Marks and Spencer Six Sigma Methodology Analysis

The assignment provides an in-depth analysis of Marks and Spencer's operations management practices, highlighting the company's use of the six sigma method to improve efficiency and protect product value. It also discusses the importance of market research in identifying customer needs and improving quality. Additionally, the document touches on Henry Fayol and Taylor's management theories as applied by the company. The assignment is suitable for students studying operations management, business strategy, or organizational behavior.

MANAGEMENT
OPERATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................4
1. Introduction of Marks & Spencer organisation and Management Structure...............................4
2. Compare roles and characteristics of leader and manager in Marks & Spencer organisation-. .5
P3 Difference Between Managerial Functions And Leadership Roles In M & S Organisation-....6
P4 Applying roles of leader and functions of a manger in different situations in M&S
organisation-....................................................................................................................................7
Leaders and managers can perform different functions in various management situations...7
5. The leadership theories that support the growth and sustainable performance of Marks and
Spencer.............................................................................................................................................7
6. Strengths and Weaknesses of Situational leadership theory........................................................8
7. Performance of Marks and Spencer organisation influence by leader and manager ..................9
Task 2 .................................................................................................................................................10
1. Operation management and key approaches taken by Marks and Spencer...............................10
2. Roles and Responsibilities of Managers and Leaders in Successful Management...................10
3 importance And The Value Of The Key Approaches To Operation Management In Achieving
Organizational Objectives .............................................................................................................11
4. Effective qualities of manager in improving operational efficiencies to successfully meet
business objectives.........................................................................................................................11
6. Critical evaluation of the application of operations management to manage the factors that
impact on the wider business environment....................................................................................13
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is basically considered with designing and controlling the process of
production and redesigning. Marks and Spencer is founded by Michael Mark and Thomas Spencer
in 1884 (Brandon-Lai, Armstrong and Ferris, 2016). It is the largest retailer company of UK which
sell clothing, footwear, gifts, home furnishing, and many of the items in food. Report highlights
management structure of Marks and Spencer. It further discusses roles and characteristics of leader
and manager in organisation. It also lays emphasis on leadership function and management theories.
TASK 1
1. Introduction of Marks & Spencer organisation and Management Structure
Headquarter of M&S is situated in London. It has total 979 stores across the UK including
615 which only sell food products. Organisational structure refers to that how an activity is conduct
by Marks & Spencer to achieve their goals. It explains the way in which the information flows from
one level to another level (Ali and et.al., 2014). This includes various roles and responsibilities of
the employees and flow of their performance. An organisational structure of Marks & Spencer has
to be clear with coordination of each other.

Functional organisational structure is a common structure in which common departments are
included like human resource, marketing, accounting. They work in a separate department with
head of department. Managers of these all departments report to the vice president or directors who
are responsible for their work. Every functional area is separated by expert (Benjamin and
et.al.,2016).
Communication flows in Marks & Spencer from higher level to lower level is called
downward communication and upward communication flows from lower to upper level.
Communication flows in the right form in Marks & Spencer save time of employees, increase
coordination, relation among workers.
2. Compare roles and characteristics of leader and manager in Marks & Spencer organisation-
Leader is the person who lead a group of individuals, who convince other ones to follow,
motivate other persons for any action, capacity to take decision. Leader focuses on people and
growth and development of the organisation. They set direction for achieving goal.
Other side manager is the person who is responsible for all management activities like
Illustration 1: Management structure of Marks and Spencer
Source: (Management structure, 2018)

directing, organising, controlling, planning (Shafritz, Ott and Jang, 2015). Manager is a decision
maker who focus on process and procedure. A manager skip conflicts.
They both lead a team but their roles are different. In Marks & Spencer organisation
manager and leader have various roles and responsibilities.
In Marks & Spencer organisation A leader motivate employees and try to know about needs
and wants of the employee and communicate with them about their problems and on the other side a
manager of Marks & Spencer organisation also lead a team and inform employees about their work
and benefits. Communicate with them about the information which comes from upper level for
them.
P3 Difference Between Managerial Functions And Leadership Roles In M & S Organisation-
Henri Fayol scientific management theory
Henri fayol has discovered the management theory in which he has shown that how
managerial functions should interact with personnel. And the leadership is a state to influence
another people.
Planning- according to management theory management should plane about everything weather it
is problems, decisions, discussions in organization. Because proper further planning is an essential
thing to do something for future. And the role of leadership is leader has to inspire trust with people
in his kingdom. Because a leader has an ability to influence the people in his kingdom (Shafritz,
Ott and Jang, 2015).
Controlling– that means management has to control all the activities which are running inside the
M&S. But in the case in role of leadership everting based on the trust upon leader where leader also
takes the decisions for the welfare of the company.
Commanding- it is the stage where command of management keeps in hands of management team
and in the roles of leadership a leader influence people and guide them. M & S organisation is
directed by the directors of the company
Coordinating – According to this theory management should have a certain personnel to work
together it depends on employees mutual understanding in case of leadership a leader influence
the people to coordinate.
Organizing- according to this theory of management staffing according to employees specialization
has assigned by the management team but in leadership a leader encouraging the changes that
means a leader can change anything according to requirement (Shafritz, Ott and Jang, 2015). In case

