Operations management

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................2
TASK 1..........................................................................................................................................................3
P1. Different characteristics and roles of a manager and a leader.........................................................3
TASK 2..........................................................................................................................................................6
P2. How role of a leader and function of a manager can be applicable on different organization
situations................................................................................................................................................6
P3. Several models and theories of approaches including system leadership, contingency and
situational leadership.............................................................................................................................7
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................................8
P4. Key approaches to operations management and roles played by managers and leaders................8
TASK 4........................................................................................................................................................11
P6. Various factors within business environment that mainly impact on operational management and
decision making by managers and leaders...........................................................................................11
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is always known as the administration of various business
practices in order to develop highest level of efficiency and possibility within firm. It is also
concerned as one of the converting material into end goods and services to get huge profit.
Together with management and operation both terms always make balancing cost with good
revenue in order to achieve highest net profit possibilities effectively. On the other side this can
be said that it is one of the essential and unique tools for firms which usually design overall
manufacturing of business process as per the customer’s demand to achieve success in future.
Present assignment is based on Marks and Spencer which is one of the best British multinational
retailer and deals with home appliances, clothes and food products (Alderton and Saieva, 2013).
It was found in the year of 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer and headquartered in
Westminster, London. Furthermore, discussion will be based on different characteristics and
roles of a leader and a manager in an organization. Appreciation of various functions which is
played by leader and a manager will get covered. Lastly, this report will focus on relationship
between leadership and management within the firm’s business.
TASK 1
P1. Different characteristics and roles of a manager and a leader.
Within the competitive business environment leaders and managers play important roles to
achieve organizational goals effectively. Along with this they also knew as the important tool of
an organization that also motivates its employees in a proper way. By having unique
performance styles they can attract large number of employees and encourage them towards
work (Brown and Bessant, 2013).
Leader: It is an individual or a people within the organization who always controls and modifies
various changes as per the firm requirements. Together with leaders have effective working style
by which they can fulfill firm's needs and wants on time and able to gain per-determined goals
properly? In context with Marks and Spencer, leader plays very crucial role in which they
accomplish organization’s needs and able to achieved desired goals. Therefore, leader always
considered as the first priority of an organization.
Roles of a leader-

Goal oriented: Leader plays essential role to monitoring and controlling overall
activities in a firm with proper manner. At the same time they also coordinate with its colleges
and group members in order to meet their overall needs and demand in the firm.
Needed at all levels: Leadership is an essential tool for every firm which helps firm to
operate overall business in a systematic way. Therefore, in order to take appropriate decisions
every organization needs leader's views to achieve targeted goals.
Representative of the organization: Leader also plays the role of representative by
which they can arrange various seminars, general meetings, conferences for their special clients
in relation with organization (Bromiley and Rau, 2016).
Characteristics of a leader-
Communicative ability: It is one of the best characteristic of leadership this is because
they can easily communicate with different people within the organization and make
organization effective in front of others.
Positive attitude: Leader always have positive attitude which shows that they can behave
positively with their group of people in the organization and also influence higher authorities
within the organization. Therefore, this sort of characteristic usually influences others.
Manager: It is a person who is an operator of a specific group of tasks as well as subset of an
organization. Along with this manager have various people who usually report tom him on time.
Therefore, he always manages each and every kind of situation in business and reaches business
at higher level. In reference with Marks and Spencer, manager has responsibility to check overall
system of an organization like how their employees working in the company and what kind of
efforts they are trying to achieve appropriate goals in an effective manner.
There are different types of functions (given by Henri Fayol) played by the manager
within Marks and Spencer, explained below:
Functions-
Planning: According to Henri Fayol, it is one of the best function of an organization
which is make by a manager. By having appropriate plan manager can make effective and unique
strategies for Marks and Spencer in order to implement on new ideas or thoughts. With the help
of this resource manager can achieve predetermined goals towards the organization (Chiarini and
Vagnoni, 2015).

