Analysis of Leadership and Management Practices at Amazon - Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of leadership and management practices at Amazon, examining the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers within the organization. It compares the responsibilities of leaders as motivators, representatives, communicators, and inspirers, with the functions of managers as administrators, conflict handlers, negotiators, and resource allocators. The report delves into how leaders and managers address critical situations, particularly conflict resolution, outlining approaches such as competitive, collaborative, compromising, accommodating, and avoiding strategies. Furthermore, it explores various leadership theories and models, including situational leadership, system leadership, and contingency leadership, and discusses their implementation within Amazon. The report also covers key approaches to operations management, highlighting the significance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives, as well as the impact of business environmental factors on operational management and decision-making.

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Comparison of roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Role of leader and the function of a manager in critical situation....................................3
P3 Different theories and models of approach containing situational leadership and
contingency.............................................................................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P4 Key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play
(COVERED IN PPT).............................................................................................................7
P5 Importance and values of operations management (COVERED IN PPT)........................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P6 Impact of business environmental factors upon operational management.......................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Management refers to the process of managing all the internal as well as external
activities that are performed by an organisation in order to execute all the operations
(Management and operation. 2018.). For all the organisations, its very important to formulate
effective strategies so that business can be operated successfully. Managers and leaders are
mainly responsible for the proper execution of the business. Organisation chosen for this report
is Amazon, which is an online shopping site for different kinds of products. It is mainly based in
Seattle, Washington and founded in year 1994 by Jeff Bezos. Various topics have been discussed
under this report like roles and characteristics of leader and manager, the way in which role of
leader and function of the manager will be applied in different situational context, application of
theories and model of approaches of leadership and key approaches of operations management.
Importance and value of operation management in achieving business objectives and factors in
business environment that may affect operational management and decision making of leader
and managers have also been discussed under this report.
TASK 1
P1 Comparison of roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
Leader: The person who is responsible to lead a group of individuals so that they can
work more productively. Main responsibility of a leader is to motivate and influence the
subordinates because this will help to complete all the tasks in given time limit (Johnstone,
2016).
Manager: Individuals who are concerned with the proper management of an
organisation. They are mainly focused with planning, controlling, organising and staffing related
functions.
There are various difference in the roles and characteristics of managers and leader of
Amazon. All of them are as follows:The roles of managers and leaders are:-
Leaders Managers
Motivator: In Amazon the leaders play a vital
role of motivator as they are required to
motivate all the employees so that their work
Administrator: Managers of Amazon are
responsible to administer all the activities that
are performed by the employees.
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quality can be enhanced.
Representative: Leaders are also known as a
representative of an organisation as they
manage all the activities so that a positive
image can be established.
Conflict handler: All the conflicts that may
take place among workers and top executives
are handled by the managers.
Communicator: Leaders in Amazon are
responsible to communicate with all the
employees in appropriate manner so that they
can share issues regarding their job.
Negotiator: Managers of Amazon play a role
of negotiator as they negotiate prices with
customers and suppliers.
Inspirer: The leaders in Amazon play a vital
role of inspirer in which they inspire the team
members to work more productively by
supporting and cooperating with them.
Resource allocator: Managers allot resources
to all the functional departments of the
organisation.
Differences between qualities of managers and leaders:
Leaders Managers
Leaders of Amazon have quality of
empowering as they are focused with the
empowerment of the staff members.
Managers have a quality of solving problems
that may affect the organisational capability of
performing activities.
Passion is the main quality which is required
for the leaders because all the team members
will follow them to complete the allotted tasks.
Effective decision making is another quality of
managers of Amazon as they formulate
appropriate decision in critical situations.
Leaders in Amazon have a quality of equality
in which they are liable to treat all the
subordinates equally.
Managers of Amazon have capability to
analyse the appropriateness of the techniques
that are used by the organisation in order to
increase profits.
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All the leaders in Amazon have a specific
characteristic which is honesty as they have to
be honest with their subordinates to gain their
trust.
Managers need to be patience as they have to
handle various problems like conflicts, lack of
employees engagement etc.
