Leadership and Management Roles at Asda: A Comprehensive Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management roles within Asda, a prominent supermarket retailer. It begins by defining the distinct roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, emphasizing their interconnectedness and importance in achieving organizational goals. The report then examines how leaders and managers navigate various organizational situations, such as time management and conflict resolution, and how their approaches differ. The study delves into leadership theories, including situational and contingency leadership, and their practical application in Asda's operational context. Furthermore, the report explores the elements and approaches of operation management systems and the impact of CSR, ethics, and values on business operations. Overall, the report provides valuable insights into effective leadership and management practices within a complex business environment.

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
A) Roles and Characteristics of leaders and managers ..............................................................1
B) Role of leader and managers in different organisation situation ...........................................3
C) Leadership theories ...............................................................................................................5
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................6
A) Role of Operation Managers .................................................................................................6
B) Elements and approaches of operation management system ................................................7
C) Impact of CSR, ethics, values on business operation.............................................................9
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
.......................................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Management and operation is that part of an organisation which is responsible for
producing goods and services by converting raw material into finished goods for satisfying
customer demand or need in an effective manner. Thus, it is regarded as an important element in
business operation since it forms the heart of an organisation by controlling the system of
operation. Moreover, waste management is one of the most integral component which enlarge
firm revenue and enhance satisfaction of customer (Strande and Brdjanovic, eds., 2014). Along
with this, it plays a crucial role within company as it resolves or manages the issues regarding
manufacturing and maintenance of system used for production of goods. Apart from this, for
smooth functioning of business function, a productive or impressive manager or leader is
required who can provide proper guidance to employees for obtaining maximisation of profit
with optimum utilisation of resources. This report is based on Asda, a reputed supermarket
retailer and which is commenced in the year of 1949. In this study, it includes role and
characteristics of managers and leader, attitude of manager toward various organisation situation,
application of leadership theory to evaluate potentiality of leader in business complex condition.
Moreover, approaches of operational management and influence of CSR, ethics, value over
business operations.
TASK 1
A) Roles and Characteristics of leaders and managers
Leader and manager has a great role to play within an organisation and each of them
requires each other support. Although, they have unique roles and responsibilities to perform in
company but still they are inseparable in nature. Hence, managers is an individual who is
responsible for directing and controlling the work and staff of a firm or a department within it.
On the other hand, leader is a person who influences or inspire followers to carry out an
organisational goal or objective in an innovative and creative style. Hence, Asda manager and
leader are assigned with various responsibilities that defines their designation. In order to
perform those task they contains different characteristics which help them in attaining high level
of productivity and profitability ratio. Therefore, the role and characteristics of manager and
leader is given below:
Role of manager

Coordinator: This signifies that managers puts several resources i.e. physical and human
together for accomplishing organisational goal. However, Asda's manager mobilizes all factors
of production like capital, money, manpower, machines and coordinate with employees for
obtain profit maximisation with optimum utilisation of resources. Moreover, they maintains good
communication system in order to coordinated properly without any confusions and conflicts.
Delegator of authority: Under this, manager assign work to its subordinates according to
the capability or ability of superiors. Thus, Asda manager delegate organisational task to
different individuals as well as render them all necessary facility so that they can finish their
work in given time period. Along with this, they encourage them to put their full contribution
towards the achievement of high proficiency.
Characteristics of manager
Reliable: It states that availability of manager whenever employees demand or require
which helps them to build healthy working culture. Thus, Asda's manager is always ready to help
its employees and providing all kinds of support which enable them to enlarge their volume of
sales as well as improves profit margin (Schulze and et. al., 2016).
Decision making: It is considered as one of the essential element in enhancing overall
performance of firm. However, Asda's manager is very transparent and fair to their superior in
terms of exchanging business information which allow them to maintain good relationship
among them and there will be less chance of conflicts or dispute within an organisation.
Role of Leader
Motivating employees: In this leader encourage or motivate superior to put their vest
effort towards the attainment of goal in an trenchant manner. Along with this, Asda's leader
recognise the achievement of its manpower by providing them some kind of memento, prizes or
certificates which enhance the morale of employees and improves company's brand image.
Setting clear vision: It is main role of any leader in which they establishes a goal or
objective for firm which leads them to accomplish their task within a prescribed limit. Thus,
Asda's leader define their vision clearly to their staff which reduces conflicts of interest among
superior and allow Asda to generate healthy working culture.
Characteristics of Leader
Good listening skill: This characteristics is an integral element within an organisation
which maintain better relationship between leader and its followers. However, Asda's leader

