Analysis of Leadership and Management Roles at Mark and Spencer

This report provides a detailed examination of leadership and management roles within Mark and Spencer (M&S), a major UK retailer. It begins with an introduction to the importance of effective operation in the business industry, focusing on the roles of leaders and managers in driving growth and profitability. The report explores the various characteristics and responsibilities of leaders and managers, including their roles as analysts, structuralists, socializers, and conceptualists. It delves into the functions of managers, such as being persuasive, multidimensional, operational administrators, and dynamic in adapting to the business environment. The report also discusses different leadership models and approaches, including leadership, contingency, and situational leadership. Furthermore, it analyzes the key approaches to operations management, emphasizing the significance of operations management in achieving business objectives. The report also highlights the factors in the business environment that impact operational management. The content covers task 1 and task 2 of the assignment brief.

Management Operation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Various roles or characteristics of a leader and a manager....................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Examine roles of a leader or the function of a manager........................................................3
P3 Different theories or models of approach including leadership, contingency and situational
leadership....................................................................................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P4 Key approaches to operations management or the role that managers and leaders play.......5
P5 Importance or value of operations management in accomplishing business objectives........6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P6 Factors in the business environment that impact upon operational management..................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
In business industry, the management and operation play very major role for the growth
and development. Effective operation is essential for the goodwill and profitability of the firm in
competitive market place. Business organisation assist various process such as production,
manufacturing or supply activities of goods (Zheng, 2011). It include good planning or designing
of various strategies for increasing performance of all operational practices within company.
This project report is based on Mark and Spencer which is one of the largest retailer of home
products, women wear, menswear, beauty and kids wear in United kingdom. In this report,
various theories and models of leader and manager has been discussed. Manger and leader
carried all the task and practices of the company in most effective way to increase financial profit
of business. In this report different models and approaches of leadership has been evaluate.
TASK 1
P1 Various roles or characteristics of a leader and a manager
A manager and leader play most important role in all business organisation. Leader is a
person who always encourage their employees to work more in proper way to achieve desired
target in fixed period of time. They build confidence in the employees so that they can easily
handle any difficult situation and improve the coordination level between all the workers. There
are various role and characteristic of leader and manager of Mark and Spencer. Leaders
encourage worker as well as provide proper guidelines to achieve set target. They have so many
skills, knowledge, ability and capabilities to handle any situation in suitable manner to gain
better result. Leader make so many plans, strategies and policies for the all staff members to
minimise risk factor at work and place and get highest financial capital. Whereas, manger
control as well as manage all the activities which are running in the company in order to achieve
more profitability and productivity in large market place (White, 2016.).
Identifying and explaining the role of a leader
Different roles of a leader is explained below:
Analyser Leaders must know the data and to reasonably believe in it, the ideas
should be taken into the table rationally. In the role of an analyst, leaders
should be able to play suspiciously and have an important, strategic look
towards the future. Decision should be made with data and supported by
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bottom-line metric
Structuralist Leaders need to be straightforward to make a plan clear and concise,
in the role of Structuralist, they provide structure and process to
take the job of a company as a leader (or the circumstances, your
team or department On the basis of where it should go).
Socializer Leaders must eventually join and engage with their teams. Even the
most peaceful, self-sufficient leaders have the ability to have deep
connection with their people (well, it is the capacity of good leaders,
there are many such leaders who certainly do not) .
Conceptualist This is the most traditional approach of leadership, but the most
difficult of many ways - it is about seeing where you should go,
establish vision, and rally the company around the future. Employees
expect this kind of thinking from the leaders, but they do not come
naturally.
Identifying and explaining the characteristics (functions) of managers:
Manager is introduce a job title in which a individual works with responsibility to lead
functions and achieve organisations goal. The manager is assigned according to worker's ability
and their skills. This is also a promotional activity of company to motivate their workers to
achieve high position in firm. There are various roles of manager in workplace-
Persuasive: All the task and activities are performed by employees in well planned
way to achieve set goals and objectives of the company. Manager have
persuasive nature through which they lead all the operational practices in
proper manner by making some changes in the method of production
process in order to increase productivity of goods and services.
Multidimensional: Manger should have all the required skills and knowledge for controlling
and managing entire business organisation to achieve better result in
minimum cost. They control all the different department of the firm for
effective management work. Also manage men power to manage
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functional activities in planned manner to gain set target.
Operational
Administration:
In Mark and Spencer, manager play significant role as they perform
different task for the growth of business in market place in less period of
time. Manger adopt various methods and techniques in the production
process so that worker make more profit by making less affords.
Dynamic: Manager make changes in existing plans and strategies on continuous
basis as the business environment is dynamic, it change time to time. So,
it is must to make new methods and plans to maintain stability in market
place. This will help to know various new trends, needs, wants,
preferences and demand of customers that help in decision-making
process (Rani and Moreira, 2010).
