Analysis of Leadership Styles and Entrepreneurship in the UK and HSBC

This report delves into the critical aspects of leadership and entrepreneurship, focusing on the UK context and the global financial institution HSBC. It begins by emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurship for economic growth, particularly within the UK, and highlights the role of initiatives like Start Up Britain in supporting new businesses. The report then transitions to a critical analysis of situational leadership, exploring its adaptability and effectiveness in various business environments. It examines the Hersey-Blanchard model, comparing its strengths and weaknesses, and provides examples of how situational leadership is applied within organizations like HSBC. The analysis also considers alternative leadership models, such as Fiedler's model and House's Path-Goal theory, to provide a comprehensive view of leadership approaches. The report concludes by summarizing the benefits of situational leadership and its suitability for large, complex organizations, emphasizing the need for flexible leadership styles in today's dynamic business landscape.

INTERNATIONAL
LEADERSHIP AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
Importance of entrepreneurship..................................................................................................1
Entrepreneurship opportunities by Start Up Britain....................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
Critical Analysis of Situational-leadership style.........................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Successful entrepreneurs and their business highly depends on effective planning and
availability of resources. Similarly, success of any organization depends upon the nature of their
leaders and leadership style adopted by them (Konon, Fritsch and Kritikos, 2018). The report
will be focusing upon “Start up Britain” which is an international campaign initiated in year
2011 that support entrepreneurs to implement various strategic actions increasing their level of
performances. Along with it, HSBC organization which a public limited organization, founded in
1865 will also be considered to reflect leadership approaches. The study will highlight the
importance of entrepreneurship for specific country. It will critically reflect a leadership style's
suitability for a particular organization.
TASK 1
Importance of entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs within any of countries supports its economy and raise the quality and
productivity of industries. In terms of countries like UK, entrepreneurs are developing strategic
chain of supply and support to its large firms (Prodanov, 2018). Small businesses with an
inclusion of proper strategic framework are able to provide high standards of support services to
local communities, supply and logistics functions and variant of activities that increasing
economy of countries.
As per the statistical data, business environment of UK is getting high support through
high participation of entrepreneurs. The country has designed feasible regulations for smooth
initiation of any business and for entrepreneurs (Estrin, 2018). UK has laid emphasis on
facilitating and supporting interested individuals. Organizations such as Department of
International Trade, Global Entrepreneur program etc. are providing sustainable business
outlines and working guidelines to young and new entrepreneurs of the country.
Entrepreneurship opportunities by Start Up Britain
Apart from these organizations, there are number of other bodies running with the help of
efficient leaders to support entrepreneurship across the world. “Startup Britain” is a large
campaign which provide desired support to entrepreneurs to inspire, motivate and guide them for
initiating their business plan. It has involved various local organizations that are capable enough
to deliver all possible type of aids to new business persons (Konon, Fritsch and Kritikos, 2018).
Start up Britain is continuously supporting the focused individuals or groups by offering them
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range of initiative and financial support by local and governments bodies. It has also a specified
provision for monthly or time bounded training or internship programs. With its effective
involvement, the campaign has proved to be successful enough to launch a million of businesses
within the countries. With inclusion of various renowned companies, this national campaigns has
effectively raised the number of small companies and business persons to grow and develop with
high pace (Hytti, Blackburn and Laveren, 2018). It is continuously arranging effective weekly
programs that includes interactive sessions among popular and successful business men and
entrepreneurs. The campaign has successfully built advanced engagement policies among new
entrepreneurs and established high level of commitments to meet their demands.
UK has highly incorporated the funds and capitals to raise the quality of support provided
by existing campaigns like Start up Britain to ensure a positive impact and compliance of set
objectives (Prodanov, 2018). There are number of small businesses being promoted all over the
world with a principal aim of building strong connection at global level among different
countries. Platforms like Start up Britain is continuously helping young entrepreneurs by
providing them, authentic educational support with the help of different recognized universities
of the country.
TASK 2
Critical Analysis of Situational-leadership style
Situational leadership is an effective style of leadership which is suitable for existing
businesses. Due to changing trends and developing innovations, organizations need to alter their
designed strategic framework within a short span of time (Zigarmi and Roberts, 2017).
Therefore, for performing under newly introduced conditions and aligning with capabilities of
employees, they cannot afford to follow a single style of leadership. Situational leadership is the
most appropriate for business environment as it deliver variant of options to manage business
activities.
According to Hersey- Blanchard model of Situation leadership, there are total four ways
in which a leader can maintain the functions of its employees. Telling (Directing), Selling
(Coaching), Participating and Delegating are specific ways under which a leader may perform
(Situational Leadership, 2018). These behaviors nurture and alters with time such as, under any
unfavourable situations and lack of time frame, leaders may opt for the directing behavior due to
increasing pressure. Leaders need to be highly supportive and participating in such a situation.
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As per the view Uzonwanne (2015), of situational leadership is one of the most effective
style of leadership that need highly experienced leaders. The businesses and its leaders may
achieve desired goals and competitive advantages by adopting and implying approaches related
to situational leadership style. This may highly effective in gaining strong employees' loyalty.
This style of leadership is extremely helpful in addressing undesirable conditions such as crises
or accidents at workplaces.
According to the opinion of Hytti, Blackburn and Laveren, (2018), this style of leadership
may be effective in selecting leadership attributes and traits. The functions related to delegation,
coaching and support can be selected by leaders as per the introduced situation and its level of
severity. Similarly, it strongly support a fact that involvement by leaders
According to Zigarmi and Roberts (2017), Fiedler's leadership model, leaders are
suggested to choose different leadership style according to the situation. As per this model, the
leaders need to have knowledge and experience of different leadership styles and must be
capable enough to adhere their leadership style with introduced situations.
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Illustration 1: Situational Leadership
(Source: Situational Leadership.2018)

