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