Characteristic of Leader
Leader is individual who represent them self according to their skills which makes them
different from others. They are always working to provides guidelines to their peers to achieve
specific goal of firm. They are not a goal maker of organisation but they are made a workforce
for those goals. There are some roles and responsibility of leader-
Diversity value: It is duty of leader to understand need of diversity factors for the
elaboration of the company. This well assist in operating all the task and activities in most
appropriate manner by using high advance techniques and new devices in the operational
practices in order to gain more profitability and productivity.
Communication skills: This skill of leadership help to maintain positive and healthy
working environment in the firm for avoiding conflicts and disputes between subordinates and
worker. Through this, leader encourage their employees towards set target and inspire them to
handle any task and activities.
Decision-making: This quality assist leaders to take right decision instantly according to
the different situation. They must know that which method should be used to get highest
financial capital in minimum cost.
Roles of leaders as well as managers
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In a organisation both manager and leader are plays different roles. They both are very
different from each other because manger are creates goal and leaders draw strategy to achieve
them effectively. There are some different roles which they both play accurately-
Invent: It is responsibility of leader to encourage use of new methods, techniques,
devices and creativity at work place to gain more profit in minimum cost. Whereas, manger
recruit high skilled employees who have innovative and creativity skills that they can use in
operational activities in order to achieve set goals and objectives of Mark and Spencer company
(Palizban, Kauhaniemi and Guerrero, 2014). Manger focus on new techniques and advance
devices which help in improving the production process of goods and services.
Allocate and coordinate: Leaders play most important role in business industry as they
encourage employees to work in any kind of situation to achieve set goals. Whereas, manger
allocate task and activities between all the staff members of the firm.
TASK 2
P2 Examine roles of a leader or the function of a manager
A strong leader create a lot of innovative ideas, creativity and thought views that enhance
the performance level of employees in the Mark and Spencer. They provide proper guidelines to
all employees so that they can easily handle any kind of difficult situation at work place to
achieve better result. The manager and leaders make so many strategies, plans, policies and
methods for the development and growth of the company in large market place in fixed period of
time. Manger assign duties and responsibilities between all the staff members whereas, leader
encourage them to perform their work in proper manner to gain best outcomes. They develop
various strategic plans in effective way or implement them in all functional activities for
improving the performance and productivity graph within the organisation (Niknam, Meymand
and Mojarrad, 2011).
Some of the examination of roles of leaders and functions of manager is discussed below:
Leader Roles Examples Managers
functions
Examples
Analyser Leader of M&S should
analyse data's such as
previous sales, financial
Persuasive This type of mangers always
tries to monitor all the task
and activities which are
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statements, regression, etc. to
conclude reasonable out
comings these data's. He has
to take preventive steps to
safe the company from loss.
performed by employees in
well planned way to achieve
set goals and objectives of
the company
Structuralist Leader playing this type of
role, always analyses the
structures of M&S and applies
necessary changes to achieve
companies growth.
Multidimension
al
Managers of M&S having
this type of characteristics,
always tries to do
multitasking to control and
manage entire business
operations to achieve better
result in minimum cost
Socializer While playing this role,
leaders tries to make better
relationship with employees
and clients.
Operational
Administration
Managers of M&S through
adopting various methods
and techniques in the
production process, directs
worker in achieving more
profit with less efforts.
Conceptualist Here, he try to clear the doubt
and concepts of employees
which is related to particular
issues like complex machine
systems, tools, techniques,
etc.
Dynamic This type of managers are
active in nature and always
examines new trends,
customers preferences, etc.
to apply new methods and
plans to maintain stability in
market place.
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Planning: Manager is a person who control all the organisational structure and make
various planning strategies for making effective management in the company. They develop plan
for improving performance and position of firm among customers. Whereas, it is role of leaders
to implement all those plans in proper way and provide guidelines to workers to complete task in
most systematic manner to achieve more financial capital. Manger ensure that all the activities
and task are perform by employees in right way. Leader examine overall information of all all
department related to the work of employees.
Organising: Manager organise all the available resources, capital to
different department according to the requirement of Mark and Spencer.
They make so many plans and strategies to attract large number of
customers towards the products and services of the company. Leaders
implement all the plans in effective manner and give guidelines to workers
for achieving best result in minimum cost and time (Nakayama and Bucks, 2012).
Controlling: It is one of the most important duty of manager to control all the running
operational activities and practices of Mark and Spencer and maintain healthy working
environment for the employees so that they give more affords to achieve high financial capital.
They make so many strategies, plans or polices for running all the operational and functional
activities in more effective way to achieve more profitability and productivity in market place.
