Comprehensive Report: Leadership and Management at ASDA Company

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management within ASDA, a prominent UK retail subsidiary of Walmart. It begins by comparing the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, emphasizing their distinct functions in inspiring and directing employees towards organizational goals. The report then differentiates between the roles of leaders and managers by applying various theories and concepts, including Management by Objective, Classical Management Theories, and Behavioral Theory, to understand their practical applications. Furthermore, it explores the roles of leaders and managers in different situational contexts, such as conflict resolution, rapid change, and situations lacking flexibility. The report concludes by examining the application of various leadership theories and models to enhance employee engagement and overall organizational success. This report is a valuable resource for understanding leadership and management principles in a real-world business setting.

Management and
operations

INTRODUCTION
Operations and management are the two main indicators within an organization as it
enable them to utilize available resources with an optimal manner in order to obtain profit
maximization (Masudin and et.al., 2018). The foremost benefit which Operations and
management function render to company is that it enable them to bring down the decrement of
commodity and also can enhance the profitability of firm in an efficacious and prompt manner.
Apart from this, leadership and management are the key aspects in an establishments who set
their full contribution towards an accomplishments of pre-determined goal or objective within a
appointed time period in an improved way (Coxen, Van der Vaart and Stander, 2016). In regard
of this report, ASDA Company has been advised which is a well-established and reputed brand
in UK retail industry and it is a subsidiary of Walmart. It is founded in the year of and delivers
grocery, merchandise goods and many more across the globe. In this study, it includes
comparison among role and characteristics of manager and leader, function and role of leader
and manager in various situation, implication of suitable theories related to leadership.
Moreover, examining the value, value and approaches of operations management and finally
determining factors which impact leader and manager decision making.
TASK 1
P1 Compare different roles and characteristics of leader and manager
Definition of leader and manager
Leadership is an individual who inspires, motivates, encourage, and aspire their followers
to put their full effort towards an accomplishment of desirable objective in an improved way
(Hussain and Zafar, 2015). On the other hand, manager is a person who negociate, monitor,
directs, motivates, and govern entire business activities with an aim of accomplishing pre-
determined goal within prescribe duration.
However, these two aspects are considered as the backbone of organization growth and
development yet they are different from each other and plays a vital role within an establishment
in order to improve the overall performance (Hulicki, 2015). In relation to ASDA, its leader and
manager contains incomparable set of function and duty which makes them differ from each
other. Some of the roles and characteristics of ASDA’s leader and manager are explained
beneath:
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Role of leader
Inspire trust: Under this concept, it signifies that leader is a personnel who makes an
effort to encourage followers by inviting them to take participate in business activities and also
render equal growth opportunities (Anand and Toor, 2016). Thus, ASDA’s leader provide
enormous growth platforms and encourages manpower to achieve business objective in an
amended way.
Create Vision: This aspect states that leader is a person who generate vision or objective
statement for an organization and empower the followers to put their effort towards an
attainment of desired objective. Hence, ASDA’s leader analyze the market trend or demand and
develops a productive vision for enriching the company’s productivity (Jiang, Geller and
Collura, 2016).
Characteristics of leader
Effective communication: The foremost features which leader implies is that providing
business information in a clear and transparent manner. Due to such action, ASDA’s leader can
easily overcome the issues like confusions, disputes, misunderstanding and more as well as
create healthy relationship among manpower (Basari, 2017).
Creativity and innovation: This element signifies that leader is the person who examine
the existing condition of marketplace and based on that introduce relevant product which help
them to acquire increased level of satisfaction from customer (Goel, 2016). Therefore, ASDA’s
leader can enhance their market share or size in a productive style.
Role of manager
Recruiting: This component demonstrates that manager are obliged to analyze the ability
of an individual and based on that place them in a right position (Campbell and Evans, 2016).
Due to which, ASDA’s manager can gain improved degree of satisfaction and motivation from
employees and it benefits firm by enhancement in productivity ratio.
Managing: Under this, manager takes an initiative in managing and governing all aspects
or activities of an organization with an intent of accomplishing the goal or objective in an
innovative and improved way (Wilhelm and et.al., 2016).
Characteristics of manager
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Delegation: In this, it implies that manager identifies the potentiality of each personnel
and based on that they assign those roles and responsibilities which empower ASDA’s
manpower to put their full attempt for an attainment of defined goal (Fard and et.al., 2017).
