BX3174 - Leadership in the Catering Industry: An Overview

This report delves into the concept and importance of leadership, particularly within the catering industry. It explores different leadership theories, such as transactional and transformational leadership, and emphasizes the role of leaders in guiding teams towards common objectives. The discussion highlights key challenges in the catering industry, including food safety concerns, declining wild fish populations, poor aquaculture practices, and worker exploitation. The report underscores the need for transformational leaders who can adapt to changes, ensure food safety compliance, and address worker welfare issues. It emphasizes the importance of leaders in fostering a positive organizational culture, promoting employee well-being, and driving sustainable practices within the catering sector. The report concludes that effective leadership is crucial for overcoming industry challenges and achieving long-term success in the catering industry.

Running head: LEADERSHIP IN THE CATERING INDUSTRY
LEADERSHIP IN THE CATERING INDUSTRY
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................2
The concept and importance of leadership......................................................................................2
Leadership in the catering industry..................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
Leadership refers to an individual’s ability to lead others towards achievement of a
common objective and goals. Therefore leadership includes providing proper guidance and
direction to a group of people to help them achieve the organizational objectives. There are
different theories of leadership that are aimed at highlighting different skills of a leader such as
the theory of a transactional or transformational leaders, the concept of a laissez faire leader and
other similar theories and concepts (Barrington, 2010). The concept and theories of leadership
can be applied all the fields or sectors such as health care, hospitality, business and also other
fields. Leadership in the catering industry includes a leaders who focuses on innovation and
creativity and shows adaptability to changes. The main aim of the paper is to discuss about the
concept of leadership and also about the importance of leadership and also discusses about the
concept of leadership in the catering industry. Therefore the paper will discuss about the concept
of leadership and the importance of the same concept. The paper will also discuss about the
importance of leadership in the catering industry.
Discussion
The concept and importance of leadership
The concept of leadership discusses about the ability of a leader to lead other in such a
way that they can achieve the common goals and objectives. The leaders ensure the achievement
of the end goals or results through proper guidance and support to the employees or members.
Therefore according to the concept of leadership it can be understood that a leaders is a person
who is capable to having a social influence over his followers through support for
accomplishment of the common task and objectives (Bass, 1990). Moreover different scholars

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have different opinion about the term leadership. Therefore there are different theories or
approaches to understand the concept of leadership in a better way. These different leadership
theories are based on the different traits displayed by the leaders the social interaction of the
leaders with his followers, based on their function, power, and other characteristics. Some of
these theories includes- the behavioural theory of leadership, the trait theory of leadership, the
contingency or situational theories of leadership and the leadership theories based on power and
influence. The trait theories is based on the belief that the most effective leaders show some
common traits and these traits distinguish an effective leader from the ineffective ones. Some of
these rare qualities’ and traits identified by the trait theory includes- integrity, assertiveness,
empathy and also decision-making skills. The behavioural theories is based on the concept that
effective leaders behave in a particular way that is different from other leaders. On the basis of
the same concept three types of leadership theories were formed called the autocratic leaders,
democratic leaders and also the laissez-faire leaders. The contingency leadership theory is based
on the belief that leadership style changes with the situation and therefore different situations
may require the same leader to behave differently. And the theories of leadership based on power
and influence is based on the concept that leaders use their power and influence in different ways
to influence their followers. However one of the most effective leadership style theory is the
transformational leadership theory. This is so because the transformational leader can help in
changing not only the organizational climate but also culture by leading by example. These
leaders have integrity and also help in sharing the vision with other members. Transformational
leaders can help the employees in adapting to changes by inspiring and supporting them. The
way a transformational leader can help in changing the organizational culture and climate can be
understood through the burke Litwin model. According to the change model of Burke Litwin, a

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transformational leader can help in understanding the different components of an organization
and the relation between them for carrying out change in the organization and for making the
organization flexible one.
Figure 1: Burke Litwin model of organizational change
Source: (Spangenberg & Theron, 2013)

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Leadership in the catering industry
The catering industry or the global food system is presently being faced with a number of
issues and some of these includes- food safety, declining stock of wild fish, practices related to
poor aquaculture, exploitation of the workers in the same sector and also includes lack of equal
access to all. Food safety issues include- the food recalls faced by the biggest players of eggs,
meat and also dairy, injuries and deaths of people due to issues related to food safety. Some of
the major reasons behind these issues includes lack of proper inspection by the inspectors and
therefore also includes the ability of all the organization in the catering services to comply with
the different standards of food safety and quality.
Therefore it is the duty of the leaders of the catering industry to have knowledge about
the farmers and to see where all their material are coming from (Worsfold, 1989). These leaders
can ensure that the organization complies with all the standards of food quality such as they need
to observe that they have the certificate of food safety supervisors and also need to ensure that
different safety programs and procedures have been implemented. Further the leader also needs
to ensure the food safety and quality through proper training of the employees. Another major
challenge faced by the global food system includes- decline in the number of the wild fish
species. According to a recent research report, the number of some of the wild fishes that are
scare are continuously decline due to their increased consumption and the same is further leading
to decimation of oceans.
Therefore the leaders of the catering industry need to ensure that they are using
alternatives of the wild species such as they can make use of the bait or other smaller fishes such
as the sardines, Spanish mackerel. These species of fish are available in large quantities and also
are a healthier option (Kenton, 2019). Therefore the leaders of the catering industry are required

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to take steps for adapt to these changes taking place in the environment. This is possible only
with the help of a transformational leader because they can help in adapting to these changes by
changing the existing culture of the organization. Recently the global food system are making
use of poor aquaculture practices. Therefore it is necessary for the leaders of the catering
industry to have adequate knowledge about the concept of sustainable aquaculture and change
the food offerings accordingly. Further another major issue that is presently being faced by the
global food system includes the workers exploitation. Moreover the employees belonging to
these industries receive the lowest pay as compared to other industries. This is further having
negative effect on the employees’ health and psychological conditions. Therefore the
transformational leaders can help in overcoming these issues by taking some steps such as
purchasing health insurance for their employees (Antonakis & Day, 2017). Further other actions
can be carried out by the transformational leaders such as providing better working conditions to
the employees.
Conclusion
Therefore from the above discussion, it can be understood that a leaders is someone who
helps in leading group of individuals by providing them with proper direction and also guidance
for the purpose of achievement of the common objectives. Moreover from the paper it has also
been understood that leaders are required in all fields of life and therefore it is also necessary to
have effective leaders in the hospitality sector. This is also necessary because it helps in ensuring
that all the problems that are presently being faced by the catering industry or the hospitality
industry are being looked after and taken care of. Therefore from the paper it is evident that it is
necessary to have a transformational leaders in the catering industry because he can help in

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adapting to the changes easily and further he can also help the employees of the same industry in
adapting to changes easily and also to be flexible.

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References
Antonakis, J., & Day, D. V. (Eds.). (2017). The nature of leadership. Sage publications.
Barrington (2010).The 10 Biggest Issues With the Global Food System.
Bass, B. M. (1990). From transactional to transformational leadership: Learning to share the
vision. Organizational dynamics, 18(3), 19-31.
Kenton (2019).What is industry?
Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage publications.
Spangenberg, H., & Theron, C. (2013). A critical review of the Burke-Litwin model of
leadership, change and performance. Management Dynamics: Journal of the Southern
African Institute for Management Scientists, 22(2), 29-48.
Tichy, N., & Devanna, M. (1986). Transformational leadership. New York: Wiley.
Worsfold, P. (1989). Leadership and managerial effectiveness in the hospitality
industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 8(2), 145-155.