Manger maintain financial budget of firm and control all the capital and allot them in different
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Illustration 1: Management process,
2017

functional department according to the requirement. Leaders assist in handling and solving all
the difficult situation by using their skills and abilities.
Leading: In mark and Spencer, manager and leaders play very essential role for the
growth of the firm in high competitive market place. To achieve desired goals and objectives
manager should clearly tell companies vision and mission to all the staff members so that they
make strategies and plans according to it. Leader need good communication skills for
motivating and encouraging employees towards their work. Whereas, mangers also require
effective communication skills for making good relationship with suppliers, employees,
stakeholders and clients.
P3 Different theories or models of approach including contingency and situational leadership
Mark and Spencer use so many models and theories of motivation at work place for
improving employees performance as well as position of firm in large market place. Leadership
is very wide concept which is used for providing guiding and encouraging worker to perform
well in their task and activities so that company can attain its desired goals and objectives in
certain period of time (Ming and et. al., 2013). Leaders make so many strategies and plan for
controlling all the operational department of the enterprise in most effective and appropriate
manner. Mark and Spencer use various models, methods and approaches which are as follows:
Situational theory:
Definition: This theory is one the best theory of leadership which is formed by the Dr
Paul Hersey. It is very much beneficial for the leaders. In this theory, leaders work on both
project as well as empowerment of the employees.
Explanation: This theory is totally based on modern era that help in employment,
supporting, directing and empowerment. The Mark and Spencer can control or manage all the
task and activities of the business in effective way by using this theory.
Examples: This theory provides the opportunity to apply situational leadership principles
in the environment of any team having consistent turnover. For example, M&S represent a clear
example of situational leadership because the company roster constantly changes according to
the market demands.
System based theory:
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Definition: System theories, independent of the spatial or temporal scale of their
substance, type, or existence, is the trans-disciplinary study of the essence organization of the
event. It examines all the principles that are common to all complex entities, and (usually
mathematical) models that can be described in describing them.
Explanation: The goal of system theory is to systematically discover the dynamics of a
system, obstacles, situations and clear principles (objectives, measurements, methods, tools, etc.)
that can be implemented on every level of nesting system Optimized equality to achieve in every
field.
Example: Mark and Spencer use this theory for performing all the work activities in
systematic manner for achieving more profitability and productivity in market place.
Contingency theory:
Definition: A casual approach to management is based on the principle that management
effectiveness is contingency or dependent, between interaction between management behavior
and application of specific situations. In other words, the way you manage should change on the
basis of the circumstances.
Explaination: An abrupt theory is an organizational theory that claims that there is no
best way to lead the corporation, to take decisions or to take decisions. Instead, the optimal
course of action on internal and external conditions is incidental (dependent). A casual leader
effectively implements his style of leadership on the right situation.
Example: Mark and Spencer use this theory for the effective management within the
organisation. It helps company in determining the efficiency and effectiveness of the leaders that
is depend on the different situation and task of the firm (Lindström and et al., 2012).
Hence, Mark and Spencer use various methods, models and approaches for improving the
performance of employees in order to gain more profitability and productivity in market place.
All the above mentioned theory help company in accomplishing desired set of goals and
objectives in fixed period of time.
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TASK 3
P4 Key approaches to operations management or the role that managers and leaders play
Mark and Spencer is biggest retailer organisation in United kingdom which provide
various product and services to their customers such as kids wear, women wear, home products
and beauty products in good quality. This firm is formed by the Michael mark in the year 1884.
The manager of the enterprise control and manage all the department and give important about
the current market situation. This is Public limited firm as it offer goods and services to the
public. There are various different operational approaches of the operational management which
as as under:
Six Sigma-
Define: It means measurement of quality to get the product near to perfection or standard
set by the company. It is a disciplined data approach which eliminates defects.
Explanation: This is a methodology which is used to improve the quality of operation
management, deduct errors, reducing cost and saving time of management. This is most effective
theory which a organisation needs to use but this is most expensive in nature. Its provides pays
off and make a effective industry to compete with other competition firm. This concept is use to
increasing the productivity of firm and provides them a good reputation in market (Lindström
and et al., 2012).
Examples: M&S has get the benefit in producing accurate size clothes through
application of six sigma. It also get benefit in serving food on time with this method.
Just in time-
Definition: This theory is used to provides services at that time whether its needed. In it,
management need to get full analysis of market that what is the demand of their customers and
how much quantity they need to produce.
Explanation: This theory is work on market demand and need after the production. It
will helps them to protect extra costing of and wastage of inventory. In it organisation is produce
them at a time which helps them to carrying its low cost and increasing efficiency of working as
well as decrease wastage of time, cost and material.
Example: M&S could apply this approach to deliver its on time to its customers. It solves
the issues of over and under stock of the company.
Queuing Theory-
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