Management and Operations

Management and Operations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................1
Leader and Manager....................................................................................................................1
LO2..................................................................................................................................................3
A Leader and a Manager for Different Situational Contexts.......................................................3
Leadership Approaches................................................................................................................4
LO3..................................................................................................................................................7
Approaches to Operations Management......................................................................................7
Importance of Operations Management.......................................................................................7
LO4..................................................................................................................................................8
Influencing Factors......................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Management and operations are major parts of any organization. Management comes
under major activities of top-level management. In other hand operations are that all activities
which management operate or regulate for the purpose of achieve organization's decided goals.
In any business all operations are supervises by top-level management. Operations' includes
some major organization's activities, like; manage efficiency, manage people, manage
production, marketing, finance management, market research, etecetra. These all activities are
completely handling and controlling by upper management of the organization. The main
objectives of the management is to smoothly run necessary operations at any target place for
gain productive results from activities of operations. Operations management is one of the major
tasks of organization which always work for profit maximization. This is discusses management
and operations aspects of Tesco. It is a top British retail company which has the largest
supermarket chain within its home country the United Kingdom.
LO1
Leader and Manager
A leader can be defined as basically a person in company who is responsible for leading
the people or employees which comes under their command. The major role of leader is to
guide, teach, rules, and inspires their employees or team members. The characteristics of a leader
include leading people, Motivating them, creating effective teamwork and improving
performance.
A manager on the other hand is a person who is responsible for administration and
controllability of the company. The manager plays great role in the observation of all activities
and operations which company run to gain high profit. Manager is a person who is a planner,
decision-maker, order giver and motivator.
Difference Between a Leader and Manager
A leader and manager play great role in the all operations of Tesco. Without these
company can't achieve its decided goals in market easily (Naqshbandi and Jasimuddin, 2018).
Both are putting great efforts in the company's specific operations. Here is included some major
differences between a leader and manager below;
Supervision: The leader and the manager, both are has responsibility for supervise activities of
the company. In which leader only responsible for supervise a team or a group of employees. In
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other hand the manager's responsibility is to supervise and manage all aspects of the company
including employees.
The leader also supervise by the manager within Tesco. The manager is able to give
necessary orders to the leader. Here is the leader is responsible to take orders from manager and
follow them at their workplace. The manager is comes under the top-level management of
company and leader mostly comes under middle-level management.
Inspiring and Planning: The leader is always work for inspire and motivate to employees or
people which comes under their command. The major task for leader is to effectively maintain
workability and efficiency or employees (Becker, 2018). It always needs to implement some
people management strategies at their workplace for make employees inspired.
In other hand manager is focuses on make and prepare effective planning for company
for gain higher profit in market. Planning is first task for the manager. In which it plans and take
necessary decisions on the basis of its learning and observation. The main objective behind
manager's planning task is to maintain progressive path of the Tesco.
Decision-Making and Implementation: Most of the major decisions within company are taken
by manager. The manager takes some specific decisions for growth of company in any market
segment. In this case the manager is necessarily needed to use its decision-making skills for take
effective decisions.
In other side leader is responsible to implement that manager's decisions within Tesco's
business environment. The leader also has authority to take decisions but not like a manager
(Zaech and Baldegger, 2017). The leader is able to take decisions, but only related to its
workplace, like; provide needed training sessions to the employees, etc. Main role of the leader is
to implement such tasks within company's operations which mentioned in manager's decisions.
Similarities Between a Leader and Manager
There are many similarities between the leader and manager in the Tesco. In which some
major similarities are discusses below;
Focuses on Improve Performance: The leader and the manager both are always focuses on
performance aspect. Both always try to put their highest efforts at respective workplace for
improve the all over performance of the Tesco in international market. The leader provides some
training sessions and seminars to employees for improve their workability and performance in
company's operations.
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The manager also need to some skilful employees in company which capable for cover
any task in smart way, So, manager arrange specific fund for their employees to provide them
that training sessions and seminars (Thorpe and Gold, 2016). In this process leader and manager
also work together for achieve same performance improvement objective.
