Roles and Characteristics of Leader vs Manager in Management and Operations

This report discusses the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers in the context of management and operations. It explores the differences and similarities between leaders and managers, as well as the functions of managers according to Fayol. The report also discusses various leadership theories and models, such as transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and action-centred leadership. Additionally, it examines the importance of hard management skills and soft leadership skills. The report concludes with the role of leaders and managers in an organizational context and the application of different leadership theories.

Management &
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Roles and characteristics of leader v/s manager.........................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Role of leader and manager within organisational context...................................................5
2.2 Discuss the theories and models of leadership......................................................................6
2.3 Elaborate the key approaches of operation management......................................................7
2.4 Environmental factors which influence operation management and decision making in
Starbucks.....................................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
.......................................................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Operations management encompasses all the activities within the organization. The
management and operations are the integral part of any business to achieve the desired goals and
objectives. The operation of an enterprise began with the selection of raw material and ends at
the last stage of product distribution (Bai and et. al., 2018). Thus the operations can be
understood as the overall performance of respective tasks and actions which are interlinked with
each other, in terms of attaining the similar business objectives. The process of planning,
controlling and directing these factors is referred as the management of the said organization.
These both processes are combined to gain the maximum efficiency within the work and
generate optimum profitability for the organization, which will help in developing the each
individual as well as the overall business.
This report is based on the global food and beverage service provider Starbucks United
Kingdom. The company is popular for its authentic coffee taste on a worldwide level. This report
paper will include the roles and characteristics of leadership and management, along with that it
evaluates the operational conditions by the help of theories of leaderships and model principles
of management.
TASK 1
Roles and characteristics of leader v/s manager
A leader is the person in an organisation who is responsible to get the things done which
are assized to the respective people of organisation by the management. A leader is an effective
motivator for the work force, in leadership the major emphasis is put on influencing the other
people to complete the actions on time and efficiently.
The tasks and actions which are attempted in the process of operations are needed to be
practised effectively and efficiently. The manager of that particular organisation enables these
operations to achieve these standards by implementing the suitable procedures and principles of
management in the steps of operations and the people are obliged to work according to these
directive approach of management.
Difference between leader and manager
With the similar approach to attain the organisational objectives the managers and
leaders within the Starbucks have some major differences which are as follows:-
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Leader involves in innovations while manager promotes certain principles :
The managers within the Starbucks has the power to implement the principles and has
certain rights of maintaining the effective code of conduct. The manager enforces to perform the
work by following determined standards by controlling, while the leader in Starbucks are more
accountable to follow the risks and all the new innovations which can increase the efficiency of
the operations in every possible way.
Leader is a change agent while manager maintains status-quo:
The leaders impose their working styles to motivate the co workers as well as to
influence them to work more efficiently (Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis and Schönberger, 2017). The
leader within the confines of Starbucks emphasises on bringing the change in the process of
organisation which can promote its operational success. The managers in the Starbucks
operations targets to perform the work and control in a systematic structure to maintain the
standard code of conduct within the organisation for the effective operations of management in
it.
Leader is unique, manager follows :
leader is the only individual in a department that can bring the uniqueness and
differentiated styles of working. The leader of Starbucks operations are tend to perform more
innovative ideas and practices. This process makes the environment more fresh and influencing
to the subordinates. On the other hand the manager in the operations of Starbucks follows the
same pattern of work. They are more used to follow the certain principles and their practices at
operational level which were given by early leaders to enhance the capacity and effectiveness.
Leader creates vision and manager creates goals:
A leader approaches to set the long term objectives and perform in a way to achieve that
vision. The leader within the Starbucks has a quite expectation to get the lead of organization in
the upcoming time period thus to follow that passion a leader is more focused on to the visions
and mission of the organization (Gillen, Jacquillat and Odoni, 2016). Thus the management of
Starbucks is more focused on its goals and objectives to get the efficient course of working, these
goals are set up in a way to measure the excellence and achievements of work.
Similarities between manager and leader
Both supervise team:
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The leader and manager both supervise the activities in such a way that help in attaining
their goals and objectives in a predetermined time. They both work together to improve the
overall performance by preparing an appropriate communication strategy to get favourable
outcomes.
Both evaluate subordinates:
With reference to Starbucks, the manager and leader constantly evaluating and
monitoring the performance of subordinates so as to ensure maximum level of output and to gain
competitive advantage across the globe.
Both are responsible for positive outcomes:
The manager and leader both work together for the accomplishment of certain task in a
predetermined time so as to increase the efficiency and productivity of a respective firm. They
both are responsible for the realisation of organisational goals and objectives within due course
of time (Lockwood and Euler, 2016).