Organizing: It is mainly depends upon the well Organized functions which is framed by
a manager of an organization. Whereas, effective organizational structure shows good working
divisions of an organization. In reference with M&S, it is very important for manager to make
systematic functions for this organization to gain successful goals for betterment of future.
Controlling: By knowing overall activities are going as per the predetermined plan then
manager is able to take appropriate decisions in order to increase performance standard of its
employees. In context with M&S, manager always measure various activities and plan and
control them accordingly.
Coordinating: Positive influencing power of a manager impact on overall activities of
employees in a better way. In relation with Marks and Spencer manager always coordinate with
its superiors and take effective decision to achieve goals appropriately (Burns, 2014).
Commanding: It is most essential function of an organization in which manager give
better instructions to employees in order tell that what they have to exactly to achieve objectives.
In reference with Marks and Spencer, manager usually communicates with lots of people in an
organization by which they can make unique decision for betterment of future.
Characteristics of a manager-
Manager characteristic always shows their good behavior as well as knowledge by which
they can communicate with every type of people within and outside the organization to gain
appropriate goals and objectives.
Difference between manager and leader of Marks & Spencer
Basis of
comparison
Leader Manager
Authority and
power
Leaders has authority to encourage and
motivates employees towards work.
Whereas, managers are those who is
responsible to assign task to
employees in relation with
appropriate work.
Subordinates Leaders always have lots of followers
as an employee.
Manager always have different types
of people as their superiors within
the organization.
Behavioral
characteristics
Leaders have positive behavior within
the firm which influences other people
Manager plays crucial role with
good behavior in order to give better

to achieve organizational goals. culture at workplace to employees.
Traits Leaders always have capability and
able to inspire other people in a proper
ways.
Managers always have vision in
order to communicate well with
different people.
Roles and
responsibilities
Leaders plays significant roles in the
firm as they are responsible to
encourage people towards achieving
goals appropriately.
Manager is an employee as well who
plans and controls everything as they
have responsibility to make
organisation effective.
Similarities between leader and manager of Marks and Spencer-
 Leader and manager always plays crucial role in firm in order to motivates and encourage
their team members or group of people towards good work.
 Both manager and leader works together to achieve predetermined goals with the help of
effective workforce in a particular way.
 They always make same goals and objectives in order to gain huge profit and
maximization within the firm by providing different types of training and development
programs to employees in order to increase their overall knowledge and skills in an
appropriate manner (Ferguson and et.al., 2017).
Situational leadership: This leadership style is the process in which manager or leader
adjusts their working style in order to better development of strategies within the Marks and
Spencer.
Systems leadership: This is about that hoe manager and leader uses their power within
the Marks and Spencer across the boundaries.
Contingency leadership: With the help of this theory manager and leader are able to
develop new styles in order to influence employees towards work within M&S at various level.
TASK 2
P2. How role of a leader and function of a manager can be applicable on different organization
situations.
Mark and Spencer is a British multinational retailer organization within the UK. This
firm deals with different types of goods and services such as home appliances, clothing and food

products. Along with this, it’s providing their services across the globe. In the present scenario
this firm operating large number of stores with 87,000 employee’s world widely. Therefore,
there are lots of competitors of this firm who also make unique strategies in order to gain huge
success within the competitive scenario (Choi, Cheng and Zhao, 2016). Therefore, respective
firm is needed to apply different strategies to gain better reputation within the marketplace.
Herein, leaders of this organization always plays crucial role and motivate their team members to
achieve organizational goals. In order to make their organization more attractive they used
different technologies and strategies by which they can face any type of competition in business
place. By having different new technique they can reduce conflicts within the organization. The
main motive of this firm is to fulfill people needs and wants and reduce competition from the
market to gain better efficiency. There are some situations in which leader and manager play
essential role, those are given below:
Employee’s grievances: This type of situation can be creating any time within working
place; this is because sometimes, employees have lots of questions in their mind as per their
work related context. Therefore, M&S make effective strategies in order to overcome those
conflicts effectively (Omansky and Kanner, Autodesk, 2014). Along with this, leaders also play
crucial role they always listen to their team members’ query and make better solutions to
overcome those issues and make them happy.
Interpersonal conflicts: This situation arises in firm when lots of employees work
together and face lots of problems then it creates conflicts within the organization. In reference
with Marks and Spencer, leaders always make unique techniques and short ways in order to
reduce these sorts of problems from the firm. With the help of applying perfectible strategies
they can give better shape to its team members and make them able to face sort of difficulties at
workplace.
From the above mentioned discussion this can be observed that manager and leader both
are crucial part of M&S. With the help of both respective firms can achieve their goals and make
themselves attractive in front of their customers within the marketplace. Therefore, they are
helpful to overcome lots of problems from an organization in a perfect manner. On the other side
it has been concluded that, when firm applied this sort of scenario there are different ways to
achieve organizational goals in an effective manner. By having this type of solving process for