Focuses on Make Healthy Work Culture: It is hard for any business to achieve its decided
goals in market without healthy and happy work culture. On the basis of this statement, leader
and the manager both are always tried to make healthy and happy work culture in Tesco's
business environment. With the help of this work culture employees are able to improve their
workability, they never get stressed at workplace.
For maintain healthy work culture within company leader and manager are work
together. Both work for develop and innovate such strategies which help them in making of this
work culture. The management of Tesco completely understand value of healthy and happy
work culture.
Manage Human Resource: The leader always lead a team or a group of people in company. In
which major task for leader is to effective manage its team members and employees for take
productive work from them (Laureani and Antony, 2017). It listens their employees, try to solve
their problems related to workplace, etc.
In other hand manage human resource is also one of major tasks for manager at Tesco.
Currently company has the largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. In which for cover
all supermarket activities it has large number of employees too. In this case it is necessary for
manager for perfectly manage these all employees for achieve positive results in retail industry.
LO2
A Leader and a Manager for Different Situational Contexts
Leader and manager play great role in every situational context within company. Tesco
works at the large scale in international market, in this case manager and leader both are facing
different situations and conditions on daily basis. In which both uses their own work skills to
perfectly deal with these situational contexts. Here is Tesco's some situational contexts are
discusses below;
Increase Sales: The company always focuses on increase its sales aspect in the market. In which
manager need give orders to all departments like; Production, Marketing, IT, Finance, Human
Resource, etc. for aware them about increase sales of Tesco (Brewster and Söderström, 2017).
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The manager gives some specific guidelines also to these departments to work in a that manner
which help in increase company's sales.
In this same situation a leader also play their great role by motivate its team members and
employees to work hard for purpose of increase sales aspect of company. In this case a leader
take some work guidelines from its manager for implement them in its teamwork. So, here is
both manager and leader are too important for growth of the company.
Effective Marketing: Marketing is one of the main functions of Tesco. It takes great advantages
from this marketing term. Currently company's market reputation is very high in retail industry.
The main reason behind this statement is company's effective marketing. Manager at Tesco is
always focuses on maintain great marketing value within company. It gives specific instructions
to marketing department for cover all marketing activities in systematic manner.
In other hand leader in the company also responsible to perfectly lead their people or
employees which are related to marketing activities (Hoffman and Tadelis, 2018). Employees are
main resource for company which cover all activities under marketing to promote its products
and services in global market. So, here is leader and manager play great roles in Tesco's this
context as well.
Expand Business: Expansion process of Tesco is very effective. The company highly succeed in
spread their business in many European countries and still working on more expansion in other
continents, in which manager is responsible for analyse all retail markets within the world and
choose favourable market for business expansion (White, 2019). For cover activities of
expansion manager give orders to research and development department of the company to
study and research international market opportunities.
Leader at Tesco put their great efforts in expansion of company's business in all over the
world. It works for improve their employees performance, because they are very helpful in
expansion process. Without effective leadership Tesco can't able to expand their business in
international market.
Leadership Approaches
There are various theories and approaches of leadership called; Situational leadership,
contingency and systems leadership. These approaches provide specific work terminologies to
leader. There are these three major leadership approaches are discusses below;
Situational Leadership
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Situational leadership was first developed and introduced by Paul Hersey and Kenneth
Blanchard. On the basis on this leadership no single style of leadership is good for company
(WOLF, 2015). Situational leadership says a leader is great asset for an organization which really
helpful in manage people at work. This approach of leadership is helpful in guide leader to
perfectly deal with each type of situation within company. There are four major styles are
included in situational leadership;
1. Telling: In telling, leader need to tell all information about task to their employees or
people which comes under their command. In telling, leader is responsible to mention all
things like; what task to do, how and when to do, what resource they will use for cover
that task etc.
2. Selling: Selling indicates situation where leader share their ideas, decisions and
guidelines to their employees. In this case employees carefully listen their leader's
decisions for implement them at work place.
3. Participating: In participating, leader need to participate at employees' workplace,
because they always need some support and guidance of leader for complete their task in
productive way (Eyers and Naim, 2019). In this case, leader is responsible for give
additional direction to their team members and employees.
