Operations Management and Strategic Decision Making

This assignment delves into various aspects of operations management, including airport demand management, revenue management, and incident management. It also covers strategic decision making, resource-based theory, and the current challenges faced by operations managers. The provided references include academic papers, books, and online resources that offer valuable insights into these topics.

MANAGEMENT &
OPERATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager at
M&S.............................................................................................................................................1
P2 How the role of a leader and function of manager apply in different situational...................3
P3 Application of different theories and models of approach.....................................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P4 Key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers.............6
P5 Significance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives with
reference M&S.............................................................................................................................8
P6 Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision-making by leaders and managers at M&S.....................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Operations are the activities that are taken into consideration by an organisation to meet
its targeted goals and objectives. Hence, their proper and significant management is crucial and
vital for a business entity. The management of an organisation is an authorised body that helps
the firm to see through proper management of these activities (Bartlett and Beamish, 2018). For
the current report, Marks and Spencer is been chosen which is a UK based retail enterprise.
The report will lay emphasis on the management structure, roles and functions that will
be managed by leaders and managers, respectively. Different management theories and concepts
are being taken in the context with significant example of various situations encountered by them
at the workplace. Different leadership theories and key approaches of management have been
analysed with proper assessment of external environmental factors. The report will also inculcate
suitable recommendations that are susceptible for future improvement of the firm.
TASK 1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager at M&S
Marks and Spencer is a UK based multinational retail firm, headquartered at
Westminster, London. The business entity specialises in the clothing’s, home products and
luxury food items. The company work with flat organisational structure that ease the
communication and increase the transparency within operations.
Leaders and managers plays diligent and imperative role at the success of an organisation
like M&S. These roles and characteristics that are possessed by them pave the path of executing
retail business operations effectively. Although, leaders and managers work upon different fronts
at the firm, their combined efforts help the selected organisation to manage the wider business
activities (Bazargan, 2016).
Managers can be defined as responsible people who look after effective controlling and
carrying out activities through setting up of guidelines to direct people and resources within team
or department at workplace. On the other hand, leaders channelize the work force and allocate
resources to them by foreseeing proper guidance and direction to fellow team mates and
employees.
The major roles and characteristics of a leader and manager at M&S are as follows
Roles Managers Leaders
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Definition Managers are the authorities who manage
and handle the workforce and different
operations.
Leaders interact with
employees to look after the
efficient execution of the
business operations.
Setting up of
goals
They play vital role in setting up of proper
and effective operational goals and make
guidelines for it.
Once the goals are set, leaders
look after implementation of
these guidelines to direct their
team members for achieving
them.
Developing and
implementing
strategies
Managers at M&S analyze conditions and
develop the business strategies
accordingly.
Leaders see through effective
implementation of these
guidelines and action plan to
manage retail operations at
M&S.
Some characteristics of a leader and manager at M&S
characteristics Leaders Managers
Team building: The leaders will look after
proper handling of various
operations that are taken in
knowledge to fulfill targeted
goals and operations at M&S.
Managers have to look through
the proper analysis of the
individual and place him/her in
the team.
Communication: Leaders should have a good
command over
communication to meet
operational requirements and
convey it to teams for its
successful execution.
Manager should have good
communication skills in regard
of managing teams and
creating better environment.
Knowledge delegation: Leaders look after the training
needs and will take proper
measures to impart training in
a better way.
Manager possesses an
insightful knowledge about its
department and proficiency.
Hence, they see through
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proper imparting of these
knowledge among different
department of M&S.
Value creation: Leaders will motivate and
guide their employees to
utilize the available resources
properly and create a product
with high quality and value.
Managers look for
improvisation of different
activities or operations that are
carried out at cited retail
enterprise to increase
effectiveness of management
of business activities (Laudon
and Laudon, 2016).
Various management theories and concepts are being taken in consideration which helps
M&S to have good and detailed analysis of managerial and leadership roles.
Some of them are as follows:
 Contingency theory: This theory states that decision making that takes place at M&S is
based on situation and thus, affects managerial functions and leadership roles
accordingly.
 System theory: This helps managers and leaders to examine work patterns and events at
M&S. It helps to identify how various systems impact employees and vice versa to
decide effective carrying of managerial functions and leadership roles.
P2 How the role of a leader and function of manager apply in different situational
Various situations have been taken at M&S to meet operational management requirements.
The roles of leaders and functions of managers are taken in knowledge which help in rise of
capability and effectiveness of firm.
