Roles and Characteristics of a Leader and a Manager in Operations Management

This document discusses the roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager in operations management. It explores the different theories and models of leadership, such as situational leadership, systems leadership, and contingency theory. The document also explains the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play in achieving business objectives. The case study of Walmart is used to illustrate these concepts.

Management &
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
P1: Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager........3
Role of managers:............................................................................................................................4
Leaders and managers are quite similar in some aspects:................................................................5
P2: Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.......................................................................................................6
P3: Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.........................................................................................................7
P4: Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play..............................................................................................................................8
P5: Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives...................................................................................................................................10
P6: Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers....................................................11
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
The management is represents as the procedure of direction and supervision of
managerial activities. Managerial function and administrative activities includes the consolidate
the functions and operations for ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency in the business for their
productivity. Executive faculty and subordinates are important in the operations of business as
well as they also ensures the management to perform activities. The main objective of executives
of management is supervise the subordinates to concentrates on achieving their organisational
goals and target. The managerial company considered in this report is Walmart. This is an
American multinational wholesale firm that function a series of chain of supermarket. The
company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 and incorporated on 31 October 1969. This report
explained about role and characteristics of executive and administrator(Aloysius,2018). Other
theories and concept are also enhance in this report that are various models and theories of
leadership formation. As it is also includes the role that played by executives and managers in
several other sections in respective conditions. It covers the statement of duty of necessity and
values of function that management in accomplishment of goals and target. As it also covers in
the discussion as about the element of managerial environment which affects the function of
organisation as in procedure of decision making by executives.
TASK
P1: Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.
The term operation management refers to managing the operations of business activity in
respect to planning, organizing, controlling the of production and manufacturing good. Walmart,
was founded by Sam Walton in the year 1962 is a retail corporation and is one of largest
retailing company in the world and it involves various operations and duties in the functioning of
their organisation. Operations play a major role as it, ensures flexibility in the working of
company.
A manager is a person who manages the operation of the company to look at potentials of
employees and achievement of goals (Barnes, 2018). A leader is a person who guides and directs
the subordinates,directs them towards vision and mission of company and works towards the

achievement. The leaders of Walmart work towards achieving the organisation goals with their
team and for that they work as team motivate their subordinates and work in an effective manner.
Characteristics of leader:
 A good leader must be self aware so that they can aware other employees about al
necessary thing related to organisation which is important to know.
 It is necessary that a leader has good communication power. In Walmart, the leader is
good in communication this help the to work effectively and efficiently in the
organisation (Burns, 2018)
 Walmart leader have power to influence their subordinates and make work done their
achieve their goals.
Role of a leader:
 Walmart team leader monitor the performance of their members motivate them to work
in more effective and smart manner.
 Leader guides their members give them a direction to move towards their goals to
achieve them.
In contrary to that a manager has different characteristics and plays different role but the do the
work to overall achieve the organisation profit.
Characteristics of manager:
 Managers help in developing career of their employees. The managers of Walmart helps
heir employee in developing their career by giving them more opportunities to perform
well.
 Managers have good decision making power. The managers of Walmart has this power to
make decision which are in favour of the company and which helps them to obtain high
profit.
Role of managers:
The managers of Walmart need to communicate the information, plans and policy to all the
levels.
 They need to maintain al the inter personal issues and take strategic decision for the
employees and for the organisation(Chen, Cook, Lim, 2019) .
Here is a comparison chart showing the difference between a manager and leaders on different
basis:

Basis Manager Leader
Scope It is wider in scope. As
management is a wider term
and leadership is a part of
management only so managers
have more scope.
It is limited in scope. Leaders
are part of management only
so their scope is limited .
Rights Managers has some formal
rights related to managerial
decision(Demeter, 2017).
Leaders doesn't have any
formal right in the organisation
they just need to lead the team.
Responsibilities Managers has responsibility to
plan the strategies and
implementing them I their
operating work.
Leaders has responsibility to
create and set vision for the
members of the organisation
and fulfil the distance between
the management and the
employee.
Leaders and managers are quite similar in some aspects:
 both have influencing power to make work done from the employees.
 They work in the organisation with a motive to achieve organisation goals.
 They use company's resources in efficient manner and in alternative way.
There are some theories of leadership which is applicable by leaders in organisation they are:
 Action centred leadership: in this theory leaders have control on various and large areas
of leadership. Walmart leaders focus and control in their duties and on team members so
that they can achieve objectives in efficient manner and employee can give best from
their potential(Ellefson, Eide,2021) .