TASK 2
P2 Role of leader and the function of a manager in critical situation
There may various critical situation arise in Amazon such as shortage of resources,
negative publicity about the company, unsuccessful process, poor team performance etc. The
situation that has arisen here is conflict resolution (Nakayama and Bucks, 2012). As there is a
situation in Amazon regarding assessment of proper product line and classification of products
adequate to customers. Regarding this critical situation role of leaders are defined as follows;
Role of a leader:
Competitive: A leader should use his expertise ability to resolve a conflict. Autocratic
leadership style can be adopted by leader in the situations where decisions are required to be
made quickly. In rest of the situations, the leader can collect input and then make a decision
(Burke, 2013).
Collaborative: The issues behind the conflict should be assessed quickly to take prompt
actions. Leaders involves team members for resolving the problems in order to make the
members capable of resolving conflicts on their own.
Compromising: A leader should build compromising skills in the team members.
Leaders should make the members accept facts when necessary rather than arguing illogically.
This will resolve the conflict rapidly.
Accommodating: A leader should provide guidance to members to make them do their
work effectively without delegating it to a fellow member.
Avoiding: In cases of controversial issues, the leader can transfer the case to a outside party for
resolution. A third party can resolve the conflict by making the members negotiates and
understand the roots of the problem.
Functions of manager:
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Establish facts: The first step is to collect the facts of the issue. A manager should
establish the facts that are important and can be collected within the specified time. On the basis
of facts, a decision by the manager should be taken.
Ask lots of questions: The manager should prepare a list of questions to be asked to the
members involved in the conflict. The questions can be asked from the members who were not
involved in order to have a clear picture of the matter.
Actively listen: The manager should listen to the statements carefully. Jumping into a
conclusion without listening will create more problems. After hearing a correct decision can be
taken to resolve the conflict (Mills and Lee, 2012).
Pre-judgement to be avoided: A manager should not have a pre-judgement ready as this
will influence his decision.
Aim for resolution: The manager should always target to resolve conflicts. Resolution is
not always possible but the manager should try to resolve to the possible extent.
Selection of approach: Every situation is different therefore one approach can not be
applied in every situation. Manager should choose the approach accordingly.
P3 Different theories and models of approach containing situational leadership and contingency
Successful cooperation leads functions of organisations in right direction to get desired
objectives and aim of organisation (Karangelos and Wehenkel, 2016). Amazon is one of the
successful organisation which is confident and stable with its effective leadership tactics and
management structure. The concept of leadership is significant itself to correlate objectives of
business among team members and employees of organisation. Type of leadership theories are
defined as follows that are essential in terms of managing the operations of Amazon.
Situational leadership
This leadership assess the possible outcomes and situations regarding the changes for
particular scenarios like cooperation process and staff engagement process at work place. There
is a particular understanding and recognition required in organisation with proper analysis and
justification to clear the situation. This leadership style is flexible in itself that helps in absorbing
the unconditional challenges in competitive advantages with in organisation. The leadership
management and exhibits that elaboration with creative challenges with creative objectives in
terms of carrying out the desired objectives for better change and development (Pavasson and et.
al., 2014). This theory can be implemented with in organisation by analysing the situational case
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and consideration of business with in and outside the organisation. The flexibility is the main
virtue that makes this leadership style viable to implement with in organisation.
Strength: Its flexible, directing, participating and delegating nature is the main strength
of this leadership style that keep align business to collaborate the changes in effective and viable
manner.
Weakness: There are some contingent scenarios and uncertain situations occurs with in
organisation due to external factors that makes ineffective this leadership style. There is a lack of
clear visibility of net outcome found in this leadership style that affect the leadership theory.
System leadership
This leadership style considered helps to get outcomes more productively in terms of
determining the behaviours of leaders and managers. Effective business system helps in
consolidating the changes with practical based scenario. This theory can be implemented in
Amazon by creating management and organisational experts for enhancing the productivity of
business.
Strength:It remain constant with in organisation at every level. The formation of
assigning roles and liabilities do not change with the changes in frequencies and fractions.
Weakness: Criteria of system leadership style remain limited up to the matrix approaches
and maintain the complexities at different levels that may create more complex situations with in
organisations.