of M & S
Taylor's management theory-: Leaders and managers can make use of Time and motion study to
find out the different ways to do work. It can help in Improving the quality or efficiency of
employees by providing them trainings. They can maintain the mutual understanding based
relationships among employees. Provide incentives for higher performance and maintain fair level
of performance.
P4 Applying roles of leader and functions of a manger in different situations in M&S organisation-
Leaders and managers can perform different functions in various management situations
Situation 1: There are 50 members inside the company of M&S. The company has many
competitors in the market. The manager of the company wants to discuss about strategy or make a
plan to save the company from its rivals who can affect the company from loss. so in the case of
financial loss manager or leader is planning about the strategy for further situations. This is the role
of a manger which he plays according to need of actions.
Situation 2: managers of M&S company control his employees in case of any disputes or conflicts
managers does not allow anyone to break the limits and laws of M&S organisation.
Situation 3: manager of the M&S coordinate the employees. And the employees coordinate each
other for the welfare of the company if there is any situation has come in front of them.
5. The leadership theories that support the growth and sustainable performance of Marks and
Spencer
Situational leadership Theory: It is the model given by Paul H6ersey and Ken Blanchard. M and
S can use this theory to support its growth and sustainable performance as it is based upon two
fundamental concepts like leadership style and the individual or groups performance readiness
level. By adopting this theory M and S have to give its employees a chance to take up new tasks,
they start out with less or no knowledge, skills, but with high enthusiasm, motivation and
commitment (Shafritz, Ott and Jang, 2015). By adopting this kind of approach it motivates an
employee to work hard and feel motivated but will increase the performance and the growth of the
company because as the individual moves from developing to developed phase and provide chance

to take decisions as leaders.
Systems Leadership theory: Systems Leadership enables the leaders in an organisation to create
the conditions where people at all levels can work effectively with their higher potential. It uses the
principles about human behaviour to create models of good leadership, organisational strategy,
systems design and social process. M and S can increase its performance and growth as it focuses
on end results rather than the means, it will provide M and S an orderly and efficient plan of action,
it will develop coordination of specialized activities, it will provide a good base of control.
Contingency leadership Theory: M and S can adopt this theory for improving growth a
performance because management is situational in nature, as the action are performed and depends
on the complexity of the situation. It will help M and S to cope up with environmental challenges
both internal and external. It will help in understanding the complexities of an organization. It
provides the frame work where every solution depens on the environmental conditions.
6. Strengths and Weaknesses of Situational leadership theory
Strengths : The strengths which M and S can use in order to increase the growth and the
performance is that they can develop their employees at any point. It is a practical approach that is
easy to understand. It is prescriptive and shows how leaders should act to achieve leadership
effectiveness(He and et.al., 2017).
Weaknesses: The problems faced by M and S by adopting this approach would be, a leader has to
face a significant amount of pressure to analyse his situation before making any sort of decisions
on its actions. This approach has limited flexibility and is rigid and is often criticized for it.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Systems Leadership theory:
Strengths: By adopting this theory M and S can increase its organisational adaptability towards
environmental changes. It will also help in achieving individual as well as overall organisational
goals (He and et.al., 2017).
Weaknesses: By adopting this approach M and S may not be always practical for decision making
and may lead in delays for decision making.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Contingency leadership Theory:
Strengths: It will help M and S to adopt as per the situation of the market it can perform its actions
as per the environmental circumstances which will prove beneficial for its growth and also will
increase its performance.
Weaknesses: By adopting this method M and S will not be able to provide definite solution to
problems. It may prove costly and may also consume time.
7. Performance of Marks and Spencer organisation influence by leader and manager
They make efficient productivity through their motivational skills. Understand the
environment in which an organisation works. Understand the opportunities to develop business and
take action against it (Shiffman and et.al., 2018). Mainly Marks and Spencer organisation influence
by many factors like social factor, economical factor, technological factor and also with internally
factors. They formulate strategies, execute strategies, monitor the result and work on it.
Manager also work as a trainee and train the employees with good skills. They affecting
Marks and Spencer organisation-
- By time management
- Maintain relationships
- Build Capabilities
- Decision-making
Recommendations for future improvement of Marks and Spencer organisation :-
A leader and a manager knows about the company that how it performs. They also have to
know about the strength and weakness of Marks and Spencer organisation and also have to do swot
and pastel analysis to know more about the organisation. Runs with government policies to escape
from any issues regarding government (Webb, 2017).
Move towards the best technology and allocate resources to the employees. Follow new
techniques of training and development. Focus to learning and self development and ignore the
social world what they said. Marks and Spencer organisation have to gather data from all sources
and use it in decision making.

