Leadership and Management Report: Amazon's Operational Strategies

This report analyzes leadership and management practices within Amazon, focusing on the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers. It defines leaders and managers, outlining their responsibilities in setting goals, executing strategies, and monitoring performance. The report applies various leadership theories, including situational and contingency theories, examining their effectiveness in different scenarios, such as conflict resolution, training deficiencies, and order delays. It explores the importance of operational management in achieving business objectives, discussing the impact of environmental factors. The report also evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of different leadership approaches, such as situational leadership, providing a comprehensive overview of Amazon's management strategies and their impact on the company's operations and goals.

MANAGEMENT
AND
OPERATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ACTIVITY 1....................................................................................................................................1
Definition of leaders and manager with their roles and characteristics..................................1
Leader's roles and function of manager by applying theories and concepts. ........................2
Critically evaluate the different theories and approaches of leadership.................................3
Examine the roles of leaders and function of manager in different situations.......................3
Different theories and models of approaches.........................................................................4
Strength and weakness of different approaches.....................................................................6
ACTIVITY 2....................................................................................................................................8
Approaches of operations management and the roles of leaders and managers play in these
approaches..............................................................................................................................8
The importance and value of operations management to achieve business objectives........11
Improves efficiency of operational management to successfully meet business objectives.11
The factors within the business environment that impact to operational management........12
Factors are affect to business in wider related context.........................................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is the process of planning, organising, controlling and managing
the production process (Bogaert And et.al., 2018). The present study is based on “Amazon”
which is multinational technological company. It is focused on E-commerce, cloud computing
and artificial intelligence. It is the largest internet company by revenue in the world. Study lays
emphasis on the roles and characteristics of manager and leaders and how it is applicable on the
different situation in organisation. Apply different theories and models of leadership and
management. Report will cover by the key approaches of operation management and roles of
leaders and manager and its importance to meet business objectives. It is also highlighted by the
factors of business environment impact to operation management and decision making process
which is taken by leaders and managers.
ACTIVITY 1
Definition of leaders and manager with their roles and characteristics.
Definition of leader: Leader is the one who guides and lead a group of people in order to
gain determined objectives and goals.
Definition of manager: Manager is responsible for manage company and responsible for
planning, directing, coordinating and controlling (Filippini and Forza, 2016).
Roles and characteristic of leaders and manager
Leaders Managers
Roles of managers and leaders
Create vision: Leader is responsible to inspire
and engage to their team members for turning
vision into reality.
Create goals: Manager is responsible for
creating, setting, measuring and achieving
goals and objectives of Amazon.
Execute strategy: Leader is responsible for
consistently achieving results by using
disciplined and proper process and strategy
(Roles and characteristic of manager, 2017).
Monitor: Manager plays an important role in
Amazon, for monitoring result of work and also
collect information which help to make
possible changes in organisation for growth.
Listen, support and help: They are also
responsible for supporting and helping to their
Directive: Manager give direction of work and
task to employees. Direction and guidance help

team members to improve their work
performance and achieve team goals.
to ensure that they are able to accomplish their
goals and objective (Freeman, 2016).
Characteristic of leaders and managers
Honesty: It is characteristic of leader and they
have to follows this. It is best for leaders to
make them the best leader of their team.
Creativity: It is the main and important
characteristic of manager. It is the spark to
people forward and that capture people together
for innovative work.
Motivation and inspire: Leaders had
characteristic that is motivate to peoples for
better and best result of work.
Discipline: discipline is ability and
characteristic of manager. Amazon manager is
follows proper decision making in the company
for better result of work and performance.
Positive attitude: positive attitude is
important for leaders because team members
take help from them to do their work and for
task performance (Gijo, Palod and Antony,
2018).
Time management: It is another characteristic
of manager that help to get success of
company.
Leader's roles and function of manager by applying theories and concepts.
Theories and concepts are helps to leaders for play their roles in Amazon and also to
manage handle function of them. That are as follows:
A leader is a person who is responsible for achieving vision and mission of the company
by guiding and supporting employees and they are innovative, whereas manager is
administrative in nature and are responsible to manage all the things in an effective manner. In
that leader are use situational theory and manager are followed the classical theory.
Situational theory:
This theory refers the leaders and managers of Amazon are adjusted this style for fit the
development performance level of their team members. This theory is applied according to the
situation. Roles of leaders are evaluated situation and then solve this according to needs of given
situation and conditions (Hasegawa, 2017). This theory of leadership supports employees in
increasing productivity and coordination among all employees.

