Case Study Analysis: Leadership and Management at Abraham's Grocery

This case study analyzes Abraham's Grocery, a small grocery store facing challenges as it expands its business. The study examines the leadership styles and management approaches employed by the company, with a focus on identifying issues such as store manager dissatisfaction and high turnover. The consultant recommends reorganizing the store, clarifying authorities and responsibilities, and adopting a democratic leadership style to improve operations. The administrative approach to management is also suggested to enhance coordination and employee retention. The analysis explores ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness, including continuous improvement, performance measurement, and the implementation of administrative management principles, such as division of work and unity of command, to foster a better work environment and clear roles within the organization. The conclusion emphasizes the suitability of democratic leadership and the benefits of administrative management principles for Abraham's Grocery.

Case Study

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
QUESTION 1...................................................................................................................................2
Leadership style in Abraham's Grocery................................................................................2
QUESTION 2...................................................................................................................................3
Management approach in Abraham's Grocery.....................................................................3
QUESTION 3...................................................................................................................................4
Approaches to improve efficiency and effectiveness in managing the enterprise.................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Abraham's Grocery Store was a small grocery store and wish expand their business into
meats and produce which attracted a lot of customers that lead to a successful business. Later on
company start facing problem relating to dissatisfaction of store manager in the organisation
which resulted in high turnover of managers in the business. The major recommendation which
has been offered by the consultant is reorganise the store and manner in which authorities and
responsibilities are being provided to employees. The Democratic leadership approaches can be
considered as ideal leadership style which can help this business in improving its operations.
The administrative approaches to management could be adopted by the organisation to make
sure that there is an improvement in coordination and retention of employees in context of this
business.
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INTRODUCTION
Management is the process of organising and controlling activities in order to attain
objectives. It help in planning and organising of activities which leads to avail better results in
the organisation. This case study is based on the management of Abraham's Grocery Store that
was started in 1967 by Bill Abraham and Doris. The purpose of this report is to provide
leadership and management approach which can be beneficial for business along with identifying
ways that can improve efficiency and effectiveness within organisation.
Under this report leadership style will be identified that management has to follow for
improving its business. One management approach which suits the organisation scenario. In last
perimeters of improving efficiency and effectiveness in managing business is analysed (Spitzer,
2013).
QUESTION 1
Leadership style in Abraham's Grocery
Leadership is an ability of organisation's management to establish and achieve
challenging objectives. It aid in motivating and inspiring individual to engage with company's
vision. It involves screening of workers performance and responsibilities by supervising their
task. Leadership help in efficient working of employees as leader always motivate individual to
learn new things and aid in fulfilment of needs of both employees and team. Strong, effective,
true and productive are the characteristics of effective leadership. Abraham's Grocery have
inappropriate leadership in its business because of it various kinds of issues arises within
departments. For resolving problems company have to follow proper style of leadership.
Leadership style is an approach of implementing plans, providing direction and
motivating individuals. Here leader analyse the behaviour of followers in way to give direction
to subordinates which assist in motivating them to achieve given goals. It is classified on the
basis of situational or behavioural approach. Employee-production orientation, leadership as
continuum, managerial & tridimensional grid, power orientation are types of behavioural
approaches. Hursey & Blanchard's situational, path goal and fielder's contingency model are
comes under situation approaches (Leadership Styles, 2018).
It has been seen that in most of the organisation democratic leadership is followed. This
style facilitate conversation, encourage individuals to share views and synthesising all available
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data into best possible decisions. Team members contribution and individual creativity is
appreciated are the two main characteristics of this style. A good democratic leader must be
honest, creative, intelligent and fair towards it work. Strong leader increase trust and create
respect among followers (Reason, 2016).
Abraham's Grocery follow democratic leadership style so that member of its business
actively participate in activities and decision making process. In this style every individual get an
opportunity to express their ideas while participating in organisation's activates. Store manage
should act as democratic leader as he focus on team equality and free flow of ideas where leaders
of group offer guidance or control individuals. this leadership style is the most effective among
all which leads to better coordination within various stores like grocery, meats and products. The
store manager can make sure that all the people involved will be provided with their individual
responsibility which will lead to smooth operation in business. For example when store manager
is provided with appropriate authority and responsibility can make sure that all the segments
such meat and products department perform equally well. The store manager can coordinate
effectively with other departments and identify and utilise a space to display Coke, which will
lead to rightful promotion and upliftment of store revenue as a whole. This leadership style
create a friendly environment within various departments within business. By this store
managers enjoy the responsibility and freedom during operations which will definitely results in
lower labour turnover (Bolman and Deal, 2017).
QUESTION 2
Management approach in Abraham's Grocery
Management approach is the study of motivating, communicating and leading individuals
