Comparative Analysis of Leadership and Management Roles in Operations

This report analyzes the distinct roles of leaders and managers, exploring their functions and responsibilities within an organizational context, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. It differentiates between leadership and management, highlighting leadership styles like transformational and transactional approaches, and examining the functions of management including planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. The report delves into leadership theories such as chaos theory, situational leadership, and systems theory, and their practical applications. Furthermore, it assesses the impact of leadership and management on operations, covering approaches like Six Sigma, Lean Production, and Total Quality Management. The report concludes with an understanding of the relationship between leadership and management in a contemporary business environment.

Management and Operations
1

Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Differentiate among the role of a leader & the function of a manager...................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
Apply the role of a leader & the function of a manager in given contexts.............................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
Appreciation of the role leaders & managers play in the operations function of an organisation
................................................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
Understanding of the relationship between leadership and management in a contemporary
business environment...........................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................16
2

Introduction
Management is regarded as different set of activities that is helping Organisation in
achievement of their specific objective. It consists of different functions like planning
organisation controlling that has a manager in effectively performing the task of management of
all the available resources with their organisation. Operations help a Organisation in
improvement of the profitability and the efficiency (Bromiley and Rau, 2016). Present report is
based on Marks and Spencer that is a multinational retail organisation dealing in high quality of
clothes home products food products etc. Apart from this for operating of efficiently there is
need for implementing the efficient organisation structure so that employees are encouraged to
participate actively in the process of decision making. For making communication more effective
required to less number of overall levels in the process of management (CachonGirotra, and
Netessine, 2020). The present report aims to understand the overall role played by managers and
leaders and the impact in management and leadership according to different concepts and
theories. Different functions and external business environment is also analyse in the present
report.
TASK 1
Differentiate among the role of a leader & the function of a manager
Concept of leader and leadership:
Leaders are the people who are leading overall teams in every organisation and leadership is the
behaviour that is played by a leader while working at their specific role. Marks and Spencer
leaders are making efforts to build up interpersonal relationships between the employees so that
employees are encouraged and they are actively participating in the overall process of decision
making (Choi, Cheng, and Zhao, 2016).
Concept of manager and Management:
Management is basically a concept that helps organisation and performing certain functions like
planning organisation directing and other related activities. Managers in every organisation have
the responsibility to get the overall work done from their employees by making a formal
arrangement and then for the allocation of all the responsibilities according to such capabilities.
3

Marks and Spencer managers have to provide overall guidance to their employees that help them
in performing their job in more effective manner.
Role of managers and leaders:
Leaders and managers are playing a very crucial role in ensuring overall success of organisation
some of such roles are discussed below:
Leaders:
1) The leaders in Marks and Spencer influence the overall behaviour by making their team
members will in the work towards achievement of their goal.
2) To perform the function of motivating employees by providing them all the non financial and
financial incentive.
3) Leaders induce employees in understanding all the responsibilities and accepting the change.
4) Leader the Marks and Spencer use managerial and treat great theory that help them in
analysing overall leadership skills that is based on certain factors.
5) The leaders in Marks and Spencer have a responsibility of formation of effective teams so that
overall work can be completed and goals are achieved in efficient manner (Fisher, Olivares, and
Staats, 2020) .
Managers:
1) Managers determine the overall actions that have to be taken in the course of work.
2) They perform the function of locating responsibilities and rules among employees according
to the capabilities and potential of such employees.
4

3) Managers have to organise plan direct and control all the activities in organisation.
4) Managers in Marks and Spencer can use bureaucratic Management Theory so that
organisation can manage by involvement of employees in the process of decision making that
helps in enhancement of the motivation level.
5) Managers are responsible for directing managing and performing all the important managerial
work for their employees.
Characteristics of managers:
1) Problem solving skills: Others possessive different problem solving skills so that they
are equal to resolve all the issues by making effective decisions (Gibson, and Parkman,
2018). They make efforts for identifying creative solutions for various problems.
2) Communication: Managers in Marks and Spencer have the responsibility of effectively
laying down channels of communication so that they are able to keep a track on overall
customers (Heizer, 2016). Effective communication is a key that helps in growing of information
in efficient manner and employees can be updated and they are able to complete the work in
specific deadlines.
Characteristics of leaders:
1) Courage: leaders must have the courage for undertaking various activities according to
the risk it causes. These characteristics are used for the purpose of motivating their
employees.
2) Optimism: Leaders must be optimist so that they are able to identify all the opportunities
in every situation. This is very helpful in creating positivity in the organisation so that
employees can be motivated to complete their assigned responsibility.
5

