HND Business: Management & Operations - Roles of Leader/Manager

This report provides a detailed analysis of the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers within an organization, particularly in the context of operations management. It differentiates between the functions of leaders and managers, highlighting their respective responsibilities in goal setting, risk management, direction, personal and professional development, motivation, and representation. The report also explores the application of leadership and management in various situations, such as delegation of authority, decision-making processes, and training and development initiatives. Furthermore, it examines different leadership theories and models, including situational leadership, trait theory, and classical management theory, and discusses their relevance to organizations like Mark and Spencer. Finally, the report outlines key approaches to operations management, emphasizing the importance of planning and other operational functions, and the roles that leaders and managers play in achieving business objectives.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1.......................................................................................................................................................3
P1) The different role and characteristics of a leader and manager in an organisation............................3
P2) The role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in different situations...............................5
P3) Theories and models of Approach, including situational leadership, Systems leadership and
contingency.............................................................................................................................................6
P4) The key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play...........8
P5) The importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives...................9
P6) The factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision-making by Leaders and managers...........................................................................................10
CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Management can be considered as the most essential element in each business
organisation and plays most effective role in managing and handling organizational work In
today’s modern work each business organisation is focused on providing high quality goods and
services to their potential buyers in order to satisfying their needs and wants (Northouse, 2015).
Mark and Spencer is a British multination retail company who deals in grocery, general, home
and baby products. The company is famous for providing high quality goods and services to their
customers who are willing to taking advantage of offered products and services. The company is
mainly deals in luxury home products and variety of food items in order to gaining g\high
competitive advantage at market place just for providing high competition to their competitors.
TASK 1
P1) The different role and characteristics of a leader and manager in an organisation
In a business organisation manager and leader plays most effective role in providing
proper guidance and assistance to the employees who are contributing their best at work place
for gaining profit and revenue. The major purpose of each business organisation is to gain
attention of customers through providing high quality goods and services to the interested people
and customers. The manager and leader are different from each other and plays various roles and
responsibilities at work place. A manager is responsible for managing all organizational work in
proper manner and leader helps in providing proper assistance to employees for carry out whole
business activities in a right direction. There are various roles and responsibilities that are
performed by leader and manager at work place, in which some are discussed in detail.
Role of manager:
Manager plays most effective role in managing all available resources and activities at
work place in order to enhancing productivity and performance, some effective roles are
described as under:
Goal oriented: Managers are very much focused on creating some goals and objective on which
it is easy for firm to work and implement all business activities in effective direction (Nahavandi,

2016). They are mainly concern on attaining organisation goals in desired period of time in order
to gaining high profit and revenue.
Control risk: Managers are responsible for all the activities that are held at work place. Risk and
issues are unwanted in nature and it is he major responsibility of manager to control them in
respect of moving forward towards right direction.
Direct: The major role which is performed by a manager is directing, they helps in providing
proper direction to the business activities in order to gaining high attention of customers which
impacted on firms growth and success.
Role of leader:
Leader is different from manager and performs various roles at work place. A leader can
be performing all the activities which are performed by a manager and manager does not perform
the activities of leader. Some role of leader is described as under:
Personal and professional development: In a business organisation leader is responsible for
personal as well as processional development. Leaders are focused on proving training and
development session to their new and existing employees in order to enhancing their working
ability and skills to perform any task and duty which are assigned by higher authority of firm
(Goetsch and Davis, 2014). An effective traini helps in increasing professional and personal
efficiency of employees.
Motivating and encouraging: This can be considered as the most effective role of leader which
is required to perform at work place. Leaders are very much concern of motivating employees in
order to improving their working ability to perform any task through providing various job
opportunities, high incentive, reward and job appraisals.
Representative: They work as representative of firm or any group, they helps in providing
significant support in gaining attention of customer’s through offering variety of goods and
services with proper detail.
Difference between manager and leader:
Component Manger Leader

Vision Managers are mainly focused on
attaining small targets and goals through
implementing short term visions.
They are mainly concern on attaining
long term goals and objective with the
help of desired vision which are
helpful in carry out business activities
in proper manner.
Approaches They create in depth planning and
forecast it in their future work.
They are focused on moving forward
towards right direction through set all
the activities as per the priority of
business.
Decision
making
Taking effective part in the process of
decision making.
They take effective decision as per the
requirement of situation and also helps
in facilitates the decision.
P2) The role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in different situations
Managers and leaders are the essential key in each business organisation, who are
contributing their best in attaining organizational goals and objectives in desired period of time.
They help in providing a significant direction in carry out all business activities in an appropriate
direction. Each business organisation is focused on hiring well educated people in their firm just
for managing whole business activities in a right direction (Bolman and Deal, 2017). The role of
a leader and function of a manager apply in various situations some are described as under:
Delegation of authority: Responsibilities can be considered as a continuing obligation. This is
cannot be delegated in nature. it is the major responsibility of higher authority to appoint a well
skilled manager at work place in order to manage all organizational work in efficient direction.
In this information and data needs to be transfer from upper level to lower level of management.
In this situation action has to be taking through higher authority and management department. In
an organisation whole employees and different departments are needs to report manager and all
group members are needs to report their leader because the leader are very much close to their
employees who are contributing their best in achieving organizational goals and objectives.