In the opinion Lincoln and Keller (2018), of apart from Fiedler's model, the House Path
goal theory can also be effectively applicable to select leadership behavior for controlling
organization's employees.
According to the view Meier (2016), of this model, the leaders need to act as servant
leaders to help them for reaching up to their desired goals through selected path. As per this
model, leaders need to comply his leadership style based on the capabilities of employees,
flexibility of organisation and different environmental contingencies that can be introduced while
performing various businesses activities (House’s Path Goal Theory, 2018). This model suggests
that the leader need to provide high level of support ad facilitate his team members to achieve
their goals and to choose the most feasible path for it.
Advantages Disadvantages
It is easy to adopt and provide
different leadership patterns to
perform any business function.
It is difficult for followers to identify
the outcomes and strategy of leaders.
This leadership style can easily come It is difficult for some leaders and
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Illustration 2: Path Goal Theory
(Source: House’s Path Goal Theory. 2018)

to the solutions related to the business
different issues.
managers to implement variant of
leadership strategies for a similar
It tends to increase employees'
engagement and participation.
It has a disadvantage that it may
increase the confusions and chaos
among employees related to prompt
decisions taken leaders.
Global Businesses of UK have strategically planned for implementing different
leadership styles according to the type of activities they perform. For instance, company like
HSBC consisting a large pool of employees and managed by efficient leaders (Prodanov, 2018).
The company need to be highly attentive and prompt regarding to its working policies and
procedures. Its managers and leaders has adopted situational leadership style to maintain its
regular organizational functions.
Leaders of HSBC bank has laid emphasis on different forms of leadership strategies
according to the market situations or beginning and ending of year. Executives of HSBC bank
has adopted the measures of situational leadership style to handle the pressures (Meier, 2016).
Being a recognized organization at global level, the company need to maintain its image within
market. Its decisions and organizational activities are centralized and taken by its chief
executives, who has managed to reciprocate every situation with courage.
HSBC's leaders have laid emphasis on the application of situational leadership which has
delivered it adequate sustainable framework to manage the situations like crises, economic or
political issues etc (Zigarmi and Roberts, 2017). With the adoption of this leadership style, the
organization has attained a quality of prompt decisions at critical times.
Leaders of selected organization works on the principle of providing continuous support
to their team members. For performing specific functions related to banking sector such as
funding, insurances, budget controlling, investments, partnerships etc. are smoothly controlled
and managed. Its leaders are highly directive for controlling any unfavourable situations to
reduce the chances of any undesirable conditions. They tend to be high supportive and
participating while implementing any new strategic plan.
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CONCLUSION
The report has laid emphasis on a fact that today's organizations need to be adopt
situational leadership style to any undesirable conditions within business environment. It has
suggested that for large organizations that inhibits high profit margins with similar amount of
risks, must adopt situational leadership style. Apart from this, the organizations like Startup
Britain has highly contributed in developing nation's economy. Such platforms need to be highly
encouraged within every country which will help to improve the status of large industries by
developing successful entrepreneurs within countries.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Estrin, S., 2018. UK entrepreneurship is doing well, but key constraints need to be addressed.
LSE Business Review.
Hytti, U., Blackburn, R. and Laveren, E., 2018. Introduction: innovation and education matters in
European entrepreneurship research. In Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Education.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
Konon, A., Fritsch, M. and Kritikos, A. S., 2018. Business cycles and start-ups across industries:
An empirical analysis of German regions. Journal of Business Venturing. 33(6).
pp.742-761.
Lincoln, A. and Keller, H., 2018. Building Teams, Adaptive and Situational Leadership, and
Leadership Power.
Meier, D., 2016. Situational Leadership Theory as a Foundation for a Blended Learning
Framework. Journal of Education and Practice. 7(10). pp.25-30.
Prodanov, H., 2018. Social Enterpreneurship And Digital Technologies. Economic Alternatives.
1. pp.123-138.
Uzonwanne, F., 2015. Leadership styles and decision‐making models among corporate leaders in
non‐profit organizations in North America. Journal of public affairs. 15(3). pp.287-299.
Zigarmi, D. and Roberts, T. P., 2017. A test of three basic assumptions of Situational
Leadership® II Model and their implications for HRD practitioners. European Journal
of Training and Development. 41(3). pp.241-260.
Online
Situational Leadership.2018. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.catalysts.cc/the-
catalysts-way/9-4-situational-leadership/>.
House’s Path Goal Theory. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.managementstudyguide.com/houses-path-goal-theory.htm>.
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