Report: Leadership and Management Concepts in a Business Context

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management concepts, using Corus Company as a case study. It begins by defining and comparing the roles of managers and leaders, highlighting their distinct characteristics and responsibilities. The report then explores the application of managerial functions and leadership roles in various organizational situations, such as managing complex projects and executing changes. It delves into leadership theories and approaches, including situational theory, system leadership theory, and the contingency approach, illustrating how these theories can be applied to improve workflow and organizational productivity. The report also examines key approaches to operational management, such as Kaizen (continuous improvement), and their significance in achieving business objectives. Furthermore, it discusses the factors within the business environment that impact operational management and the decisions of leaders and managers. The conclusion synthesizes the key findings, emphasizing the interconnectedness of leadership and management in achieving organizational success. References are provided at the end of the document.

Unit 4 - Leaderships and
Management Concepts

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Definitions and comparisons between leaders with managers..............................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2. Application of functions of managers and role of leaders in distinct situational contexts....3
P3. Theories as well as models of approaches.............................................................................4
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P4. Key approaches to operation management............................................................................5
P5. Importance along with values of operations management....................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P6. Factors within business environment impacting operational management along with
decisions of leaders and managers...............................................................................................8
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The concept of leadership addition to management are useful for success of an individual
as well as organisation (Agoulmine, 2010). There are various practices which are performed by
leaders together with managers in order to manage operations so to attain targets of company.
Operation management helps in handling issues, improving productivity, controlling activities
and maintaining systems so that organisational functions are performed in appropriate manner. In
order to understand leadership together with management concepts, Corus Company is chosen
which is a part of Tata Steel Group. The company produces steel in the cities of United Kingdom
as well as Netherlands having global networks of service centres along with sales offices. The
report includes differentiations among role of leader addition to functions of manager. It further
discusses distinct theories and approaches of leadership, approaches, importance and values
related with operation management to achieve business objectives. It also presents an
understanding of relationship among management and leadership in modern business
environment.
TASK 1
P1. Definitions and comparisons between leaders with managers.
Manager: These are the people who are more responsible to administer as well as control
working of others at workplace. They exercises managerial functions such as planning,
organisation, staffing, motivating and controlling activities. The managers of Corus Company
have powers to do performance appraisals, recruiting candidates, maintaining discipline addition
to monitoring attendances (Branchini, 2015). Other than this, managers authorises vacations
together with provides approvals of overtime work. Managers are termed to the individual who
have powers to control as well as administer all the other workforces. They controls business
together with professional activities who are expert in their areas as well as are support systems
for all personnels so to achieve high level of business performances and fulfil goals.
Distinct authors have defined management in different manner (Management definitions.
2010). Some as as follows:
 According to Peter Drucker, Management is defined as multi purpose organ that helps
in effectively managing business concern, workers addition to work.
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 As per the viewpoints of William Scott addition to Theo Haimann, management is said
to technical together with social process with the help of which managers utilises,
influences, facilitates all the resources with human actions so to achieve business goals.
Characteristics of Corus Company managers:
 Managers of Corus Company are committed for attaining success of distinct projects.
 They are confident to handle uncertain problems as well as keeps positive behaviour
during the occurrence of any changes.
 Managers are disciplined while performing work activities.
 They properly maintains their responsibilities and represents corporate image as their
personal image.
Role of managers of Corus Company:
 Managers of the company formulates strategies to attain successful outcomes.
 Managers perform role of spokesperson and acts on the behalf of entire organisation.
Leader: These are head guys who run the show. In other words, leaders rules, inspires as
well as guides others to execute actions. They posses some skills that makes others to follow
their directions. They adopts certain leadership skills to motivate employees together with
communicating enterprise vision to inherent workforce. In context to Corus Company, leaders
think innovatively, drives winning performances, encourages others and establishes strong
relationships to enhance performance efficiencies to meet corporate targets. Leaders are dealers
in hope who motivates others actions, set clear directions, take decision responsibility, shares
knowledge, shares wisdom, have confidence in themselves and gains formal authority. In
addition, they have potentiality for creating innovations and are confident to translate
imagination into reality.