takes initiative in listening to employees problems and provide equal chances for grieved parties
to share their views or opinion and based on that leader takes corrective course of action and
generate best working condition.
Innovative: It is considered as main tool which drives an organisation to attain high level
of productivity and profitability in an efficient way. Thus, Asda leader adapts all latest and
updated technology which lead them to meet all current and emerging trend or competition
within industry as well as it helps them to gain competitive advantage.
Therefore, manager and leader are regarded as backbone for Asda, yet each of them has
different roles and responsibilities but they require support from each other in order to
accomplish organisational goal or vision within prescribed limit.
B) Role of leader and managers in different organisation situation
In every business complex situation the role of leader and manager is unique but they
contain same goal and i.e. achieving company's goal or vision in an innovate and creativity in
order yo bring high level of satisfaction (Parisio, Rikos and Glielmo, 2016). Moreover, leader is
an individual who set direction, build an inspiring vision and create something new or creative
which help them to obtain maximisation of profit with make use of available resources. ON the
other hand, manager is a person who just follows the instruction or guidelines and assign the task
to different personnel based on their interest and capability. Moreover, a leader approach will be
different than manager as they include its own style of managing situation in order to generate
better working culture. Along with this, leader involves its followers and consult with them and
takes the several opinion for implementing best strategic decision. However by this activity they
can easily motivate its team members and there will high level of participation from superior that
improves the overall performance of firm. Whereas, manager contains different roles from
leader because they do not involve much employees during decision making process as they
were authorised and trained to make decisions without harming staff morale. There are two
situation which takes place in Asda business operation and function which effect its sales
volume and profit margin. Therefore the role of leader and function of manager in different
organisational situation is given below:
Situation 1 : Time Management

Asda's manager is assigned a new task by the top management and they has to get the task done
by its team members within a specific period of time. For this, manager and leader plays their
own role in order to achieve business goal or objectives in an effective or efficient way.
Solution: For, gaining competitive advantage in an innovative or reactive style manager acquires
scientific theory of management. As this theory signifies that enhance employees productivity in
order to achieve best result or outcome as well as increase efficiency and output. Moreover, they
adapts valuable source of information to examine all aspect related to management. Therefore,
Asda 's manager enhance job and potentiality to increase skill and abilities within an
organization. However, managers plan their work activity and operations in management and
provide the incentive for encouraging employees in order to enlarge the outcome and develop
output as well as satisfaction. In case of leader, they mainly centred on given task and the
performance required to accomplish results by completing that given work within prescribed
time limit (Kapadia and et. al.,, 2018). However, it help the team members who are not good at
planning and organising as leader identifies employees interest or demand and assign those task
according to their potentiality that enable them to finish their work in deadline and it add value to
customer as well as company reputation or goodwill.
Situation 2 : Resolving conflict
Most of the conflict arises due to miscommunication and misunderstanding among
employees regarding work which hampers the entire work process as well as it directly impact
the superior motivation. However, Asda one of the famous supermarket retailer which operates
across the globe and provide varies ranges of products like clothing, home appliances etc. The
main reason behind arising dispute among employees because in Asda most of the staff belongs
to diverse culture , languages, beliefs which create conflict of interest within an organisation
premises. Hence, in order to tackle this issue manager and leader is equally obliged to generate
best working culture within Asda working condition. In case of leader, they communicate fairly
and transparently to their manpower in order to reduce confusions or ambiguity among staff and
they can fully concentrate over fulfilling the organisational task within prescribed time limit.
Moreover, they takes initiation to acquire personnel opinion which help them to generate healthy
or best working culture which add value to employees as well as improves company brand
image.

