Roles of Leaders and Managers in Operations Management

This report discusses the roles of leaders and managers in operations management, including the major differences between management and leadership. It explores the role of leaders and managers in various situational contexts and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of different leadership theories. The report also provides insights into the key approaches to operations management and the role of leaders and managers in implementing them. The case study focuses on JD Sports Fashion Plc, a British sports company.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
Part 1................................................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Roles of leaders and managers and major difference between management or leadership.........1
Roles of management and leadership in various situational contexts with theories and
concepts........................................................................................................................................3
Strength or weaknesses of various theories of leadership...........................................................4
CONCLUSION and Recommendations .........................................................................................6
Part 2 ...............................................................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................6
The key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play....6
Importance and value of operations management......................................................................8
Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision-making by leaders and managers..................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

Part 1
INTRODUCTION
Operations Management is considers as important tool for an organisation which is mainly
concerned with planning, controlling and supervising in production and manufacturing services.
It makes sure that an organisation achieve higher level of efficiency. This study focus on JD
Sports Fashion Plc which is a British sports company that mainly retail in sports fashion and
operates a chain of retail stores. JD sports also sells leisure, footwear, accessories etc. Peter
Cowgill is executive chairmen and Neil Greenhalgh is chief financial officer of company (JD
sports the Org,2021). The report elaborates about role of leaders and managers and major
differences. Additionally, the report will discuss about role of managers or leaders in various
situational contexts. Elaboration of weaknesses or strength of various approaches to management
or leadership. Lastly, conclusion is draws on manage or leader as how they made an impact on
organisations.
Roles of leaders and managers and major difference between management or leadership.
Manager is a person who is responsible for controlling and administrating of a company.
Manager includes various activities or setting strategy of an company.
Leader set clear direction and take responsibility in company so that it makes smooth
functioning of overall operations. Leader is also responsible for innovation in an organisation.
Role of leader :
 Leader is basically a representative of an organisation and responsible for conducting for
seminars, general meetings etc. and communicate essential information of company to
public (Cortellazzo, Bruni and Zampieri, 2019).
 Leader is also responsible for coordinating all activities and provides guidance to its
subordinates.
 Leader also need to compel and provides clear direction to all its employees.
Role of manager :
 Manager plays vital role in an organisation as it carries out essential activities like
staffing, planning, organizing and controlling and must carefully manage all work.
 Manager in JD sports is responsible for maintaining healthy relationship which brings
and maintains satisfaction among overall workforce.
1

 Manager is also become representative of JD sports and did negotiations with outsiders
so that it provides benefits to company. Manager negotiates with cooperation, loyalty and
integration.
Differences between management and leadership:
Basis Management Leadership
Meaning Management is a process in
which it systematically
organize and coordinate all
activities in JD sports in more
efficient way (Afshari, and
et.al 2017).
Leadership on the other hand
is an important style in
company that is responsible to
lead others by setting an
example.
Emphasis on Management in JD sports must
manage all essential activities
in order to achieve its growth
and sustainability at
marketplace.
Leadership in JD sports mainly
concern with inspiring others
so that they perform task
effectively.
Power Management mainly sets rule
and guide management what to
do in achieving gaol.
Management make strategic
vision and divide into smaller
units for overall workforce to
follow.
Leadership ensure that it
largely influence all employees
in direction of achieving vision
or mission for its organisation.
Perspective Management usually carry
short range of perspective and
requires to examine day to day
activities and reviewing all
necessary resources that are
available to employees.
Leadership requires qualities
or skills so that it motivate
employees and inspires them
to understand rule in much
bigger contexts (Connolly,
James,and Fertig,2019).
Focus Management brings stability in Leadership must make effort
2

JD sports so that help
organisation to increase its
productivity. Management
fulfil requirements of people
and cater to needs to
employees they are responsible
for and listen to them. Also
involve them in certain
decisions.
to make changes in an
organisation. Leaders in JD
sports must challenge the
status quo and have their style
of doing things.
Roles of management and leadership in various situational contexts with theories and concepts.
Managers or leaders play various role in an organisation so that it ensure smooth functioning
and able to achieve organisational goals or objectives. Lets discuss more in detail about various
situation that arise in an organisation:
Conflicts
It is common in every organisation that conflicts of situation arises and it is difficult to avoid.
Organisational conflicts usually arises in JD sports when there is difference in opinions and
breakdown in decision making (Rahbi, Khalid and Khan, 2017). Hence, it becomes responsibility
of both managers and leaders to try to control situations of conflicts. Manager involve in
situation of conflicts and act as a mentor or coordinator between employees and provides
resources, coaching and necessary guidance so that it somehow control reason of conflicts.
Manager play controlling functions as they need to maintain team harmony and promoting
organisational values in JD sports. On the other hand, leader also responsible in resolving such
issues and must applies its transformational leadership qualities so that it maintain healthy or
positive relationship among employees. Transformational leader tries to encourage other team
member and provide solutions for their issues.
Change management
Change management is a process in which shifting of teams and organisation to its desires
future state is done that mostly includes operational, technological, new legislation or strategical
change. There are various situation that occur within organisation for example, restructuring or
new management (Kark, Van Dijk and Vashdi, 2018). In such situations, Manager play key role
3

