M&S: Leadership, Management, and Operational Strategies Analysis

This report offers a detailed analysis of leadership and management practices within Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins with an introduction to M&S and its market structure, followed by an examination of the roles and differences between managers and leaders. The report delves into various leadership and management theories applied in different organizational situations, including directive, participative, and supportive leadership styles, as well as scientific, bureaucratic, and human relations management theories. It then evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. Task 2 focuses on M&S's key operations, the roles and responsibilities of operational managers, operational approaches, and the impact of external environmental factors on decision-making. It also explores methods to improve operational efficiencies and concludes with recommendations for M&S. The report emphasizes the importance of leadership styles that involve employee participation, clearer communication channels, and leader involvement in employee tasks to boost motivation and efficiency. The report concludes by recommending that M&S focus on strategies that enhance employee participation and streamline communication to improve performance.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Introduction of M&S and market structure.................................................................................3
Roles of Manger and Leaders and Difference between two........................................................3
Role or management and leadership in different organizational situations.................................4
Strength and weakness of different approaches of leadership and management.........................5
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCULSION..........................................................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
Key operation of M&S................................................................................................................7
Roles and Responsibilities of Operational Manager...................................................................7
Key operational approaches management...................................................................................8
External environmental factor that affect decision making of Leaders and Managers...............9
Improving efficiencies of operation by using various approaches..............................................9
Recommendation.........................................................................................................................9
CONCULSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCE................................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Leadership and management are is the process that assist company to achieve its goals
and objectives and focus on its vision. They also motivate employees to increase their
performance. In this report, various roles played by leadership and management and their
theories that are used in different situation used or company. Further their strength and weakness
of leadership and management theory is also shows and recommend some strategies that need to
use for better working with conclusion (Till, McKimm and Swanwick, 2020). Secondly, Key
operation or company and roles and responsibilities having operational manager. Some light on
operational approaches and their values are also shown and impact of external factors that are
affect decision making by leaders and managers. Methods to improve operation efficiencies and
recommendation with conclusion at the end.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1.
Introduction of M&S and market structure.
The marks and Spencer is British multinational retailer having market of fashionable
products, home product and groceries items in own brand name offered to UK market. They are
working in UK from 1884 and start with fashionable products. Company is also listed on London
stock Exchange. They maintain their different industries in most effective manner and most
renowned company within UK country. M&S is having long history that makes one of the most
trusted brand in country and high operation in country. They are operating through online and
offline which help customers to purchase according g to their convenience. The market structure
of company is manner that attract customers through their values and belief of working and
offering in market (Tingey and Webb, 2020). They follow formal chain of command was
flattened for certain extent that become more agile and responsive to change in demand and taste
of customers. The top authority delegate their authority to lower management and store manager
to provide them more autonomy. The top authority delegate their powers to middle and then
store managers are provided with their autonomy. This makes clear responsibilities and rolled
played by individual in company.
Roles of Manger and Leaders and Difference between two.
Manger are playing a crucial role in company as they manage all resources which are
utilize in appropriate manner through effective performance of employees. They direct activities
to other in company. They performance at different level in company which have different roles
and responsibilities. The top level manager have highest power in managers which direct orders
to middle level manager who is responsibility to get work done. The low manager is working
with lower management and ensure all resources are using with effective performance of
employees. This is a hierarchy of managers in an organization which is followed by them to
manage company activities and complete work with full efficiency of employees. Manager is

having major of skills in technical, educational and experienced in working that manage all
things smoothly.
On the other hand, leaders are also playing crucial role in organization that help to achieve
ultimate goal and objectives. Leader is working on company vision to achieve goals according to
vision. Leaders are majorly from top authorities which help employee to motivate to work and
increase efficiency of every individual working in company (Lalla and Sangster, 2020). They are
trained and developed employee for better performance and motivate to complete their work
within time limit. Leaders may be manager or may not be a manager but a top authority that
work between employees.
There is a difference between leaders and manager of organization
Manger Leader
 Manager is focusing on completing
goals of M&S.
 Leaders are creating Vision for
organization that need to followed by
Managers
 Manager maintain the smoothness of
working within organization
 Leaders are performing to motivate
other and follow their pathway to get
success.
 There are many managers in company
which are working in different level
and post.
 There are one leader in M&S which is
mostly from top management and
managers are working under them.
 Mangers control risk factors within
organization by implementation
various methods.
 Leader take risk factor to achieve
something that can be benefited to
organization.
 Managers are short term thinkers and
follows orders from higher authority.
 Leader are in for long Haul in
organization and inspire new thinks to
adapt in organization.
Role or management and leadership in different organizational situations.
Marks and Spencer is operating in many countries which are different from each other. There are
many situation that are arises due to change in market and company is facing problems. To solve
this forces Management and leaders applied various theories in organization that assist company
to overcome this problems (Adebowale and et.al., 2020). Following are the theories of leadership
and management:
 Directive style of leadership: This style will be a managerial activity that communicate
other subordinates and staff members that has not been specialized according to goals and
objective decide for organizational purpose.
 Participative style: This participative style this style will emphasize on decision taken
on organization purposes to assess technique and results to keep up interest for boost of