issues they can increase overall workforce within the firm and able to meet their targeted goals in
a perfect manner. If talk about interpersonal conflicts, situation can be arise any time so that if
respective firm have already alternative so that they can easily reduce overall impact from the
firm. At the same time in the case of employees grievances Marks and Spencer applied unique
strategies and tools in order to reduce these sorts of factors in a proper way. All these tool will be
more helpful for firm to achieve their organizational goals and objectives in a perfect manner.
P3. Several models and theories of approaches including system leadership, contingency and
situational leadership.
Leadership plays very significant role within every business firm so that leaders are
always ready to operate overall activities of business entity in an appropriate manner. Together
with they also motivate every employee in firm towards achieving perfect goals (Kato and et.al.,
2015). In context with M&S, leader mainly used various approaches in order to define its needs
and wants, those are listed below:
Situational leadership: This is very supportive approach for leader at various level of an
organization. In reference with M&S leader always support to achieve organizational goals and
objectives. On the basis of this leaders are able to deal with any difficult situation and improve
employees working performance in a proper way. On the other side this style is very useful for
Marks and Spencer which is generally used by manager and leader in order to adjust his styles
within the firms activities for developing various level to their followers to achieve
organizational goals in a perfect manner. Along with this leaders and managers are responsible to
adopt so many tools and techniques in order to improve situation of an organisation in an
effective manner.
Contingency leadership theory: In this theory leaders are able to easily communicate with
different category of people at marketplace. According to M&S this approach is mainly used by
its leader to encourage employee’s confidence towards their work in an appropriate manner. This
is a type of twofold processes which always identify the overall skills and knowledge of a leader.
Apart from this it can be said that about this theory that it is very effective for leaders and along
with their leadership styles in order to find what type of leadership style must be goof for Marks

and Spencer in a proper way. As this theory do not consist accurate way of leadership but it help
to find out various situation to manage overall work in a proper way.
System leadership theory: This is very helpful approach for leaders of Mark and Spencer. With
the help of this they can offer positive working environment for employees and able to handle
various operational activities by motivating lots of people (Heizer, Render and Munson, 2017). It
helps them to increase their knowledgeable skills so that they can lead organization in a perfect
way. Although, this system of leadership enables the leader within the organisation in order to
develop various situations and levels in which people can work in a productive manner and able
to gain their targeted goal in a proper way. In order to develop good creativity respective firm is
able to have good leadership styles into the firm operations and design appropriate social process
in an effective manner.
As per the above theories this can be said that leaders are needed to follow all these
approaches for the best future. Herein, manager and a leader always will use these sort of
approaches in order to gain goals and objectives. With the help of these sorts of theories they can
manage their work on time in the company and able to offer several learning programs to their
employees. Therefore, all are very essential for firm as well as people who are working in this
sector. Apart from this, leaders can easily focuses on their employees working performance and
encourage them to give more efforts for gaining better advantages from competitive scenario at
marketplace.
TASK 3
P4. Key approaches to operations management and roles played by managers and leaders.
Operation management: It is the administration of overall business practices in order to
develop highest level of efficiency within the organisation. It is also concerned as the converting
materials and labors into finish goods to increase profits of an organisation. By having effective
possibility of resources firms can make their customers happy and able to gain huge profit within
the marketplace (Greene and Pierret, Verizon and Licensing, 2014). Along with it also provide
various tools for planning, organizing, directing and controlling to manage overall activities of
business. Therefore, operation management is an very effective tool which helps firm to manage
their activities in a proper way. There are different types of functions, mentioned below:

Transportation: According to this, product always prepared for transferring from one
place to another towards the firm.
Production function: It is concerned as the core values of firm in which goods are
converted into the finish goods.
So that it can be said that operation management is one of the best important tool for
leader and managers in order to manage overall functions of an organisation for work properly.
On the basis of this manager and leaders are able to make their operation process is good and
take care of every department within the organisation. Together with manager and a leader also
valuable part of business firm who always take care of key resources in an effective manner.
Just in time approach: This is known as inventory system which refers to the
management strategies that take raw material orders from the suppliers directly. Most of the firm
use this approach to increase their working efficiency and decrease waste from receiving goods.
In context with Marks and Spencer , leaders are using this approach very well in order to assign
different task to employees and they finished work within short period of time. With the help of
this approach leaders can increase employees working performance and able to give them
rewards accordingly (Slack and Brandon-Jones, 2018).
Total quality management: TQM refers to the management system specially for the
customers focused organisation that includes overall improvement of employees performance
within the organisation. With the help of this leaders and managers of an organisation can use
effective strategies, data and communications in order to maintain discipline for develop positive
culture within the organisation. In reference with Marks and Spencer, leaders always used this
approach for their effective manufacturing system as well as it is helpful for reducing wastage
from the overall goods. So that they can make their functions and products more effective and
attractive for their customers. Apart from this there are some approaches which is used by TQM
in M&S, those are listed below:
Role played by the leader: Leader plays very essential role within the organisation. This
is because they gives better ides to make unique goods by reducing wastage from the particular
product. With the help of this they are able to gain organizational opportunities by increasing
firm productivity at marketplace.