Task 2
1. Operation management and key approaches taken by Marks and Spencer
Operation management is responsible business function. That managing the process of
goods and services. Mark & Spencer include concept of product planning of the material and
financially, controlling the product activity and coordinate service process.
Key Approaches of Operation Management
Six Sigmas is a management technique that improve business activity. It is a data driven
method that derive stranded deviation method mean. Mark & Spenser fellow the that technique for
improve the quality of services. It is tool use for improve the process of technique, merit of
manufacturing, services, process. Identify the error in the system and minimise the product and
services cost. It is powerful method for develop, measure, control, and analyse he business activity
and improve product efficiencies.
Total quality management involve customer satisfaction threw the continues
improvements integrated system. It refers the working process, quality, tool, techniques, high
resulting of product and services. That focus on the customer services, fast services process, good
decision making, and continuous work improvement. It is a long term process use for the consumer
satisfaction so the increase product cost and services. Total is the supply chain and product life.
Quality is the necessary of the requirement. Management is the system of industry that manage
planing, controlling, leading, and coordinating.
2. Roles and Responsibilities of Managers and Leaders in Successful Management
Manager plays a virtual role in the organisation. A successful manager have creation duties
and responsibility to lead the function in different unit(He and et.al., 2017). Mark & Spencer firm
operational manager primary focus on the company growth and minimise the expenses. Mark &
Spencer manager solve the employee problem and help the employee to achieve the goal. Manager
motive the team for there work performance for the effective capability.
Mark & Spencer manager responsible for the customer, shareholder, employee, union,
suppler, distributor, and society. Manager primary goal is achieved the target and complete the
project. The operational manager responsibility divided in to strategic, operational, tactical level.
Leader is providing the direction, instruction, guidance, task. The leader helps the work to
increases productivity, performance. A leader provide training for achieve strategic goal. Set vision,
motive employee. Team leader are responsible for providing instruction for there work. Develop the
there team member working ability, work performance.

3 importance And The Value Of The Key Approaches To Operation Management In Achieving
Organizational Objectives
Many theories have been discovered for the management system archive organisational
goals. Operation is the big part of any company. There are some key elements to operation
management in archiving organisational goals. The process of operation management to find out the
steps which can be helpful to archive organisational goals (He and et.al., 2017). First step is
planning and discussion about the problems that how company can overcome from the problems,
how to make a strategy to compete rivals (Webb, 2017). Staffing or organising in which employees
designated according to their specialization in any fields. Managers should have controlling and
commanding power on employees. Manages has all the rights on employees. Directing, in this
phase manager direct an organisation on right path. Relationship between operations and other
functions-
1.finance function
2.marketing function
3.production and operations
4.information technology
Above all these are functional units which exist inside the company and works towards the welfare
of company. Relationship between functional units and operation management is so close because
operation management team has all the rights upon all the functional units whether it is plan
making, guidance, control, coordination, operation management team maintain all the functional
units to archive an objective of organisation.
4. Effective qualities of manager in improving operational efficiencies to successfully meet business
objectives
An operation manager is realistic- a good manager understand the need or value of employees are
valuable resources of the company. Operation manger always not shows his power, rights and
seniority. Listen to empowered employees who are working for same organisation. Impact of being
realistic of manager,helps to archive business objectives in M&S.
An operation manager look for efficiency- an effective manager define as the leader of the company
of managing all the things inside the organisation. This is why, because manager optimise process to
decrease the cost of goods. And try to sell at low cost. So this is the effective quality of manager in
M&S. Effective operation manager focus on the quality of product before the cost. in today's lack of
resources can are found to make any product. So the need of ingredient is necessary for better