strength and including variables that identifies with the exercises that has been attracted
strategy for results.
 Supportive style: This style of pioneer includes authority attributes which lessen
pressure and disappointment in association and to expand efficiency that involves
association development and accentuation on outcome through action. This style of
leadership compelling to different representatives as supporting movement will be
expanded.
Manager theory are:
Scientific Management theory: This theory use data and measurement that make organization
more effective. The process of gathering data standardization and management strategy based on
rewards for employees. This strategies motivate employee to work for comp any and increase
performance towards task assigned to them (Wren, 2020)
Bureaucratic management theory: The theory states clear designated role for employee
and management based on hierarchies that shows proper structure of authority and makes it clear
in management. Here clear information and flow of authority is structured by organization and
make no confusion regarding their work
Human relation theory: This theory shows relationship between each employee and
employer that work within organization together for common goal set.
However, this are leadership and management theories which are adopted by organization in
different situation which suited best to solve problem and performance according effective to
achieve target goal and focus on vision.
Strength and weakness of different approaches of leadership and management
There are various strength and weakness of leadership and management that majorly help
organization but sometime affect company’s operation. This strength and weakness are:
STRENGTH OF LEADERSHIP THEORIES:
1. Employees are motivated to known leadership style organization will follow in different
situation and excited about their involvement in decision making of M&S.
2. It help to build a better team as team remain in environmental comfortable and effective
and have high unity and team work to complete task.
3. It help employee to get regular updates regarding leadership style that M&S will use and
which help to work in a manner that increase efficiency of every one of them
(MeyerGregg and et.al., 2020).
4. This leadership styles are flexible and intuitive approaches as this roles reversal part in
decision making part.
WEAKNESS OF LEADERSHIP THEORIES:

1. Lack of experience in employee which affect leadership style in different demographic
style as they are not use to it and impact on their performance.
2. There are high possibilities that make confusion within group due to situation
interconnected and interrelated having many other factors including in it.
3. Employees sometime want to involve in decision making in company to provide their
suggestion to improve working condition and environment that is affecting them but
some leadership style avoid employee decision.
STRENGTH OF MANAGEMNET THEORIES
1. Management theories motivate employee to work for company as they are providing with
high incentives and pay to them and bonus on achieving targets.
2. It help company to complete work with more efficiency as all employees are work
together for company in order to achieve command goal (Oluwafemi, Mitchelmore and
Nikolopoulos, 2020) .
3. Discipline in organization is also maintain by using theories and proper structure of
authority and responsibilities are given.
4. Smooth flow of communication through proper hierarchy of flow of communication from
top to bottom.
WEAKNESS OF MANAGEMNET THEORIES
1. Marks and Spencer cultured in structure according to UK and policies are made
according to their government which is hard to implement at international borders.
2. This theories are implied in company but not followed sometimes which created problem
and hierarchy is disturb through this style of actions.
3. It sometimes make difficult for employee to follow all rules and regulation and face
problems which affect the company.
However, leadership theory are more suitable for employee as they motivate employee and
increase the performance of each individual. Leaders are working in achieving employee
targets and results in high outputs from them.
RECOMMENDATION AND CONCULSION
As M&S is working in high efficiency in market but if company follow some more
strategies that can increase the employee efficiency and motivate them to work in organization
and makes renowned company in country.
 M&S should be more focus on leadership style that involve employee participation in
company. It shows new ideas and values of employees towards company.
 Communication channel should be clearer and structure that help each level of employee
to connect internally in company without any other interruption.