4. Delegating: In this style, leader need to give some decision-making authority to their
employees as well. The main purpose of this style to aware employees about their ability
and performance on the basis of self-analysis. With this, employees are also able to know
their workability. In this case, leader's supervision compulsorily needed.
Strengths: Situational leadership is too practical in nature, because it is very easy for leader to
understand and then for apply. It helps in addressing each problem in way it is required to be
addressed thus giving personalized solutions to employees.
Weaknesses: It is very time-consuming and too difficult in management and further, it might
reduce analysis of other more important aspects. This can be a huge loss for strategic decision-
making of a company.
Systems Leadership
Systems leadership make able to leader to create such environment where employees are
work effectively and systematic manner in company. It was first introduced by Dr. MacDonald.
With the help of this approach a leader completely understand value of proper and systematic
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work in business environment. Currently leaders in the Tesco are fully following terminologies
of system leadership. That's why each activity within company is running in systematic manner.
It is very helpful in gain productive results from all activities of company.
There are some strategies are also needed to use by leader for perfectly create a
systematic zone in business environment of the Tesco (Patrick, 2017).
Strengths: It is helpful creation of systematic zone within company and with the help of this
leadership company can easily reduce its wastage of both cost and time.
Weaknesses: It is some complicated in use and therefore, unless a person is adequately
experienced, it might be difficult to implement leadership style adequately.
Contingency
Contingency is an important theory or approach of leadership which Introduced by
Fiedler. It is focuses on make leadership more effective in an organization. Contingency
approach of leadership says a leader can't success only on the basis their workability. There are
all factors which related to company are impact success of leader.
Leader's success indicates conditions where its leadership is completely become
productive and effective, successful leadership always based on high productivity of four main
variables called; Leader, Employees or followers, Company, Environment.
Strengths: Contingency approach is predictive and flexible and therefore different problems can
be addressed without affecting overall operation of an organization.
Weaknesses: It is only focuses on situation, because resources and tools are avoided by it.
Human behaviour also ignored by contingency approach and this lack of any consideration for
humans is major drawback of this leadership style,
Recommendations:
 In case of situational leadership style, in Tesco, there are many leaders in company which
responsible for cover different activities for achieve common goals. This can help
leaders in addressing different situations at workplace that a leader might faces.
 Systems leadership can help in easily identifying segments or parts that are facing
problems and then these can be resolved by leaders of Tesco in a much quicker manner.
 The contingency leadership style can be used specifically in order to analyse work
environment for improving leadership aspect.
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LO3
Approaches to Operations Management
TQM (Total Quality Management) and JIT (Just in Time) are two major key approaches
to operations management. In these approaches leader and manger play great role which
discusses below:
Total Quality Management: It is one of main approaches of operations management which
focuses on perfectly manage quality of products and services which Tesco offering to their
customers. With the help of this all employees are organized and work for quality improvement
of products and services (Herman and Dasborough, 2016). The main role is played by a manager,
because it plans for start all tasks within company which help in quality control and
improvement.
In other hand leader also play effective role by motivate their employees for put high
efforts in improve quality of products and services of Tesco. For example; in production process
a leader provide specific guidelines to their employees which operating machineries. Then
employees also get motivated for avoid such production errors at their workplace.
Just in Time: Just in time is also very helpful approach to operations management which
completely focuses on management of inventory. It is also a method which companies are uses
for reduce their waste aspect in the production process. In Tesco, it is very helpful in scheduling
for raw material arriving. Main objective of Just in Time is to improve efficiency and reduce
waste by proper inventory management. So, here is this all JIT operation is handle by manager.
The manager plan and take decisions for what raw material are necessary in production.
The leader give report to manager about what type of raw material is currently needed in
the production process (Daft and Marcic, 2016). Then on basis this leader's report, management
purchase only that products which necessarily needed in production process. This role of leader
is very supportive to Tesco by reducing huge waste within production process.
Importance of Operations Management
Operations management is very important to Tesco for easily achieve its objectives in
international market. There are some importance of operations management are mentioned
below;
Important in Employees Management: With the help of operations management Tesco easily
manage their employees in its business environment. It is also important in improve their
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performance and productivity at workplace. Currently employees are one of main resources for
Tesco. They 24*7 putting great efforts in company's supermarkets, stores and also in other
business activities for achieving company's objectives.
