Leadership and Management Roles: Amazon Case Study Report

This report delves into the crucial roles of leaders and managers within an organization, emphasizing their distinct characteristics and the importance of their combined efforts in achieving organizational goals. It uses Amazon as a case study to illustrate how managers and leaders respond to operational challenges such as market expansion, technology adoption, and logistics, offering insights into practical applications. The report further explores various leadership and management theories, including situational, system, and contingency leadership, as well as chaos theory and management by objectives, demonstrating their impact on enhancing competency and fostering a positive working environment. Additionally, it examines operational management approaches like Total Quality Management and Just-in-Time inventory, highlighting their contribution to resource optimization and waste reduction, ultimately aiming to increase productivity and profitability. The conclusion underscores the necessity of effective leadership and management for guiding, controlling, and managing business activities efficiently.

Management and
Operation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.........................................................3
P2 Examples of how a manager and leader can react to different forms of operational
challenges...............................................................................................................................5
P3 Different theories, models of leadership and management .............................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
Books and Journals.................................................................................................................9
.........................................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Management and operation plays a crucial role in an organisation as it concern with the
transform of raw material into finished goods with the optimum utilisation of resources in order
to minimise the wastage of product and improves company's productivity ((Brandenburg and et.
al., 2014)). In context to Amazon, multinational technology company based on e-commerce,
cloud computing and artificial intelligence which is started in the year of 1994 and its
headquartered in Washington, US. This report covers the roles and characteristics of manger and
leader, usage of theories, models of leadership in order to attain pre determined goal. Finally
importance of operation management and its approaches in achieving business objectives is
mentioned here.
TASK 1
P1 Roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
A successful business requires an effective leader and manager in order to direct the team
members for attaining organizational goal. Manager is an individual who deals with
administrating and managing day-to-day business operation while leader is a person who has an
ability to inspire the followers to work towards attaining organizational goal. Both of them have
unique role to play in company which differ them from each other (Chevalier, Lamas, Lu and
Mlinar, 2015). Apart from this, technology plays a vital role in Amazon's operational and
managerial function which improves its manager and leader's efficiency. Some of the role and
characteristics of Amazon's leader and manager are as follows:
Role of Manager:
 Planning: It's an intellectual process which covers organizational objectives and develops
various course of action in order to achieve those objective. Effective technology
smoothness the work of manager as they are able to use variety of tools and system like
material resource planning i.e. computer-based method for managing materials required
to carry out a production schedule. By this mangers are able to save time in planning
process and maximize the use of resources like capital, labor etc. IN this manager provide
proper training to employees about material resource planning so that it enable them to
carry out their work efficiently.

 Monitor: Manager should be effective in controlling and managing the business
activities. However modern control system provides them accurate and specific
information in a timely manner which reduces to errors and enable the manger to take
better decisions. In this manager assess the performance of employees and identify their
shortcomings so that they provide proper training on modern control system in order to
improve their productivity.
Characteristics of manager
 Flexibility: Modern technology enables the manger to be more flexible and challenging
by adapting different software, applications which enhance productivity and saves time,
cost.
 Identification of issues: Innovative technology helps managers to approve budget,
arranging meetings, endorse decision and solve any complex issues easily by installing
software suites like word processing, email etc.
Role of leader
 Communication: Due to technology leaders can maintain communication between
employees effectively (Dobrzykowski and et. al., 2014). It's easier to keep catalogue of
communication through e-mails, minutes etc. which creates positive working
environment. However, leader provide proper guidance to employees regarding online
platforms for carry out the communication of business operation which improves the
profitability of company.
 Allocation of resources: Using virtual system enables the leader to assign the
responsibilities efficiently as it help them to utilize work space and plant capacity. Along
with this it enable them to evaluate the performance in order to minimize the wastage of
product. Therefore, leader directs the performance of employees by provide them
efficient training about virtual system which improves the overall performance.
Characteristics of leader
 Confidence: Technology help leader to be more confident as it enable them to get
reliable and accurate information which reduces the conflict of interest and build trust,
collaboration among employees.

 Development of existing competencies: Modern digital system increases competition
which enhance the leader's potentiality in adapting new technology in order to capture the
market and enrich productivity.
Thus, technology is an integral part of company which helps Amazon's leader and
manger to contribute effectively towards attaining organizational goal in order to increase
productivity and profitability. Manager and leader has their own role to play in order to attain
high volume of sales. Leader implement or introduce the plan while manager execute those plan
by encouraging the employees for putting their best effort towards the achievement of
organizational goal effectively and efficiently. For an effective performance they imply several
theories which leads them to obtain high profitability.
P2 Examples of how a manager and leader can react to different forms of operational challenges
A leader and mangers has their own role to play in business functions, for that they
require each other cooperation in order to manage. Some of the examples of operational
challenges are as follows:
 Market expansion: Every company wants a career growth for that they develop or
establish their market in new geographical region. In this leader adapt democratic style
i.e. involving employees in decision making and encouraging them to share their opinions
based on that they develop a framework of new market. Along with this manager follow
the instruction of leader and encourage the employees to contribute towards the
organisational goal.
 Choosing the right technology and partners: Technology plays a vital role in business
growth an expansion. For adapting innovative technology manager face conflict of
interest among employees which hamper the working condition. In this case leader apply
situational leadership which enable them to develop corrective course of action. While
manger follows the instruction of leader and make employees aware about the technology
in order to obtain effective organisational goal.
 Logistics: It is one of the essential element in order to covert raw material into finished
goods effectively and enable them to maximise the wastage of product. In this case leader
imply system leadership as they create a proper framework while manager execute those