Function of manager according to Fayol
the manager of any corporation is used to follow the rules and practice all the necessary
functions. The five major functions that are given by Henry Fayol a scientific management
specialist. In the context of Starbucks the manager of the operation management follow these all
functions efficiently which are as follows:-
Planning: This is one of the most prominent functions of a manager whereby they are
engaged in stipulation of plans which can provide assistance to the corporation in accomplishing
organisational goals within due course of time. Effective planning serves as the route way to
execution of business tasks in predefined time frame. In this regard, it is determined that the
manager of Starbucks UK ensures the alignment of business processes and operations with the
plan devised by them.
Organising: The function of organising states the manager to plant the tasks and
activities according to the determined plan of action (Littlefield, Nallathambi and Chanchlani,
CommVault Systems Inc, 2016). The certain use of organising the activities to promote the
effectiveness and efficiency of the operations which are performed in the confines of Starbucks.
Commanding: The function of commanding states that the manager of an organisation
should be excelled in executing the process by assassinating the personnels and commanding
them in respective orders to get the task completed effectively and efficiently.
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Control: the monitoring and controlling is an important aspect of management as the
controlling functions includes all the factors to evaluate and monitor the factors of operations
within the the organisation. The managers at Starbucks controls all the activities efficiently in a
way to increase the perfection in the operations.
Coordination: This process is accountable for the proper synchronisation of all the
activities and their respective departments within the organisation. The process of coordination
in Starbucks is formal in the operational department and other managerial levels whereas the
managers also promotes the informal way of coordination to connect with the stakeholders of the
organisation.
Leadership Theories
Transformational leadership:
This is a type of leadership theory whereby the leader belonging to a corporation engaged
in motivating and inspiring the workforce to enhance their working capacity. This theory is best
applied within the confines of an entity when it intends to bring about alterations in any of the
product, service, process or system. The leader of Starbucks applies transformational leadership
in an instance whereby the firm comes up with innovation in its offerings (Piper, 2016). The
changes that are introduced within the company are aimed at bringing about positive outcomes
for the timely completion of tasks and activities. With this, the leader hereby ensures that the
goals and objectives of Starbucks get duly accomplished within predefined course of time. The
leader intends to create a positive atmosphere with the introduction of change within Starbucks
UK, whereby employees feel comfortable to work.
Transactional leadership:
A transactional leadership can be referred to as the individual who gives importance to
systematic working and orders within an organisation. This is a leadership theory whereby the
leaders are seen to be strictly adhering to the rules laid down by the top management and thereby
provide order to the workforce (Slack, 2018). The working pattern in transactional leadership
resembles military workplace. This leadership theory is applied by the leader of Starbucks UK
when they strive to introduce a new technology within the confines of organisational premises.
This style is quite effective in such an instance as the incorporation of new technology requires
to a great extent, strictness by the leader and the employees regarding the manner in which it has
to be applied in the operations.
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Action-centred leadership:
This is a leadership theory which encompasses three basic aspects named Task, Team and
Individual. It is based on the premise that leader within a corporation holds the belief that
organisational task or activity can be accomplished through the management of team and
individuals engaged in its execution. The leader of Starbucks UK makes use of action centred
leadership as per the situational context of the company. The application of this model by
Starbucks leads to timely realisation of tasks and related goals.
Hard Management Skills v/s Soft Leadership skills
Hard management skills:
These are the skills that are regarded to be essential for the success of personnel in their
job roles. It consists of the skill set and knowledge base which is considered to be prerequisite
for execution of work within the premise of a corporation (Vuchic, 2017). Some of the most
important hard management skills are web designing, computer programming, accounting,
knowledge of laws and legislation and many other subjects. With reference to Starbucks UK, one
example of this has been determined to be that the manager of this corporation makes use of
legal knowledge base to make sure that the operations of company are executed within the
constrains of law pertaining to Food and Beverage industry.
Soft leadership skills:
These are the skills which are essential to be held by a leader in order to make sure that
employees can be retained within the company for a long period of time. Some of the examples
of such skills include communication, creativity and innovation, optimism, motivation and many
more. The application of these skills by the leader allow lowered staff turnover as the employees
are provided with due motivation and encouragement to sustain for a long run. One example of
application of soft leadership skills within Starbucks UK is when leader of the entity leverages
communication skills to establish networking with personnel and take regular feedback from
them regarding the work.
TASK 2
2.1 Role of leader and manager within organisational context
The business environment in which company carry out its operation is regarded as
dynamic. The role of leader and manager is significant and act differently in prevailing situation
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within the market. In the context of Starbucks, there are some situations that has to be managed
by manager and leader as leader provide guidance while the manager assign the task among the
subordinates in according to their specialised skills. The same is presented as follows:
Implementation of plans and policies: when the new product is launch in the market,
certain factors are taken into consideration such as level of competition, market research, target
market and pricing strategy (Matthias and et. al., 2017). The manager of Starbucks provide the
innovative ideas for promotion of new product while the leader lead the whole team and
encourage them to work hard.
