Roles and Characteristics of Leaders and Managers in Operations Management

This assignment discusses the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers in operations management, focusing on the case of Marks & Spencer. It explores the concepts and theories of leadership and management, including situational leadership, system leadership, and contingency leadership. The assignment also examines the impact of factors like corporate social responsibility (CSR), culture, and values on decision making in operations management.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1.................................................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P2. ...............................................................................................................................................6
P3. ...............................................................................................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
Covered in PPT...........................................................................................................................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P6. ...............................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is characterised as a process of managing different managerial
activities like, planning, organising, staffing, directing, controlling, as well as supervising. Their
main objective is to manufacture and sale good quality of product and services to their potential
customers. It mainly focuses on maximising operational efficiency and productivity in a business
organization that will help management in increasing profitability (Chiarini and Vagnoni, 2015).
Thus, for accomplishing this both directors and leaders manoeuvres a very essential character in
every organisation. This current assignment is supported on Marks & Spencer which is a leading
British international retail organisation. This firm was established in 1884 by Michael Marks and
Thomas Spencer and headquartered in London, UK. In this document various roles and
characteristics of a leader and a manager are discussed. Along with this divergence concepts,
models and approach of operational management is considered at last report discussed on
components of business concern surroundings effect upon functional administration and
determination devising by leaders and managers in effective way.
TASK 1
P1.
The Leader and Manager both plays very important function in each and every business
administration. As they both helps in management in achieving their goals and aid in success of
their company. A leader is an individual who determinant multitudes for working effectively for
achieving their individual as well as organizational goal. Whereas the Manager is an individual
who focuses on managing their business organization, in a way that he is only accountable for
designing, structuring, positioning, coordinating and controlling. The Leader has various
qualities like cognition to animate, vision, assurance, affirmative cognition, enthusiastic, good
communication skills and many more (Ferguson and et, al., 2016). If it is talked about quality of
Manager then they are discipline, Competence, has effective Etiquette, full of Confidence, they
have commitment to against work, effective Decision-Making power etc.
Include separate headings and sub-headings for Leader and Manager when you define them and
discuss their roles.
Comparison between Managers and Leaders
Basis Managers Leaders

Meaning An administrator is an
individual who manages
different functions of business
organisation and also it’s
responsible for planning,
directing coordinating as well
as controlling.
A leader is an individual who
focuses on influencing his
subordinates for achieving
specified goal (Gibson and
Parkman, 2018).
Role The major role of managers is
planning in the organization.
Whereas the role of leaders is
to inspire and motivates their
workforce to work effectively
and efficiently..
Vision The vision of managers are to
accomplish the required
results.
The major goal of leaders are
development and growth of the
organisation.
Subordinates Followers Employees
Focuses Managers focus on things. Leaders focus on people.
Risk aspect They mainly avoid conflicts. They use risk as an assets.
Directions They provide direction to the
employees to follow the rules
and regulations of the firm
(Difference Between Leader
and Manager. 2019).
They provide directions to
team members to work
according to strategies and
designed framework.
Characteristics of leaders
Knowledge- In M&S, it is important to have good and deep knowledge to be an effective
leader. So that with the help of this trait, they can resolve employees and workers quarries and
issues during the time of team work.

Confidence- It is another characteristic of leaders which is beneficial to attain set
objectives of the company in given time period and encourage employees so that they can make
their participation in the growth of the firm.
Characteristics of managers-
Communication- In M&S, to be a good manger, it is an essential skill because with the
help of it they can effectively communicate employees and share needed information to them in
proper way (Hammer, 2015).
Delegation- It is another characteristic which is also required to be a good manager
because with the help of it, they can encourage the workforce and delegate their efforts to attain
the aim of the company (Heizer, Render, and Munson, 2017).
Management Functions
Planning- In M&S, designing function of the administration controls all the readying
such as setting the mission, vision and plan of action of the company and also developing the
aims and goals.
Organising- In M&S, this management function controls the overall structure of the
company including prioritizing task and balancing of all the resources which are required to
attain set goals.
Controlling-This administration function help in checking all the functioning of the
company and managing the kicks in as an effective measure. In M&S, it can include continuous
determination of employees’ performance.
Directing- In M&S, this management function assists in leading workers to their roles in
order to attain set aims and objectives by the company.
Hard management skills- These kind of skills consist the particular knowledge and abilities
which are required for success in employment. In M&S, these skills can be computer
programming, accounting, finance, legal and other quantifiable skills.
Soft leadership skills- These kind of skills are required to help employees and encourage them
to perform their duties. In M&S, these skills can be abstraction, group activity, problem
resolution, determination devising and others.
Traits Theory of leadership- This theory is supported on the skills and qualities of leaders
which vantage to their powerfulness but it neglect to set up the attribute that should be ordinary

