Unit 4 – Management and Operations

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager........3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
P2. Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.......................................................................................................5
P3. Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.........................................................................................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P4. Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play..............................................................................................................................8
P5. Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6. Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers...................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Operations and management is undertaken as the prominent area of management which is
related with effective design and controlling of overall procedure undertaking the process of
production and also redesign the business operations for the manufacturing of products and
services. It undertake the effective roles and responsibilities in order to make sure the operations
of business considering the few resources which are required to meet the needs of customer
(Reid and Sanders, 2019). This concept is required in terms of having effective concern
regarding the planning, organising and supervising for the overall production and manufacturing
of suitable products. To carry forward this report, Uber is considered which is an American
company that prominently offer vehicles for hire, food delivery, couriers, freight transportation
and so on. Moreover, company is based on San Francisco and also tends to operate its functions
around 900 metropolitan areas. The report tends to cover the roles of leader and functions of
manager by undertaking several situations which are useful in terms of developing practical
knowledge and understanding. Moreover, several approaches are discussed undertaking various
situations and also depict the operations management value and significance by considering the
functions and effective factors which are useful in analysing overall market and also impact the
overall decision making of leaders.
TASK 1
P1. Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
Managers: These are the individuals who tends to work for the prominent activities and
also take responsibilities in terms of making the whole company to have effective operations at
all the levels. Moreover, managers are the one who tends to develop plans and strategies for an
organisation and also consider effective achievement of objectives considering success and
growth (Mišić and Perakis, 2020). In regard of this, the prominent characteristics and roles of
managers are mentioned in terms of Uber:
Roles of Managers: Negotiation: Managers plays an important role in terms of having effective negotiation
on the behalf of company considering the external environment and analyse internal
environment from the side of employees. For this, individuals also tends to reach to
managers only in case of facing any sort of issues and also managers tends to bring

negotiation for the higher authority of workforce in terms of having effective solution to
the problem. Monitoring: In terms of the managers of Uber they tends to perform various task
considering the other managers of company. Moreover, monitoring plays an important
role by the management and managers in terms of making sure for the prominent needs
and required resources in terms of performing suitable task in an efficient manner.
Characteristics of Managers:
 Risk Avoider: Managers always consider safe path in terms of working for their overall
task instead of riskier one. It depict the suitable features by which managers try to
consider and test prominent ways for their working system instead of going for the
unique and innovating one.
Leaders: These are the individuals who tends to offer suitable guidance and support to
their workforce when they face any critical situation or got stuck. For this, leaders also tends to
make effective use of human resources in terms of making them more potential and keep them
motivated (Qi and Shen, 2019). For this, each and every team significantly consider suitable
leaders who offer prominent guidance and support in order to make them competent. For this,
suitable characteristic and roles are discussed as:
Role of Leader: Motivator: In this, leaders plays an important role in terms of motivating them and
ensuring them for the effective team members and making their subordinates happy to
work with full potential for the end of their team and also tends to contribute towards the
goals and objectives of Uber. Delegating duties: The leaders of team need to be aware regarding the skills of
individuals as their role is to delegate suitable job and duties which are guided to the end
goals of Uber.
Characteristics of Manager: Change agent: Leaders tends to consider creative methods in order to work over the old
methods and also depict their features in terms of leading their team. Moreover, Uber
consider change and make individuals more comfortable in order to opt change and get
adjust according to it.
Comparison between the role and characteristics of leaders and managers

Basis Managers Leaders
Risk avoider/risk taker Managers are the risk avoider
and also work with the old
tested methods.
In this, leaders are the risk
taker in terms of considering
the fresh ideas in terms of
working and bring best result
for them.
Monitoring/Motivation Here, managers overlook for
the overall performance and
effectively monitor the
environmental conditions.
For this, the leaders tends to
motivate staff in terms of
accepting and adjusting as per
the changes and other
concerning conditions
(Benjaafar and Hu, 2020).
TASK 2
P2. Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts
Both managers and leaders tends to have separate terms from each other considering their
duties, roles, characteristics and skills that tends to varied from each other. Besides this,
management and leadership plays an important role in company undertaking several situations
by which both leaders and managers work according to it in innovative manner. Hence, in terms
of understanding the concept and suitable situations they tends to use things in effective manner.
Situation 1: New product launch
It depict that company tens to launch new products undertaking the unique ideas and
effective techniques. For this, the overall objective of Uber is to improve the product portfolio
and also tends to maintain competitive place in market.
Role of leaders
Leaders of several teams tends to have particular objectives for their team members in
terms of accomplishing things in terms of prominently launching their product. For this, the
major role of leader is to keep their workforce updated and informed regarding the significant