framework by motivating employees to contribute their best effort towards the attinment
of pre determined goal.
P3 Different theories, models of leadership and management
Management and leadership are the two different key aspect of company but they should
go hand in hand as they require each other support in planning, organizing, decision making, etc
which enlarge the company's growth. In context to Amazon, one of the leading e-commerce
company which applies several theories in order to enhance its competency are as follows:
 Situational leadership: This theory states the capability of an manger to handle business
issues or functions and behave very ethically without harming the employees morale
(Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016). According to this, most effective leaders are those who are
able to adapt their style in accordance to the situation. It will enable the management of
amazon to reduce labor turnover as it provides the motivation and high satisfaction which
enlarge productivity and profitability.
 System leadership: In this style system leaders lead in their organization and are able to
share their experience with leaders from other areas of the sytem. This theory enables the
leader to create effective working environment where employees at all levels can work
productively to their highest potential. It helps management to govern the within and
outside business activities effectively and makes them to take best decisions which builds
positive working environment. This theory will help the organization manger to drive
improvement and success through joint work.
 Contingency leadership: This theory is the relationship between manager behavior and
specific situation. In other words, it's the capability of leader to manage under various
circumstances that may or may not happen in the near future. As the future is uncertain
organization needs to be prepared for it. It will help the manager of the organization to
take quick decision in response to the workplace issues which will help the employees to
work with motivation as their issue are being heard and solution is also being provided
for the same.
 Chaos theory: It is the study of complex, non liner dynamic systems. This theory help the
manager to take crucial decision to make necessary changes which are required for the
smooth working of the entity. Thus, A little change in the management may enable the
system to behave differently implementation of this theory will enable the manager of

Amazon to provide conceptual framework for the dynamic evolution of the industry.
(Slack and Brandon-Jones, 2018).
 Management by Objective : This theory clearly defines the objectives of the organization
that the manager should convey to its team members so that the targets can be achieved
as defined. The actual performance is than measured and compared with the standards set
to reinforce sense of achievement. The organization manger will specify the already set
goals and objective to employees to guide them in the right direction.
Thus, the theories will help the manager and leader of Amazon to create a positive
working environment and make effective decisions for the company and members.
Approaches to operation management:
Operation Management is an area of management which is concerned with converting the
raw materials and labor into goods and services for optimum utilization of resources. Approaches
to management of operation focuses on reduction of waste at all levels within the organization so
that productivity can be enhanced. Some of the key approaches that Amazon implements are
Principles of Total Quality Management which is focused on improving of quality and
performance in all functional departments of the organization in order to ensure total quality
management manager of the organization will ensure certain things in the organization such as
total employee involvement, fact based decision making and continues improvement. Through
these organization will be able to satisfy customer needs in an efficient and effective manner.
Organization will also use approach such as just-in-time inventory and the concept of continuous
improvement. With the use of such approaches, the firm improves its quality at each level of
management which is the reason of its continuous growth in the market.
Role of leaders and managers at functional areas:
Leaders and managers are important for every business as they help to achieve targets of
the organization. Team manager are responsible for ensuring that there are effective
communication system existing in the organization which will ensue that there is free flow of
information across different department of the organization. Leader are responsible for guiding
the team in the right directions and also they are responsible for motivating employees to work
in the right direction that can achieve both organizational as well as individual goals. Where as
the manger will be passing the progress report of the employees and work to the senior

authorities so that the work which is completed in the required time period. Both leader and
manger are an important part of the functioning of the organization.
CONCLUSION
An organization requires effective or impressive leaders and managers who guides,
controls and manages the business activities efficiently in order to accomplish high level of
profitability. This report will analyze how leaders and manger play an important role in the
functioning of the organization. Later it will analyze different leadership style that will help the
company to motivate employees in achieving overall organizational goals.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brandenburg, M and et. al., 2014. Quantitative models for sustainable supply chain
management: Developments and directions. European journal of operational research.
233(2). pp.299-312.
Chevalier, P., Lamas, A., Lu, L. and Mlinar, T., 2015. Revenue management for operations with
urgent orders. European Journal of Operational Research. 240(2). pp.476-487.
Dobrzykowski, D and et. al., 2014. A structured analysis of operations and supply chain
management research in healthcare (1982–2011). International Journal of Production
Economics. 147. pp.514-530.
Hitt, M. A., Xu, K. and Carnes, C. M., 2016. Resource based theory in operations management
research. Journal of Operations Management. 41. pp.77-94.
Martínez-Jurado, P. J. and Moyano-Fuentes, J., 2014. Lean management, supply chain
management and sustainability: a literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production. 85.
pp.134-150.
Saucedo-Martínez, J. A and et. al., 2018. Industry 4.0 framework for management and
operations: a review. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing. pp.1-
13.
Slack, N. and Brandon-Jones, A., 2018. Operations and process management: principles and
practice for strategic impact. Pearson UK.