to all leaders. It can be beneficial to M&S to make control on the productivity of workforce
strictly where there is high demand for their products (Trait Theory of Leadership. 2017).
TASK 2
P2.
In M&S administrator and individual play an essential role and functioning in the
organisation for effective operations of the company (Hitt, Xu, and Carnes, 2016). There are two
situational examples of this company are defined as below:
Fast change- In current era, there are several kinds of changes occurred in the wants,
desires, taste and preferences of customers. These changes are generating due to change in trends
and fashion so the changes are generated in the needs of customers regarding products and
services. For example, M&S is a multinational organisation, this company company manufacture
clothing according to customers’ needs (Kapadia, Dong and Yang, Cisco Technology Inc, 2018).
Due to change in consumers need according to trends, the administration of the organization also
form change in its manufacture and deigned apparels accordant trend and fashion. Technological
changes are also occurred highly in present time which affect production producer of the
company. Manager and leader can also help in analysing the marketing need and so that they can
effectively aware with customers’ demands. If the company adopt change quickly then it can
easily adopt new technologies and fulfil the needs and demands of customers according their
desires timely.
Conflict resolution- In M&S, during the time of teamwork, employees faced various
issues and problems cause of ineffective communication and interaction. It create impact upon
group work unfavourably in term of inappropriate performance or unachieved task goals and
objectives. In this situation, leaders and managers manoeuvre an essential character to resolve
issues and providing suggestions through open communication. So that they can easily deliver
their conflicts and problems with their seniors and participate in decision making sop that the
conflicts can be resolved and removed on time.
Classical theory of management- In defined situation, the manager of the company can adopt
this theory to overcome issues which are occurred due to these situations. In M&S, with the
assist of this theory, they can effectively lead employees encourage them by satisfying their
needs so that they can effectively work in the team and make interaction with other team

members so that they can familiar with other team members. It help in minimizing issues and
conflicts of the group.
Transformational leadership theory- In M&S, this theory can be beneficial for to administrate
the modification which are generated with the company cause of change in social and
organisational demands (Kato and et, al., Hitachi Ltd, 2015). In receptive company this theory
can be implement by the management of the company in rapid change situation and minimise
those issues which are occurred due to fast change.
P3.
There are diverse concepts like situational, methods and eventuality which can be used
and implement by the administration of M&S with the purpose of encouraging and motivating
employees and workers. These theories are defined as below:
Situational leadership theory
This theory was developed by Paul Harsey and Ken Blanchard in 1970. This theory states
that administrators or company should adopt various leadership styles as per those situations
which they faced and suffered time to time in company (Kopardekar and et, al., 2016). It include
four leadership style telling, selling, participating and delegating which can be beneficial to the
leader of M&S and thy can work according different situations. This theory of leadership can be
used in receptive company to emphasize leader flexibility and monitor that workforce work
differently in different tasks and leader can also adopt leadership style according to situation.
This theory is beneficial because it is flexible in nature, develop effective cooperation between
team members and analyse the level of maturity of individuals within the company.
Strengths and weaknesses- This theory is good to the company because it assist in
creating comfortable environment for employees and maximize the awareness of the leader. But
it can be ineffectual in project destined atmosphere and create confusion within the company.
System leadership theory
This theory indicates to leaders in a company to create situations at all levels so that the
individuals can executes their responsibilities and responsibilities in appropriate manner. In
M&S, this theory can be helpful for the company because it help in providing safe, secure,
healthy and friendly working environment where people can work effectively in term of
achieving organisational business objectives in appropriate manner. This theory of leadership can
be used in M&S to develop models of effective leadership, plan of action of companies, systems