Apart from this, there are various function of manager which Asda's manager applies
during conflict management. As they develop an impressive and productive plan of action to
solve the disputes which occurred in Asda's business operation due to communication gap
between managers and employees. However, by effective plan manager will be able to generate
good relationship among co workers and make them understand the importance of team work in
order to attain high productivity and profitability ratio. Along with this, manager delegate
appropriate work to staff according to their ability or potentiality which provides them high level
of satisfaction as well as improves the overall performance of company.
C) Leadership theories
Situational theory
There are different situations which arise in organisation while dealing in industry. As
future market is unpredictable, so managers of ASDA use situational theory. As per this theory,
plans and policies are framed by managers as per situation. There is no specific way of resolving
issues which arise. As above discussed situation, there is requirement of leadership of team
through which they can lead team mates in order to complete task within specified time. So in
this case managers has to lead team and motivate employees to financial or non financial
sources. Leader has to work with team mates, so it assist them to work for completing project
within specified time (Monczka and et. al., 2015).
As per situation of conflict at ASDA, then leader of team has to analyse situation and
resolve it. Hence in this case as well there is use of situational leadership in order to deal with it.
For instance: there is issue among workers regarding working style, then it is responsibility of
manager and leader to take views of all members and then select one which is best out of it. In
order to resolve conflict, there must be proper communication with parties, so there mindset is
clear. Then manager and leader of ASDA can react by analysis situation.
Contingency leadership
This theory states that leader effectiveness is contingent upon various business complex
situation. However, there is no best way to provide effective decision or strategy in contingency
theory. Apart from this, there are several issues which occur in an organisation which directly
influence the firms decision making capability. In case of Asda, it undergoes with time
management and miscommunication which effect their business function. However, Asda

manger encourage or motivate its employees to put their full contribution towards attainment, of
goals or vision as well as provide them attractive incentive or benefits which enhance the
employee satisfaction. Apart from this, for handling communication gap issue leader takes
initiative to listen to their superior and takes appropriate decision in favour of manpower which
enable Asda to generate proper working condition which add value to them as well as enlarge
their proficiency.
System leadership
In this, it help Asda leader or manager to identify each personnel potentiality or skill and
based on that they assign the task to employees which allow them to attain high proficiency as
well as gain competitive advantage. Along with this, it help them to resolve conflict and enable
them to take effective decision in order to improve the morale of manpower.
TASK 2
A) Role of Operation Managers
Operation managers refers to those individuals who are responsible for managing the business
activities and operation and proper running of the organisation. In ASDA, operation manager are
responsible for maintaining and monitoring activities that are component part of the production
of products an services. In this organisation, the direct responsibilities involve managing
operation process, designing, dominant, presentation advance and formulation of operations
strategy (Monczka and et. al., 2015). Indirect responsibilities of operation manager contains
interaction with those mangers within the firm whose roles have an affect on operations in
various areas like finance, marketing, accounting and others. There are different roles that are
playing by the operation manger in ASDA are as mentioned below:
Managing the quality- In ASDA, they play an important role in managing the quality of
the products and working efficiency of employees. The business of a company based on the
quality of the goods if the management of the company used good quality raw material then it
create value for the customers and increase the sales. In it operation manger of this company play
an essential role and responsible for the production of good quality of products. They also help in
improving working efficiency of the employees. For example, if the workers have not
information in about new technology than they conduct training sessions so that they can gain
knowledge and help in improving the performing efficiency of the organisation.

Workflow and staffing- They also play an important role to hire and train new
employees when there are lack of workforce within the company. Because they are familiar with
the requirement of each departments of the firm. They help in managing workflow and
distribution of the work so that they can make improvement in the efficiency in the operation.
Supervising supply chain and inventory- It is another area in which operation manager
play an important role. In ASDA, they play role as a analyser and monitor because they
effectively determine the requirement of the material which is needed for the production of the
products. They help in maintaining and managing relation with the supplier who provide raw
material to the organisation (Zhao and Huchzermeier, 2015). They help in managing or
minimizing wastage so that they can mange inventory reduce the wastage of the material. They
help in analysing all the operation process so that they interpose and make adjustment as per the
requirement.
There are various decision which can be taken by operation mangers to make
improvement and increase efficiency. They are as following:
 They take decisions related to make change and make important in the processes by
which goods and services are manufactured.
 In ASDA, operation manager take decision in context of quality of the goods and services
(Kozlenkova and et. al., 2015).
 They provide their views related to the stock of the materials which is required for the
production of the products of the company.
 They take decision related to the management of human resources.
 In order to manage production, inventory and wastage, they also take decisions for its
proper management.
B) Elements and approaches of operation management system
There are various approaches of different operations management system, they are as
following:
Total quality management
It refers to an activity of analysing all the works and task s that are provide by the
management for a desired level of characteristic that consist generating and applying effective
planning and sureness for quality control and its improvement (Brandenburg and Rebs, 2015).
There are basic seven principle of TQM and they are as mentioned below:

Customer focus- In Current era, organisations concentrate on the need, demands, taste
and preference of the customers so that they can provide satisfaction to them by producing goods
and services accordingly. In ASDA, the management also manufacture products according to its
customers because they are important to monitor the quality of the goods.
Strong leadership- It is other important factor, in ASDA, strong leadership and
management help the company in proper running of the organisation. So it is important for
controlling and monitoring the success and growth of the firm.
People involvement- It is another effective and important principle of TQM. Because in
ASDA, with the help of contribution and efforts, the company attain its set objectives in set
period of time.
Systematic approach to management- In ASDA, the administration of the company
perform is business, functions, operations and activities according to systematic manner so that it
can attain its mission, vision and objectives on time.
Continuous improvement- In ASDA, the management of the company make innovation
and improvement in its goods and services which are developed by it so that it can survive and
sustain at market place till long period of time.
Factual approach to decision making- It is other important principle of TQM because
when the organisation make change in its business process, functions and operations then there
must be a specific reason to make change (Gerasimov and Gerasimov, 2015).
Mutually beneficial supplier relation- In ASDA, in it, the management of the company
develop good and grate relation with the suppliers so that they can provide material to the
company for producing products and services. It is beneficial for the company because it help in
increasing profit and enhancing productivity.
 Roles of leaders- In ASDA, the leader play an important role in form of provide
motivation and encourage them so that they can make contribution in the organisation
growth and complete their task in given period of time (Kafetzopoulos, Gotzamani and
Gkana, 2015).
 Roles of managers- In ASDA, the manger also play an essential role. They help in
building better relation with the suppliers so that they can provide material on time and
the firm can earn profit and increase sales.
Continuous improvement or Kaizen

It is a continuous improvement tool which is described as an approach that is applied by
the management of the company at workplace to make improvement in the business functions of
the firm. In ASDA, it can be used by the management of the company as a lean manufacturing
tool which is beneficial for making improvement in quality, productivity, safety and workplace
culture. It concentrate on implementing small, daily changes that outcome in major improvement
over time. In ASDA, the management of the company can make improvement and innovation in
its products by following this approach.
 Roles of Leaders- Leaders play an important role in it because they help in finding out
skilled employees which help in the decision making of the company and solving issues
when they are working in a group.
Roles of manager- They play an essential role because the help in finding out the scope of task
and monitoring the growth of the Kizen team.
C) Impact of CSR, ethics, values on business operation
In ASDA, business operations impacted by various factors of the business, some of them
are as following:
CSR(Corporate social responsibility)- It is described as a business approach which
make contribution in the sustainable growth or development of the company. In ASDA, the
management of the company set short term objective that can be achieved by the team members
easily or in given period of time (Kapadia and et. al., 2018). In leadership play an important role
by motiving and encouraging team members. In ASDA, the administration also work for the
welfare of the society and a large part of their CSR policy is devoted for the benefit of the local
community where are operating their business.
Culture- It is important factor the affect the business operations. In ASDA, the company
operate its business globally so it manufacture products according to culture of the nations and
the people of that place which aid their feeling with their culture (Monczka and et. al., 2015). By
protecting the culture the firm can also concentrate on the production of the goods which help in
provide satisfaction to the culture of a particular community which help in maintaining the
business and increasing the sales of the firm.
Values-The CSR policy of the firm is beneficial for conserving different values which
are related to the society where the business are operated. By providing protection to the values

of the society the management of ASDA can get great idea to promote its products in a effective
way which provide satisfaction to the customers needs and demands.
Ethics- It is another important factor that affect the business operations of the company.
In ASDA, the management of the company follow business ethics so that it can make
transparency in its business and help the consumer to select and choose right and essential
product. If the company make transference in its business than it positively affect the business
operations because the customer show their loyalty which help in improving the image or
reputation of the firm at market place.
Sustainability- It is another factor that impacted the business operation. In ASDA, the
management of the company manufacture goods and services in a sustainable manner so that it
will not harm the environment by generating pollution and other manners. If the company make
sustainability in its business then it help in the business growth. Each organisation establish in a
society so making sustainability, it can survive in the society and community or sustaining in the
market till long time period.
CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that management and operation
is an essential element in every company as it deals with transformation of input into output with
a optimum utilisation of resources which help them to obtain profit maximisation. Along with
this, manager and leader plays a vital role within an organisation as they help employees by
providing proper guidance in order to accomplish organisational goal in an effective manner.
There are several theories which helps manger to manage business complex situation in an
impressive way. Moreover, operation management main function or role is to minimise the
wastage of product and delivers best quality of products and services which add value to firm as
well as company's brand image.
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