Leadership and Management: Roles, Theories, and Amazon Case Study

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management within Amazon, exploring the distinct roles of leaders and managers in achieving business objectives. It delves into the application of various leadership theories, such as situational, system, and contingency leadership, and examines their impact on Amazon's operations. The report also highlights key approaches to operational management, including lean production and Six Sigma, and their significance in enhancing efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, it addresses the factors within the business environment that influence operational decision-making. Through a detailed examination of Amazon's practices, the report offers valuable insights into the relationship between leadership, management, and operational strategies, providing a practical perspective on how these elements contribute to organizational success. The report also highlights the importance of employee retention and the role of managers and leaders in fostering a positive work environment, and includes an analysis of operational challenges such as decreasing productivity and cash flow issues.

Management And
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
P1 Difference between the role of leader and function of manager............................................1
P2 Explain the role of leader and function of manager by any suitable example.......................2
P3 Apply different theories and models in the organisation such as situational leadership,
system leadership and contingency.............................................................................................3
P4 Explain the key approaches to operational management and the role play by the leader or
manager.......................................................................................................................................4
P5 Explain the importance and value of operational management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................5
P6 Explain the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision making process by the manager or leader.........................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCE ..................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Management and operation is all about controlling and designing the process of
production. It is a business practices followed by the various organisation to run their business in
smooth way. It will help the organisations to achieve their business objectives by managing their
operational functions (Alexander, 2013). This process include the conversion of raw material
into finished goods and make them ready for the distribution. In this report, topics are going to
cover such as different of role play by the leader and the functions of manager in the
organisation. It also include the leader's role in the company by using various models, theories
and approaches. Further report is about the relation between the leadership and management in
the organisation.
MAIN BODY
P1 Difference between the role of leader and function of manager
Leader is the person who manage their team and make them able to achieve business
objectives and goals. Manager also working for the organisation to achieve their targets and
goals. This process include the planning, organising, directing and controlling the resources by
effective use of it. Leader and manager of Amazon company play very important role in the
organisation to achieve business objective (Ates and et.al., 2013).
Role of Leader:
Leadership required at each level: - It required to lead employees at all level of the
functions such as top management required leader for the planning of strategies. Middle or lower
level management need for the execution of plan because in this stage workers required guidance
and direction to perform their duties. Use of technology change the working culture so that's why
leader required to sort these problems arise at the time of performing their duty. Because
Amazon change their technology on continuous basis so leader need to provide proper
information regarding new technology.
Representative of the company: - Leader is the representative of the Amazon company
they manage the whole work such as fixing meeting, conferences and solve the issues which
occur in the organisation. Leader, lead the whole team when company assign any specific project
task. Leader need to provide training regarding use of technology to the employees.
1

Provide proper guidance to the employees: - Leader of Amazon company provide
proper guidance to the employees related their work. Leader engage with the workers so they can
share their problem regarding any task and leader try to solve it. When Amazon introduce new
technology it is difficult to understand by the worker. So leader required to give demo to the
employees and guide them how to this technology (Ghadge, Dani and Kalawsky, 2012).
Characteristic of manager:
Communication: - Manager required to communicate with team members regarding
their work and it will increase the efficiency of employees. If any employee have any issue to
understand their work because of change in technology. So manager identify the problem
through communication and solve the issues.
Time management: - Manager required to complete their work with in the given time
period. Amazon improve their technology which save the time of manager as well as workers. So
manager required to guide each employee regarding new technology and manage the time as
well.
Industry knowledge: - Manager of Amazon company required to have technical
knowledge because they have to perform their duty in effective way. Company change the
technology time to time so it is important to have knowledge because manager is the one who
sort the problem of employees in the future regarding change in technology.
P2 Explain the role of leader and function of manager by any suitable example
Amazon company face some of the operational challenges in their organisation so it will
be solve by the leader as well as manager of the company. There some some operational
challenges such as:
Decrease the productivity: - Amazon face the problem which is about reducing sale of
product. So leader provide proper training to their employees about how to handle customers and
solve their queries. Because when customers are not satisfied than it will impossible to increase
sale of Amazon. Manger of the company prepare promotional strategies in order to increase the
sale of Amazon company.
Fall in the value of cash flow: - Company face the problem in their accounts such as
cash outflow is higher than the cash inflow. Manager of Amazon deeply analyse the statements
and identify the reason and than work on it. They will prepare strategies for the company which
help them to increase inflow and try to reduce outflow. Leader of the company encourage the
2