Process of decision making: This can be described as the most essential process in an
organisation it is required for each business firm and it higher authority to make effective
decision which is beneficial for firm and its future performance. An effective decision may lead
the firm and its overall activities at a right direction (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Jackson,
2012). Manager is taking effective participation in decision making process in order to make an
effective decision as per the requirement of different situation. Leaders are responsible for all
activities that are held at work place, leaders are not taking part in decision making process, they
simply facilitates the decision which are created by manager and higher authority. Manager is
responsible for taking decision that are related with recruitment and selection and leaders are
re4sponsiblele for assigning task and duty to each employees as per the criteria of their
knowledge and skills.
Training and development: This refers as the most effective part in business organisation. In
today’s modern scenario all business is focused on providing training and development process
to their new as well as existing employees in order to enhancing the working ability of
employees for gaining more profit and revenue at market place. Mark and Spencer is concern on
providing effective training to their employees in order to increasing productivity and
performance of firm. Manager is helpful in identifying the strength and weakness of employees
through comparing their present performance with their past performance and duty. Leader is
focused on providing training to their employees in respect of overcoming their weakness that
may impact on organizational performance.
P3) Theories and models of Approach, including situational leadership, Systems leadership and
contingency.
Theories and models are the most important part of business which plays most effective
role in carries out whole business activities in an appropriate manner, so that goals and targets
can be achieved in efficient manner (Pinson, 2013). Some important theories are described as
under:
Situational theory: This theory of leadership can be considered as the most effective strategy of
leadership. This theory suggests that a single style is not best; instead all theories are based on
some situation and leaders needs to choose the most suitable strategy for performing any task or
duty.

1situational Theory
(Source: Situational Theory of Leadership, 2016)
As per the description of this theory the most effective leaders are those who are able to adapt
style according to the requirement of situation, nature of group and other factor that might
contribute effectively in getting the task and job completed.
The trait theory of leadership: It is a most popular theory of leadership which is based on the
assumption that leaders are born to be leader. This can be considered as an approach to the study
of human personality. This theory states that leaders have some certain innate traits that enable
them to lead, like trait as dependability, assertiveness, persistence and adaptability. According to
this theory leaders are taking decision as per their own perception and made effective decision on
the basis of actual requirement of situation.
Classical management theory: This is also known as scientific management theory. This theory
is based on the belief that employees and workers only have economic and physical need, in this
job satisfaction and social needs are does not take into proper action. As human resource plays
most effective role at work place in an organisation and contributing their best in accumulating
desired goals and objectives in order to maximizing profit and revenue. In this theory a clear and

specified has to be made for management in order to conducting all function in most effective
manner (Dima and et. al., 2011). As per this theory labors are classified among various
departments in respect of accomplish all task in efficient manner and for this productivity can be
increased.
As a large business enterprises Mark and Spencer is focused on gaining attention of large
number of people through offering variety of goods and services in very affordable price. The
company is using a combination of leadership theory in order to managing their work and
increased the productivity of firm. An effective theory helps in establishing coordination among
employees so that they can work in more effective manner.
P4) The key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers play.
The basic purpose of each business organisation is to fulfilling the basic needs and wants
of customers through providing high quality goods and services as per the different requirement
of buyers. Leaders can be considered as the most important element in an organisation who helps
in providing proper assistance to their employees in order to carries out all business activities in
specific direction. Manager is the effective part of higher authority and board of director who
manage all activities in an organisation which are most essential in nature and helpful in
attaining desired goals and objectives of firm. Some key approaches are described as under:
Planning: This is the most essential role which is performed by manger in order to implement all
activities as per the priority of work and task. Planning helps in establishing proper management
of all resources that are essential for gaining growth and success of firm. It is required for all
business organisations to handle all task and duty at work place. Operation management is the
most important component in an organisation. It is necessary for firm’s manager to create an
effective plan in which all the activities and resources are established in appropriate manner so
that firm’s goal can be achieved in efficient manner (Kanchev and et. al., 2011). Leaders also
create some plans in order to providing proper guidance to the employees who are contributing
their best in gaining attention of large number of customers who are very much willing to taking
advantage of offered products and services of firm.
 Managing: It is important role which is performed by manager in order to handling all
task and duty in appropriate manner. Each business organisation is focused on hiring