Decision making: Under this, manager analysis the conflict or disputes among team
members and according to that implement best decisions in order to generate better and healthy
working environment (Ishizaka and Labib, 2014).
Some of the comparisons among ASDA’s leader and manager are as follows:
Particulars Leader Manager
Meaning A leader is an individual who
influences, inspires,
encourages and motivates
their followers to accomplish
a specified goal (9
Differences Between Being A
Leader And A Manager,
2016).
Manager is a personnel who
manages, monitors and directs
the employees to achieve a
planned objective.
Approach The approach which leader
implies within business
function is that they make an
initiative to set direction and
encourage followers to put
their best effort for an
achievement of business goal
(Thai and Turkina, 2014).
On the other hand, manager
develop a plan in detail form
in which it comprises the
resources, each personnel
roles or responsibilities and so
on. With the help of such
detailed information manager
easily function the entire
process of company in an
improved way (Voso, 2014).
Attribute The attribute which leader
follows is that they Foresight
the vision or mission of an
organization and advantage
them to obtain high level of
In regard of manager, they
make an attempt to manage
and delegate the work among
personnel as per their
capability or potentiality to
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profitability in an amended
way (Shohani and
Zamanzadeh, 2017).
increase competitory benefit
(Akiba, 2017).
Aim The foremost intent of leader
is to acquire increased level
of growth and development
(Zuchowsk and et.al., 2018).
On the contrary, the primal
aim is to attain of the required
result in an efficacious and
prompt mode (Latif, 2018).
M1 Analyze and differentiate between role of leader and function of manager by applying range
of theories and concepts
Manager and leader are two various concepts and personality who jointly come together
for an attainment of sustainable profit margin and productivity ratio. However, the foremost role
which leader implies in its process are as follows:
Motivates: In this, leader makes an effort to encourage and motivate followers to carry
out particular objective rather than imposing forcefully (Jung, Lee and Park, 2014).
Establish organizational structure: Under this, leader is an attribute who develops
organizational structure, chart and protocols for effective communication to obtain profit
maximization in an amended manner.
There are various theories and concepts which guides leader and manager to perform their duty
in a better way. Some of them are as follows:
Management by Objective:
Management by Objective is defined as a strategic management model which wholly
supported to build a effective collaboration between managers and employees in order to obtain
pre determined organizational goal in an effective manner within prescribed time duration.
Moreover, this model is regarded as personnel management technique which mainly focuses
over improving the overall performance of both management and employees by optimal
utilization of available resources (Bueh and Lokman, 2017). However, with the implication of
this concept into functional unit, ASDA help its employees to understand their duties or
responsibilities in a better manner.
Classical management theories
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The concept of classical management theories is entirely grounded or based upon beliefs
that manpower only contain physical as well as economic needs and excludes social needs or job
satisfaction. However, implication of such theories aid establishments to maintain its
organization structure and division of labor in a better mode so that they can accomplish their
defined objective in an amended manner. Under this concept, it believes that workforce only
prefer economical physical needs and does not take consideration in imply social or job
satisfaction. Moreover, it they features specialization, centralized leadership, decision making,
profit maximization, Hence, in regard of ASDA, adoption of this concept help them to determine
the requirements of company and also leads them to allocate the required resources. With the
help of this, each functional unit can perform their task in a smooth manner with less confusions.
Ambiguity that lead them to enrich their market share or size (Kátai-Urbán, 2014).
Behavioral theory: This theory sates that leader or manager’s had their own attributes while
dealing business complex situation. Therefore, leader and manager identifies the exact scenario
and based on that implements best decisions that help them to impose long lasting relationship in
internal and external business environment (Jensen, ed., 2017).
Henceforth, leader and manager realize the scenario of marketplace and based on that
implement best strategic decision to gain competitive advantage and help them to enhance their
overall productivity ratio in a better manner.
TASK 2
P2 Role of leader and function of manager in different situational contexts
In ASDA, leader and manger are playing a vital role for maintain the brand value among
competitor in a better way which is demonstrated by two situation:
Situation 1- Resolving conflict
In ASDA, there are several team groups who work for achieving common goal or
objective in a desired time frame. However, each individuals contains their own perception or
ideas which create miscommunication, confusions, dissatisfaction, conflicts or disputes. Due to
such incidents, it directly impact over company's entire organizational functional unit. Therefore,
ASDA's leader and manager makes an effort to impose effective communication among team
members and also encourage everyone to take participate in business activities in a equal manner
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(Helleno and et.al., 2015). Moreover, it help them to attain sustainable growth and development
within their functional unit in a better manner.