changes (de Sousa Jabbour and et. al., 2019). For this, it is the responsibility to keep their staff
members motivated and make them quite comfortable regarding the changes. For this, leaders
tends to make sure in order to develop effective ways for employees in terms of motivating their
involvement to work in collective manner.
Functions of managers
Managers plays major roles at the time of effective launching and offering new product to
the manager of Uber who tends to develop plan for the effective launch and also make
arrangements for the needed resources. Moreover, they also have all the suitable plans and then
direct their employees to perform prominent duties for effective manufacturing to launch new
product undertaking the effective budget. At last, effective performance is measured in terms of
effectively launching new offerings to accomplish per-determined goals.
Situation 2: Conflict management
Conflict and crisis are the normal part for the day to day operations and functioning of
company and other organisations like Uber. Moreover, several situations occur which are
required to have effective management and properly resolve it immediately.
Role of leaders
In this, leaders plays an important role in terms of other conflict situations in order to
have effective negotiation among the parties who tends to have conflict with the top level
authority of Ubder and other employees and team members among the other parties. For this,
leaders tends to effectively communicate with other parties and also act for the bargain in order
to bring peace and solve issues of company.
Functions of managers
For this, functions of manager and management consider the elimination of conflicts and
also tends to bargain the productivity of company in terms of having suitable monitoring and
control the overall situation (Sabbaghtorkan, Batta and He, 2020). Besides this, the managers of
Uber tends to make deep identification of the conflict situation considering the reason behind the
problem. For this, the problem undertaken with managers consider the effective measurements
for controlling by eliminating the impact for the longer period of time.

P3. Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency
The operational management techniques tends to undertake several models, tools,
approaches and theories by it effectively apply it and enable company to gain several benefits.
For this, the prominent theories undertake situational leadership, system leadership and
contingency theory. These models are discussed as below:
Situational leadership: This theory undertake the several dynamics of suggested leaders
in terms of developing and opting effective leadership styles by identifying the suitable situations
in terms of getting depth knowledge and understanding (Berenguer and Shen, 2020). For this,
Heresey Blanchard theory is discussed which undertake prominent four elements which are used
by the leaders in terms of developing their methods and approaches of the specific situation.
These factors depict the effective path in which leaders of Uber tends to use effective execution
of situational leadership theory. Directing: In this, leaders tends to direct for the staff members regarding the effective
marketing team and new ones at the time of taking entry into the team considering the
promotional plans for the new product launch of Uber. For this, leaders tends to tell that
new employees are expected in terms of performing for the particular task. Coaching: In this, leaders tends to involve staff members and sell their ideas in order to
bring things in innovative manner and performing and effective achievement of
objectives. Delegating: In this, leaders tends to know that their team members have effective set of
skills and on that basis they tends to assign it with prominent authority.
 Participative: It depict that employees and other subordinates tends to involve in decision
making and effective accomplishment of productivity, uniqueness and effective
motivation level.
System leadership theory: This theory is used by the leaders in order to bring prominent
changes in the overall environment in order to make things quite flexible considering the
potentials of employees. This style is useful in an effective manner considering the large scale
with effective operations for the large product portfolio (Merigó and et. al., 2019). It depict
suitable set of skills and capabilities of leaders and power of leadership considering the internal
borders and diversified locations.