in leading change management activities and must apply change management tools so that
effective strategy is created in order to provide support and adoption of changes that are required
by project. Manger also need to make proper planning so that it supports design and effective
communications in management. While, leader connect with its employees to create awareness
and explaining objectives (McKibben, 2017). Leader must apply its situational theory in which is
not based on any type style but rather take decisions or adopt styles based on situation. During
times of change, leader must accountable to foster commitment to fix problems and provide best
results. Leader also ensures to look at all essential aspects of JD sports like its culture,
management and employees and make sure that all are functions properly.
Staff Turnover
Retention is a process in an organisation that retain its employees by applying various
methods. Leader play an important role in retention of employees. Sometimes an employees
quits job and leave an organisation when they face problems and not satisfied with work. In such
situation a leader should apply transformational leadership and ensure that workforce are
satisfied and contended with their work (Bake,2019). On the other hand, Manager provides
incentives and bonuses to its top performer employees so that it motivates them and strive hard
to perform even better in better at JD sports. Managers also coordinate all related activities so
that it allow employees to follow proper structure.
Strength or weaknesses of various theories of leadership.
Leadership theories provide deep understanding of roles and provide guidance to be more
effective in role. Below paragraph will provide more detail about different leadership theories:
Situational leadership
Situational leadership is an important tool in JD sports that is based on relationship among
leaders and followers. It provides framework to analyse each situation which is based on
performance readiness. Situational leadership provides choice of organisation that want to
perform following task, like develop rapport and to bring out the best in employees (Johennesse
and Chou, 2017).
Benefits -
 Situational leadership allows leaders to accelerates quality of employee development.
 This leadership is convenient and easy to use as all leaders just need to do is examine
situation and apply accurate leadership styles.
4

 Situational leader allows to adapt that management styles as they see fit in JD sports.
Weaknesses -
 Major weakness of this leadership styles is that they ignore difference between female
and male employees or managers.
 It also change direction and change focus from long term strategies (Cote, 2017).
System leadership
System leadership is an effective in difficult situations, uncertainties and when an organisations
unable to find solutions. Its about how a leader will lead when no one in charge and must
influence overall workforce.
Benefits -
 System leadership allows JD sports to see a holistic view and focus on achieving long
term goals.
 It provides flexibility or uniformity in strategic decision-making.
Weaknesses -
 System leadership may delays in important decisions and not always practical.
 This theory is not suitable to smaller organisation as it always based on long term goal.
Contingency leadership
Contingency theory mainly focus on both leader's perspective as well as environment in which
that leader works. According to this theory, there is no best theory and a leader must apply that
leadership styles that is most suitable to given situation (Andersonand Sun, 2017).
Benefits -
 Contingency theory is flexible in nature so its changes as per situation occur in
organisation. It allow manager to adapt those policies that is best suited to management.
 This leadership styles benefits an organisation to identifies it proper structure.
Weaknesses -
 This leadership theory is complex and difficult to apply in practical situations.
 Handling of situations become tough for leaders or manager as it is reactive in nature.
JD sports Plc must follow contingency leadership as it allows managers and leaders to enhance
their decision making, communication or leadership abilities (Boylan, 2018).
5

CONCLUSION and Recommendations
To conclude, the above report elaborates about main role that leader or manage play so that it
enhance growth of an organisation. The report discusses that by applying various leadership an
organisation able to fulfilled all needs of customers and employees. Management or leadership
both make tremendous efforts for example, remain organisation to be in competition and
provide resources to overall management. Managers or leaders must involve overall team in
decisions making and get time to time feedback before any crucial decisions are made (Vidal and
et.al 2017) . Again, employees should be provided clear instructions as defining clear directions
and identifying missions will encourage whole team .
Part 2
INTRODUCTION
There will be different operations in an organisation that are to be performed on a day-to-day
basis. Every organisation that is focusing upon its factor and growth will have to develop few
goals and objectives in order to achieve them in the stipulated time (Bharwani and Talib, 2017).
The leadership of the company deals with all the managerial processes that are associated with
the company's operations. A leader or the manager is the one who is responsible to take charge of
all the activities where the tasks are simultaneously performed.
The key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play
In order to understand the operation management in a better way possible there are different
approaches that are used by the company. The approaches that are adopted by the organisation
will help in analysing different situational processes that are taking place in the organisation
(Komljenovic and et.al, 2017). The different key approaches of operation management in the
company JD sports are as follows:
Just in time:
This method particularly focuses upon the processes that the management put forth in
production. Every organisation that is working upon a stipulated task will set target in order to
complete the process. The production process is completely dependent upon time management
where the targets are set. This will probably help in obtaining results that are earlier set as
6