Situation 2- Rapid change situation
The another situation is that, in present world, customer taste and preference varies as per
the market trend or demand which impose huge challenge over company's in terms of providing
effective customer satisfaction. Therefore, ASDA leader and manager takes an initiative in hiring
or recruiting highly skilled or talented workforce who are able to provide novel ideas or concepts
into business function (Shin and et.al., 2017). Moreover, company also place in a right position
that motivate them to put their full potential for the accomplishment of business pre defined aim
in an improved way. Due to which, ASDA leader can tackle with all emerging or present state of
affairs or threat in a reinforced and innovative demeanor.
Situation 3 – Not enough flexibility
In this situation, it is concern with those in which it states that in an organisation,
employees undergoes through inflexible working hours, partiality in decision making,
discrimination in acquiring growth platforms. Due to these difficulties, it may lead them to leave
from the company and that impose high labour turnover ratio. However, in order to tackle with
such kind of issue, ASDA leader make an effort to understand the need or interest of each
personnel and delegate them roles and responsibilities as per their potentiality. Along with this,
encourage them to take part in business action and also motive them to convey their views or
opinion for the enhancement of firm's overall sales performance (Song and et.al., 2015).
Henceforth, by formulation of such effort, it endow ADSA to obtain accumulated level of
manpower engagement and also it aid them to gain positive response from employees towards
brand. With the help of this, ASDA can well enlarge its market share or size among competitors
and also can acquire best perspective inside competitory market.
P3 Application of various theories and models
Leadership is an ability of an individual who takes an initiative in encouraging,
motivating, inspiring followers in context of accomplishing pre defined business objective in an
innovative and creative style. However, it plays a vital role in an organization because good
leadership exchange to long term success with improved level of mental state as well as high rate
of employee possession (Buch, Thompson and Kuvaas, 2016). Moreover, there are various
theories or models in leadership which render correct direction to leaders in order to build a
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healthy manpower relationship in an establishments. IN regard of ASDA leader's, they makes an
attempt to imply some of the leadership theories into their functional unit which are as follows:
Situational Leadership
This model has been formulated by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard in the year of 1970
In this, they signifies that manger or leader should be capable to acquire appropriate leadership
style as per the situation which they undergoes in their daily business routine rather than
following a specified leadership concepts ( Song and et.al., 2015). This is because, it enable
ASDA's leader to provide effective solution to certain difficulties and also to maintain a strong
working culture. Furthermore, this concept is a combination of two factors i.e. directive and
supportive behavior. Some of the strength and weakness of this approach are as follows:
Advantages Disadvantages
 The foremost benefit which situation
leadership render to leader is that it lead
them to recognizance the need of
flexibility into their function for
obtaining better outcome and improve
the overall productivity of company in
a amended way.
 The main drawbacks is that it is more
centered over attaining immediate
needs than long term goal of a team.
Due to which, it restrict ASDA's leader
to identify the detailed issue of an
individual and it may lead into
dissatisfaction or grievances among
workforce.
System leadership
This concept of leadership model states that it is a combination of collaborative
leadership, alliance building and system insight to summon innovation and action across a large,
decentralized network. Moreover, it assist ASDA's leader to generate the situation where
personnel at all levels can work profitably to their fullest latent. However, it also contains several
advantages and disadvantages which is explained below:
Strength Weakness
 Under this, it empower leader to focus
on multiple dimensions of management
that help ASDA's manger to achieve
 It may not be forever applicatory which
lead them to delay in decision making.
Furthermore, if the classification of
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individual and overall company's goal
in an amended way.
inter relationship has not be done
decently it impose huge difficulties
within business function.
Contingency
This model signifies that the success of leader is not only depend upon their ability or
skill rather it reflect in attitude or mindset towards particular situation or circumstances.
Moreover, it signifies that leader effectiveness is contingent on their style matching the situation
not adapting to it (Róka-Madarász, Mályusz and Tuczai, 2016). Hence, some of the pros and
cons of contingent approach are as follows:
Positive Negative
 This formulation is changing in nature
as it varies as per the situation which
aid ASDA's leader to enrich their
leadership and decision making skill.
 It is viewed as complex approach
because it is difficult to apply into
practical situation.