Role played by the manager: Manager always try to make their organisation attractive
in front of other people at marketplace. In order to use lots of technologies they always
implements on innovative ideas to get future opportunities in an effective manner.
Kaizen theory: It is a approach in order to develop regular improvement base don the
ideas of organisation to bring new changes foe betterment of future (Prahlad and Pawar,
CommVault, 2013). In reference with Marks and Spencer, sometimes they faces different issues
so with the help of this theory they can manage their work accordingly and able to achieve
oriented goals or objectives.
Just in Case approach: This approach refers to the inventory strategies in which firms
can keep large number of inventories and funds as well in a safe zone. The main aim of this type
of inventory is to reduce profits from that product that will sell out of stock. In context with
Marks and Spencer there are utilization of various strategies in order to fulfill consumers demand
and needs in a proper way. By following this strategy on their overall working operations they
can develop higher inventories and able to reduce extra sales due to the sold out industries.
Therefore, it is necessary aspect for this firm, so that they can achieve their targeted goals in a
perfect way.
P5. Importance and value of operation management to achieve business objectives.
Operation management refers to the process which is mainly used to describe production
system like how company overcome wastage material in order to make organization attractive. In
reference with Marks and Spencer manager always assigned task to its employees and encourage
them towards making better quality of goods and service through reducing overall cost of
production.
Importance of Operations Management: There are different types of essential operation which
is followed by M&S, those are given below:
Significant decrease in overall cost: Operation management always concerned as the
optimum utilization various new techniques by which firms can reduced their extra cost from the
manufacturing process. In reference with M&S, manager mainly used unique and innovative
techniques in order to develop so many ways to overcome additional cost from the goods.

Therefore, it maximizes the quality of their several goods and services as well as increase
customers satisfaction towards them.
Enhancing productivity of company: Productivity is very essential part of every
organization. In relation with M&S manager always focuses on productivity of a particular
product in firm. With the help of this he can lead and develop positive working environment for
employees in order to enhance overall productivity of firm as well as product in front of
customers (Thomé, Scavarda and Scavarda, 2016).
Significance of Operations Management in facilitating business success:
In order to get huge success almost firms are needed to use various approaches such as
six sigma, TQM and JIT. In regards with Marks and Spencer, leader and manager always these
sorts of approaches to increase firm productivity and operational cost as well. When all these
approaches are used by this respective firm then they can get success and able accomplish their
goals and objectives. Apart from this there are few importance of operation management within
M&S, listed below:
 Operation management is the sum total of different activities of every business at
marketplace. It also implements on new technologies in order to make firm attractive and
achieve per-determined goals.
 Operation management generally includes various programs like planning, organizing,
coordinating, directing and controlling of various aspects of appropriate firm. Therefore,
it is the tool which is used to manage every day activity of an organization.
 Lastly, it is essential because it make some changes within the overall functions of a
business organization. Along with it helps firm to target its potential customers in order
to get huge success in future (Smith, Maull and Ng, 2014).
Managers roles are much important for any kind of business and firm in order to make
planning, organizing, controlling and developing so many things within the workplace those can
inspired lots of people at one time. On the basis of this manager can easily allot task to their
employees in a proper way and also makes proper strategies or techniques in order to achieve
goals in an effective manner. In relation with Marks and Spencer, the role of manager is more

essential then the other aspects of business, this is because with the help of this they can
influence its all over the workforce and employees in order to meet competitive scenario and
advantages in a perfect way.
TASK 4
P6. Various factors within business environment that mainly impact on operational management
and decision making by managers and leaders.
Business environment refers to the specific combination of internal and external factors
includes customers needs, employees, clients, suppliers, owners, innovation in technologies and
so on. All these sorts of factors influence overall business activities in both positive or negative
way. There are several factors, which are following as under:
Internal factors: These factors can influence an organisation like how they meet with
their overall objectives and goals in a perfect way. There are some internal factors, those are
following as under:
Share holders(Owners): These are the essential assets for an organisation who can be
the person, individual within firm. In relation with Marks and Spencer manager and leader make
unique strategies and techniques to fulfill organization goals and objectives in order to gain
competitive business environment. But sometimes this situation can be tough for them so that
they faces few issues in the organisation.
Human resource: It is much essential for an organisation as HR department always
helps company to hire knowledgeable candidates for future growth. In relation with Marks and
Spencer, HR manager always wants to achieve competitive business scenario and helps leaders
to motivates its employees to gain effective goals. Therefore, firm can get influenced by this
factor in a positive way.
External factors: These are those elements which generally influence overall business
results and performance from the outside. This factor consist various elements which are given
below:

Technological factor: Within the competitive scenario, technologies are increasing every
day. Therefore, it can be difficult for companies to face this scenario. In context with Marks and
Spencer, in order to gain competitive business environment they always used unique
technologies to satisfy customers needs and wants (5 ways To Advance Lean Manufacturing
with Real-time Intelligence, 2019). Herein, leaders and manager plays important role. They
always give different ideas to firm by which they can make unique strategies and techniques
which helps customers to gain unique products desirably. With the help of this factor firm can
bring innovative ideas and able to gain competitive advantages.
Positive impact: The overall economy of UK is stable, if Marks and Spencer will
implements on new and innovative technologies then they can get huge potential customers and
able to achieve their targeted within the competitive scenario without any issues.
Negative impact: This factor is one of the main elements of PESTLE analysis which
generally impact on all over the firm and their overall business functions. If respective firm is not
able to follow these sorts of techniques as per the market situation then they are not able to have
goods image as well as they can get lose their people probably.
Legal factors: These type of external factors refers to the laws and policies which is
given by the government to operate business activities in a perfect manner. So that this factor
plays very crucial role in every firm's activates. In reference with Marks and Spencer, leaders
and managers always make their decision according to the country' government instructions. By
having this scenario they do not needed to face any kind of issues outside the organisation. With
the help of following laws and policies respective firm can get better position at marketplace and
able to gain effective productivity.
Positive impact: These sorts of factors always have positive impact as all these given by
the governmental bodies in order to bring improvements within the organization functions and
operations in a proper way. With the help of this can make them attractive and able to fulfill
customer’s needs and wants in a proper way.
Negative impact: If respective firm will not follow all those rules and legislation then
they can face some difficulties within the marketplace and not able to achieve their goals
perfectly. So this type of process influence negatively of all over the firms functions.

CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report it has been concluded that, operation management is
the very attractive and efficient tools for each and every organization to achieve organization
goals within competitive scenario. From the given organization this can be said that managers
and leaders plays very effective role in industry to achieve business goals in a perfect manner.
With the help of various functions and approaches respective can make their particular vision
and goals and make better services to its customers. Therefore, all these are necessary tool which
is used by a leader and a manager within firm. By having different types of techniques and tools
they can apply several technologies and strategies in order to gain better output towards business
firm.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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Bromiley, P. and Rau, D., 2016. Operations management and the resource based view: Another
view. Journal of Operations Management. 41. pp.95-106.
Brown, S. and Bessant, J., 2013. Strategic operations management. Routledge.
Burns, M.G., 2014. Port management and operations. CRC press.
Chiarini, A. and Vagnoni, E., 2015. World-class manufacturing by Fiat. Comparison with
Toyota production system from a strategic management, management accounting,
operations management and performance measurement dimension. International
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Choi, T.M., Cheng, T.C.E. and Zhao, X., 2016. Multi‐methodological research in operations
management. Production and Operations Management. 25(3). pp.379-389.
Ferguson, N.T. and et.al., 2017. Secure management of operations on protected virtual
machines. U.S. Patent 9,578,017.
Greene, W.S. and Pierret, M.C., Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc, 2014. Method and system for
realizing a rendezvous service in a management operations center implemented in a
global ecosystem of interrelated services. U.S. Patent 8,856,087.
Heizer, J., Render, B. and Munson, C., 2017. Operations management. Pearson Education
Limited.
Kato, T. and et.al., 2015. Operations management methods and devices thereof in information-
processing systems. U.S. Patent 9,128,704.
Omansky, A.H. and Kanner, J.L., Autodesk Inc, 2014. Systems and methods for construction
field management and operations with building information modeling. U.S. Patent
8,732,125.
Prahlad, A. and Pawar, R.S., CommVault Systems Inc, 2013. Systems and methods for
performing data management operations using snapshots. U.S. Patent 8,595,191.
Slack, N. and Brandon-Jones, A., 2018. Operations and process management: principles and
practice for strategic impact. Pearson UK.
Smith, L., Maull, R. and CL Ng, I., 2014. Servitization and operations management: a service
dominant-logic approach. International Journal of Operations & Production
Management. 34(2). pp.242-269.
Thomé, A.M.T., Scavarda, L.F. and Scavarda, A.J., 2016. Conducting systematic literature
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