Functions of Management:
There are certain functions of Management as discussed below
1) Planning: This is the first function of management how to plan all the activities that have
to be performed in the course of business (Hill and Hill, 2017).
2) Organising: This function comes after planning where all the available resources have to
be organised so that is activity has necessary resources according to the essential
requirements of their completion.
3) Directing: In marks and Spencer Function help employees in providing guidance
regarding different ways that can be performed according to assign task.
4) Controlling: Marks and Spencer this is the last activity where all the functions that have
been performed earlier have to be monitored and controlled in such a manner that it is made
sure that all the activities are performed according to the way they were planned.
Leadership styles:
Transformational style: The style of leadership is adopted in Marks and Spencer will
leaders have to share the beliefs values and they are made capable of providing different
opportunities that can motivate their subordinates.
Transactional style: Head of leadership is related with providing the clear instructions to
employees that can help them in having a consistent behaviour towards achievement of
overall objectives of the organisation.
Action centred leadership: This is a style that is guiding regarding the application of
different management and leadership theories in team. Marks and Spencer can be used
6

effectively for managing the groups by remaining focus towards achievement of the
objective.
Hard and soft leadership skills:
In case of hard skills employees have to be provided with clear instructions and strict treatment is
given which can lead to punishment while in case of services employees are feeling more
comfortable as they are providing proper assistance and guidance that can help in undertaking of
different activities.
TASK 2
Apply the role of a leader & the function of a manager in given contexts
Chaos Theory:
It is a Theory that is related with the branch of management theory that is focusing on the study
of chaos that is a system where there are different states of disorder and also related of
irregularity that can be governed by different deterministic laws that can be also very sensitive
according to such condition. In organisation there are many situation of conflict that can be
managed by the usage of this theory.
Role of leaders: Leaders are the basically human resource managers who are determined in the
various reasons for the rising of conflicts and then identification of its impact. In Marks and
Spencer such situations are handled by negotiation and all the disturbance for the purpose of
managing overall conflict.
Functions of managers: The managers have to supervise and work towards formulating of
different policies with the help of top management. Marks and Spencer managers are willing to
maintain strong relation so that they are able to build up vision of a friendly working
environment so that overall motivation of employees can be increased.
7

Situation leadership:
Situational leadership is basically a Theory that is related with readers adopting two different
styles of according to the situations prevailing in organisation and there is no specific type that
can be used in every situation.
Role of leaders:
This theory is suggesting how effective leaders can adapt different styles according to the
requirement of nature and task of activity. In Marks and Spencer leaders are using this approach
according to different are occurring while they are performing function of leading teams.
Functions of managers:
Managers are different functions in organisation, for which they are working towards use of
situational approach according to diversity of situations occuring while in the course of
management of work.
System theory: This is the theory in which employees are treated as single entity and individuals
according to different rules and regulations that have been formulated by top management.
Freeze rows are not changing with changing situations and are applicable in all types of
situations.
Role of leaders:
Marks and Spencer leaders are using this approach for treating every team member as a
individual unit in the organisation taking into consideration the importance of contribution that is
made by each individual.
Functions of managers:
8

Managers have to use the system theory by adopting high quality standards in delivering
the high quality product existing base of constant mass and also following all the strict guideline
to ensure that customer satisfaction is maximized.
Application of Chaos Theory and Management by objectives:
Chaos Theory is a Management Theory that a suggesting that focus of management in
organisations must be on initiatives, and overall entrepreneurial creativity according to the
Future requirements that is very uncertain. In case of Marks and Spencer this theory is applied in
the business to understand different changes that are taking place in the market so that there can
be all such policies applied effectively in their business (van Aken, Chandrasekaranand Halman,
2016). On the other hand Management by objective refers to a model that has an email to work
towards improvement of the organisation performance by defining of the objectives with high
amount of clarity for employees. Such goals can be achieved only if there is agreement and they
are working according to individual target. Based on such targets they can work towards
achievement of their objectives.
Critical analysis:
It is very necessary for organisations to manage and have a motivated workforce in the
organisation different types of theories can be used for the purpose of motivating and providing
guidance to employees. Such as situation leadership Theory is one such story that can be used in
Marks and Spencer.
TASK 3
Appreciation of the role leaders & managers play in the operations function of an organisation
There are certain key approaches related with operations management and point of
overall quality of production activity according to available resources with organisation.
Theories operational management and operations:
1) Six Sigma approach:
9

