Management & operations Assignment : Marks & Spencer

Management &
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
P.1 Definition and comparison of role and characteristics of leader and manager................1
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................3
P.2 Role of leader and functions of manager in different situations......................................3
P.3 Application of leadership theories and models................................................................4
TASK 3 ...........................................................................................................................................5
P.4 Key approaches to operational management and role of leaders and managers..............5
P.5 Importance of operational management in achieving business objectives......................7
TASK 4 ...........................................................................................................................................9
P.6 Elements that affect decision making of leaders and managers.......................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Operation's management is the administration of business practices to create higher level
of efficiency in organization (Ale, and et. al., 2010). It is related with converting material and
labour into services and goods in order to maximize revenues of company. This method also
involve utilisation of resources such as staff members, materials, technology and equipments in
proper manner. Operation's management help in acquiring, developing and delivering goods to
customer's according to needs and requirement of all people. Report describes about Marks &
Spencer which is a retail firm. It was established in U.K in 1884. Assignment explains about
differentiating the role of leader and function of manager. It also describes about the role of
leader and functions of employer in various situations. Report discusses about the appreciation
of role that leaders and managers okay in operation function of company and relationship
between leadership and management in contemporary business environment.
TASK 1
P.1 Definition and comparison of role and characteristics of leader and manager
Leader is the person who motivates and guide staff members so that they can get proper
direction and workers can give best outcomes. This helps in increasing the zeal and dedication of
employees and they can accomplish objectives in less time.
Manager is the person who create plans and policies and delegate the role and
responsibility to workers. In this manner, employees can understand their duties and can perform
well in firm.
Role of leader in Marks & Spencer:
Support staff members: Leader of Marks & Spencer guides and support each employee
so that they can perform better. This also increases the zeal and enthusiasm of workers. It leads
to improving the performance of staff members and they give superior results.
Reconcile personal goals with organization objectives: Leader helps in integrating
personal goals with organizational objectives. They tries to create coordination between both
targets so that firm can operate successfully (Baboli, and et. al., 2014).
Characteristics of leader:
Priority on needs: Leader of Marks & Spencer gives priority on three needs which are
described below:
 Needs of activity
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 Needs of team
 Needs of staff members in a team
Leader tries to fulfil all needs so that organization can accomplish their objective.
Focus on actions: Leader helps in evaluating all actions and activities of employees.
They also give suggestions to workers so that they can improve their performance (Bouvy, and
et. al., 2012).
Role of manager in Marks & Spencer:
Interpersonal role:
Figure head: Manager perform activities which are symbolic in nature. It includes
greeting visitors, handling merit certificates and giving awards to outstanding staff members.
This helps in increasing the motivation level of workers.
Liaison role: Manager tries to create link between them and outside companies. This
helps firm in taking good contracts and to earn huge revenues. In this manner, company can
enhance the market share.
Characteristics of manager:
Communication: Manager not only delegate role and responsibilities but they also listen
to views and opinions of workers. This helps in increasing the dedication of employees and
employer can perform better to produce good results.
Time management: Manager tries to complete their activities in time. They also explain
staff members to perform their tasks before time. This leads to accomplishment of objectives
(Burke, 2013).
Differences between leader and manager:
Basis Leader Manager
Objective Leader creates vision for the
company. This help in guiding
staff members to perform
activities and tasks.
Manager creates goals and
objectives for company. They
create plan and policies and
delegate role and responsibility
to worker's.
Risk taking Leaders take risks even if they
fail in any situation. This
Managers create plans and
strategies to minimize the risk.
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attitude helps them in getting
success.
Employer avoid problems
rather than embracing them.
Creation Leader tries to build strong
relationship with staff
member's. This help in
retaining existing staff
member's.
Manager emphasis on systems
and procedures so that staff
members perform better.
Workers can give best
outcomes and it leads to
improving the performance of
firm.
TASK 2
P.2 Role of leader and functions of manager in different situations
Leader plays a different role and manager performs different functions in various
situations. This helps company to operate the functions in proper manner.
Role of leader and functions of manager in different situation in Marks & Spencer are
described below:
Decision making
Leader's role: Leader plan an important role in Marks & Spencer. They thought that
different techniques of operational management such as lean production, sex sigma ca be applied
in firm so that staff members can perform well (Caniani, and et. al., 2015). It results in improving
performance of worker's. Leader give guidance and support to all workers. They also take
decisions in supporting employees at time when they feel demotivated. This helps in supporting
staff members in difficult situation's. This results in smooth functioning of activities and tasks of
company. In this manner firm can operate successfully and can earn huge profits. Organization
can also increase the market share and can maintain positive image in minds of all people. For
example leader's motivate staff members to produce good products so that there are no defects.
This directly increase the motivation level of workers and improves the performance of firm.