quality of product. Operation leaders are effective in supply chain management because supply
chain management play a vital role for any company. It is the duty of operation mangers to make an
supply chain in M&S. Because systematic supply chain full fill the objectives of organisation.
Operation leaders do not manage; they lead mean they are faces of company they does not take
participation in any activities inside to manage , they always stands in front of the row to take
important decisions.
5 Impact of external business environment factors on operational management decisions by leaders
and managers
Marks and Spencer has to face many external forces, these external forces are also called as
macro environmental forces. By studying External environmental factors will give leaders and
mangers of M and S an over view of its business current position and will help formulating the
strategies for future. It will help them learn the markets and will also help then to enter new
markets nationally and globally.
Political: M and S have to take in to account the political situation of a country and even the
world in relation to the country. All the policies like tax laws, tariff, exchange rates etc. that
Govt. levies falls under this category.
Economic Factors: It includes the determinants of an economy and its conditions. The interest
rates, inflation rates, monetary or fiscal policies, imports and exports etc, all these determine the
direction the economy might move so, M and S has analyse this factor in order to build
strategies for running the smooth business.
Sociological Factors: each and every country is different and even have unique mind set and
different culture which have the impact on the business so this is also an important factor for M
and S for operating their business globally.
Technological Factors: Technology changes every minute therefore M and S need to stay
connected with the up grading technologies.
Legal Factors: Legal factors includes any legislative changes that may occur from time to time
which will affect the business.
Environmental Factors: The environmental factors includes the climate, geographical location,
weather etc. which effect the business process of M and S and need to formulate their strategies
accordingly.
6. Critical evaluation of the application of operations management to manage the factors that impact
on the wider business environment.
External and internal forces both together create conflict within the working place, so there should

better and proper operational strategies for the smooth running of business, as external is
intensified with stress and is highly dynamic (He and et.al., 2017). There are some suggestion to
manage these factors which have impact on the wider business, such as first operational strategies
should be to develop solid policies and procedures, a company should set goal for the all levels of
employees, the issues and hindrances which are faced by the employees should be properly
addressed. M and S should nationalise the state owned economic activities lie banking, tax laws,
tariffs, exchange rates etc. it should start focussing on macro marketing and try to narrow down its
micro marketing, which means that business owner should consider the macro marketing
environment in order to determine its viability of its products and services.
Once the market becomes viable business owners can focus on the marketing strategies to the micro
segment. It should reduce the impacts and effects of potential threats within the organisation. It
should be able to identify the threats and opportunities and then minimizing the threats and
maximizing opportunities present in the external environment. It should be able to forecast the
future although changes cannot be predicted precisely but leaders can anticipate only few changes
and no all of them (He and et.al., 2017).
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been concluded that Mark and Spencer follow the six sigma method.
It helps company to improve protect efficiencies. The company manager help worker to improve
there achievement. For future improvement the company use new techniques, technology, and
methods of new training program. Industry use Henry Fayol and Taylor management theory that
increase product value and easily achieve goal. Threw the market research the company identify
the costumer need and improve quality.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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He, J. and et.al., 2017. Method for executing management operation by communication terminal
and a terminal and system thereof. U.S. Patent 9,838,267.
Webb, S.P., 2017. Knowledge management: Linchpin of change. Routledge.
Ali, V.Y. and et.al., 2014. System and method for performing a management operation. U.S. Patent
8,775,808.
Shiffman, S. and et.al., 2018. Operation and method for prediction and management of the validity
of subject reported data. U.S. Patent 9,881,062.
He, J. and et.al., 2015. Method, system, client and server for locating operation nodes in
communication system. U.S. Patent 9,009,306.
Shafritz, J.M., Ott, J.S. and Jang, Y.S., 2015. Classics of organization theory. Cengage Learning.
Burke, W.W., 2017. Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.
Online
Management structure. 2018. [Online]. Available through
<http://kwhs.wharton.upenn.edu/term/management-structure/>