Some of the major situations that are taken in consideration by the retail firm are as follows:
Situation 1: Conflicts at Work place
 Role of Leader: The leaders will play vital role in conflict resolution by becoming a
mediator and communicate with employees to negotiate and resolve issues and ensure
proper execution of business operations and thus, help in improving team work and
building of a good workplace environment (Hitt, Carnes and Xu, 2016). The proper
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reduction of the conflicts is very important within an organisation as it will improve the
quality of business operation and meeting of the objectives of organisation in much
suitable way. Besides this, the leaders will look after proper handling of team bonding in
much suitable way. Functions of Managers: Managers of M&S will look after effective handling of
business operations and will draft out certain rules and code of conduct to ensure flawless
and smooth functioning of retail activities. Managers will see through the proper
development of effective copse of conduct that will improve the quality of business
operations and thus will assure that there is no occurrence of any sort of conflicts at
workplace.
Situation 2: Decrease in productivity
 Role of Leader: The leaders at M&S will look after proper handling of various measures
in order to sustain quality and productivity standards that are maintained. They will
provide proper guidance to workforce to sustain the production by firm. The leaders will
look after the proper implementation of measures and suitable guidance of work force
within organisation to carry out the business operations.
 Function of Manager: The managers will identify and resolve issues related to
decrement in production by the firm to enhance market share. They will carry out
analysis of different factors which will support improvement in production capacity of
cited retail entity. They will make out proper plans within organisation which will
improve the quality of their products and services and improves the productivity of
organisation by implementing these plans.
P3 Application of different theories and models of approach
Different theories and models of approaches are taken into context by M&S to carry out its
business operations and their efficient management effectively. These models and operations that
are followed by organisation helping the business operations and activities to be carried out with
a proper significance (Schnepp, Vidal and Hawley, 2017).
A good and proper implementation of a leadership will support the better communication
and coordination between various departments of M&S. These help out the leaders and managers
of cited retail enterprise to improve work efficiency of their employees. Some of the major
models and theories of leadership approaches are as follows:
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Situational leadership: Developed by Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey, as it states
that leaders or managers of firm adjust themselves to fit developmental level of followers and
fellow employees. It helps to improve leadership that helps firm to increase effectiveness and
quality of the chosen business entity. The managers and leaders at M&S will modify their
working style to improve their performance and have a better growth with sustainable
performance as per the situation to be followed by the firm. This will assist the organisation to
develop certain traits or behaviour among their work force and will improve their efficiency.
It has following strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
 It is the best way to train leaders and managers within a firm like M&S and improve their
efficiency.
 Being easy to understand, it can be implemented conveniently and thus help in suitable
rise in the knowledge and skill set of the leaders, managers as well as the employees
within the cited firm (Wu, 2016).
Weaknesses The major drawback it possesses is lack of verified material to prove its effectiveness.
This makes this theory based on assumptions rather on proper justification for leaders and
manager of M&S.
System theory: Stated by Von Bertalanffy, this leadership theory helps the firm to
develop a leadership that assist the firm to handle complex and critical situations. It helps in the
effective identification of interdependency of different departments at M&S and provide a
holistic view of companies’ operations. Assessing the organisation, using this theory will support
a better rise in company’s growth and promotes sustainable performance at work environment. It
has following strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
 Following this leadership theory assist the firm to increase its adaptability to different
external environmental factors that can lay an adverse impact on operations of the firm.
 Leads the focus upon achievement of individual as well as overall organisational goals.
Weaknesses It is very time consuming in implementation and may lead to delaying of decision making
process.
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Contingency theory: Postulated by Fiedler, this leadership theory is task as well as
people-oriented. This emphasize on the development of a better relation between leaders and
employees at workplace to have a significant growth and sustainable performance. It includes a
Low performing co-worker (LPC) scaling along with situational analysis which supports the
better growth and development of M&S in market (Saucedo-Martínez and et. al., 2017). It has
following strength and weaknesses:
Strengths:
 Majorly used in the empirical studies and mostly tested approach.
 Supports the development and improvement of skill set and profiles of managers and
leaders to increase overall performance.
Weaknesses:
 The uncertainty of LPC model followed is the major issue that is to be faced by
contingency theory at M&S.
These approaches and theories like system, contingency etc including traits and
behaviour theory that are been followed by the organisation to have a good growth and meeting
of various business operations that supports a good rise in the capability and performance level
of employees at M&S. this will help in the suitable improvement in work performance of the
organisation and thus supports the proper meeting of operations that supports a good rise in
efficiency of work force and effectiveness of the business operations and capabilities of the
organisation.