 Leaders should be involved in employee working to motivate them to complete their task
on time in effective manner.
Hence, it is concluded that, M&S is managers and leaders are working with high
efficiency to increase the performance of company with each individual shows that company
will increase the participation of employee in decision making by taking view of each
employee. The leadership theories are more effective and effect for company that help them
to work even more hard and gain high outputs from employee’s side.
TASK 2
Key operation of M&S
M&S major operation is of fashionable products, home products and groceries items
which are sold in own brand name in market. They are offering wide range of fashionable
product which are offered to men, women and kid wear. They are operating at international
market also and offers to other countries like USA and India (Javanmard-Emamghissi and et.al.,
2020). They are selling products to middle and high range people in their fashionable products
but that are selling low prices in market for their groceries products. The home products are also
charge quite balanced which increase number of customers and attract them towards company.
the quality M&S and prices are charge are the main benefit that company is having and offers to
customers. Their major earning is from fashion industry and groceries which is majorly operating
and high revenue are come from this segment of company.
However, operating activity of M&S segments are quite effective which majorly increase
the selling of products in market and increase the revenue of company. The operating activity of
company assist in to increase the sales and revenue and achieve the targets of that ultimately
leads to step ahead to company’s vision (Cartwright, Davies and Archer-Brown, 2021). The
promotion activity which are used by company is very effective that increase the number of
audience to company. The sales advertisement is very effective which shows how effective
operation of company is working and increase company revenue from high performing sectors.
Roles and Responsibilities of Operational Manager
Each manager have different roles and responsibilities towards company operation
according to their experience and skills. The responsibilities are different operational activities
are different from each other and roles are set according to their work assign. However, the
common goal of every operational manager is to complete task in smooth manner, increase the
efficiency and performance of each individual employee in company (Moşteanu, Faccia and
Cavaliere, 2020). The main roles and responsibilities of Operational manager are:
 Making important planning and policies for decision making in company and to operate.
All-important decision regarding operation of company is taken by Operational manager
that help them to improvise the company working and operation in market.

 Operational manager develop, implement and review the policies and procedure of
operational activities in company. It help to follow strategy that is created by top
authority to complete work.
 They also help Human resource department for recruitment whenever necessary. They
help to recruit a person having certain qualities, skills and experience.
 They promote M&S culture of working in operational department that help to motivate
and increase the morale of employee towards company.
 Operational manager also work with high authorities and stakeholder to get or provide
with regular updates regarding operational activities conducted by company.
 They also ensure about the rules and regulation which are implied by government and
other unions like safety and security of employees and basic salary. Operational manager
fulfill all the legal requirements that need to be completed (Grover, Kar and Dwivedi,
2020).
 They also work to create alliance with other company. This help company to make their
operation effective and trained their employees. It also help to known about the
competitor culture and strategies they are following to trained employees and effective
strategies can be created to complete work.
 Support workers with communication with the management team that help to proper
flow of information. All grievances and problems that are faced by employees are solved
by operational manager under their supervision in M&S.
Key operational approaches management
The operational approaches management are used by company that help company to
compare in effective and increase the efficiency of each individual employee. This approaches
are:
Business process Management: this approach is one pf those which need to have to use in
every operational manager. It is a methodology that constantly analyzing improve and automatic
process which is used in improvement and increase operational efficiency (Bordeleau, Mosconi
and de Santa-Eulalia, 2020). The steps of BPM are:
Design: It is a process which is identifying process and figure out point to start with.
Modeling: After identification, it is put into papers for procedure that need to follow.
Analysis: This steps analyze the outcomes from each and every steps they are getting and
remove unnecessary.
Monitoring: The performance is measure and changes are made according to plan and
shows positive impact on operation activity.
Improving: Using insights can improve flaws in activities are done by manager.
 Supply Chain management: The Company is facing high challenges in distribution and
supplying of goods to market. This approach help to solve complexity in company where
strategies process to supply goods in market (Kimani and et.al., 2020). Keeping supply
chain healthy and moved towards interest of stakeholders involved. However, there are

things which can slow down things in company affected through factors like natural and
with mistakes. This methods is the touchpoint of all products and services provided by
company for creation of sales through effective and save cost and profits.
External environmental factor that affect decision making of Leaders and Managers
The decision making of business to follow strategies can be affected due to some external
factor that affect the operation of business. The leaders and manager are affected and unable to
take decision until they analyze the external factors for company. This external factors are PEST:
Political: This is one of the major environmental factor that can affect the decision making of
managers and leaders. The change in political parties in country can be affected as different
political parties follow different rules and procedure in country (McAllister, 2020)
Economic factor: The economic condition of country is as important factor for company to
operate in and make decision by leaders and manager to operate in strong economy. If there is
dynamic nature of economy in country, it may affect the company operation and leads to suffers
from high losses (Singh, 2020).
Social factor: The social culture of country can also affect in decision making as if working
culture doesn’t match with country’s culture then it’s hard for leaders and manager.
Technological factor: Another important factor that is changing very fast in environment and
need to be adopted by company for better working and gain competitive advantage in market by
proper decision making by leaders and manager of M&S (Papachristos and et.al., 2020).
Improving efficiencies of operation by using various approaches
The operational activities can face many challenges and problems during working in
dynamic environment. This can be improve through various methods and models of
Management and leadership which help to increase the efficiency of operational department in
company. The leadership approaches can be used by operational department to work together
and increase the efficiency of whole department that help to performance high. This ultimately
help to achieve the objective and goals set by company (Crovini, Santoro and Ossola, 2020).
They also motivate employee as their suggestion are considered by the leaders to make decision
in company. On the other hand, management theory can help to increase in efficiency through
providing rewards and bonus to employee for work and high performance and also shows
importance of human relation to work together and maintain relation with other and to help each
other.
Recommendation
Although M&S operation are working quite effective but can be increase by using this
recommendations:

1. M&S should be analyze the market very frequently as UK market us very fluctuating and
economy is dynamic.
2. The company need major focus on supply chain methods approach that will increase the
market supply and save high cost and avoid damages (Jiang and et.al., 2020)
3. Operational manager should be involved while creating strategies for company as it help
to understand and work according to strategies to achieve it.
CONCULSION
The above report, shows the roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders and their
approaches which should be used by company. The weakness and strength shows leadership
approaches re quite effective for companies and need to follow in operational department also.
Different roles and responsibilities of operational manager and external factor that affect the
decision making of leaders and manager in company. This can avoid by analyzing market very
frequently, lastly its show that efficiency of operational department can be increased by using
leadership and management theory which ultimately achieve the objectives of company and
some recommendation to improve performance.

REFERENCE
Adebowale, V and et.al., 2020. Covid-19: Call for a rapid forward looking review of the UK’s
preparedness for a second wave—an open letter to the leaders of all UK political
parties. bmj, 369.
Bordeleau, F.E., Mosconi, E. and de Santa-Eulalia, L.A., 2020. Business intelligence and
analytics value creation in Industry 4.0: a multiple case study in manufacturing medium
enterprises. Production Planning & Control, 31(2-3), pp.173-185.
Cartwright, S., Davies, I. and Archer-Brown, C., 2021. Managing relationships on social media
in business-to-business organisations. Journal of Business Research, 125, pp.120-134.
Crovini, C., Santoro, G. and Ossola, G., 2020. Rethinking risk management in entrepreneurial
SMEs: towards the integration with the decision-making process. Management Decision.
Grover, P., Kar, A.K. and Dwivedi, Y.K., 2020. Understanding artificial intelligence adoption in
operations management: insights from the review of academic literature and social media
discussions. Annals of Operations Research, pp.1-37.
Javanmard-Emamghissi, H and et.al., 2020. The management of adult appendicitis during the
COVID-19 pandemic: an interim analysis of a UK cohort study. Techniques in
coloproctology, pp.1-11.
Jiang, Y., and et.al., 2020. The effects of environmental factors on low-carbon innovation
strategy: A study of the executive environmental leadership in China. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 266, p.121998.
Kimani, D and et.al., 2020. Blockchain, business and the fourth industrial revolution: Whence,
whither, wherefore and how?. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 161,
p.120254.
Lalla, T.R. and Sangster, N., 2020. Differences between Technicians and Engineers: An Analysis
Based on UK-SPEC. West Indian Journal of Engineering, 43(1).
McAllister, P., 2020. Creating operational alpha? Operating models for real estate
management. Property Management.
MeyerGregg, S., and et.al., 2020. Alternative care sites for the Covid-19 pandemic: the early US
and UK experience. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery.
Moşteanu, N.R., Faccia, A. and Cavaliere, L.P.L., 2020, August. Disaster Management,
Digitalization and Financial Resources: key factors to keep the organization ongoing.
In Proceedings of the 2020 4th International Conference on Cloud and Big Data
Computing (pp. 118-122).

Oluwafemi, T.B., Mitchelmore, S. and Nikolopoulos, K., 2020. Leading innovation: Empirical
evidence for ambidextrous leadership from UK high-tech SMEs. Journal of Business
Research, 119, pp.195-208.
Papachristos, G., and et.al., 2020. Low carbon building performance in the construction industry:
A multi-method approach of project management operations and building energy use
applied in a UK public office building. Energy and buildings, 206, p.109609.
Singh, N.P., 2020. Managing environmental uncertainty for improved firm financial
performance: the moderating role of supply chain risk management practices on
managerial decision making. International Journal of Logistics Research and
Applications, 23(3), pp.270-290.
Till, A., McKimm, J. and Swanwick, T., 2020. The importance of leadership development in
medical curricula: a UK perspective (stars are aligning). Journal of healthcare
leadership, 12, p.19.
Tingey, M. and Webb, J., 2020. Governance institutions and prospects for local energy
innovation: laggards and leaders among UK local authorities. Energy Policy, 138,
p.111211.
Wren, D., 2020. The culture of UK employee-owned worker cooperatives. Employee Relations:
The International Journal.