Various authors have defined leadership in different ways (Rasing, 2019). Some are as
elaborated:
 According to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Leadership is said to the art within leaders to get
the work accomplished through involving other individuals, motivating them addition to
influence them in such aspects which makes them more happy.
 As per Peter F. Drucker, Leadership is one of the concept that lifts up the vision of
person towards higher insights along with raising personnels execution to higher
standards through building personality far then limitations.
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Characteristics of leaders of Corus Company:
 Leaders provides opportunities to others so that employees develop their personalities
together with attain their personal objectives (Hill, 2017).
 They implements, strategies and decisions on accurate time that increases efficiency and
business productivity.
 Leaders of Corus Company have charismatic personality as well as high confidence level
that encourages manpower to precede with their actions.
Role of leaders of Corus Company:
 Leaders plays role of strategist who outlines particular goals as well as provide steps to
employees so to attain them.
 Corus Company leaders are communicators who communicates important information
between lower level employees to top level management. Leaders are the adaptors and motivators who adapts changes together with motivating
other to work with new changes.
Differentiation between managers and leaders
Basis of differentiation Managers Leaders
Roles Managers of the company plays
role of resource allocator,
disseminator, liaison,
disturbance handler and
negotiator (Koenig, 2013).
The role of leaders at Corus
Company are related with
implementing strategies,
building networks, adapting
changes, delegating authorities
and communication
information.
Focus The focus of managers are on
structures addition to systems.
The leaders focuses towards
people.
Characteristics Managers of Corus Company
have analytical skills, time
management, frame strategies,
plan specific goals, provide
structure, accept status quo and
Leaders managers change,
creates vision, plan general
goals, define culture,
challenges status quo, defines
what and why (Lussier, 2011).
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questions how as well as when.
TASK 2
P2. Application of functions of managers and role of leaders in distinct situational contexts.
In an organisation, distinct situations requires intervention of managers and leaders at
same time. Both individuals plays crucial roles in certain circumstances within Corus Company
that allows business to carry out operations with extreme effectiveness. The below mentioned are
organisational situations that displays functions and roles of both personalities:
Situation 1: Managing complex project: All enterprises needs to manage complex
projects in order to sustain in competitive environment. In context to Corus Company,
administrators makes contractual agreements to complete distinct projects which also involves
complex ones that requires effective management together with accomplishments so that
business can hold its competitive position in the market. Under such situation, managers of the
company will perform functions of planning through which they will develop strategies,
procedures and programmes (Maheshwari and Kumar, 2016). In addition, they organise
resources and emphasises on systems additional to structures. They synchronise work activities
with different departments so that all the operations are managed to accomplish complex projects
in specified time. In contrary, leaders plays role of collaborator, influencer, communicator and
motivator. Leaders of Corus Company encourages current employees to work with full
capabilities and provide training to new candidates so that projects are leaded in effective
manner. If all the responsibilities of managers and leaders are properly fulfilled then complex
projects are managed in proper manner without any obstacles.
Situation 2: Executing changes: Organisations have to work as per the changing
scenarios in market and for this they have to execute several changes. Under such situations,
managers of respective business have to understand the key requirements of changes and plans
new policies or strategies accordingly so to implement necessary changes. In the same
circumstance, leaders will encourage group members to accept changes additionally they will
formulate reports based on change acceptance. They communicates such reports to top
authorities so that further planning is done. For instance, owners of Corus Company after
analysing market situations have decided to shift the factory premise from one location to other.
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In such aspect, managers will work on decision making and planning strategies. They will
arrange monetary resources together with allocation to distinct promotional activities together
with framing change actions (Martínez-Jurado and Moyano-Fuentes, 2014). They will analyse
external environment and control deviations so to eliminate problems at the time of executing
changes. Leaders will execute role of supporter and motivator so to encourage workforce to
accept changes as well as work at new location. Leaders of Corus Company will also coordinate
operations and tasks with another units so that changes are executed in successful manner.
P3. Theories as well as models of approaches.