TASK 2
P4 Key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers
Operations management at M&S will inculcate various approaches of operations
management that will support the selected retail enterprise to have a good growth and
sustainability. Besides this, an effective and precise implementation of these measures will help
the organisation to improve its performance within its operational markets (Venkat and et. al.,
2015).
Some of the major approaches of OM and role of leaders and managers in its
implementation is as follows:
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Six Sigma: This approach is developed to maintain the pre-determined quality standards
that are been set within an organization like M&S. This quality barriers or checkpoints ensures
that the product that is reaching in market to customers is of utmost excellence. This will not
only lead to rise in customer satisfaction, market and brand image of the firm but will also
effectively contribute to increase in revenue generation of the firm.
Figure 1: Six Sigma Approach
Source: McMenamin, 2018 Role of Managers: They will perform effective analysis of the quality factors that are to
be incorporated within the firm and will develop a set of guideline that will be followed
within organisation. Besides this, they will look after the significance and extent of
improvement that will be implemented by M&S
 Role of Leaders: Leaders at M&S will look after the proper management of the business
operations and action plans that are been developed by the management of retail
enterprise to establish six sigma approach within the firm. They will guide and motivate
the workforce of firm to enhance the quality of production by the cited retail enterprise.
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Lean management: This approach of operation management will help the firm to have a
good rise in the capability of firm to utilize its resources in an efficient manner (Chevalier and et.
al., 2015). This is done to reduce wastage during goods production process and have a better
profitability. Apart from this, it reduces overloading and uneven workloads. This will assist the
firm to reduce the misuse of the available raw material and thus have a better economic stability. Role of Managers: Managers will look after proper management of operations that will
lead to reduction in wastage of raw material at the production line. They will set proper
criteria that will support an effective growth and sustainability.
 Role of Leaders: Leaders will look through the implementation of this approaches at
work. It will help in the proper setting of the different guidelines that will support a good
rise in capability of employees that will leads to reduction of wastage by the workforce of
M&S.
Total Quality Management: This approach of OM will help M&S to maintain the
effectiveness of standards that support the development of high quality products and services that
supports a good rise in the capability and meeting of economic goals of the company. This is,
however, a very time constraining and exhausting process. Hence, it can only be followed by
larger firms like the cited retail entity. It helps to increase the trust level of customers towards the
firm (Gillen, Jacquillat and Odoni, 2016). Role of managers: Managers will see through the proper establishment of the processes
that will help in proper setting up of goals and activities to have a good quality services
and products manufactured by M&S. It helps in suitable rise in the financial stability of
the organisation.
 Role of leaders: Leaders will help in providing the proper guidelines and action plans and
will look through the proper management of different business activities and operations
that will help in successful execution of TQM.
P5 Significance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives with
reference M&S
OM plays vital and significant role in improving overall performance of organisation that
supports the rise in productivity and effectiveness. Effective implementation and following of
different OM approaches will help the firm to increase the quality of services and enhance the
trust level of consumers. It will also cause the organisation to grow and develop (Ahuja, 2017).
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Other than this, OM helps the firm to make a suitable plan and follow it in a significant manner.
This will enhance their productivity and help the firm to have a good control over its costing,
production, marketing and sales.
It is a framework that support proper carrying out of business operations and gain proper
growth and rise in customer satisfaction level. Besides this, it plays many important roles which
are as follow:
 Improvement in product quality: The suitable implementation of the OM approaches
like TQM and lean management helps in the better. Precise utilization of raw material or
resources that are been taken within consideration by the organisation will support a
proper rise in production quality of M&S.
 Increase in interdepartmental communication: These approaches help in better rise in
the communication that help in the proper conveying of the information related to the
retail operations which are carried forward by M&S. The proper information utilisation
and transmission that takes place in the OM approaches like six sigma will lead to
improve business performance of the firm (Jacobs and Chase, 2017).
 Improving the brand image: The high quality production, proper communication and
following of an effective OM frame work to have a good customer satisfaction level
helps the firm to enhance the business operations and thus will support a good rise in the
capability and increase in brand image. It enhances the quality of firm and thus help in
establishing a better relation between the customer and M&S.
All these factors help in an effective value addition to the operations of M&S by long
term planning and will support the better growth and sustainable development of the firm.
