Developing Managers: Analyzing Leadership, Communication, and Change

This report, focusing on the travel and tourism industry, analyzes the management styles, leadership characteristics, communication processes, and organizational cultures of Thomas Cook and Cox&Kings. Task 1 compares participatory and autocratic management styles, discusses leadership traits, evaluates communication methods, and analyzes organizational changes. Task 2, presented in a PPT, likely explores further aspects of the companies' operations. Task 3 focuses on leading and motivating teams, justifying managerial decisions, and offering recommendations. Finally, Task 4 examines the development of managerial and personal skills for career advancement, including a review of career development needs and a plan for future growth. The report emphasizes the importance of leadership, communication, and organizational culture in achieving business goals and customer satisfaction.

THE DEVELOPING
MANAGERS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………3
TASK 1………………………………………………………………………………….3
1.1 Compare different management styles……………………………………………3
1.2 Discuss leadership characteristics…………………………………………………4
1.3 Evaluate communication processes in Thomas Cook and Cox&Kings……………5
1.4 Analyse organizational culture and change in Cox&Kings and Thomas Cook..6
TASK 2 Enclosed in PPT………………………………………………………………..7
TASK 3………………………………………………………………………………….7
3.1 Lead and motivate team to achieve goal…………………………………………..7
3.2 Justify managerial decisions made to support achievement of goal and recommendation
for improvement……………………………………………………………………….8
TASK 4…………………………………………………………………………………..9
4.1 Explain how own managerial and personal skills will support career development 9
4.2 Review career and personal development needs, current performance and future needs
to produce development plan…………………………………………………………10
CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………...11
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………….11
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INTRODUCTION
The role of manager has increases with the external complexities in the external
business environment. The manager will enhance their capabilities by meeting different
standards of the society and corporate world. The current project report emphasized on travel
and tourism industry by selecting two companies operating in the same industry. Thomas
Cook and Cox&Kings have been selected for this project report. This report focuses on
different management styles adopted by both this enterprise. The traits and attributes of a
good leader have also explained. The communication process and organizational culture of
these entities are defined in the report. The skills of an individual have been evaluated and
mentioned in the report as this also focuses on leadership styles. The variety of managerial
decisions is explained properly in this report along with the career development and personal
development needs are recorded in this report.
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TASK 1
1.1 Compare different management styles
Participatory management style adopted by Thomas Cook
The selection of this particular management style to cater the variety of needs
and the expectations of different buyers and their employees (Rego, 2016). The selection of
this style is based on the mission and values of this entity that emphasises on team work,
integrity by pleasing their clients in order to meet higher expectations. The employees are
taken into consideration at the time of making important decisions for the business by taking
them as integral aspects of business concern (Anil, Shoham and Pfajfar, 2016). The tasks and
duties are proportionately delegated among different set of employee to take care about their
needs related to the launching of products. The names of destinations in the tour packages
are due to ideas and suggestions of all employees are taken into account. In the current
system, the subordinates have direct contact with their superiors as responsibilities are
provided to them in order to inspire in completing their job in a given time frame.
Human relation approach- This particular approach has emphasized on analyzing
the behavior of all the employees. The behavior will be analyzed in order to attract wide
number of employees to execute policies in relation to all the personnel.
1.2 Discuss leadership characteristics
Leadership is the capability of an individual to lead their followers to improve
their internal skills to achieve desired aims and targets of an individual (Blaikie, 2016). This
stream can be defined as that skill which can be used as practical approach. It is that skill in
which different capabilities of an individual are applied in order to improve the deficiency of
an individual. Thomas Cook and Cox&Kings are required to enhance their leadership
characteristics in order to gain higher level of customer’s satisfaction.
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Autocratic style adopted by Cox&Kings
The power of decision is held with the top management who take important
decisions as they stress on delivering high quality of services to its clients (Gunawan and
Aungsuroch, 2017). The major focus of the entity is to please their clients to create a long
term relationship with them. The tasks are delegated among different employees but final
decision is taken by the top management. The initiatives will not be taken by an individual in
this leadership style as the leader imposes rules and order supplied from top management
(Ward, 2016). The autocratic leaders will be appointed by an entity that will make important
decisions on behalf of the top management. The leader take suggestions from all the
employees but final decision will be taken by the employer. It is not fruitful for an entity in
order to retain all their employees for long term in the business (Ahmad and et.al., 2016).
They emphasis on achieving their annual target rather than accomplishing hidden needs of
their employees. The employees get de-motivated when employer thinks in favor of their
business rather than its employees as they took as cost rather than important asset.
DEMOCRATIC STYLE ADOPTED BY COX AND KINGS…….
Communication skills- In corporate world, it is regarded as one of the important thing
which helps in gaining higher advantage by an entity over its rivals (Mohyuddin and Pick,
2016). The communication is taken as that important medium in conveying vision and
mission of the business among its competitors (Blaikie, 2016). The sharing of information is
essential to retain all employees in the business. Apart from sharing vision and missions, it is
essential to meet the queries and doubt of an individual by helping them in improving their
existing skills and the capabilities.