designs and social procedures. It offers leaders with tools that assist employee's demeanour in the
company. It is beneficial to the firm because it focus on accomplishing the employees and
organisational objectives (Mijumbi and et, al., 2016). It is maladaptive and impulsive in nature or
make concentration on various magnitude of administration.
Strengths and weaknesses- It is beneficial because it offer a roadmap for demonstration
and obliteration of development of experience. But it is not applicable to smaller organisations
and does not provide to dependence or specific style of running in the company.
Contingency leadership theory
This concept of leadership was formulated by Fred Edward Fiedler in 1964. It states that
powerfulness of a leader is possible upon with how an individual's leadership style matches the
situation In M&S, with the assistance of this theory the management of the company can
motivate workers so that they can absolute there in granted time period or in appropriate manner
(Nakagawa, NEC Corp, 2015). In M&S, it can be implemented to monitor the effect of situations
on leaders and concentrates on the relationship between the leader's style and needs of several
situations. This approach is beneficial to the company because it changes according to situations
and permit administrators to change the policies as per the situation. It is flexible in nature and
help the managers to enhance their leadership and determination devising skills.
Strengths and weaknesses- It is dynamic in nature and offers alternatives to the workers
which help them to develop and deliver their thoughts and views to the business. But it is
complex approach and suffers from inadequately of literature.
TASK 3
Covered in PPT
TASK 4
P6.
There are several elements which generate effect upon interchange and activities which
are running by the management of the organization. In M&S, it is essential for the organisation
to determine those components which affect activity administration and determination devising
of leaders and managers. These components are defined as below:
CSR- Corporate social responsibility is explained as a business concern
conceptualization which form endeavour in sustainable maturation by sharing economic, cultural

and environmental welfare to all stakeholders. In M&S, it can be described as organisational plan
of action which help the management of the company to formulate short term objectives which
can be accomplish by the workforce of the company in proper way (Reid and Sanders, 2015). It
assist in encouraging employees and they usage their all endeavour and knowledge for the
maturation of the firm. The firm also insure that a large of their CSR actions offered for the
social benefits. If the organisation formulate its CSR policy in positive way in order to general
relation, it influence decision making which can be beneficial for welfare of community.
Culture- It defines values, beliefs, ideas and social behaviour of a specific place. In
M&S, it crate impact the business atmosphere in a straight way as the organisation find out the
civilization of a spot and manufacture goods according to the civilization of that place (Song and
Parola, 2015). It play an essential role in activity administration at time of operation procedure
the culture of the employees are used strategies which are devised to increase the effectiveness of
workers of a particular appreciation. It affect the determination devising procedure of the
company when the determination are taken by the organization for a merchandise to keep the
aspect the appreciation heritage of a specific place by analysing the ethnical heterogeneity.
Values- They are explained as principle or standards of someone behaviour. In M&S, in
operation management, values can involve as essential invariables to terminate the modular of
the manufacture and also primed the running parameters of the company. In decision making,
belief are helpful to take decision regarding production of products by considering values of a
specific place. If the administration of the organization produce its commodities and services
accordant to the cultural values of a place (Stadtler, 2015).
CONCLUSION
As per the defined information, it can be summarised that action administration is an
essential factor which assist in managing, dominating and watching the operations and actions of
the company so that the business concern of the firm run and operate in effective and proper
style. Manager and leaders are also effective resource of a business concern and they play
effective role in running the business of the company in proper way by encouraging workers so
that they can execute their task efficaciously and help in attaining business objective. Different
factors like corporate social responsibility, culture, ethics, values and others impact upon the
decision making of leaders and mangers in action administration.

REFERENCES
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