Classical theory:
This is based on the beliefs that workers in Amazon only needs of innovation in their
work performance. This theory is best for improving the sales and productivity of Amazon.
Critically evaluate the different theories and approaches of leadership
Trait theory:
This theory helps leaders to lead to their effectiveness at Amazon. This leadership theory
has the certain skills of an individual which help to control and manage a situation according to
requirement. That helped to give the best possible solutions to achieve goals and objectives of
Amazon (Holten and Brenner, 2015).
Transformational leadership theory
This leadership theory help to leaders to motivate their followers and subordinates. This
theory is applicable in those situations where subordinate are look to their manager and leaders
for supervisors as motivates. This motivates the team members and employees for managing
roles and responsibility of their job and work task.
Examine the roles of leaders and function of manager in different situations.
Leaders plays effective and important roles in Amazon for improving the performance of
their team members and subordinates. Other hand manager has functions for manage their duties.
That is help to sets new goals for achieving objectives. Roles of leaders and functions of
manager in different situation are as follows:
Conflicts and labour turnover
Conflict is the situation and this creates misunderstanding between employees. This
affect to labours and employees of organisation and also affects negatively the image of
Amazon. There is need to maximize the organisational positive and effective image in the
marketplace, for that management decided to focus on improving productivity by loyal and
motivated employees. In that function of manager is to explain the work for increasing
profitability and sales and also to maximise the efficiency of the amazon. Also, identifying the
best employees and reducing the conflicts between employees and team members (Iqbal, Anwar
and Haider, 2015). Other hand role of leader is to provide notes and blue print of work and task
to team. By this team members are not get confused and reduced conflict.

Lack of training and development
Training and development is important part of Amazon and for employees performance.
This helped to improve performance of employees and team as well. In that roles of Amazon's
leader is identified the needs and requirements of training and development in employees and
team members which is based on the limited resources. Other hand function of manager is
organized the training and development program for the team and employees. For develop their
professionalism in the work. This helped to improve performance of employees and also
productivity of firm. Training and development is the best and important part of organisation for
increase work performance of employees (Katano and Tamura, 2017).
Delay in order delivered
Delay in order delivered is the situation which is happens in the Amazon. This break the
trust of customers and customers are moved from this brand and this is not good for management
of Amazon. There is required problem of delaying in order and try make strategies for that. In
that roles of Amazon leader is to increase the efficiency and outputs of peoples of team by
motivating them. Other hand function of manager is provided the standard tools and techniques
for addressing orders and delivered that on time. By these employees and team members are
encouraged for work. Using tools and techniques for track order are helped to delivered order on
time.
Thus, situation is delay in order leader have to give clear instruction for uses standard
tools and techniques. Furthermore, manager has organized the training and development program
for improve work capabilities and performance of employees.
Different theories and models of approaches.
Leaders and manager have various responsibilities in different type of situations and
stages as well and both are played a significant role in Amazon. Various theories of leadership
are as follows:
Situation theory of leadership
Situation theory is provided the fundamental or provide style to leaders and managers for
development level of the followers. Leaders of Amazon are most effective leaders which have
the ability to fit their style to situation (Lippi and Plebani,2018). They are give proper instruction

to their subordinates according to the task and work. It is helped to improve the productivity and
quality of work performance. This includes the 4 leadership style and that are as follows:
 Telling: in leadership style, leader is tells and give the correct information of work.
 Selling: this leadership style, leaders are sell the ideas and message to get the group
members.
 Participating: in these leaders are not give direction to team members and allow them
for taking decisions for work by using ideas and process of work (Situation theory. 2017).
 Delegating: this style, group members are make various decisions for work and taking
the advantage of managing the thinks which are related to work.
This leadership style is help to manage every situation in Amazon. Leaders of Amazon are
follows this leadership style and give proper direction to team members. Leaders are give chance
Illustration 1: situation leadership theory
(source: Situation theory, 2017)