It refers to a basic methodology that is having concern for the achievement of team
efforts in a more effective manner.
In Marks and Spencer managers are playing a very crucial role by making appropriate
plans so that all the wastage and defects can be eliminated in the operations process.
Leaders will work according to the focus of implementation of overall teamwork and motivating
the team members to make higher efforts for betterment of the organisation.
2) Lean production:
This is a Theory that is having concerned with cutting out the unnecessary procedures
that are part of overall process. Lean production can help business organisation in increasing the
efficiency and focus towards achievement of objectives related with overall market name. In
Marks and Spencer it will be helpful in reduction of cost and improvement in the existing
process both in their physical stores and online process.
3) Total quality management:
TQM can be defined as a effective method that can help managers of organisation to improve the
product quality and services that are being offered to customers (Qi, and Shen, 2019).TQM that
is helpful in increasing the overall quality of product in Marks and Spencer it is used for the
purpose of detecting errors in the overall process of providing goods and services.
It help in enhancement of the satisfaction level managers are playing a crucial role in
supervising for the raw materials and procuring them according to the set quality standards so
that final product is also delivered according to the highest quality measures.
Leaders in this are playing a very important role as they have to apply TQM approach in
encouraging the workforce to work towards achievement of highest quality standards with the
help of different types of training programs.
Just in time approach:
This is a process that is facilitating organisation and procurement of inventory when it is required
(Olsen, and Tomlin, 2020). Types of Organisation in managing the overall business cost one of
10

the most suitable technique that can be used in Marks and Spencer there the cost of inventory can
be minimised by making the products available only as soon as the demand Rises. In this
approach managers have to facilitate by identifying the overall situation of inventory control and
according to that orders must be placed.
Leaders have the role to motivate employees so that they are able to maximize effectiveness in
the process of demand and supply of the products.
Kaizen theory:
This story is used by organisations for development of a plan related with continuous
improvement based on different facts that have been identified by managers in organisations it is
very important to make continuous improvement in the areas that are lacking behind. In case of
Marks and Spencer this theory can be used for the purpose of development of a plan so that there
can be continuous improvement in the process and product (Nair, and Reed‐Tsochas, 2019). The
manager has a role to provide a detailed understanding of how to make use advanced technology
so that there can be continuous changes for the overall improvement.
The leader here will play a role of a supporter and acts as a mentor to employees so that
they can use highly innovative technology for the purpose of making necessary improvement and
timely changes in quality.
Importance of operation management:
1) Control and distribution system:
Operation management will help in inflow and outflow of finished products according to the
demands of goods and services. In Marks and Spencer It is a very helpful in maintaining the
overall cost of supplying and managing all the activities taking place in operational department.
2) Process design:
In case of operation management is help in designing the overall process so that there can be
transformation of the overall vision and objectives of Organisation achievable vision (Lee, and
11

Tang, 2018). The managers in Marks and Spencer have to determine the overall process so that
consumer can buy their products online and have complete trust on this brand.
3) Transformation of raw material in finished products:
Major importance of an operation department is to help in transforming the overall raw materials
in finished course. Various techniques such as Six Sigma just in time across lean management
can be adopted for the purpose of ensuring effectiveness in the overall process of conversion to
such final products.
4) Capacity management:
Operations management is very important for any organisation and capacity is having relation
with the efficiently how organisation can work towards production products in a specified time
period (Lee, 2018). In Marks and Spencer Operations management helps in utilisation of the
capacity with the aim to maximization of the production output.
5) Logistics and inventory management:
Management of inventory is related with operations management and logistics have to be
managed according to the activities in organisation. In case of marks and Spencer they have
develop their own logistics that is helping them in timely delivering their entire product
according to demand.
TASK 4
Understanding of the relationship between leadership and management in a contemporary
business environment
External environment consist of different elements which affect the performance of business
organization. It is said that it includes internal as well as external environment which have both
positive and negative influence. External factor are those which cannot be easily controlled by an
organization whereas internal elements are easily controlled and managed by the higher
authorities. These are the elements which highly affects the overall decision making of manager
12