Theories of approaches that are applied by leaders and managers in distinct organisational
situations are as elaborated:
Situational theory: The theory states that a situation is managed in multiple ways or
techniques. In other words, there are numerous techniques with the application of which
situations are managed in smooth manner. The leaders adjust their leadership styles as per the
situations so that they can develop or influence workforce. In addition, situational theory depicts
the aspects in which managers changing leadership styles as per the circumstances. For instance,
when any new personnel performs enters, managers for some time plays role of autocrats where
they orders workforce to do as said and with changes in time, they shares all key information,
responsibility and authority as like democratic leaders do. It can be applied in the situation to
manage complex projects at Corus Company so that proper analysis of projects are done and
accordingly works are allocated with responsibilities that will convert complex situations in to
opportunities. Applying such theory, leaders will promote creativity, improve maturity together
with employee capabilities to enhance organisational productivity.
System leadership theory: As per the theory, circumstances are designed by leaders in
which employees perform activities with great potentialities (Nyland, 2016). With system
leadership theory, leaders of Corus Company can develop accurate policies that will guide or
motivate employees to make transformation and work with new systems. In addition, leaders
will use sound principles which will influence workforce to work with the new changes that are
implemented at location of company.
Contingency approach: Under the approach, leaders assumes particular elements which
are responsible for the occurrence of situations. It is interrelated with management behaviours
together with particular circumstances. By applying contingency approach, managers of Corus
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Company by consulting with leaders can enumerate possible ways which will help in dealing
with uncertain as well as complex situations. Leaders of respective enterprise can apply
contingency approach to carry out operations so to build relationships with internal employees
and understand their perceptions while implementing changes (Rooker, Pace and Sawicki, 2016).
Thus, with proper application of contingency theory, situational leadership theory
together with system leadership theory can help in improving workings according to the
changing circumstances. These theories will help leaders and managers of Corus Company to
systematically managing workflow, promoting creativity as well as improving potentialities so
that situations are managed to accomplish desired targets.
TASK 3
P4. Key approaches to operation management.
Operation management involves practices to administer business so to ensure maximum
efficiency that turns resources into profits. It encompasses organisational resources such as
equipment, staff, technology along with materials and converting them into effective outputs at
strategic level in order to focus on specific goals. The business activities like planning,
designing, developing, testing, implementing, executing addition to controlling operations so that
raw materials are converted to produce desired finished product (Approaches of Operation
management. 2018). In context to Corus Company, various approaches associated to operations
management are as elaborated:
Kaizen (Continuous improvement): A tool that helps in attaining competitive
advantages. Using such approach, a business can move ahead from rising competition as well as
enhances market share. It is based on commitments, stands and cooperation to use radical
changes to achieve transformations (Schaltegger, Burritt and Petersen, 2017). The approach is
used to lower defects, encourage workers accountability, eliminating wastages, promoting
innovations and boosting productivity. Production team of Corus Company uses the approach of
Kaizen to support new product development so to fulfil customers needs in more closely manner.
Manufacturing innovative products by using continuous improvement approach is one of the
business strategy of the company. It enables the managers to overcome problems or hurdles in
steel works. It improves production procedures as well as influences activities of the business as
it helps in carry forwarding regular presentations through communications and facilitates new
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ideas from employees to improve working practices at workplace (Swarbrooke and Page, 2012).
Managers and leaders makes continuous improvement in various activities as well as develops
products that helps in reducing costs, developing expertise, improving knowledge as well as
securing valuable orders by maximising their efforts and time on rolling mill operations so to
make organisation more efficient.
Lean Manufacturing: It is a methodology that has background in manufacturing which
emphasis on particular sort of metrics. Its main focuses are to eliminate waste so to free up time
that can increase customer values. The targets of lean manufacturing are to attain efficiency
across vale streams. The approach is proven successful to remove or improve steps that were
ineffective to manufacture final product. Using lean manufacturing approach, managers of Corus
Company attains competitive edges as the tool helps in manufacturing steel products at lower
costs and faster speed. It benefits the company in minimising wastages, making work flow
smoother, ensuring high product quality as well as focusing on fulfilling customer needs.
Operations and manufacturing procedures of the Company are efficient enough to utilise
minimum inputs so to attain maximum outputs.