 Trait theory: this theory mainly describe the character traits of a good leader. Walmart
leaders have good traits ca increase the morale of employees and increases productivity
of company.
 Transformational theory: this theory states that leader need to identify the changes ,
guide their team toward the mission of organisation. Walmart leaders use this theory and
with the help of their team mates identify the changes needed to be done so that the
functioning of organisation get smooth and achieve success(Erjavec, Trkman,2020) ..
 Contingency Theory: it is a situational based theory. Walmart leaders uses this type of
theory so as to maintain and increase the productivity in any situation.
P2: Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.
Through Walmart it is recognized that both manager and leader are important and are important
for maintain smooth functioning of company. Manager plan strategies assign task to employees
but leader implements this strategies and influence people to do work. They work together to
maximize the productivity and profitability of organisation and they deals with all the disputes
which is occurred in the organisation and solve it. Leaders and managers adjust and implement
change in the working circumstances so that company doesn't have any impact on their business
operations. Some common situations which arises in the organisation in which leader and
manager plays a vital part are discussed below:
 Disputes: this is a common situation which gives negative impact on the productivity of
company. In Walmart the manager and leader develop and implement strategies,solve
issues at each level which arise among the employees. They must give a positive, healthy
and friendly environment so that employee feel good and comfortable while working this
can increase their morale and it helps in maintaining a good relationship between
employees and even between superior and subordinates this can minimize the conflicting
situation and continue focusing on their goals and maximize their performance with that
of profitability.
 Job Dissatisfaction: it is a situation in which an employee found least satisfied with their
jobs, the task the perform, if the environment is surrounded with negative of the
organisation, working hours, less salary having extreme workload, if they find they may
not have any opportunities for their development. Walmart leaders and managers need to

provide a friendly environment , enrich their jobs with various activities, motivate them
appraise their performance provide them salary as per their working
efficiency(Fiorentino, 2016). Leaders and managers support their employees so that they
may not feel dissatisfied and do their jobs by keeping the goals in their mind and attain
them so as to boost performance and increase employee's morale.
P3: Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency
Leadership is represents as the virtual skill of an individual to handle and tackle other
group of individuals. Leaders have the skills to build up their visual sense and effectively parcel
it with other candidates. As there are various leadership styles that are adopted by leaders and
executives of Walmart. As they are as follows:
 System theory of leadership: It represents the concept and theory in which executives
perform accordingly to respective conditions. There are various principles that are
configured for measuring a group of individuals in their management by such tools. The
various tools assist in developing series for policies, designing system, social procedures
and respective leadership styles. The executives of Walmart are totally liable for structure
the effective and efficient systems that ensures the level of productivity ratio of
organisation.
 Situational leadership: This involves different sort of leadership styles that are adopted
by executives. Situational theory of leadership is represents that the leaders believes that
in adopting a specific style as per to their manner and conditions to their staff faculty.
This is very negotiable and impulsive type administrative structural in which both
executives and managers get extra advantages. This is as one of the most effective and
efficient manner of situational leadership. As orientated executives that had already
adapted their style in such a way of managing and controlling their staff faculty. In the
matter of fact, executives of Walmart can speculate respective task and policies that are
depends upon their conditions and given task that are performed by the subordinates and
group of individuals through which the work can effectively performed and executes as
their set target (Gupta,Gupta,2019).

There are a lot of theories and concept of leadership style that are traits theory and
behavioural theories. These are already adapted by respective executives and leaders of Walmart
for handling and directing various operations of the organisation.
 Trait theory: As the trait theory of leadership represents that an individuals that are born
with some extraordinary qualities that makes them different in their management for
preferring leadership function and obligation. As there are respective qualities like sense
of duties, knowledge and abilities that ensures a group of an individual a prospering
leader(Hazen, 2018)
 Contingency theory: As the contingency theory of leadership represents that there is no
manner of leadership style to perform in the management. Leaders and executive are
already adapted the style that depends upon the conditions in the management. As it is
visually recognized that in this theory the executives are much liable to express
themselves as when they stimulates that their people in management will be responsible.
In fact of matter to theory, executives of Walmart can perform their work in respect to
motivate their group of individuals to work in respective conditions. As per to this, it has
been, measured that a group of individuals abilities and competence that assign the work
as according to their potential. By measuring the theory, manager of respective company
may arrange their activity and plan of action to their conditions and managerial situation
to analyse the outcome.
P4: Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play
The management of operation has denoted a procedures that involves designing,
coordinating and controlling that increase the gross productivity and profitability of the
managerial company. Material are converted into final sort of products as according to their
consumers. The organisation always standardized to be concentrates on increasing the value of
quality of their final product that are supposed to be increase as per the consumer satisfaction
that alternatively lead to the establishment of goodwill of the brand icon in the market(Waleczek,
2019).. Different plan of action are orderly arranged in organisation to manage the general
functions of the market that the role and benefits are manage by the leaders in Walmart as they
are as follows:

 Just-in-time: This is a unit of structure that concentrates on the overall function and
management efficiency that ensures the declination of the wastage from the managerial
function. In Walmart, it is also considered the cost in management that can be maintained
by reducing cost and outlet of stock list. As per to this analysis, no surplus of presentation
ensures it when necessity rises. The way of demand that forms accurately at the time of
prediction that may help it in increasing effectiveness in management(Helmold, 2020) .
Role played by Leaders: In Walmart executives will formulation to decrease the cost of
organisation and it will also decrease in cost that will lead to the profitability activities in the
management. Executives will try to encompass the approaches in managing production of
management.
Role played by Manager: In Walmart executives and managers are adopt this type of plan of
action when they want to decrease as their general expenditure. Administrator try to provide
adequate return to investor of their administration.
 Six sigma: It is a visual approaches in which organisation structure generally utilise to
decrease the issues and errors those are affecting it as negatively in the production
procedures. Executives in Walmart are approaching their concentration on ensuring their
overall procedures in productivity term in management. It helps the organisation to
achieve the terms and goals in a specialised interval of time.
Role played by Leaders: Executives in Walmart will ensures their group of an individuals that
defines the model and the zero fault in their target. As they are creating themselves as a skilful
manager that tries to have it as zero fault in their task as it will ensures it.
They are making themselves experts and trying to have zero defects in whatever work they are
doing.
Role played by Mangers: Executive of Walmart will control as general practical that there are
nominal fault and issue in the procedure and as also in final commodity.
 Total quality management: As this approach generally refers to provide the objectives
and target that relates to their services in which quality mentioned to the consumer. In
Walmart total quality management approaches also termed to be used in an individual
factor at every section to successfully achieve the quality of work productivity.
Role played by Leaders: Leaders and executives will motivates their individuals in Walmart as
relates to this as it will hold up the attribute of final product as it will change in successfully

achieving the target and goals in the management with the perspective to comparison in the
competitors(Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis, Schönberger,2017).
Role played by Managers: Managers and leaders will oversee their staff faculty that they are
carry through as the set superiority standardized of organisation.
 Lean production: Lean business production is a system that concentrates on total
industrial method that is also having a intention at increasing productiveness ratio. It is
based on Kaizen method which concentrates on constant change of state procedure. In
Walmart, it lays intensity on decreasing track period of time that improves the quality and
also concentrates on reducing the functional value.
Role played by Leaders: Leaders and executives have to insures that in Walmart there is
constant change of state in overall production procedure, so that there are best attribute of
creation being made by factory.
Role played by Mangers: Managers and executives in Walmart must make efforts that Kaizen
has been used in overall manufacture procedure (Lei, 2017).
P5: Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives
Operation management: It is a method which is considered with management dealing like
evaluating and controlling the procedures of productivity of services. As it also utilise by
Walmart to arrange and execute it as an effective way and hence, produce positive result. As it
has been determined that options for each and every series of services that is accessible at the
point of market as in respect to guide the operation of management from a procedures that
preserve an important procedures to produce services and goods in the specialised framework.
The points by which operational management going to be explained that are as follows:
 Reduce cost of the company: In the matter of fact of Walmart that has been determined
that function of management plays an important role with the issue of executives and
leaders as well as managers that are there to decrease the value of cost of the management
in an effective manner. The administrative staff faculty team of the management builds
up the innovative manner in respect to manufacture the services and products and after
wards communicate with their executives through which they supervised and oversee by
them as per their strategies and term of policies. If just in period of time it has been used

that in the organisation for period of time, then management is capable to accomplish the
targets of decreasing the value of cost of organisation(Lyu, Chen, Huo,2019) .
 Enhancing overall productivity and profitability: It is included in the one of the most
essential factor for a administration that is their productivity ratio and profitability. In the
matter of fact in regard of Walmart, executives and directors of the organization provides
a particular thought in process to general manufacture procedure that ensure their active
work performance that relates their task work in an effective and efficient way that
reduce the scrap value and loss. The main target function of social control is to develops
the productivity ratio and profitability of the management as by utilising effective and
efficient techniques and methods. In respect with this, executives and managers of
organisation builds up a positive running situation in state to encourage their staff faculty
and as a effect of result(Machado, 2017). When Kaizen formulates its process as utilise
in the functional direction of Walmart, general productivity ratio is increased.
 Employee satisfaction: As per to Walmart executives and directors of management that
make sure that there group of an individuals must be contented as sufficient for working
in the management. Staff faculty of the management provides a working surrounding to
their subordinates so that they can feel safe within the management. On the contrary of
Walmart it is a management who is a multinational wholesale firm that function a series
of chain of supermarket which becomes hard for staff faculty to execute their task. It is a
unsafe procedure where effective and efficient activity is required while conducting their
on filed work, therefore it becomes essential to provide secure environment for working
to the candidates.
P6: Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers
In a management surrounding there are several elements that affects the team faculty and
subordinates in decision-making. As Internally and externally it is all summarised that factors
present in external surrounding and these affect process and functions of the company(Mohamed
Salleh, M.F.B2018) . In context of Walmart, the impact of these elements are enrolled below -
 Internal factors: It involves factors that are in intrinsic surrounding. These are directly
affected to operations of the management. The internal factors affecting Walmart are
explained below-