Working on new project: In this case, the management of Starbucks in UK decide upon
the 5 M's resources like machine, method, material, men and money. There should be optimum
utilisation of every resources so that it save time and money and thereby help in achieving goals
in a effective manner. The role of leader is to provide effective training among the subordinates
so as to build confidence among them. The manager assign the task among the employees in
according to their specialised skills. This bring coordination and cooperation among the leader
and manager so that project is executed in an effective manner.
2.2 Discuss the theories and models of leadership
Leadership can be referred to as the ability of an individual to persuade the behavioural
characteristics and patterns of individuals and teams. This is considered to be the most essential
part of a corporation. This is because leader is the one who provides vision to the employees and
direct their behavioural pattern towards the achievement of the same within due course of time.
In this regard, it has been analysed that leadership theories pave way for execution of business
tasks as per the organisational requirements. With respect to Starbucks UK, it can be said that
leader should take into account the different types of leadership approaches in order to select the
most appropriate one for situational context of the company. In this relation, it has been
determined that there are various theories and approaches of leadership that apply differently in
different situation. The same is presented as follows:
Situational leadership: In this approach, the leader behave differently according to
situation prevailing within the market. The leader of Starbucks would choose an appropriate style
depending upon the situation as this model is commonly used by the manager of a company. One
of the advantage is that the leader provide a clear cut goal so that task are completed in a limited
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time. The drawback of this approach is that the concerned firm focuses on immediate actions
than on long term needs.
Contingency leadership: this theory of leadership states that the effectiveness of
leadership is matching the employees talent in according to a situation. There are various factors
that are considered such as company culture, attitude of subordinates and company culture that
have the direct impact on success in the process of leadership. The leader of Starbucks bring
coordination in the workplace and ensure proper working condition and provide good
atmosphere to the company. One of the benefits is that manager of can adopt changes
appropriately in a dynamic environment.
System leadership: The system leadership theory is characterised by set of skills where
employees can work with full potential in order to increase the productivity of an organisation.
The manager of Starbucks provide training to their subordinates to increase the knowledge base
and skills of employees that builds confidence in them. This help them to complete the task
before the deadline of a project and facilitate smooth conduct of business.
2.3 Elaborate the key approaches of operation management
Operation management plays a crucial role in administering the activities of a business
that involve the process of conversion of raw materials into finished products to ensure success
in the organisation. Starbucks is a renowned brand in UK that deal with varieties of coffee and
cover the large market across the globe. Leader and manager ply different role in an organisation
to achieve the predetermined goals effectively and efficiently. With reference to Starbucks, the
key approaches of operation management are described below:
Total Quality Management (TQM): It is a business management approach that ensure
continuous improvement of products to gain large access of customers. The aim of Starbucks is
to provide standard quality by removing the defects from the goods. This firm has gain
reputation across the globe by providing superior quality products and thus increases the sale and
profitability of a business. The role of leader is to provide proper guidance among the
subordinates so that work is done in an efficient manner and also help in fast accuracy of
decisions.
Six Sigma: It is a quality management tool that focus on minimizing the defects of
products within the market. Quality is crucial to every organisation that help to gain competitive
advantage across the globe. The manager perform various functions such as planning,
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organising, directing and monitoring the activities of an organisation to achieve effective
coordination and cooperation in the workplace. The role of leader is to facilitate proper
communication strategy to avoid delay in decision making process.
Just in time: It is a business management technique that focuses on reducing the time
taken in production system to improve the efficiency of business operation. The manager of
Starbucks follow this approach to maintain enough level of inventory with the aim of reducing
the waste. The respective firm focuses on preparing an appropriate strategy for optimum
utilization of resources which help in fast operation of business. The leader play a very important
role to fulfil the demands of customers and divide the work among the subordinates that matches
their skills.
Lean manufacturing: It is a tool and technique that minimise the defects to facilitate
free flow of operations in a business enterprise. The aim of this approach is to add value among
the customers by satisfying their needs. This help the firm to save time and money as it reduces
the defects so as to improve the functioning of an organisation. The manager of Starbucks follow
the principle of unity of command to bring cooperation in the workplace. The role of leader is to
lead the entire group of individuals to avoid duplication of activities and to accomplish the task
efficiently and effectively.
Value of operations management in attaining objectives
Operation management deal with the area of management that is concerned with process
of designing and controlling the production operation of a business. It involve the responsibility
of judicious use of resources and to provide good offerings to meet the requirements of customer.