Kaizen and lean manufacturing are some approaches that managers of Corus Company in
order to eliminate procedures that results in more wastages, developing expertise, supporting
new product development as well as enduring product quality so to sustain in competition
together with increasing market share (Van der Wagen, 2010).
Roles played by leaders and managers of Corus Company:
 Managers of selected business recruits and select appropriate staff having innovative
ideas where leaders provide training programmes to enhance knowledge of the staff
members.
 Managers set business objectives so to remain in competition where as leaders of Corus
Company develops and implements strategies to achieve objectives in set time period.
 Leaders prepare reports through monitoring performances of staff members as well as
distribute them to higher authorities where as managers evaluate performance reports in
order set compensations to motivate staff members.
P5. Importance along with values of operations management.
Operation management involves planning, organising, developing, managing, supervising
as well as controlling procedures of manufacturing or production so to turn materials into final
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output in successful manner. It is considered as important element fort any business as it helps in
managing all the operations by aligning them with requirements of customers. In relevance to
Corus Company, operational management team provides valuable importance to manage
resources and handling issues that are associated with design and maintaining systems to
manufacture steel products (White, 2016). Importance addition to values of operation
management at Corus Company are as described:
Capacity management: In an organisation, operation management is important to
manage capacity of all the essential resources which are involved in manufacturing procedures. It
has valuable importance at Corus Company in order to limit the situations of excess or deficient
production. Such situations results in hampering product quality together with increasing
pressure to work in worse circumstances that builds bad reputation in market. Thus, capacity
management is very important to ensure productivity as per the customers demands as well as
producing quality of steel products.
Improving coordination: Operation management includes various management
practices that are important to translate unfinished materials towards finished product that has
some value. These products are prepared with coordination of different departments such as
marketing, finance and human resources. The operation department of Corus Company
coordinates its activities with different department like production, marketing and purchase
department with the aim to manage inventory and collect market information so that production
procedures are not hampered due to inventory shortages or changed customer preferences.
Improving productivity: Operation management helps in reducing wastages and
eliminating unnecessary costs so to increase productivity level. Productivity is described to the
ratio of output as well as input. It provides measures in context to efficiency of managers, leaders
and work force (Wild, 2017). The discipline at selected entity emphasis on utilising available and
key resources in optimum manner so to attain end objectives that can improve overall
productivity.
Thus, operation management is important to improve overall business productivity along
with coordination of departments. It provide valuable guidances to manage capacity of products
at Corus company.
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TASK 4
P6. Factors within business environment impacting operational management along with
decisions of leaders and managers.
Business environment involves factors which influences operating situations of an entity.
These factors may or not be controlled by internal management but affects business growth,
survival, performance as well as profitability. It is the role of management to identify these
factors through adopting techniques addition to strategies in order to reduce impacts and
continue manufacturing procedures without any disturbances. To identify the factors, Corus
Company has used PESTLE analysis that will help in assessing factors that impacts on
operational management together with decision making. PESTLE analysis for Corus Company is
as follows:
Political: Corus Company is managing its operations in various countries as well as
expose itself to political system risks in the political environment. The company is facing effects
of Brexit due to which inflation, political system and instability situations are decreasing value of
pound against other currencies such as dollar (Zhang, Linderman and Schroeder, 2012). Due to
such situation, organisational strategies and policies are not implemented properly which impacts
on operations together with decision making of leaders and managers that makes the situations
worse.
Economical: These includes interest rates, business cycle, education level, infrastructure
quality and inflation rates. In UK environment, impacts of Brexit has resulted in various changes
in business cycle due to which rates of inflation as well as interest rates have changed at great
level. These changes has also impacted on managing operations at Corus Company as increase in
interest rates had put much stress on investors together with financial institutions due to which
stakeholders of the company are demanding to return back their money. Such situation impacts
on operational management as the managers and leaders are not able to perform functions in
proper manner.
Social: in context to UK and Netherlands, population is expanded rapidly that results in
changing customer preferences in limited time. People are now focusing on steel products then
wooden products (Nyland, 2016). The corporate social responsibility of Corus Limited are to
reduce impacts of carbon footprints, charitable giving, volunteering in community, serving to
the unserved community members, framing corporate policies which benefits social environment
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