employees to perform their task in effective way so they can achieve their business objective and
goals.
Employee retention: - Workers of Amazon leave the organisation because they are not
satisfied with their work and the working culture they receive. So the manager make some plans
to retain employees such as incentives and reward policies for the works. Which help them to
perform their duty and motivate them because of the these benefits. Leader provide the healthy
environment to their employees through solve the issues between the workers or with employee
engagement (Heaslip, 2013).
P3 Apply different theories and models in the organisation such as situational leadership, system
leadership and contingency
Leader or manager of the Amazon company use different type of leadership theories
which help the company to achieve their business goals and targets.
Situational leadership theory: - This leadership style is not specify any particular skills
and trait it is work according to the situation of the organisation. It provide the effectiveness in
the organisation to achieve their business goals. In this leadership theory, leader should be able
to motivate employees, complete their work effectively and pass the information between the
workers. In the management, manager change their working style according to the employee
needs and the requirement of Amazon company.
System leadership theory: - In this leadership style, leader need to follow the particular
system to handle the situation. Where manager build the condition for the employees so they can
perform according to it. This leadership style help the workers to give their best at every level of
productivity with the full of potential. Management plays very important role in the organisation
to help the employees to perform their duties. Leader set a proper vision for the Amazon and
than communicate with employees to achieve these goals and objectives.
Contingency theory: - According to this theory, management choose the right person
such as leader for the right situation. Contingency theory believes that leader can change their
leadership style according to the situation and it is similar to the situational leadership style. In
this theory, there are three factors such as task structure, positional power and leader & member
relation. Management provide liberty to the manager to react on the situations according to their
wish and they have right to build any policy which in favour of the organisation. Leader of
3

Amazon company take necessary decision on behalf of the organisation which influence the
internal as well as external factors of the situation (Jones, George and Langton, 2013).
Main approaches to operational management:
Lean production: - In this approach management try reduce the cost of the product
through cutting out waste at the time of production. It is applicable on every stage in the
organisation from manufacturing to distribution. Leader of the company take feedbacks from the
client and analyse them like consumer fill the complain about late delivery of product. So leader
prepare strategies for it and than manager execute it in the company. Manager of Amazon
company reduce the cost of waste activity such as for the delivery of their product they hire the
local person who belong to that place. Because they aware about the all routes and shortcuts it
will help the Amazon to save their time to deliver more products and save the money also.
Six sigma: - This approach reduce the risk at the time of taking any decision such as
predict the sale of next quarter. So the probability of the decision taken by management can be
misguide. Manager of Amazon build promotional strategies to increase the sale of next quarter
and the leader guide the employee in appropriate way so they can achieve the target.
P4 Explain the key approaches to operational management and the role play by the leader or
manager
Covered in PPT
P5 Explain the importance and value of operational management in achieving business
objectives
Covered in PPT
P6 Explain the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision making process by the manager or leader
Covered in PPT
CONCLUSION
As from the above report, it has been concluded that in the growth of company
management and operation plays an important role. Manager and leader helps the organisation to
achieve its objectives and they put their maximum efforts to accomplish the targets of firm. Both
of them perform their roles as per the requirement of company and encourage the workers to
4

perform better so that targets can be fulfil. With the help of leadership theories and approaches
efficiency and productivity can be maximize. Approaches of operation management are helpful
to increase the effectiveness in the work. To analyse the environmental factors are necessary so
that business of corporation does not affect.
5

REFERENCE
Books & Journal
Alexander, K., 2013. Facilities management: theory and practice.
Ates, A., and et.al., 2013. The development of SME managerial practice for effective
performance management. Journal of small business and enterprise development.
20(1). pp.28-54.
Ghadge, A., Dani, S. and Kalawsky, R., 2012. Supply chain risk management: present and future
scope. The International Journal of Logistics Management. 23(3). pp.313-339.
Heaslip, G., 2013. Services operations management and humanitarian logistics. Journal of
Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management. 3(1). pp.37-51.
Jones, G. R., George, J. M. and Langton, N., 2013. Essentials of contemporary management.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Katsikopoulos, K. V. and Gigerenzer, G., 2013. Behavioral operations management: A blind spot
and a research program. Journal of Supply Chain Management. 49(1). pp.3-7.
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.
Olhager, J. and Johansson, P., 2012. Linking long-term capacity management for manufacturing
and service operations. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management. 29(1).
pp.22-33.
6