targets. This particular approach will develop a full potential by eradicating the wastage of
resources and can complete the work in time. Proper care is being taken in order to manufacture
certain products with accurate details and desired results.
Total quality time:
This particular approach is to determine the amount of success for over a long run that will
determine the growth of the company. This approach in regards with the JD Sports company will
help the company to plan success that will last for a term that is usually greater than the one that
is expected (Samuel and Mokoaleli, 2017). While planning for success over a long run, there are
intermediate factors that are to be focused upon and the company do focus upon the factors like
quality and the price of the product. The quality along with the price will give the value of the
products which will in return increase the probable sales of the company.
Lean production approach:
Generating proper output will help to adhere the competition that is regularly there in the
particular industry. The lean production approach will focus upon the methods that are to eb
adopted in order to generate stipulated outputs. The company JD sports believe and move ahead
with the finest method of all times which is to reduce wastage that will result in the profits. The
resources that are in reserve for the company are being properly utilized by not permitting any
wastage that is associated with the output generations will probably be put back and that can
contribute in making the probable outputs.
The different roles that are associated with the manager and leader in the organisation are as
follows:
Role of manager:
Role of manager in the company is said to be really crucial where the manager is responsible to
take up activities like recruitment, selection, motivating employees and the transaction processes
will have to be responsibly tackled. For an efficient production processes the skills are the major
asset for the employees. JD Sports Company focuses upon recruiting the skilled and talent
candidates that will help them in sharpening the productive processes and approaches. The
manager of the company is involved in recruiting and filtering candidates based on the skill set
and how far they can manage the organisational duties. It is important to manage the resources
and that is what the company mainly focuses upon and trains employees accordingly.
Role of leaders:
7

The role of leaders in the organisation JD sports is said to be really special where the leader
analyses the needs and desires of the employees and will perform the actions accordingly. These
activities are related to the motivational approaches where the leader will incorporate the skills
and the mindset that is necessary to reach the target (Rapp and et.al, 2017). The leader works
along with the team and will take every decision of the member of the team and will implement
it accordingly. the productivity of the employees is dependent upon the leader and the skills that
a leader process in increasing the potential among the employees. The work that is stipulated to
every employee of a particular team that is having a leader will have to be responsibly taken care
of leader where they are responsible to fill the void in workspace. The desired targets of the
company JD Sports which is related to the sales and purchases are accomplished only with the
role of leaders in the company who responsibly takes care of all the results and desired works.
Importance and value of operations management
In order to achieve desired results, the organisation focuses upon the value and importance of
operation management. The JD Sports Company believes that the operation manager is
responsible in achieving business objectives and that will define the importance and value of
operation management.
Increasing revenue:
It is important to focus upon the increase in ratio of profit and calculate in get answer in the
company's operation management helps in making this possible. The company believes that in
order to expand business in different areas and to achieve another segment of the market it is
important to focus upon the increase in the prophet. In order to go with new target and to achieve
them the manager will work upon increasing the profits by the purchases and the sales.
Trends in the market:
Trends in the market arise due to the customer requirements. There seems to be different trends
in different industries where the companies are operating in the market. For the company JD
Sports are such that they focus upon the product and services and the goods that can be
manufactured in order to satisfy their customer’s desire. When customers’ requirements are
reached then it helps in attaining a proper customer base for over a long period of time.
Increasing sale:
8

Sales are the crucial components of every business or an organisation. Every operating
management in the company will conduct a proper research in order to identify the techniques
and the present for the current competitive advantages that are prevailing in the market. This
research will help in attaining strategies that are required to meet the current demand of the
particular Industry that is operating in a sector.
Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and decision-
making by leaders and managers
With regards to organisation there will be different factors that will impact operational
management and decision-making. These factors will stand as a barrier for the organisation in
achieving objectives and goals. The decision that is being taken by the leaders and managers will
include all the positive and negative aspects. The factors are as follows:
Resources of the organisation:
There will be different resources in the organisation and that with regards to the company JD
Sports is the human resources and raw materials. The operational management of the company is
responsible in maintaining these resources in a proper and systematic manner such that right
decisions will be implemented in taking care of its usage. For this the performance of the
employees will impact directly upon the operational management.
Financial status:
The company JD sports focuses upon the financial decisions with the leaders and the manager
involved in making proper strategies based on the finances of the company. These decisions are
related to the cost of product and services that they offer to the customers. Investments done in
the name of the company are based upon the financial status that will bring about the desired
profits.
Market trends:
Each and every day there will be a particular new trend that involve in the market based on the
customer desires and satisfactions. These market trends in the industry that the company is
operating are properly divided and are enhanced by the company that its managers and leaders
starts helping the evaluations and requirements of the customers and the organisation.
Stakeholders:
9