P6 Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision-making by leaders and managers at M&S
Various factors are taken in deliberation by the selected entity that can impact the
operational management and decision making by leaders and managers of the firm. This will
have to be looked after in order to maintain the performance of cited retail entity (The 5 Current
Challenges of Operations Management, 2018). These operations and actions will also support the
proper and better growth of the business. Some of the major factors that can impact the overall
performance of M&S as well as the decision making by managers and leaders such as:
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 Financial factors: The financial factors like budget, expenses etc. will lay a very deep
and crucial impact on the overall performance of the business enterprise that is to be
taken in context to maintain the overall operations and decision making at the retail
enterprise (Asam and et.al. 2015).
 Technical considerations: The failure of applying proper technology at M&S will lead
to declination of plans that are been developed by leaders and managers at M&S. In order
to enhance effectiveness of quality management at the selected entity, this factors have to
be handle with utmost care. Also, this can affect the production quality and customer
satisfaction on wider stage.
 Skill set of employee’s: Lack of proper skill set or knowledge about a particular tool or
technology that may cause the operations and decision making of the firm to be adversely
affected. An unskilled labor will reduce the product and work quality for instance, may
ruin the product or its manufacturing process (Riley, 2018). This will help the employee’s
at M&S to improve their work efficiency.
 Other influencing factors: Many factors like product failure, demographic differences,
communication gap, downfall of market, social and cultural limitations, natural
calamities and political restrictions that can impact the overall performance and decision
making of M&S. Hence, these factors are required to be managed properly for wider
growth and development of the organization.
These factors will help the organization to handle the business activities and actions plans
with more efficiency and preciseness (McArthur, 2015). Besides this, it will also contribute in
effective rise of company’s performance at wider scale and also provide the firm with a good
competitive advantage. M&S has to see through the proper applications of various operations
that will support organizational growth and development.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of significant observation that have been mentioned above, this can be
concluded that an organisation has to properly consider the management of its business
operations in order to carry out the retail operations in a much effective manner. This can be said
that role of leaders and managers of M&S is important as they maintain all the activities which
will further leads to improvement in operations. Different key approaches of OM including Six
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Sigma, lean management and TQM will be inculcated by the firm in order to enhance their
performance and factors that impacts business performance. On basis of all this factors, this can
be induced and recommended that operation management is vital and necessary for the
organisation and innovative measures like e-commerce and social media interaction can be
undertaken by management of firm to mitigate the issues faced by the selected firm for future
development.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ahuja, R. K., 2017. Network flows: theory, algorithms, and applications. Pearson Education.
Asam, S. and et. al. 2015. Climate Change Adaptation Guide for Transportation Systems
Management, Operations, and Maintenance (No. FHWA-HOP-15-026).
Bartlett, C. A. and Beamish, P. W., 2018. Transnational Management: Text and Cases in Cross-
border Management. Cambridge University Press.
Bazargan, M., 2016. Airline operations and scheduling. Routledge.
Chevalier, P. and et. al., 2015. Revenue management for operations with urgent
orders. European Journal of Operational Research. 240(2). pp.476-487.
Gillen, D., Jacquillat, A. and Odoni, A. R., 2016. Airport demand management: The operations
research and economics perspectives and potential synergies. Transportation Research
Part A: Policy and Practice, 94, pp.495-513.
Hitt, M. A., Carnes, C. M. and Xu, K., 2016. A current view of resource based theory in
operations management: A response to Bromiley and Rau. Journal of Operations
Management. 41(10). pp.107-109.
Jacobs, F. R. and Chase, RB., 2017. Operation and supply chain management. Mc GrawHill.
Laudon, K. C. and Laudon, J. P., 2016. Management information system. Pearson Education
India.
McArthur, J. J., 2015. A building information management (BIM) framework and supporting
case study for existing building operations, maintenance and sustainability. Procedia
engineering. 118. pp.1104-1111.
Saucedo-Martínez, J. A. and et. al., 2017. Industry 4.0 framework for management and
operations: a review. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing. pp.1-
13.
Schnepp, R., Vidal, R. and Hawley, C., 2017. Incident management for operations. " O'Reilly
Media, Inc.".
Venkat, A. and et. al., 2015. Strategic management of operations in the emergency
department. Production and Operations Management. 24(11). pp.1706-1723.
Wu, D., 2016. Risk management and operations research: a review and introduction to the
special volume. Annals of Operations Research. 237(1-2). pp.1-5.
Online
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McMenamin, E., 2018. Back to Basics: Six Sigma. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.qualitymag.com/articles/94429-back-to-basics-six-sigma >
Riley, J., 2018. Internal and external influences on operational objectives. [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/internal-and-external-influences-
on-operational-objectives>
The 5 Current Challenges of Operations Management. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://online.kettering.edu/news/2016/10/18/what-are-5-current-challenges-operations-
management>
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