In this, leaders of Uber tends to execute this style of leadership in terms of having
effective operations to serve the whole market. Uber tends to have effective operations in terms
of performing for their market to have effective development and also bring suitable
opportunities for Uber in terms of having effective expansion and increase the standards for
effective success. It is beneficial in terms of enabling company to induce the brand equity and
get effective outcomes.
Contingency leadership: This theory depict that there is no best way to lead team for the
development of company. Moreover, it is useful in terms of understanding the overall concept of
effective leadership approach. It depict that there is no issue for the specific part by which
leaders tends to lead towards the effective development for the team and undertake the working
condition (Choi, 2019). For this, leaders of Uber tends to execute their leadership style by
considering several factors like situation in which Uber identify the conditions and need expert
skills. Moreover, after that undertake effective leadership in more responsible manner and lastly
develop effective relations among the situation and leadership style.
TASK 3
P4. Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers
play Total quality management: It depict the effective process in order to reduce and identify
the errors for the supply chain, employee efficiency, manufacturing and customer
experience. For this, it put emphasis on enhancing the overall quality to deliver
prominent products and services to satisfy the needs of customers and leading them
towards the success of company (Waleczek and et. al., 2019). In terms of Uber, their
managers prominently offer effective guidance for the suitable actions by the staff
members which is helpful in terms of declining the level of errors. Besides this, the role
of leader is to put emphasis on the enhancement of services and quality to offer things to
their potential customers Just in time: It depict the suitable approach which is useful in terms of keeping track for
the raw materials from the suppliers. For this, the management strategy decline the
wastage level and enhance the efficiency level of company. It is identified that these
strategies are effective in terms of considering the high quality of production. In relation

with Uber, their managers plays an important role in terms of maintaining the
development of overall performance standards of staff members to offer suitable potential
for the mass orders.
 Kaizen: It undertake the operational management approach that significantly put
emphasis on the effective development for the operations. It depict the effective part for
the lean principle to decline the delay reason (Jabbour, Song and Godinho Filho, 2020).
In terms of Uber, their leaders focus on identifying the main reason and communicate
with their managers in prominent way. The role of managers is to develop prominent
strategies for the development of operations. It undertake the significance of managers to
delegate roles of employees according to the strategy in terms of developing it as it is
useful to enhance the overall performance and productivity in effective manner.
P5. Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives
Operational management is the essential factor of business considering the several tasks
which are performed in terms of making their functions and operations of company effective in
terms of leading for better productivity and value of operations. This process undertake the
effective level of function by considering the managers and varied roles of leaders in terms of
keeping their staff member motivated (Meredith and Shafer, 2019). For this, the operations
management undertake proper involvement of managers and leaders in terms of referring to one
of the essential practice to consider the performance. For this, two prominent operational units of
Uber are discussed as: Supply chain: Supply chain is the essential factor for the operations of Uber that relates
with the procurement of raw materials and providing products to their potential
customers. It depict the requirement of functions and needs which tends to manage and
operate things effectively. It undertake the operational management which is important to
make supply chain quite effective. Sales function: This unit of automotive sector and vehicle organisations tends to
undertake the core functioning of company. For this, Uber tends to lead on effective sales
and effective generation of revenues by the company.
Significance of operation management: Quality of product: It undertake the effective offerings of Uber that tends to consider the
best in order to maintain the trust of potential customers undertaking the brand and

operational effectiveness of company. For this, TQM is effective and productive
approach which is useful in making effective quality of products at lower cost and
undertake higher profitability to Uber. This approach of operations management tends to
enable company to achieve better sales and profitability.
 Customer satisfaction: It is essential in terms of fulfilling the suitable practices and
techniques for the customer satisfaction (Fahimnia and et. al., 2019). In this, company
offer best things and undertake Just in time in terms of accomplishing effective standards
of customers by considering the prominent demand which is fulfilled at the correct time
in effective manner.
TASK 4
P6. Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers
An organisation tends to work in effective manner in order to have suitable contribution
for the several factors and effectively operate in the market area by undertaking the number of
factors that occur the business environment. It undertake the effective decision making for the
leaders and managers and also have managerial position to consider responsibilities for the task
which is concerned with the success of company (Russell and Taylor, 2019). This factor tends to
impact the managers and leaders of Uber which are discussed as: Corporate social responsibilities: This element get effective recognition in market area
as it is basic duty of company towards the environment and society in order to have
effective operations. For this, Uber tends to have prominent obligations towards the
society and environment as well. In this, managers and leaders make suitable decisions
for the effective functioning by which company can fulfil CSR effectively. Culture: It undertake the effective culture of company which depict the suitable values,
ethics and behaviour in order to have suitable communication by outlining the
organisational believes and objectives to have effective operations (Abideen, Mohamad
and Fernando, 2020). For this, the leaders and managers of Uber tends to make their
decisions undertaking the culture of company. For instance, in Uber effective
communication for the flow of hierarchical and by this, managers and leaders tends to
take decisions as per the performance of staff members as per the hierarchy.

