Management and Operations: Roles and Characteristics of Leaders and Managers

This report discusses the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers in management and operations. It explores the different approaches to operations management and the impact of leaders and managers on business performance. The report also highlights the importance of effective leadership and management in achieving business objectives. The case study focuses on Marks and Spencer, a well-known British company.

Unit 4 –
Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager...............1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in different
situational contexts. .....................................................................................................................3
Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency..........................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers
play. .............................................................................................................................................6
Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.
......................................................................................................................................................8
Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management
and decision-making by leaders and managers............................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
It is very important for organisation to have proper and effective management practices in
order to correctly and effectively perform organisational task. Operations is one of the crucial
part of company and it will lead to have major impact organisational performance and practices.
Management and operation is significant for guiding and directing company to effectively and
efficiently conduct business task which is beneficial for growth and development of business.
There are different functions and operational practices which needs to be managed and
conducted properly in order to successfully attain goals (Chiu and Balkundi, 2019). This report is
based on Marks and Spencer company. This is a well known company which is providing its
products and services in to different part of the world. Marks and Spencer is a British company
that has been developed by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer. Head office of this organisation
is located in London, England, United Kingdom. It is conducting business operations in various
part of all over the globe and successfully conducting business practices. This organisation is
providing its services form number of year and it was developed in 1884 in UK. This report will
includes. This report includes comparison between the role and characteristic of leader and
manager. It consist of role of leader and function of manager in different situation. Various
theories of leadership such situation, system and contingency has been determined. In this
different approach of operational management along with the role of leader and manager is
analysed. Importance and value of operational management has been identified. Apart from this
different factor that has impact over operational management is determined.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
Leader and manager both are very important part of company and it assist in successfully
performing and conducting business operations. Both leaders and manager have to conduct
different task and activities which is beneficial for successfully attaining desired goals of
business.
 Leader – Leader can be define as a person who have ability and potential to successfully
and effectively influence others to attain set task. Leader is responsible for leading group
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of people and providing commands to others with the motive of increasing their
performance and skills (Bratton, 2020). Manager – Manager refer as an individual who is responsible to managing and directing
task of business. It is responsibility of manager to make sure that all task and practices of
organisation is timely completed and staff member are able to conduct business practices
in required manner (Brunolli and PRUNOLO, 2017). Manager have to delegate task to
other employees as well as manager their performance.
Role of leader and manager
 Leader’s role – There are various roles which needs to be performed by leader such as
inspiring or motivating employees. Leader needs to influence and motive employees of
Marks and Spencer company so that they are able to complete required task in right time.
Leader’s another role is to provide vision to company and its employees with the motive
of successfully accomplishing goals.
 Manager’s role – Manager role with in Marks and Spencer company is to manage
performance and capability of staff member. It is role of manager to collect and assemble
all resources and human resource of company with the motive of successfully conducting
business operations. Manager role assist is resolving problems of company and
successfully conduct task in desired time.
Characteristic of leader and manager
 Leader – Leaders characteristics is essential for successfully and effectively performing
require task and practices of company. There are number of characteristic of organisation
such as communication, trust, ethical and many more (Thornton, Esper and Autry, 2016).
These characteristics are significant for conducting business operations in more effective
and efficient manner. Through trust characteristic leader is able to develop effective
relationship with others as well as influence employees to increase their capability and
potential.
 Manager – Manager characteristics involve knowledge and information about industry,
business and working so that all practices is perform in required manner. Manager
knowledge is significant for providing guidance and direction to other for conducting
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business task. Time management in another characteristic of manager so that all activities
and task of business can be completed in required time frame.
Comparison between leadership and management
There are various differences in role and characteristics of leaders and manager. Leadership and
management activities are very different and both of these are crucial for organisation.
Comparison between leadership and management is mention below –
Leadership Management
Leadership refer as the practices of leading
employees and improving capabilities.
Management can be describe as the art of doing
things in more systematically and organized
manner in order to increase efficiency.
Leadership practices is based in trust between
leaders and followers.
Management practices in based on control. In
this manager is responsible for controlling
potential and task of employees.