Shareholders: As there are several investments that made in business concern for entities and
for acquiring the profit and as these are famed as shareholders of the organisation. The
subordinates and staff faculty of Walmart that makes various regulations, concepts and plan of
action for growth and evolution. These plan of action must be effective so that they help in
intensify the property in outlet. When this organization will make earnings, it will build up a
positive outlook in in advance of other people. In this way, more stockholder will be influenced
for investing in this system.
Employees: It is very important for Walmart that they have accomplished individuals in their
organisation. These are one of the most important quality of every organisation. The executives
and directors of Walmart are liable for fledgeling the accurate nominee who can accomplished
their content & subjective of management as effectively and efficiently(Schönsleben, 2016).
 External factors: These are the elements through which are present in external
surrounding that the business premises but they affect the management function. The
external factors affecting Walmart are explained below-
Technological factors: It involves the technical progression and that happens in the methods
and procedures that will used in the company. As according to the recent condition of business,
there is drastic technical medium.

CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that there are respective management
structures that are adopted and precede by the executives in respect to ensure their effectiveness,
efficiency and profitability ratio. From the above stated study, it has been determined that
executives and subordinates both plays an essential role in the overall management structure.
Executives and directors are the one set objectives and target to the management as well as
leaders supervise the group of individuals to accomplish their targets. As in view of this report, it
has been determined that there are several sort of roles of a organisation and its managers. It
includes the controlling and directing or supervising the management functions as with the
section of staff faculty of the company. As in the recent report it varies the sectional approaches
and concepts of leadership that has been explained in particular section which helps in
performing functions of management as more effectively and efficiently.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aloysius, and et. al., 2018. Big data initiatives in retail environments: Linking service process
perceptions to shopping outcomes. Annals of operations research. 270(1). pp.25-51.
Barnes, D., 2018. Operations Management. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Burns, M.G., 2018. Port management and operations. CRC press
Chen, Y., Cook, W.D. and Lim, S., 2019. Preface: DEA and its applications in operations and
data analytics. Annals of Operations Research. 278(1). pp.1-4.
Demeter, K., 2017. Research in global operations management: some highlights and potential
future trends. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management.
Ellefson, K. and Eide, K., 2021. Utilizing Change Management Principles to Establish
Organizational Infrastructure and Operations That Drive Salary Equity. In Closing the
Gender Pay Gap in Medicine (pp. 49-61). Springer, Cham.
Erjavec, J. and Trkman, P., 2020. Behavioural operations management-identification of its
research program. International Journal of Services and Operations Management. 36(1).
pp.42-71.
Fiorentino, R., 2016. Operations strategy: a firm boundary-based perspective. Business Process
Management Journal.
Gupta, M. and Gupta, S., 2019. Influence of national cultures on operations management and
supply chain management practices—a research agenda. Production and Operations
Management. 28(11). pp.2681-2698.
Hazen, and et. al., 2018. Back in business: Operations research in support of big data analytics
for operations and supply chain management. Annals of Operations Research. 270(1).
pp.201-211.
Helmold, M., 2020. Lean Management in Operations. In Lean Management and Kaizen (pp. 65-
72). Springer, Cham.
Ivanov, D., Tsipoulanidis, A. and Schönberger, J., 2017. Global supply chain and operations
management. A decision-oriented introduction to the creation of value. 2.
Lei, L., and et. al., 2017. Managing Supply Chain Operations. World Scientific.
Lyu, G., Chen, L. and Huo, B., 2019. Logistics resources, capabilities and operational
performance. Industrial Management & Data Systems.

Machado, C.G., and et. al., 2017. Framing maturity based on sustainable operations management
principles. International Journal of Production Economics. 190, pp.3-21.
Mohamed Salleh, M.F.B and et. al, 2018. Preliminary concept of adaptive urban airspace
management for unmanned aircraft operations. In 2018 AIAA Information Systems-AIAA
Infotech@ Aerospace (p. 2260).
Schönsleben, P., 2016. Integral logistics management: Operations and supply chain
management within and across companies. CRC Press.
Waleczek, P., and et. al.,2019. On the dynamic bundles behind operations management and
research and development. European Management Journal. 37(2). pp.175-187.