Roles and Characteristics of Leaders and Managers in Operations Management

This article discusses the different roles and characteristics of leaders and managers in operations management. It explores the importance of operations management in achieving business objectives and analyzes various theories and approaches, including situational leadership, systems leadership, and contingency. The impact of the business environment on operational management and decision-making by leaders and managers is also examined.

Management and
Operation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
P1 Explain and compare different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.............1
P2 Analyses how role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in different situations
within organization......................................................................................................................2
P3 Evaluate different theories and approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.........................................................................................................3
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play..............................................................................................................................4
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................5
P6 Analyses the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers.....................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is an part of management concern with the controlling and
designing the process of product and business operation in production of product and services
(Agrawal, Atasu, and Van Wassenhove,2019). It ensure that every resource in organization
utilize in most effective way so that company can enhance the quality of product and services.
This report is based on British Steel Tinplate, company is one of the leading supplier of high
quality steel tinplate, with two manufacturing plants in South Wales, organization high range of
packaging markets, including beer markets and soft drinks carbonated. This report include
information about difference between the role of leader and the functions of the managers. Also
various role and functions of leaders and managers plays in different situations within an
organization. It also include the role and functions leaders and managers plays in the operation
function of an organization. And in the last it include relationship between leaders and
management in contemporary business environment.
MAIN BODY
P1 Explain and compare different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.
Managers:
Manager is the person who is responsible part of organization, managers focus on the
effective growth of the company and its appropriate management. They are in the charge of
department and the employees of the company. In the context of British Steel Tinplate, manager
of company focus on effective management of productivity of various products of the company
such as, steel cans, carbonated soft drinks, beer cans etc. manager play important role in the
management of all the functions of the company.
Leaders:
Leaders are the individuals that have capabilities and skills to influence people towards
better achievement of goals and objectives(Babich, and Hilary, 2020). They work towards
making vision of organization to turn into reality. In the context of British Steel Tinplate, leaders
of the company, has the power and capabilities to influence all the employees and motivate them
towards achievement of goals and objectives in the firm.
Comparison between role and characteristic of manager and leader:
Basis Role of manager Basis Characteristic of leader
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Monitor Managers of British Steel
Tinplate, regularly seek out the
information about the internal
and external environment of the
company, provide appropriate
change solution in the
organisation. It assist
organisation towards effective
growth and profitability.
Self
awareness
Leaders of Steel Tinplate, focused
skills and self awarenesses of
effectiveness within
organisation(Benjaafar,and Hu,
2020). They continuously work on
the enhancement of skills and
capabilities within a company so
that they can help in better growth
and profitability.
Spoke person Managers of Steel Tinplate,
also play an role of spoke
person in the organisation by
providing important and
necessary information to the
staff members and other
members.
Motivator Effective leader in the company
focused on the improvement in the
skills and capabilities of other
employees in the company. It
helps to enhance the productivity
of product and services.
P2 Analyses how role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in different situations
within organization.
Steel Tinplate, is well establish and growing organization, the deals in billions of cans
production in UK. Company face various situations within an organization that can impact its
management and effectiveness of productivity(Dogru, and Keskin, 2020). In various situations
leaders and managers of the company play different functions and role within company. Below is
various role and functions of leaders and managers is explained.
Innovation: Steel Tinplate, start the process of establishing virtues of steel in order to
gain competitive advantages in the market. For company develop high technology in the so that
it can help in better achievement of objective. Steel cans increase various advantages for the
company such as aluminum cans including 30% higher crush resistance, 20% higher denting
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resistance and 40% greater perforation strength. In this innovation situation in organization
leaders and managers plays important role and situation.
Role of the leader: In this leaders of Steel Tinplate, play an important role by motivating
and influencing the employees of the company to effectively understand new technology
innovation. Leaders also guide employees about the innovation in the company also they inform
them about the task and the activities in the business.
Functions of manager: In Steel Tinplate, in innovation process manager of the
company plays in important role in effective planning, organizing, and coordinating all the task
and activities during innovation strategy in the company
Product development: In current scenario company is producing all drinks cans that are
made from aluminum ring pull ends(Fisher, Olivares,and Staats, 2020). Now Steel Tinplate saw
opportunity to penetrate this market. They produce new end can and named it Ecotop. This steel
beverages opens via a push button mechanism, it offer customers attractive alternative to pull the
ring. In this situation of new product development leaders and managers of the company plays an
important role and function within an organization.