most educated and well skilled employees at work place in respect of enhancing
organization performance through effective utilization of available resources. The major
responsibility of leader is to manage their human resources at work place because in this
employees, supervisors, workers and subordinated are involved who are contributing
their efforts in respect of reaching at higher position at market place.
 Quality management: In today’s era mostly customers are very much concern on quality
of products either than price. People are more focused on high quality aspects, so mostly
organizations are work on their quality and make them more effective and attractive in
order to gaining attention of large number of people. As a large retail company Mark and
Spencer is famous for its high quality products and services as compared to their
competitors. The company is focused on providing high quality luxury products to their
potential buyers in respect of sustain them for long time. Managers are very much
concern on quality of goods in order to gaining attention of large number of people for
making more profit and revenue for company.
P5) The importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives.
Operation management is a wide concept at work place and plays most effective role in
managing all operations that are held at work place. These are very much effective in
accomplishing business objectives in desired period of time. The major purpose of each business
organization is to fulfilling the basic needs and wants of customers in order to gaining
competitive advantage at market place through providing variety of goods and services. There
are so many importance of operation management in business, in which some are described as
under:
Profit maximization: It can be considered as the major aim of firm to maximize organizational
profit through increasing productivity of firm. Manager and leaders are very much concern on
managing organizational activities in order to enhancing the working ability of employees so that
sales can be increased and this may cause high profit for company (Bryan and et. al., 2013).
Minimizing wastage: It is the major responsibility of manager is to look an eye on each activity
that is held at work place. Manager should have control on their productivity and extra cost in
order to reducing wastage and over expenses, so that firm can get higher amount of profit and

revenue. All available resources can be used in effective manner so that these will be used in
future task and goals.
Consumer satisfaction: In today’s modern era competition is high, so each business
organizations are focused on satisfying the needs and wants of customers in order to sustain them
for long time. Consumers are the king of market and organisation productivity is based on the
demand of customers who are willing to taking advantage of offered products and services of
firm. It is the responsibility of manager and leader to analyze the market situation in respect of
identifying the current needs and wants of customers and produce as per the present trend and
requirement of people.
Improving quality standards: In this scenario mostly clients are attracted towards the quality of
product rather than the price, so it is necessary for each business organisation to manage the
quality of products in order to gaining competitive advantage at market place just for providing
high competition to their competitors. Mark and Spencer is dealing in high quality and luxury
products which are very much popular in nature and helps in satisfying the needs and wants of
targeted customers.
P6) The factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision-making by Leaders and managers.
Business environment can be considered as the most essential element of firm in which
all organizational activities can be implemented in effective manner so that desired goals and
objectives can be achieved in appropriate direction. Each organisation is focused on establishing
an effective working environment in order to implementing all activities, functions and
operations in significant manner which is impactful in gaining attention of large number of
customers through offering variety of products and services (Guerriero and Guido, 2011). There
are so many factors that directly or indirectly impacted on operational management and decision
making, some are describes as below:
Internal factors: This can be evaluated as the major factor which has h huge impact on
organisation overall performance. This may effect on internal position of company, it is required
for manager and higher authority to have a huge control on all internal activities in respect of
effective completion of assigning task and duty to internal departments.

Customers: They can be considered as the external and most effective factor which has a huge
impact on organisation overall performance. It is necessary for firm to analyze the whole market
for getting known about the needs and current trend of market; so that production can be
improved for satisfying the changing needs and wants of customers.
Suppliers: It is essential for firm to set their target market for providing beneficial goods and
services to their potential buyers as per the requirements of and needs. The major responsibility
of supplier is to distributing right goods to the right customers.
External factors: These factors may impact on organizational performance through the elements
which are available at the outside of the firm (Darkins and et. al., 2013). These are arises due to
some external forces.
Technological factors: Each business firm are focused on adopting most suitable technology in
order to increasing their productivity, it has direct link with sales of firm. Changes are essential
for firm. Mark and Spencer is concern on adopting new and innovative technologies in respect of
enhancing organizational performance and working ability of employees.
Political factors: Government made some rules and policies and it is necessary for firm to follow
those legislations for accumulating organizational work in most efficient manner. Mark and
Spencer is positively taking government rules ion to proper action just for overcoming the issues
and obstacles.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report it has been concluded that each business firm is focused on managing
their firm’s activities in well planned manner so that competitive advantage can be achieved. . Each
business organisation is focused on enhancing their business activities through implement most
effective strategies that helps in improving the productivity of firm. An organisation can be
described as the combination of various activities that are very much important for gaining
growth and success at market place. Manager and leaders plays most effective role in creating
decision which are very much impactful in developing the performance of firm.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Nahavandi, A., 2016. The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson.
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John Wiley & Sons.
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Darkins, A., and et. al., 2013. The design, implementation, and operational management of a
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