This has more emphasis on inspiring people
in order to increase their capability and
performance to conduct task.
Management focus on performing managing
activities of business and employees.
Leaders set vision of organisation and staff
member.
Manager work to successfully achieve vision of
the company.
TASK 2
Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in different
situational contexts.
In an organisation there are different issues and situation which needs to be resolved
correctly. There are number of roles of leaders as well as function of manager with in the
company. This will lead to have direct impact over performance and capability of organisation. It
is very important for leader and manager to correctly perform their roles and responsibility with
the motive of dealing different situational issues in more effective manner (Schaubroeck and
et.al., 2016). Role of leader and function of manager in different situations of Marks and Spencer
company is mention below in detail –
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Implementation of new technology with in business – Marks and Spencer company is
planning to implement or execute new technology in the company in order to enhance business
operations. This circumstance is identified with actualizing changes in business and upgrading
technology or activity of business. Respective organization ought to consider refreshed as well
as changed device and strategies so as to lead distinctive business capacities. There are
innovative or modified technology and tools in market which will uphold in successful just as
smooth execution of organization. Innovation can have significant effect on business activity and
leading organization task all the more effectively. Manager and leader needs to carry out their
task in more significant manner so that the issues of executing new technology within the
company are successfully performed. Role of leader and function of manager is explain below in
this situation context. Role of Leader – The role of leader is to motivate and enough employees to successfully
perform task. Leader needs to increase capability and potential of employees so that they
are able to successfully conduct task and activities with new business technology.
Leaders role is to direct and motivate staff member to effectively utilize new and
innovative technology (Wu and Parker, 2017). This role of leader will prompt to give
right direction to staff individuals which will help them being used new innovation in
more effective alongside this precise technique.
 Function of Manager – Manager of Marks and Spencer company function includes
communicating employees respect to new changes in business activities. Manager needs
to identified the most effective and accurate technology which is significant for
implementing changes with in the company. Manager will successful correspondence
with representatives of particular organization and ensure that all staff part knows about
new innovation and see how to utilize it appropriately
Increase in staff turnover rates – This is the issues that is looked by Marks and Spencer
company. This refer as the circumstance wherein more representatives or employees are leaving
position. Staff are significant resource of association and when huge number of workers are
leaving position then it will prompt influence profitability and execution of organization (Harris
and et.al., 2016) Increment in staff turnover proportion will have direct impact and lead to
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influence on execution of task as well as capacities of respective company. It is essential for
leader and manager to make fitting strategies and resolve this issues in viable way. Function of
manager and role of leader in order to solve the problem of staff turnover of Marks and Spencer
organisation is mention below. Role of Leader – The role of leader in order to reduce the turnover rates of staff member
as well as successfully conduct business that includes communication with employees
and determine their issues. This role of leader is significant for analysing and evaluates
the main reason why large number of employees are leaving job. Leader role includes
retraining practices as well as resolving issues of employees so that they work effectively
with Marks and Spencer company. Function of Manager – In this situation the function of manager is to develop and create
effective and efficient polices which is significant for reducing staff turnover issue (Udo
and et.al., 2019). Through this function of manager, Marks and Spencer company is able
to set proper guidance for employees and help in reducing the issues of staff turnover in
more significant manner.
Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.
Leadership is significant for successfully conducting business task as well as enhancing
the performance of organisation. Through effective leadership practices Marks and Spencer
company is able to correctly conduct business operations and enhance business practices. There
are different type of leadership practices such as situational, system and contingency. This type
of leadership is significant for enhancing performance of company and attaining goals. Situational Leadership – This type of leadership is principally a versatile approach of
initiative or leadership that proposes that a leaders should make acclimations to his style
of authority that is thinking about needs and requirement of company (Meier, 2016). It is
important that leadership style ought to be in arrangement and agreement with the
required task and the development level of the individuals who are required to be affected
by the practices of leaders. In Marks and Spencer company situation leadership is
effective for dealing with the issues related to staff turnover rates.