Role of leader: In this situation of product development, leaders of the company play the
role of effective research in the market and analyse competitive environment of the company.
They also leaders in Steel Tinplate, effectively control the external activities of business.
Function of manager: In this managers of the company perform management and
control function in the company. In order to gain effective productivity and growth in global
competitive market.
P3 Evaluate different theories and approach, including situational leadership, systems leadership
and contingency.
Situational leadership theory: This theory explain that effective leaders is the person
who select effective leadership style in the organization according to the different situations and
issues occurs. Situational theory says that leaders should correspond their leadership to the
respective situation that is assessed by various types of task, and nature of employees in the
organization(Helmold, 2020). In the context of Steel Tinplate, leaders of the company handle all
the situations and activities in the organization in most effective manner. They make strategy
according to the market condition and profitability rate. This theory could help employees and
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staff members of the company to have effective management of all the activities and task within
an organization.
System leadership theory: This theory of leadership refer to the systematic set of skills
and capabilities that individual has in order to become effective leaders in the organization. This
skills and capabilities support the leadership and system change process. In the context of Steel
Tinplate, leaders of the organization has all the skills and abilities that helps them in effective
management of organization and increase the level of various activities in the organization.
Contingency theory: This theory explain that there are various variables in the company
that can influence the leadership style of leaders in the organization(Huang, de Koster, and Yu,
2020). Also it says that there is no leadership style that can be applied to all the situations in the
organization. In the terms of Steel Tinplate, leaders of the company handle all the situations in
the organization in most effective manner so that it can help in better growth and profitability of
the company.
Thus, from the above information it can be understand that leaders of Steel Tinplate,
follow different leadership style according to the different variables, it helps the organization in
better planning of future growth and strategy, it also helps the employee of the company to get
effective guidance of all the task and activities they perform.
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers
play.
Operation management is the process of planning, organizing, supervising, of the
production, provision of services, or manufacturing(Meredith, and Shafer, 2019). It ensure that
company effectively use all the resource in order to gain effective productivity and growth in the
competitive market. This also ensure that organization turns outputs into inputs in most
appropriate manner. Below are various approaches of operational management in the context of
Steel Tinplate.
Total quality management: This approach of operational management helps
organizations to provide long term satisfaction form the product and services. Total quality
management approach ensure that every employee in the organization focus on effective quality
and growth in order to gain effective profitability and productivity. In the context of British steel
tinplate, total quality management in the company helps in effective performance of steel cans in
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the market, also it ensure that cost of steel versus aluminum, manage in most effective manner so
that company can gain effective level of productivity.
Lean production management: This approach of operational management focus on
cutting out waste and increase the efficiency in product system of the company. This approach
can be applied to all the functions and aspects of the business in order to gain maximum level of
profitability(Reid, and Sanders, 2019). Lean production aims to make business more efficient
and responsive by cutting the cost of production. In the context of British steel, lean production
management could help the company in the process of new product development in the market.
At the time of production of Ecotop company can utilize all the resource in most effective
manner and decease the cost of production it could help organization in effective productivity
and profitability in the market.
Just in time approach: It is an inventory system, that management the strategy to
provide raw materials orders from the suppliers directly with production system. In just in time
strategy producer has sufficient quality of inventories in order have enough product in order to
gain maximum demand. In the context of British steel firm, company handle all the supply and
growth of product and services in most effective manner in order to gain effective growth.
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.
Operation management is an important part of organization that helps in better
management of production process. It also assist employees towards the achievement of
organizational goals and objectives in order to fulfill the requirements by providing them
effective operation process. Below are the importance and values of the operation management
in the terms of British steel.
Customer satisfaction: operation management of the British steel, helps organization to
provide high level of customers satisfaction form the various products of the
company(Sabbaghtorkan, Batta, and He, 2020). Operation management ensure that all the
product and services in the organization produced in most efficient manner, of that customers
could become loyal towards the company.