Manager's role: Manager emphasis on six sigma technique so that Marks & Spencer
can perform activities in proper manner. There are different competitors such as Asda, Tesco etc.
Due to thus reason firm has to create strategies and policies to reduce the defects. This helps the
company to operate the functions and activities in proper manner. For example manager use Six
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sigma so that there are no defects and it also leads to increase in production of firm. It also assists
the enterprise to improve the quality of production (Chen, and et. al., 2011). This help the
company to maintain good image in society and to increase the market share. Organization can
expand their activities in minimum time and can expand their activities.
Risk taking
Leader's role: There are different risks which are involved in market. Leader has to
create strategies to reduce uncertainty related to future. This helps the company to give strong
competition to other firm's (Chen, and et. al., 2010). For example other competitors of Marks &
Spencer such as Asda and Tesco put emphasis on online applications to promote their products.
Organization wants to earn huge revenues than rivals otherwise firm can face many problems.
Leader of enterprise has taken decision to give training to staff members so that they can learn
about distinct online techniques. In this manner, firm can capture many people in less time. This
results in earning of huge profits and business can enhance the market share.
Manager's role: Manager has taken a decision to implement unique techniques and
tools. They also delegate duties and responsibilities to workers so that they can perform better.
Manager creates strategies and policies so that they can execute different operational techniques.
This helps in reducing defects and to increase the efficiency in production. For example manager
can use different techniques such as total quality production to improve quality of all products.
This helps the organization to run their activities and tasks in proper manner. Organization can
also create policies to motivate workers so that they can produce good quality of products. They
can also use advanced tools to create superior quality of items. This results in increasing
efficiency level of enterprise and firm can generate more revenues.
P.3 Application of leadership theories and models
Different leadership models and approaches are used by leader in company. These are
used so that firm can motivate worker and they give superior results. Various leadership models
are used by Marks & Spencer are described below:
 System leadership: In this step, all factors are related to each other in some way or other.
This model basically comprises of three parts that us input, process, output and feedback.
Leader provide extra bonus and incentives to workers so that they can perform better. For
example there is a situation in which employees have to increase the sales by 40% in 1
month. For this leader can offer extra incentives to staff member's so that they can
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produce more goods and they are of good quality (DeAnna, Freeland and Gockeler,
2013). Leader can organize many training events so that staff members can receive
training and can give superior results. Under system leadership, managers of Marks and
Spencer implement proper way such as monetary or non monetary benefits to employees.
There are some specific way through which performance are evaluated and checked.
 Situational leadership: In this step organization can take decision to according to
different situation's. This helps the firm in finding solution to different problem's and
issues. For example there is a situation that staff members are not satisfied with plans and
policies of firm. Firm has to create plans and policies so that company can increase the
satisfaction level of workers. Organization can motivate workers by giving adequate
rewards. This helps in increasing the dedication and passion of all staff member's. Hence
firm can operate all their activities and tasks properly. This helps the organization to earn
more revenues. Situational analysis can be implemented by proper analysis of external as
well as internal components of environment of Marks and Spencer. This is helps to lead
team in appropriate way and business operations can be perform up to the mark.
 Contingency approach: It is the approach in which leader changes their approach
according to different situation. This method helps the company to solve all problems and
issues. Due to this reason, company can apply democratic leadership in which employees
can give their suggestion's. For example there is a situation when company is not earning
more revenues. In this situation firm has to create plans and policies to motivate
employees by giving extra incentives and promotion so that they can produce good
quality of products. This results in increasing productivity of firm and organization can
enhance the market share. By applying this theory leaders of M&S will be able to handle
the situation that are faced by them which may affect their product if not managed
properly. For instance when the demand of customer increases it leads to increase in
work load that sometimes may frustrate employees. At that time leader may motivate its
employees to give extra effort to achieve reward.
 Managerial grid model: It consists of four steps in which leader supervise and motivate
staff members in different circumstances. First is authoritarian in which leader emphasis
on tasks and activities. Manager do not guide and motivate staff members to perform
different tasks. Second is country club in which manager focus on skills and capabilities
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of all people and they do not emphasis on job. Third is impoverished in which leader
emphasis on tasks and on people skills. Fourth is team leader in which leader focuses on
activities and capabilities of staff members (DeAnna, and et. al., 2010).
TASK 3
P.4 Key approaches to operational management and role of leaders and managers
Different approaches in operational management and different duties of leaders and
managers in Marks & Spencer are described below:
Source: Total quality management, 2018
It is interpreted from above image that total quality management helps in customer focus,
total participation, process improvement, planning process and process management
Total quality management: It is the management approach in which company only
focus on quality of products. This helps the firm in capturing attention of all people (Kato,
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Illustration 1: Total quality management

2012). This is a process in which employees work together so that they can create superior
quality of products. For example manager can create strategies and policies to give extra
incentives to all employees and to motivate staff members. Leader motivates workers and give
them adequate rewards so that they can give superior results. This helps in increasing
productivity of company and they can increase the revenues.