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 Systems Leadership – The system leadership of the organization is more focus around
advancement of a company framework which incorporates workplace, hierarchical
arrangements, representative relations and so on which gives a chance to each worker and
individual from the organization to work with greatest profitability and effectiveness
levels. This authority gives indispensable devices to the administration which can be
utilized to foresee and dissect conduct of representatives under various authoritative
conditions and foundation and select the one which cultivates most elevated level of
hierarchical efficiency according to the necessities and prerequisites. System leadership
needs to be consider by Marks and Spencer company which executing new and modified
technology with in the company. This will assist organisation to successfully implement
new technology and increase performance of company.
 Contingency Leadership – This leadership style is fundamentally founded on the
contention that the productivity of initiative depended over the concordance between
style of leadership and the hierarchical circumstance which is impacted by inside just as
outside business condition components (Shao, Feng and Hu, 2016). As per contingency
leadership style, with regards to dynamic business condition and quickly expanding
degree of rivalry, there is no specific or unequivocal style of initiative which can be
actualized by the administration of any association successfully to infer positive
outcomes in each business circumstance
TASK 3
Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers
play.
Operational management can be describe as the activity of business for conducting
business operations in more effective and efficient manner. This is one of the important part of
business as it assist Marks and Spencer organisation to correctly perform business operational
task. This is consider to be important for increasing the performance company and enhancing
productivity in more effective manner. There are different approaches of operational
management which assist in correctly performing business task. Manager and leaders of Marks
and Spencer company needs to correctly perform their role in different approaches of operational
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management (Hernandez, Mortimer and Panetto, 2020). Key approaches to operations
management and different roles of leaders and manager is mention below –
Total quality management – This can be describe as the strategies and management
technique that are created so as to build business as well as reduce the errors and defect from
business operations. This is one of the most effective approaches that will uphold in controlling
and guiding association to upgrade business practices as well as earn more profit. Thought of
total quality management approach Marks and Spencer will prompt improve execution and
ability for actualizing activity plan with in the business as well as enhance the overall quality of
products offered by company to customers. This association will be proficient for limit hazard
just as issues in business exercises and it will have direct certain contact over organization
alongside this its exhibition in market region. Role of leader and manager is mention below –
 Role of leader – In the context of time management approach, leader of Marks and
Spencer company needs to conduct effective training to employees. This role is
significant for reducing the errors and mistake while conducting business operations.
(Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016)
 Role of manager – In order to successfully implement time management approach
Marks and Spencer company manager role is to develop effective strategies which will
help in overcoming the issues. Manager needs to create business strategy for providing
direction to all employees and take corrective measure for attaining business goals.
Just in time – This operation management approach can be describe as the way of planning
so that respective company have correct products or inventory. This is significant approach in
order to provide effective and efficient services to customers as well as meeting with the demand
of customers. Just in time approach, Marks and Spencer company is able to manage inventory is
more systematic and accurate manner. This is effective approach for providing guidance
employees so that right amount of resources is available to company for conducting business
task.
 Role of leader – In just in time approach, Marks and Spencer leader needs to correctly
managing all the resources and manufactured products in order to meet with the seasonal
demand customers. This role is significant for providing timely supply of products and
increase sales of business (Williams and Caley, 2020).
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 Role of manager – The role of manager in just in time approach to ensure that store have
right collecting of products which is accurate to the needs of customers. Manager make
sure that all task of business is timely and correctly performed. Through this manager
will be able to have right amount of inventory with in the company for meeting demand
of customers.
Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.
Operational management can be describe as process or procedure that is consider by
company in order to develop its products in more effective and efficient manner. This is useful
for successfully management business operations as well as correctly conducting different
practices of company in order to attain goal of company (Burke,2016). Operational management
process is majorly considered with transferring of raw material into final and finished good. It is
consider as significant for providing high quality products and services to customers as well as
accomplishing desired goal and objective of business. Operational management consists of
several practices such as planning, directing, coordinating, controlling and organising all task
and practices of operation management in more effective and efficient manner. there are several
values and importance of operational management which are explain below in detail.
 Quality of product – Operational management is refer as the practice through which an
organization ready to guarantee that the quality of products and services offered are best.
It will satisfy need and demand of customers in most effective manner likely crowds.