for take decisions for improving performance of leaders. By these leaders are able to take
decision for entire team.
System leadership
System leadership theory is helped to identify the interrelation between the employer ad
employees of Amazon. This leadership style provide the proper system of work and following
that. In these leaders are not thought only about the self perspective but also thinks about
development of growth and productivity of Amazon. It is beneficial for getting long term vision
for the organisation. Motivation is the most important for employees because this give effective
and valuable result of work. By these leaders are able to give hard contribution for work and
achieve goals and objectives of organisation (Mahadevan, B., 2015).
Contingency theory
Contingency theory is explained that there are specific situational factors that are affect to
relationship between independent and dependent. Independent department is cause of changes in
dependent and dependent variable is affected by an independent variable. In that leaders are task
oriented and concern the about completing task. This result is help to increase the productivity of
task with the help of employees. This increase the team spirit and improve organisational
communication and helps in avoiding conflicts between the team members and employees. This
provide in both negative and positive ways. That is depends on the situation which is happing at
Amazon. By this have benefits such as increase productivity of employees by playing role in task
and also developing the work culture of Amazon and encourage motivation by making effective
and strong relations.
Strength and weakness of different approaches.
Strength and weakness of different approaches are as follows;
Approaches Strength Weakness
Situational leadership style  The group environment
is comfortable and
effective because this
help to building the
better collaboration.
 Lack of understanding
in the demographic
difference due the lack
of high quality of
experience.

 Another strength is this
theory increases the
awareness in
employees.
 This recognized needs
of flexibility in team.
 It is help to leaders to
circulate effective
communication in
team which is most
important for team as
well leaders (Meuser
and et.al., 2016).
 Situational theory rely
upon skill and
knowledge level of
leaders.
 Leaders do not have
ability to communicate
accurate message to
their members of team
then get wrong
message from the
leaders its not good for
team growth.
 The other weakness of
this theory is hard to
define the commitment
is conceptualized.
System theory  This theory is
multidisciplinary.
 This theory is focus on
achieving goals of
Amazon and also help
to manager to create
safe working
environment and team.
 It is help to minimizes
cost and maximize
rewards within
manager and leaders
relationship.
 This provide the
 This theory is not
applicable on the
practical problem. It
not provides the tools
and techniques for
work.
 It takes time to solve
the problems related to
employees.
 According to this
theory manager only
make system not to
provide ant equipment
related to problems

framework for the
presentation and
interpretation of
realities.
(Mullins, 2016).
 This theory is
complicated in nature.
Contingency theory  This theory believe and
focus on an effective
and reliable approach
in order to achieve
goals of the company.
 It is focus on
relationship between
leadership style.
 This help to perform
better in Amazon.
 It is an effective way of
explaining goods
leadership is achieved.
 Weakness of this
theory is not explained
in the organisation.
 This theory only focus
on the situation not on
the resources.
 The weakness of this
theory is not explained
exactly what to do and
how to teach leaders.
 It doesn't explain to
other peoples in more
effective way in some
situation.
ACTIVITY 2
Approaches of operations management and the roles of leaders and managers play in these
approaches
Operations management is an area of management which is concerned with different
functions related management like controlling and designing the process of production. There are
some functions of operations management such as: planning, directing, controlling and
organising all the processes and activities of Amazon company. There are some approaches of
operations management that helps the manager of Amazon company in better controlling and
managing all the resources of the company like total quality management, Six sigma approach,
Just in time inventory approach, Kaizen approach.

Total quality management: It is an important approach of operations management. This
approach can be defined as the act of analysing all the processes and activities of management in
order to maintain a desired level of excellence in Amazon company. This approach and process
includes creating and implementing planning and strategies of quality for improving and
controlling quality of products and services of the company. There are 7 principles of this
approach. The main and first importance and principle is it is customer oriented and focus on
customers. The preliminary aim of using this approach is to manage quality in order to satisfy the
needs of customers and increase the sales of the company. The another important principles of
this approaches are strong leadership, continuous improvement and people involvement.
Roles of leaders and managers in this approach
 Leaders ensures the involvement of staff members in the effectiveness of this approach.
 Manager of Amazon also ensures the continuous improvement and the processes related
productions.
 Leaders also take the performance measurement for the processes for this approach.
Six sigma approach: Six sigma approach acts as a methodology in order to eliminate
errors and defects in the process of manufacturing products of the company. The main aim and
purpose of Amazon of using this approach is to achieve maximum satisfaction from their
customers by eliminating errors and defects in the process of producing products and improves
returns on sales and investments.
Roles of managers and leaders
 The main role of leader of Amazon company is to communicate the importance of this
approach among all the members of staff.
 Leaders also support and recognize employees participation that motivates them in
achieving the goals.
 Manager implements this approach in the company and they also give review to their
employees and the top management about this approach.
Just in time inventory approach: This approach can be defined as a strategy of the
company that helps in increasing efficiency of employees and processes and decrease wastes by
receiving products only when they are needed in the production process. The implementation
and application of this approach in the company helps the manager and the company in reducing