Lean production: Lean production is a technique in which organization only focuses on
eliminating waste and it also improves the quality of product. This method is used by company
from production to distribution system. It directly cut the activities that do not add to value to
production process. It is managing the operation's and activities in better manner. For example
firm creates plans and policies to increase the production and do not perform wastage of
resources. Employees are given extra salary by the managers so that they can create best quality
of products and workers create strategies so that they do not perform wastage of materials and
resources. Leaders motivate workers so that they can perform better (Kato, 2014).
Queuing and logistics: Marks & Spencer create proper system of queuing and logistics
system. In this step, firm can create strategies and policies to move the goods from warehouses to
salesman. It is done so that company do not perform wastage of materials and resources. For
example manager creates plans and policies to move the goods to warehouses and only those
products can be transferred from warehouses which were demanded from people. Leaders
motivate all employees so that they can give superior results. They had taken decision to give
training to staff members so that they can enhance their skills and knowledge.
Just in time approach: Proper scheduling is to be performed so that manager can
manage the activities and processes. This directly increases the efficiency level in the company.
Firm tries that goods can be delivered in time to all people. For example manager creates
policies and rules so that goods can be transferred from time from warehouses and can reach to
all people in time. While leader motivates the workers so that they can give superior results.
Leader creates policies to motivate employees by giving extra incentives so that they can deliver
all products in time to all people.
Continuous improvement: Marks & Spencer creates strategies and policies so that
company can continuously improve the methods and process. Managers and leaders both take
different decision to improve the quality of products on continuous basis. For example manager
creates strategies to improve quality of items on continuous basis. They create policies to
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delegate the roles and responsibilities to staff members so that they can perform better. Leader
take decision to motivate employees so that they create superior quality of products. This results
in improving the quality of all products and firm can increase their revenues.
P.5 Importance of operational management in achieving business objectives
Operational management is the management of activities and tasks in company
(Lindström, and et. al., 2012). It is important so that firm can manage the resources in proper
manner and there is no wastage of resources. Importance of operational management in Marks &
Spencer to achieve business objectives are described below:
Increases productivity: Operational management helps in managing all activities and
tasks in proper manner. This help staff members to perform better and they can give good results.
It leads to decreasing costs of production and transportation. It results in continuous
improvement in all products and methods (Lisi, 2010). It results in increasing the level of
production. This leads to increase in customer satisfaction of all customers. This helps the
company to earn huge revenues and to increase the market share. It helps Marks & Spencer to
expand their activities in minimum time and it can also diversify the business.
Customer satisfaction: Operations management helps in increasing the satisfaction of all
customers. It can be done by providing superior quality of products. Manager and leader take
unique and distinct decisions to provide superior quality of products in minimum time. This
directly helps in increasing the happiness and satisfaction level of all people. Satisfied customer
give reference to all their friends and relatives. In this manner, firm can create brand loyalty in
less time. Company can retain the existing customers and can attract new customer's. This helps
the organization to expand the business and they can enhance their reputation.
Achievement of targets: Proper operational management helps the company to
accomplish their targets and objectives (Winget and Thomson, 2010). It helps in increasing the
efficiency and dedication of staff members. This results in improving the performance of staff
members. This method helps in motivating employees so that they can give superior results. This
results in increasing the productivity in organization. Through decisions of leader and manager,
staff members can produce good quality of products. This results in accomplishment of
objectives. Company can perform well and it results in improving the performance of staff
members.
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Increases revenues: Company can produce good quality of products and this results in
accomplishment of their objectives. Manager and leader motivates staff members so that workers
can give best results. Company can motivate workers so that they can produce good quality of
products. This results in improving the performance of employees and firm can give excellent
outcomes. Organization can earn more revenues and can enhance market share. This also helps
the enterprise to expand the operations and tasks in minimum time.
Brand image: Marks & Spencer create plans and polices to create good quality of
products at low costs. Firm delivers superior products to all people in proper time. This results in
accomplishment of objectives (Moghaddam, and et. al., 2011). In this manner company can
create good quality of products and can earn huge profits. This results in maintaining positive
image of company in minds of all people (Rani and Moreira, 2010).
From the above discussion it is clear that business objectives of Marks and Spencer is to
improve brand image of association, achieves customer satisfaction, etc. This can be done with
proper planning and directing business operations. These objectives can be achieved with proper
planning related to hiring and selection of individuals. There is requirement of different
resources such as machinery and other equipment, so managers are responsible for installation
and proper maintenance. This helps to maintain cost and achieve proper profits.
Importance of marketing functions:-
Marketing functions helps to satisfy customers needs. Customer's demand for goods is
increased and per capita income is raised. Company's market share is increased and new products
can be launched. In Marks and Spencer marketing operations will help in managing company's
activities and resources.