Waste reduction: Operation management of the British steel ensure that they reduce the
waste in production of the company so that they can gain more profit and growth in the
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company. Waste reduction helps organization to reduce the cost of production and provide
customers effective quality of products and services.
Quality management: In British steel, the department of operational management
ensure that they provide effective quality of product and services to the company so that they can
gain high level of customers base and effective management of profitability of firm. Quality
management in British steel, is very important to gain competitive advantages and growth in the
market.
Thus, operation management is one of the most important part of the company that
provide effective growth and profitability. It also ensure that company produce effective quality
of product and services so that company can provide high level of customers satisfaction in the
market.
P6 Analyses the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers.
Business environment of the company include all the internal and external factors that
may have an impact on the decision making process of company. Its also provide insight about
the growth and profitability to the business in the changing environment of market. Below are
the various factors of business environment of British steel, that have impact on its decision
making process. just in time approach of operations management
Owners and shareholders: This are the ultimate decision maker of the business, they
take all the day to day decisions in the business in order to provide success to the
company(Torlak, Demir, and Budur, 2019). Shareholder of the company provide effective
strategies in finance management and selection of firms. In the context of British steel, company
manage and control all the functions, but the owners and shareholder of the company take
decision about the external market and also in new product development.
Workforce: Employees and the staff members of the company also has power to
influence the process of decision making. The effective production process of the company
increase its growth and profitability in the market. Skilled and talented employees in the
organization helps to increase effectively and growth by their efficient work.
Technology advancement: New technology advancement in the market, could also
influence the decision making process of the company. Latest technology attract more customers,
and influence them in order to gain better quality of product and services.
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Thus, from the above information it can be understand that in business environment there
are various factors that have an influence on the decision-making making process of the
company and it growth in the market. This factors of internal and external environment can
influence the growth and profitability in the business.
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CONCLUSION
From the above information it can be conclude that operation management helps
company in effective level of planning, organizing and controlling all the task and activities in
the organisation so that it can provide better insight and growth. Leaders and managers of the
company play different role and have different characteristic that helps organisation in effective
management of growth and profitability in the market. In organization there are different
situations occurs that have an impact on its functioning, in different situations leaders and
managers of the company play different role and function that helps in better growth. Different
theories and models of leaders explain various leadership styles that increase the level of
effectiveness in the market.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Agrawal, V.V., Atasu, A. and Van Wassenhove, L.N., 2019. OM Forum—New opportunities for
operations management research in sustainability. Manufacturing & Service Operations
Management, 21(1), pp.1-12.
Babich, V. and Hilary, G., 2020. OM Forum—Distributed ledgers and operations: What
operations management researchers should know about blockchain
technology. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 22(2), pp.223-240.
Benjaafar, S. and Hu, M., 2020. Operations management in the age of the sharing economy: what
is old and what is new?. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 22(1), pp.93-
101.
Dogru, A.K. and Keskin, B.B., 2020. AI in operations management: Applications, challenges and
opportunities. Journal of Data, Information and Management, pp.1-8.
Fisher, M., Olivares, M. and Staats, B.R., 2020. Why empirical research is good for operations
management, and what is good empirical operations management?. Manufacturing &
Service Operations Management, 22(1), pp.170-178.
Helmold, M., 2020. Lean Management in Operations. In Lean Management and Kaizen (pp. 65-
72). Springer, Cham.
Huang, G.Q., de Koster, R. and Yu, Y., 2020. Online-to-offline ecommerce operations
management (EOM).
Meredith, J.R. and Shafer, S.M., 2019. Operations and supply chain management for MBAs.
John Wiley & Sons.
Reid, R.D. and Sanders, N.R., 2019. Operations management: an integrated approach. John
Wiley & Sons.
Sabbaghtorkan, M., Batta, R. and He, Q., 2020. Prepositioning of assets and supplies in disaster
operations management: Review and research gap identification. European Journal of
Operational Research, 284(1), pp.1-19.
Torlak, N.G., Demir, A. and Budur, T., 2019. Impact of operations management strategies on
customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions at café-restaurants. International Journal of
Productivity and Performance Management.
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