Contingency leadership
This leadership mainly associated with clarification the undecided situation and
scenarios. To assess this leadership style with in organisation it is require to understand the
dynamics of contingent business cases and scenarios. A practical based scenarios and contingent
situations are considered with in organisational context to devote skills and management in
business with particular base. Amazon can implement this theory to reflect the confident image
of leaders and managers to demonstrate their knowledge in contingent situations.
Strength: This model is effective and contingent in terms of motivating the staff
members and manpower of organisation to incorporate the challenges for better formation and
practicability.
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Weakness: This leadership style remain ineffective in decision making scenarios and
practical based examples while consolidating changes and scenarios with in and outside the
organisation.
TASK 3
P4 Key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play
(COVERED IN PPT)
P5 Importance and values of operations management (COVERED IN PPT)
TASK 4
P6 Impact of business environmental factors upon operational management
Environmental factors are based on influencing operation directly and indirectly which is
affected by business. External factors are of two types micro and macro. They are basically
internal and external factors which are influenced by business environment. The factors are
defined below.
Micro factors:
Suppliers:
Suppliers are those who are providing raw material to an organisation. Amazon is
increasing price of raw material and cost of production which decreases profits of company. An
organisation is looking on products that to deliver with smoothly leading with operations.
Customers:
They are those who consume goods by satisfying from them. Amazon provide product
as per need of customer. In this, when sales decreases profit of an organisation automatically
decreases. Company is looking forward on customers with respect to fulfil their needs.
Competitors:
This factor is include certain basic things which is notified by various form of
competition in market. Amazon faces various forms of differentiated products from company.
Their having many competitors in market like flip cart, myntra etc. It grasp full range of
competition in market with durability of products
Public:
It is a group that effects potential interest of company with an ability to achieve
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objectives. Public is leading with consumer protection, media persons etc. Amazon creating
goodwill among public by getting favourable responses from them. Their regard is on the basis
of effectively managing relationships with customers, distributors and suppliers. This is monitor
with concept of spending time with opinions and needs by dealing with them constructively.
Marketing intermediaries:
They are based on either individual or business which includes promoting, selling and
distributing goods to consumers. Amazon is leading with servicing agency which is based on
providing product to customers by reaching with active consideration.
Workers:
They are leading with organisation which are highly secured in position. The person are
required for Amazon in order to join unions which is collectively bargaining and employers
exploitation. An organisation formed by protecting interests and improving working conditions.
Macro factors:
Political:
Political factors are those which include government policy, taxes, foreign trade policy,
environmental laws etc. This factor impacted on an organisation which anticipated in future
legislations. Environment influence organisation environment with respect to increase in cost of
production and reduces overall profits of company.
Economic:
Economic factors are affected externally which includes exchange rates, inflation rate,
disposable income of consumers etc. Inflation is affected on raw material prices which increases
operational cost and manufacturing cost of product. When company reduces its sales profit
automatically reduces. In this, factors are relating with incomes of which are spend in way to
peoples. Its significant impact came on Amazon for looking after on profitability of company.
Social:
This factor includes fashion, tastes and preferences of customer on particular product.
Manager of an organisation is analysing tastes, lifestyles of customers changes with
environmental conditions. Their include areas which are based on sharing belief in order by
building interest on particular product. This is known by affecting various factors like
population growth, health conscious, career attitu8des etc.
Technology:
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Company includes many of the factors which is affected by technology are producing
goods and services, distributing and communicating with target markets (Ming and et. al.,
2013). Amazon is based on new updated technologies which is useful for them in attracting
many of the customers towards products. Online techniques are playing vital role in market that
makes direct focus on youngsters
Environmental factors:
This factor became important which includes scarcity of resources, pollution target,
ethical and sustainability of company etc. Amazon is facing these factors which makes
consumer more demanding through products. They are building issues in marketers which is
faced within the factor.
CONCLUSION
The above report conclude management and operations for better formation and the
execution process to execute the plans and objectives of organisation. Role of a leader and the
functions of a manager in organisational context consolidated with effective results and operating
objectivities for better changes and developing changes. The process of appreciation of the role
of managers and leaders state that organisational objectives and plans can be ascertained with
creative plans and framework. It is illustrated that effective relations between leadership and
management in contemporary business environment helps in determining the associated roles
and responsibilities with in organisational context.
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