Management and Operations: Role of Leader and Manager in Unilever Company

MANAGEMENT
AND
OPERATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
(1) Comparison of role and characteristics of leader and manager........................................3
(2) application of leader's role and manager's function in different situation........................5
(3) Theories and models of leadership approaches................................................................7
(4) Key approaches to operational managements...................................................................8
(5)Importance and value of operation management in achieving business objectives........10
(6) The factors of business environment impacted on operational management and decision-
making by Leaders and Managers........................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Operation management states that maximization of the output by efficient utilization of
input. This report will cover the role of manager and leader in an organization. This report is
prepared by taking a base of Unilever company case study. Unilever company is multinational
consumer goods company. Its products include food, ice-cream, tooth paste, cosmetics etc.
Further, this report will study the application of leaders and managers function in different
business situation. Moreover, this report will analyze different management and leadership
theories and models, approach along with the application. Key approaches to operational
management and the role of manager and leader play in the Unilever company will be studied.
The importance and value of operation management in achieving Unilever company objectives
will be evaluated. At the end, this report will highlight factors of business environment that
impact on the operational management and decision-making by manager and leader.
MAIN BODY
(1) Comparison of role and characteristics of leader and manager
Basis Manager Leader
Meaning A manager is the
representative of organization,
who is responsible for the
management work and take
crucial actions whenever
required.
A leader is a person who lead
their followers to achieve an
organization goal.
purpose Manager focus on setting,
measuring and achieving goal.
Leader focuses on motivating a
group to enable them to
achieve their aim.
Role Manager controls the situation
to reach and exceed
organization objectives.
Leader inspire their people to
turn their vision into reality
(Freund and Dorczak, 2020).

Risk Manager always make an
effort to anticipate, minimize
and control risk.
In order to implement their
vision, Leader will not hesitate
to try new methods and
exploring different paths.
Focus Manager focus on systems and
processes. It is required to set a
desirable structure in order to
achieve organization goal.
Leader builds a relationship
with the followers in order to
achieve the set vision.
Functions Manager performs different
functions such as planning,
organizing, staffing, directing,
controlling.
Leader also performs
function like directing,
motivating, coordinating etc.
Approach Reactive proactive
Role Manager push employees to
attain goal by analyzing
efficiency of day to day
activities (Jaser, 2021).
Leader pulls the employee to
achieve organization goal by
inspiring and driving people.
Conflict A manager reacts to change
and avoids conflict.
A leader promotes changes and
use conflicts as an asset. By
analyzing the root cause of
conflict, leader take necessary
action to resolve it.
Culture and environment Manager enacts the existing Leaders shape the culture,