Operation management involve various functional roles such as marketing, finance, supply chain
and distribution strategy to deliver products in respective place. The values of operation
management is regarded as follows:
Optimum utilisation of resources: Just in Time provide assistance to management to
maintain sufficient level of stock according to the demand of market as this help in minimising
the cost of operations and maximising the profitability of a business. This provides an aid to the
manager of Starbucks to ensure sustainable long term growth and help in accomplishing its
objectives in a predetermined time. This help the manager of firm to finish the work before the
deadline of a project.
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Ensure quality specifications: the manager of Starbucks uses TQM approach to ensure
continuous improvement in the products. Quality specification is a major factor that help in
contributing the success of an organisation. The manager of Starbucks provide excellent offering
among the customers to gain customer satisfaction. It is the one of the leading firm in UK that
has a goodwill across the globe and expanded its operations in different parts of the country. This
facilitate smooth running of operations and help in taking fast decisions of a business.
Manager and leader improve operational efficiencies to accomplish the goal within the
organisation context
the role of leader and function of manager is different according to prevailing situations
within the market that ensure timely execution of a task and judicious use of resources. They
motivate the subordinate through rewards and recognition so that they could work with greater
zeal in order to gain competitive advantage across the globe. The manager of Starbucks facilitate
proper coordination to accomplish task and to follow proper hierarchy structure by assigning the
task and duties in according to their roles. The manager of Starbucks facilitate free flow of
operations to achieve task and to gain large access of customers.
2.4 Environmental factors which influence operation management and decision making in
Starbucks
The broad aspects of the management are widely influenced by the internal as well as
external environmental factors that significantly affects the process of operations and elements
decision-making. These factors are described in relation to Starbucks are as below:-
Internal Factors
The internal factors are those elements which lies inside the organisation and ultimately
affect the workings of the organisation.
Corporate Culture: The values, beliefs, and all the regulations which underlies within the
internal environment of organisation are termed as the corporate culture. The leadership and
management of Starbucks emphasises on pleasant working environment and systematic culture.
Shareholders: The shares which are offered by the organisation in exchange of the
particular amount of capital investment that are undertaken by the share holders. The
shareholders of Starbucks determine the future plans and certain decisions.
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Corporate Social Responsibility: The decisions which are taken for the social welfare by
the company are considered as the corporate social responsibilities. The management within the
Starbucks UK takes certain initiatives to provide the essential benefits to the deserving people.
Corporate Value: The standards which are followed strictly in terms of operations and
behaviour within the organisations are termed as the structured corporate value. The values of
Starbucks are generally high and practised as per the standards of the organisation
Corporate Ethics: The organizational departments are complied to actively follow the
ethical values of the company. The ethics are considered as quite similar to the values but
according to the managerial and leadership systems of the Starbucks.
External Factors
The factors which lies outside of the organisation and affects the overall process and
outcomes of the company are considered as the external factors. The impact of these external
factors are evaluated by performing PEST analyses in respect of Starbucks United Kingdom:-
Political factors: The factors which implements a great effect to the organisation by the
initiations of existing political powers within the nation (Bendoly, 2016). The stable political
power of United Kingdom helps the management of Starbucks to prioritize their operational
activities rather than analysing the certain new amendments. The Starbucks performs its working
in the political regulations of the country that gives it more time pace to do the innovations and
increase the sales in terms of enhancing the profitability.
Economic factors: The terminology of economy is considered to be more dynamic and
effective within the confines of United Kingdom. The increased rate of GDP and the financial
growth rate of the UK increases a number of potential new ventures and foreign investments.
This can be a major threat to the Starbucks and the company is capable of handling this situation
by moderating the policies of cost and quality.
Social factors: The rapid change can be seen in the social environment of United
Kingdom as the country is ranked as the most developed and literate nation among the world.
The continuous flow of trend and behaviour of the particular segment of customers can be a
opportunity or a threat to the Starbucks. The operations within the confines of Starbucks can
effectively converse these factor positivity by performing as per the demand of social market.
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Technological factors: Those innovations and technological advancements which takes
place in the external environment of the organization are referred as the technological factors.
Starbucks should comply with all these elements by adapting these advancement in technology
in its respective operational management to get the effective and efficient outcome from the
process
CONCLUSION
From the above furnished information, it can be inferred that operation management
plays a crucial role in which leader and manager act differently. The role of leader is to lead the
whole team and have followers to accomplish the task while the function of manager is to
monitor and coordinate the activities to attain predetermined task effectively. It has been
observed that by strategic planning and proper organizing of activities facilitate the smooth
operation of a business. It has been analyzed that the role and characteristics of leader and
function of manager are essential to achieve goals and objectives in a limited time. Theories of
leadership that an organization can perform to achieve its determined success and the
management of the respective firm does also works on the set pattern of managing theories and
principles. Also, it has been observed that there are various approaches of operation management
in order to improve the quality of products and minimizing the defects.
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