Team work- The leaders work with all employees by taking initiative in turbulent
situation which inspires their followers in gaining higher advantage (Ahmad, 2016). A leader
will lead their team by motivating them to increase team spirit in an organization so that they
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can complete all tasks and duties in allotted time. The pros and cons of a team will be taught
by the team leaders by taking sessions, brainstorming and playing games (Schniederjans,
Lanham and LeGrand, 2017). The stress will be managed by a leader by organizing team
exercises to re-boost employee's self-confidence to fight back with its competitors by
meeting specific deadlines.
1.3 Evaluate communication processes in Thomas Cook
and Cox&Kings
This is regarded as the integral aspect of an organization which helps in
achieving the hidden expectations of different clients with the help of good communication.
It is that process in which Thomas Cook and Cox&Kings will exchange their ideas and
opinions by using appropriate medium to reach their end users (Hunt and Weintraub, 2016).
The end users will react on information supplied to them by giving positive or negative
feedback to complete the overall process of communication. Thomas Cook and Cox&Kings
both the entity operating in the same industry need to adopt the best suitable technique of
communication to pass on information to another destination (Okumus and et.al., 2016). The
communication process has two important criteria such as internal communication and
external communication process which are given as below:
Internal communication
The communication process will be adopted by an entity to deliver important
information within the organization to meet needs of various employees (Tang and Rose,
2014). Thomas Cook will choose scalar chain in which the top management will
communicate in a vertical format to their subordinates. The middle level manager will pass
on the order to the lower level management employees such as travel agents and tour
operators.
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Cox&Kings will choose downward to upward communication style in which
subordinates will conduct research in the market about needs of the customers then it will
supply the information to middle level managers and then these managers will communicate
with the top management (Proctor, 2014). This process will result into launching of new tour
packages by enlisting different tourist destinations.
External communications
The external communication is related to supplying the information in relation
to the needs of different customers by sharing launching products or services offered by an
entity to them.
Thomas Cook distributes brochures; provide advertisement in newspapers, magazines,
advertisement on search engines (Mirmiran and Sanayei, 2017). On the other hand,
Cox&Kings will appoint counselors who will personally contact with different customers to
buy the products.
Innovation- The creativity and innovation applied by a leader in improving the skills
and the capabilities of their team mate is essential in completing the tasks and duties
(Blaikie, 2016). The tasks will be presented in an innovative way in front of team mate in
achieving goals and objectives. The tour packages are designed by the employees to convey
their innovation in front of all the buyers. The leader will act as a medium to present all their
ideas in designing tour packages to reflect their efforts in front of top management. The
confidence of all the employees will get increases by showcasing their hidden talent in the
eyes of the top management.
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1.4 Analyses organizational culture and change in
Cox&Kings and Thomas Cook
Traditional practices adopted by Thomas Cook
The current entity founded in the year 1841 with its first railway excursion
which was the beginning of this travel company. The current travel and tourism services
offered by this entity in all across the world (Okumus, 2016). It is listed in the London stock
exchange with a constituent of FTSE 250 indexes in order to increase higher market share.
This entity deals in providing different products such as tour packages, passengers airlines,
cruise tours, holiday tours customization, booking hotels and resorts. The current entity have
seen different changes in their overall business operation from its formation till today's date.
Changes in organizational culture
The initial change took place in this entity was merger of this Thomas Cook
with My Travel group Plc in the year 2007 which helps in strengthening the current market
capture of this entity as this results into strengthening the current financial resources. The
change was purchased website Hotels4U.com in the year 2008 which helps in attracting
online buyers of this website under the pocket of this business (Ward, 2016). The technology
has adopted by an entity in the year 2009 which helps in re-defining the current practices
with a deal with Octopus media technology. The German tourism company bought by this
entity in the year 2010 which further leads with a merger of The co-operative travel in the
year 2011.
Traditional business practices of Cox&Kings
The business of this entity operated in the year 1785 as one of the longest travel
and tourism companies (Blaikie, 2016). The current entity offered variety of travel related
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services all across the world. The majority of the subsidiaries of this entity located in US,
Canada, UK, UAE, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zeal land. The historical
background of this business is elated to the cargo agent, ship owner, banker, insurance agent
and dealer of different travel related activities. The major products offered by this entity are
related to leisure, education and hybrid hotels. The customer’s base is higher in this entity as
it emphasizes on different fields.
Organizational changes
The owner after its formation deals a partnership agreement with Henry
Drummord who deals in providing banking business (Gunawan and Aungsuroch, 2017). The
current business indulged in the banking business which further gets right path in form
establishing domestic and international tour packages. The services provided by this entity
involves business trips, foreign exchange, trade fair, leisure trips, holiday packages, visa,
forex and insurance with cox and kings
TASK 2 - ENCLOSED IN PPT
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