D1 Critically analyze and evaluate the different theories and approaches to leadership in given
context
As per the discussed various leadership theories, it enable ASDA leader sto take
corrective course of action as well as to generate a healthy relationship with their employee sin a
improved way. Each style like situational, system, contingency contains unique set of roles and
concepts which provide proper direction to company's manager in obtaining profit maximization
with an optimal utilisation of resources.
TASK 3
P4 Key approaches to Operation management
Operation management is the process of converting raw materials into finished goods in
order to attain highest level of efficiency as well as maximize the profit of an organization.
Moreover, its primal goal is to minimise the wastage of a product and render enhanced level of
customer satisfaction. In relation to ASDA, its manager makes an effort to utilize the available
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resources for improving the quality of overall productivity. Some of the approaches which
ASDA applies within its operations management unit are discussed below:
Total Quality Management
It is termed as a consumer familiarised procedure which aims for continuous
improvements of functional unit of an establishments. Moreover, it is also defined as a process of
detecting and obviate the fault during manufacturing, streamlining supply chain management
with an intent of enhancing customer experience as well enriching overall producing process of
company. IN regard of ASDA, total quality management enable its manager to ensure that all
allied employees are contributing their best effort towards improving the product or service
quality. Along with this, it assist ASDA management to enrich the teamwork performance to
generating healthy and best working culture and also to gain competitive advantage in a
competing industry (He and et.al., 2018).
Just in Time
This concept is invented by Toyota Company in which they suggest that it is a
management philosophy not a technique who wholly centered over providing better customer
satisfaction in terms of time, quality and quantity. However, Just in Time is regraded as a method
of inventory management where it includes the schedule of arriving or replenishing materials,
goods and labor in order to obtain smooth production flow. In relation to ASDA, they makes an
effort to utilize Just in Time methodology within its business function in order to lessen the
waste and also to upgrade the effectiveness in stock administration and items are requested to
keep in stock on request. With the entailment of such technique, it help to enlarge its market
share or size in an amended way.
Continuous improvement
The aspect of continuous improvement (CI) is a constant action which is mainly intent to
improve items, procedures, or administrations of organization by diminishing waste or enriching
quality. In regard of ASDA, its leader takes an initiative to imply continuous improvement
method which help establishment to streamline its workflows as well as can easily reduce project
cost and prevent overages in a better way. Due to this, ASDA can attain increased level of
productivity and profit margin.
Six sigma
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Six Sigma is a management tool and system which is intended to improve business by
diminishing the chance of fault. Along with this, it is also an message goaded methodology
which utilizes factual technique for disposing of defects. Six Sigma guarantees predominant
nature of items by exhaust the disfigurement in the procedures and frameworks. However, in
case of ASDA, Six sigma is a activity which help them improving the general routine and model
by recognizing as well as can control the the obstacles which hamper the entire manufacturing
process with less amount of risk. As indicated by sigma, any kind of challenge which runs over
in an association's procedures is viewed as a deformity and should be disposed of effectively
(Monteiro and et.al., 2016). Therefore, with the adoption of Six Sigma it enable them to make
extraordinary levels for workers inside the association for obtaining profit maximization.
P5 Importance and value of operations s s management
Operations management is concern with a process of transforming input i.e. raw materials
into output (finished goods). IN other words, it is also defined as the procedure or activity which
comprises overseeing, designing, controlling the entire production and redesigning process with
an aim of producing best quality of product or service (Yarimoglu, 2014). The primal aim which
operations management contains is that make use of all available resources at best level and
minimize the wastage of product to provide the high level of fulfillment for customer needs or
demands. Therefore, in context of ASDA, the division of operations management plays a crucial
role as it aid them to enrich their overall productivity and also to maintain their product or
service quality in an improved manner among competitor. Some of the function of operations s s
management within ASDA are as follows:
Control and distribution system: This phase of operations management is mainly
concern with controlling or monitoring the whole production process as well as make sure proper
distribution of goods and services for obtaining the business objective in an effective way
(Blome, Schoenherr and Eckstein, 2014). Therefore, in case of ASDA, it make an effort to
acquire best control system so that they can easily improve the logistics infrastructure of firm.
Moreover, implication of this function help ASDA to allocate resources in a proper manager and
can control the occurrence of error as well as wastage of product within production process.
Transmutation of raw materials into finished goods and services: This function is the
core element of operations management. However, this component is relate with identifying or
determining the need or wants of customer and based on the acquire required raw material at
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