to attain organisation's objectives. It is influenced by internal as well as external environment
within organisation. Classical, behavioural, contemporary, systematic and contingency are the
types of management approaches that are used by organisations. Scientific, bureaucratic and
administrative are comes under classical management approach. Management follow these
approaches for effectively working according to change in business circumstances (Allmen and
Blatter, 2013).
Administrative management approach is primary deals with formal organisation
structure. This theory is based on certain fundamental principles by which company establish to
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achieve a particular objectives. With the help of adopting this approach business can lead to
maximum efficiency and economy. Administrative approach behave like a close system within
organisation where external environment can not influence activities. Abraham's Grocery follow
administrative approach in order to solve issue related to lack of administration and improper
management within business. Every department is directly dealing with their district manager
specialists for example store meat division directly reporting to its district specialists, similarly
product and store department report to their specialists district manger. With the help of
administrative approach strong relationships can be created within stores. But problem is that
these departments doesn't coordinate which increases the dissatisfaction within stores. This
situation arises just because of lack of administration within business (Selkoe and et. al., 2015).
Henry Fayol's administrative management approach with focus on developing broad
administrative principles applied on higher and general managerial levels. Business should
follow certain set of principles that helps in functioning and structuring of Abraham's Grocery so
that stores properly coordinate internal within stores. Division of work, unity of direction and
command, subordinating individual interest into general are the administrative principles of
Fayol that business should also implement in all departments. By this leaders and managers of
meat, product and grocery coordinate with each other and adopt Fayol's authority principle in
order to resolve conflict within departments. With the help of division of work principle store
manager distribute work to individual in order to increase efficiency. Unity of command, all
stores departments must follow the instruction given by store manager as he is their commanding
officer. Another principle of Fayol i.e. subordinating individual interest where management
motivate employees by giving them benefits such as equal compensation, allowances and bonus
etc. in order to enhance their interest towards work (Nelen, 2013). Undertaking of mentioned
principles will make sure that better culture in the store is being created along with clear
description of roles and responsibilities which are to be fulfilled by employees.
QUESTION 3
Approaches to improve efficiency and effectiveness in managing the enterprise
According to the mentioned case of Abraham’s Grocery Store, it has been seen that there
are certain specific issues those are related with the operation and management of store is
identified. It can only be controlled or managed by proper functioning team and maintaining
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effective coordination among each employee. Being effective is simply means doing correct
things, while being efficient is all about performing things in right manner. As a consultant, it
must be the reliable ways to make a business more efficient and more effective so that there
should be proper coordination among each other can be maintain accordingly. This is considered
as one of the most important to the management because owner of the company is having major
role to play in the achieving the aims and objectives that are set in the near future time. There are
certain ways that can be helpful within an organisation (Cooper, 2012). Those are mentioned
below:
Continuous improvement: It is essential for a business to continuously review its
processes and design so that changes it the business could be carried out effectively. Example:
when store manager assign responsibility to all store departments a new structure encourage
coordination within stores. This lead to improvements in business activities and increase
customer satisfaction. This feature can only be identified with reviewing existing approach to
working and addressing the problems.
Performance measurement: Management measure the performance of employees as an
individual or team on regular basis. The measurement of performance is to be carried out on 360
degree basis and must involve an one on one interaction so that approaches which leads to higher
efficiency and coordination can be identified and implemented. Employee work efficiency help
in producing high quality of outcomes (Osborne, Radnor and Nasi, 2013).
Undertaking of administrative approaches of management: This approach enhance
workers and managers ability to perform task at workplace. Work responsibilities is distributed
among individual department which help in better coordination within stores. District specialists
of meat and product would continuously visit at individual stores for giving advice that helps in
providing good quality of meat, grocery and product areas.
CONCLUSION
As per the above case study, it concluded that for Abraham’s Grocery democratic
leadership style is most suitable as it helps improving coordination among meat, product and
grocery department in the organisation. Consultant give advice to management that Henry
Fayol's administrative management approach help in order to enhance administration within
stores. At last consultant use various ways by reviewing business existing set for improving
efficiency and effectiveness for managing business.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Spitzer, F. (2013). Principles of random walk (Vol. 34). Springer Science & Business Media.
Reason, J., 2016. Managing the risks of organizational accidents. Routledge.
Allmen, M. V., & Blatter, A. (2013). Laser-beam interactions with materials: physical principles
and applications (Vol. 2). Springer Science & Business Media.
Selkoe, K. A. & et. al., (2015). Principles for managing marine ecosystems prone to tipping
points. Ecosystem Health and Sustainability. 1(5). 1-18.
Nelen, H. (2013). Situational organised crime prevention in Amsterdam: The administrative
approach. In Situational prevention of organised crimes (pp. 111-128). Willan.
Cooper, T. L. (2012). The responsible administrator: An approach to ethics for the
administrative role. John Wiley & Sons.
Osborne, S. P., Radnor, Z., & Nasi, G. (2013). A new theory for public service management?
Toward a (public) service-dominant approach. The American Review of Public
Administration. 43(2). 135-158.
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership.
John Wiley & Sons.
Online
Leadership Styles. 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-different-types-leadership-styles-17584.html>
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