For the company JD sports the stakeholders including employees, customers, suppliers and
investors (Maheshwari and et.al, 2017). The investor starts investing up on the company only
when the desired interests and profits are attained therefore the JD Sports company focuses upon
maintaining its stakeholders in the ways that are required.
Legal and political changes:
For any organisation that is operating in the market will get affected by the decisions of the
organisation taken by the leaders and managers. The legal and political changes impact the
performance of the organisation where the planning gets affected by the terms that are imposed
by the political and legal implications. The leader of the JD Sports company detects these future
changes where they arrange and manage the resources carefully.
Technological changes:
Technology is said to reach great heights and his conquering almost all the sectors in the market.
By the usage of technology, the company JD sports manage to predict future and the plans that
are to be incorporated in the company.
CONCLUSION
The report concludes up on explaining the different role of leaders and managers in the
operational functions of the organisation where the key approaches are discussed in the
operations management. Some of these will bring forth the different stages that are involved in
tackling with the organisational policies. The report also deals with the relation between
leadership and management in a contemporary business environment with all the factors that are
included in the business environment being listed in the report.
10

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Afshari, J.,and et.al 2017. A comparison of leadership styles with respect to biographical
characteristics. SA Journal of Human Resource Management.15. p.7.
Anderson, M.H. and Sun, P.Y., 2017. Reviewing leadership styles: Overlaps and the need for a
new ‘full‐range’theory. International Journal of Management Reviews.19(1). pp.76-96.
Bake, M., 2019. The importance of leadership and employee retention.
Bharwani and Talib, 2017. Competencies of hotel general managers: a conceptual framework.
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Boylan, M., 2018. Enabling adaptive system leadership: Teachers leading professional
development. Educational management administration & leadership, 46(1), pp.86-106.
Connolly, M., James, C. and Fertig, M., 2019. The difference between educational management
and educational leadership and the importance of educational
responsibility. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. 47(4). pp.504-
519.
Cortellazzo, L., Bruni, E. and Zampieri, R., 2019. The role of leadership in a digitalized world:
A review. Frontiers in psychology.10. p.1938.
Cote, R., 2017. A comparison of leadership theories in an organizational
environment. International Journal of Business Administration. 8(5). pp.28-35.
Johennesse, L.A.C. and Chou, T.K., 2017. Employee Perceptions of Talent Management
Effectiveness on Retention. Global Business & Management Research. 9(3).
Kark, R., Van Dijk, D. and Vashdi, D.R., 2018. Motivated or demotivated to be creative: The
role of self‐regulatory focus in transformational and transactional leadership
processes. Applied Psychology. 67(1). pp.186-224.
Komljenovic and et.al, 2017. Organization: A new focus on mine safety improvement in a
complex operational and business environment. International Journal of Mining Science
and Technology. 27(4). pp.617-625.
Maheshwari and et.al, 2017. Exploring HR practitioners’ perspective on employer branding and
its role in organisational attractiveness and talent management. International Journal of
Organizational Analysis.
McKibben, L., 2017. Conflict management: importance and implications. British Journal of
Nursing. 26(2). pp.100-103.
Rahbi, D.A., Khalid, K. and Khan, M., 2017. The effects of leadership styles on team
motivation. Academy of Strategic Management Journal.16(3).
Rapp and et.al, 2017. The role of the sales-service interface and ambidexterity in the evolving
organization: A multilevel research agenda. Journal of Service Research. 20(1). pp.59-75.
Samuel and Mokoaleli, 2017. Analysis of gender and leadership role competencies, perceptions
and stereotypes in an organisational context. South African Journal of Business
Management. 48(2). pp.55-66.
Vidal, G.G. and et.al 2017. Contingency theory to study leadership styles of small businesses
owner-managers at Santo Domingo, Ecuador. International Journal of Engineering
Business Management. 9. p.1847979017743172.
Online -
11

JD sports The Org.2021.Available through:<https://theorg.com/org/jd-sports-fashion-plc/org-
chart/peter-cowgill>
Leadership and operations management: [Online]. Available through:
<https://circlebizz.com/hrm/role-leader-and-function-manager/>
12

13

14

15