Operational management is effective in order to improve the quality of products and
services offered to customer. In regard of Marks and Spencer company while
performance and executing tasks operational management is significant for ensuring their
workers are directing their activities and capacities appropriately.
 Increase customer satisfaction –For Marks and Spencer customers satisfaction is keys
as well as support in developing products and services which is as per the need or want of
customers. Operational management system is consider as very important part part of
business as it is effective for meeting with the demand of customers as well as increasing
customers satisfaction (Webb, 2017). Marks and Spencer organization which is directing
its business in the development of clothing and other fashionable products is able to
manage business as well as the executives ready to guarantee that workers are playing
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out their obligations in powerful way. Furthermore, operational management likewise
help in making sure that potential clients or customers are fulfilled with the products and
services of company.
 Reduce waste – It is essential for respective company to take correct and accurate steps
in order to reduce waste form business operational process. Operational management
process is consider as most effective for minimizing the waste products form business as
well as increasing revenues of organisation. Through reduction of waste Marks and
Spencer company will be able to successfully conduct business practices as well as
provide high quality products to customers. Operational management approaches are
valuable for waste reduction as well as successfully managing the process of
organisation to attain desired goals.
TASK 4
Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management
and decision-making by leaders and managers.
There are various factors and elements that will lead to have impact over performance and
effectiveness of organisation. It is role and responsibility of leaders and managers to take correct
and accurate decision that will lead to have impact over performance over business. Decision
taken by leaders and manager will be majorly influenced by the factors of business environment.
The major factors that will have impact over the operational management process of company
along with impact over the decision taken by leaders or managers. It includes factors such as
corporate social responsibility, business ethics as well as stakeholders.
 Corporate Social Responsibility – It is resolved as the exercises or practices which are
directed by an organization for offering help to the general public by settling their issues
and limiting difficulties. This should be possible as financial just as non money related
structure (Moon and Knudsen, 2018). Corporation social responsibility practices of
business will lead to affect over the business practices. This type of activities will lead to
influence over the decision making of respective company. There are a few sorts of
corporate social responsibility which an association may lead, for example, creating
school, medical clinic, giving free training, do blood gift camp, plant trees and some
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more. For example Marks and Spencer company is planting trees for the beneficial of
environment and as per this CSR practices different activities of business will be affected.
Organisation needs to take decision regarding selection of accurate employees and
appropriate amount of fund for successfully conducting CSR practices. Marks and
Spencer needs to conduct different corporate social responsibility in order to provide
benefits to society. Respective company is collecting different types of resources form
society so it is responsibility of company to successfully conduct different corporate
social responsibility and develop strong brand image in market. Business Ethics – This can be describe as the morals and principle of company according
to which all task and practices of organisation should be performed. Business ethics are
very important part of organisation and it is significant for conducting activities in such a
manner that organisational will be to attain desired goals. Marks and Spencer company
leaders and manager are considering business ethics while taken important business
decision. Through this organisation will conduct business task that is effective for
providing products and services which does not harm any individual.
 Stakeholders – There are different stakeholder of Marks and Spencer company that will
lead to have major impact on overall performance and production of organisation. It is
essential for respective company to consider the ideas and values of stakeholder while
conducting important task of business (Todak, Gaub and White, 2018). Stakeholders
which are associated with Marks and Spencer company includes customers, clients,
government, owner and employees. Consideration or involvement of all of these
stakeholder is very important for successfully conducting business task as well as
attaining desired goals.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that management and operations is very
important part of business and it will lead to have major impact over growth and development of
business. Leaders and manager are significant for successfully performing business practices as
well as enhancing overall performance of organisation. There are different roles and functions of
leaders and manager that are significant for dealing with the complex situations of business.
There are various leadership styles and theories such as system, contingency and situational that
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will lead to have positive impact over company and smooth functioning of organisation. Key
approaches of operational management are significant for providing assistance for properly
manage quality of products and timely meet with the demand of customers. it is important for
organisation to successfully perform operational management practices in order to enhance
customers satisfaction and improve performance of company. Apart from this there are different
factors which will have influence over operational management and decision making of leaders.
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