operations
management see the quality of goods and services to check strength and responsibility. If the
product quality is not good, then it gives sharpness as compared to other competitors.
Increase in Revenue: Firms will have better goodwill to market because of great product
and quality services and customer satisfaction also. This will lead to raise the market share,
revenue and a new client base. Revenue growth helps firm to launching a new range of product
and provide a better service to people that will impact increase a technology. In case of Waitrose
and Partners, operations managements help enterprise to achieve its goals and objectives for
maximising profit and reduced cost of production that will lead to gain more sales for growth of
organisation.
TASK 4
P6: The factors for the business which impacts the management decisions for leaders and
managers:
Business environment implies group of entities, individuals and various significant
factors (external and internal) which any how control the performance and productivity of an
enterprise. Various factors which influence Waitrose & Partners mangers decisions are discuss as
under-
Culture: Culture of an enterprise rely of concoction of its current and past leaders, its
founders as well as its crises and history (Wei and Li, 2020). It is the joint behaviour of all
members and what vision, values, beliefs and habits that they have adjoin with their actions. It is

important for managers to understand how they can implement their practices which fits in their
company.
Resources: Managers and leaders of the enterprise should consider all resources they
have such human, financial, physical, informational and technological. They have to get data
related to market, profile of employees, reports of production and sales prediction in order to
maintain systematic working.
Values: Values implies all those standards and laws which helps in deriving better view
about what is important and what can be neglected. It depends and differ from person to person
as every individual have different culture, background of family and values. Managers and
leader’s decisions will be impacted by values as they influence performances and activities of
individuals along with enterprise. There improvement will increase profitability of company.
Corporate Social Responsibility: It helps companies to become socially accountable
towards stakeholders, public and also towards itself as it is that model of business which is self-
regulating (Banomyong, Varadejsatitwong and Oloruntoba, 2019). In CSR companies will work
in such a way, where they can enhance environment and society instead of impacting them in
negative way. This factor influences many domain like steps taken to improve substitutability
through various measures such as management of supply chain, efforts towards unethical
practices of labour and may be installing sources of renewable resources. Decisions of managers
and leaders of Waitrose & Partners will be influence by corporate social responsibility as they
are answerable to what they do, how they do and this may harm or build their brand image.
Sustainability: Sustainability plays a crucial role in establishing enterprises for the long
term in market (Wiboonrat, 2019). Waitrose & Partners managers should consider those tactics
which will help them to survive in market, beat competition and face difficult situations. There
decisions directly affect working of the entity which leads to their endurance and maintain
longevity.
All the above factors impact leaders and manager’s decision making process but on the
other side they also motivate them to work hard and perform in systematic way so that the
purpose of entities gets fulfilled.
CONCLUSION
From the above discussion it can be concluded that operations are needed so that
businesses can effectively utilise their resources. They make in making decisions and actions

relating to service, production, distribution and management. Operation together with
management act as a tool which helps in utilising the available resourced to their maximum
capacity. Managers along with leaders becomes key people who perform various duties and roles
so they purpose of entities gets fulfilled. They ensure that work is completed, staff is properly
manage, satisfaction of customers and derive different strategies that overcomes their
competition. Approaches of operations management helps in reducing wastage, they save time of
processing and keep a check on products so that they are formed without any defect. Different
factors like competition, ethics of business and innovation in technology are enclosed in business
environment. Factors of business environment influence operations, decisions and management
of company as directly affect working of enterprise.

REFERENCES
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