 Sustainability: It is related with the effective maintenance of prominent resources at
significant level for the certain time period. In terms of Uber, their managers and leaders
tends to impose their decisions in terms of making effective operations for the sustainable
working for the longer period of time. Besides this, it also tends to enable the effective
elimination of cost and make use of resources with proper maintenance of cost for the
longer period of time undertaking the potential operations.
CONCLUSION
By considering the above discussion, it is identified that operations management is the
practice which is useful for organisations and businesses in terms of bringing best and effective
results from the operations by undertaking the effectiveness of the process considering the
suitable measures. It depict the suitable analysis for the essential operations management
practices and approaches which are useful for each and every staff member and also for the
responsible parties. It also tends to enable company in terms of being more competent and
efficient in terms of gaining competitive and unique market position. For this, operations
management is the essential concept of company that tends to undertake company and their
managers in order to achieve effective vision regarding the proficiency of operations which is
essential to take prominent actions for the development of suitable functions.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Abideen, A.Z., Mohamad, F.B. and Fernando, Y., 2020. Lean simulations in production and
operations management–a systematic literature review and bibliometric
analysis. Journal of Modelling in Management.
Benjaafar, S. and Hu, M., 2020. Operations management in the age of the sharing economy:
what is old and what is new?. Manufacturing & Service Operations
Management, 22(1), pp.93-101.
Berenguer, G. and Shen, Z.J.M., 2020. OM Forum—Challenges and Strategies in Managing
Nonprofit Operations: An Operations Management Perspective. Manufacturing &
Service Operations Management, 22(5), pp.888-905.
Choi, T.M., 2019. Publishing operations management research in transportation research–Part E.
de Sousa Jabbour, A.B.L and et. al., 2019. Circular economy business models and operations
management. Journal of cleaner production, 235, pp.1525-1539.
Fahimnia, B and et. al., 2019. Behavioral operations and supply chain management–a review
and literature mapping. Decision Sciences, 50(6), pp.1127-1183.
Jabbour, A.B.L.D.S., Song, M. and Godinho Filho, M., 2020. Sustainability implications for
operations management: building the bridge through exemplar case studies.
Meredith, J.R. and Shafer, S.M., 2019. Operations and supply chain management for MBAs.
John Wiley & Sons.
Merigó, J.M and et. al., 2019. Research in production and operations management: A university-
based bibliometric analysis. Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, 20(1),
pp.1-29.
Mišić, V.V. and Perakis, G., 2020. Data analytics in operations management: A
review. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 22(1), pp.158-169.
Qi, W. and Shen, Z.J.M., 2019. A smart‐city scope of operations management. Production and
Operations Management, 28(2), pp.393-406.
Reid, R.D. and Sanders, N.R., 2019. Operations management: an integrated approach. John
Wiley & Sons.
Russell, R.S. and Taylor, B.W., 2019. Operations and supply chain management. John Wiley &
Sons.
Sabbaghtorkan, M., Batta, R. and He, Q., 2020. Prepositioning of assets and supplies in disaster
operations management: Review and research gap identification. European Journal of
Operational Research, 284(1), pp.1-19.
Waleczek, P and et. al., 2019. On the dynamic bundles behind operations management and
research and development. European Management Journal, 37(2), pp.175-187.