Important in Quality Control: Operations management also focuses on Tesco's products and
services quality control (MITSDE, 2018). It also motivates to the management to improve
production quality. In this case suppose company provide the best quality products to customers.
Then it able to build great customers base in international market. At the final stage according to
this importance of operations management Tesco can automatically achieve their decided
objectives in market.
Important in Development and Innovation: Operations management always promote the
development and innovation aspects in any business. With help of this Tesco also able to develop
and innovate such new and exclusive range of products for customers. These exclusive products
and services are highly attracted to the people towards brand. In this case once customers
impressed by new products of company. Then Tesco easily achieve their objective of high profit.
Important in Gaining Competitive Advantage: Systematic operations management always
important in run all business activities in productive way, In which Tesco is currently facing high
competition in retail industry. The management of company need to manage their all operations
in proper channel for improve its market performance (Hemmer and Labro, 2016). It is necessary
for company to achieve competitive advantage objective to beat competitors in the market. So,
here is operations management also important in achieve this major objective for Tesco.
LO4
Influencing Factors
In Tesco's business environment there are various factors which impacting and
influencing operations management and also decision-making process of leader and managers.
Taxation: This factor is really impacting operations management and decision-making of
leaders and manager. For example: Government of the United Kingdom increase taxation in
retail industry. In this case operations management of Tesco will completely impact, because
manager take decisions for increase pricing of products and services (Bendoly, McClintock and
Pandey, 2017). Leader also take follow decisions of the manager for implement in workplace.
So, here is all affecting and impacting by these factors.
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Customers: Customers are highly impacting to company's operations management. The
company has no control on customers needs. Suppose in customers not liking products and
services which company offered, they move on to other products and services which currently in
trend. In this case, manager need to take decisions for produce such products in company which
customers are purchasing in the market. Leader also take decisions for aware their employees
about market trend and order them for produce new products.
Employee Personal Factors: Personal factors are also impacting to operations management of
the company, because there are different type of employees are working in Tesco. They all come
from different background. So, while taking any decisions all see any situation on the basis of
their own experiences and mindset. This condition also apply on manager and leader as well,
because they also have their own motivations and mentality. In this case these personal factors
highly impact to operations management and decision-making process of leader and manager.
Risk Factors: A manager at Tesco always need to take some specific and effective decisions
with business environment for avoid risk from company. The manager knows company always
has risk factors. In these factors some are controlled by manager and some are out of control. For
example: there are chances of high flood in England (Leśniewski, 2016). In this case manager
take decisions for take care of products which are aligned in England's supermarket by plastic
cover. Leader also implement that orders of manager in their risk management activities. Leader
take decisions for give different tasks to different employees. So, here is operations management
and decision-making process of leaders and manager also highly impacting and affecting by risk
factors.
Corporate Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility aspect signifies that company
should always bear in mind that they have to revert a part of the resources that they have used to
public or society which has hence been deprived. Managers at Tesco can ensure that company
indulges in regular CSR activities and also refuses to compromise with ethical or culture related
aspect.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that leader and manager both are playing great role in the business
operations of Tesco. Without them company can't achieve their decided goals in specific time
period. The manager's managing skills are very helpful in maintain current reputation of
company in international market. Leader also too good in company which always focuses on
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improve their team members and employees performance at workplace. These also included
there major theories and approaches of leadership. These approaches are supportive to leader in
improve its own workability. There are Total Quality Management and Just in Time both are
major key approaches to operations management. With the help of these approaches Tesco able
to increase its efficiency and reduce its waste aspect in production process. There are much
importance of operations management in company's business environment for achieve its main
objectives. These also included some factors within company which putting high impact on
operations management and decision-making process of leader and manager. With effective
operations' management, Tesco able to gain high competitive advantage in the international
market.
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REFERENCES
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Online
MITSDE. 2018. Importance of operations management. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://blog.mitsde.com/importance-of-operations-management/>.
Patrick, C. 2017. Five roles of a leader. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.usi.edu/outreach/engage/2017-archives/five-roles-of-a-leader/>.
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