Importance of finance functions:-
Finance functions helps in identifying finance need that how much capital is needed to
establish a business. It helps in identifying areas from where funds can be raised. Comparison
can be made which funds will be appropriate for the business. In Marks and Spencer by applying
finance functions best sources can be identified and better investment decisions can be made.
Importance of accounting functions:-
Accounting functions helps in classifying, recording and summarizing business
transactions. It collects,organizes and keep records which helps in making appropriate decisions.
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By keeping accounting records it is identified that how much profit is company earning. In
Marks and Spencer accounting functions will help to identify business progress.
Importance of personnel functions
There are many employees in Marks and Spencer, so it is important to manage them. It is
responsibility of managers to select right candidate and place them according to skills and
competencies. This helps to improve performance of organisation through improved quality of
product and services. There is requirement of training to workforce related to their roles and
responsibilities. This helps to deal with customers in polite manner and long term sustainability
in association can be achieved.
TASK 4
P.6 Elements that affect decision making of leaders and managers
There are various internal and external factors which can affect decision making of
leaders and managers.
Internal factors which affect decisions of leaders and managers in Marks & Spencer are
described below (PESTLE Analysis, 2017):
Employees: These includes the people who are working in firm. Managers have to create
plans and policies so that they can delegate roles and responsibility to employees . Leader have
taken decision to motivate workers by giving them extra incentives.
Suppliers: Company has to supply good quality of products to customers as then only
company can improve quality of products. Managers had taken decision to explain their duties to
all workers and leaders motivate all employees so that they can give superior results.
Organisational Structure:- Organisational structure of Marks and Spencer is flat so this is one
one of the best advantage which is relevant and significant for decision making. There is proper
communication among workers, so they can interact quickly and fast decisions can be taken.
This helps to perform operations in effective and appropriate manner.
Organisational culture:- In this organisation, employees has power to take decision so they
analyse situation and then actions are performed. Managers of Marks and Spencer have power
with some roles and responsibilities. This keeps employees satisfied and decisions are taken
frequently. In case of negative result, employees are responsible for it.
Human resource management:- Human resource management means actions through which
appropriate candidate is placed at correct place. When appropriate candidate is placed, then they
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are capable to perform operations in effective and relevant way. If there is requirement of
training, then manager must plan training programme, this helps to learn new technique and
work according to external market.
Technology:- It refers to the methods that are available to organisation for converting its
resources intro product or services. Managers of M&S must consider the technological
dimensions while taking nay decision related to production or investment to bring new
innovational method within organisation.
External factors: It is described below:
Illustration 2: PESTEL analysis
Source: PESTEL analysis, 2018
Political factors: Company has to follow rules and regulation's so that they can survive
in the market. If Govt. has banned some product then manager creates policies to produce new
product and leader creates strategies to motivate employees (Smith, Rahn and Wang, 2010).
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Economic factors: If there is inflation then manager has to create strategies to sell
products at lesser rate so that it can attract customers. Leader motives employees so that they can
sell produce good quality of products and can sell at lower rate.
Social: Company has to fulfil the needs and demand of people. Manager create strategies
to delegate role and responsibility to staff members. At same time, leaders motivate staff
members to give excellent outcomes.
Technological factors: Company can use advanced technology so that it can earn huge
revenues. Manager create plans and policies to capture advanced tools while leaders create
strategies to give extra incentives to employees so that they can also give their suggestions.
Environmental: Manager had taken decision to reduce the wastage and to protect the
environment. While leaders motivate employees so that they can properly utilize all resources.
Legal: Manager creates strategies to provide safety to employees. Leader motivate other
subordinates to suggest methods so that firm can provide safety to employees (White, 2016).
SUGGESTION AND RECOMNMENDATIONS
It is suggested that managers of Marks and Spencer must use regularly analyse external
market and take actions according to market trends. This is relevant and significant for
organisational growth. For instance: if changes are taken place in tax rate, then it must be altered
by Marks and Spencer so there is less governmental interferences. This helps to maintain good
image in industry.
As recommendation, managers of Marks and Spencer must give chance to employees in
decision making. This provides satisfaction to employees and maintain long and good relations
with customers. There must be personal interviews, focus group activities, etc. which provides
knowledge about mindset and perception of employees.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded from above report that operational management is important in
every company. Leaders and managers are different from each other. Leader and managers play
a unique role in different situation. Leaders and managers both motivate employees to perform
better and this results in improving the performance of company. Different internal factors such
as employees, suppliers etc. and external factors such as PESTEL analysis affect the decisions
of leaders and managers.
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Online
PESTLE Analysis. 2017. [Online]. Available through: <http://www.mbaskool.com/business-
concepts/marketing-and-strategy-terms/7249-pestle-analysis.html>.
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