Analysis of Leadership and Management Operations at Marks and Spencer

This report examines the operational management at Marks and Spencer (M&S), differentiating between the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers. It explores their functions in various situational contexts, especially during crises, and analyzes different leadership theories and models, including situational, system, and contingency leadership. Key approaches to management operations, such as the Six Sigma approach, are discussed, along with their impact on achieving organizational objectives. The report also investigates factors influencing operational management and decision-making by leaders and managers, highlighting the importance of adaptability and effective communication within the organization. The analysis emphasizes the need for analytical skills and the ability to handle complex situations to ensure M&S's success. The report concludes with a synthesis of the findings and provides a foundation for understanding the complexities of leadership and management in a dynamic business environment.

Management Operation
1

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
P 1 ...................................................................................................................................................3
Difference between role and characteristics of leader and manager............................................3
M 1...................................................................................................................................................4
D 1....................................................................................................................................................4
P 2....................................................................................................................................................4
Role of leader and function of manager in different situational context.....................................4
P 3....................................................................................................................................................6
Theories and model of leadership...............................................................................................6
M 2...................................................................................................................................................7
D 2....................................................................................................................................................7
P 4....................................................................................................................................................7
Key approaches for management operations and role played by manager and leader ...............7
P 5 ...................................................................................................................................................9
Importance of management operations in achieving objective of organization..........................9
M 3.................................................................................................................................................10
P 6..................................................................................................................................................10
Factors that impacts operation management and decision making by leaders and managers. .10
M 4.................................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................13
2

INTRODUCTION
Management operation is defined as proper execution of all the inputs in desired output.
It is the management which translates resources into required products and services. Marks and
Spencer's is leading company of UK which make fashion clothes, foods and various type of
luxury products. Present report describes about role and characteristic of leaders and managers of
organization. Role of manager and leaders in different situations has been discussed. Different
theories and model in the context of leadership are also illustrated. Evaluation of factor which
impacts decision making and operation management of venture are explained in the report.
P 1
Difference between role and characteristics of leader and manager
Mark and Spencer is a leading food chain of UK. It makes and serves various kind of
foods in many countries. Manager and leaders of the company differs ii their role and
characteristic in the following way:
Leader Manager
Leader of M&S is defined as person who have
senior or higher post in its field. Leader usually
have high level of control on the employees
who works under him/ her. (Karlsson, ed., 201)
Manager of M&S is defined as a in charge who
is assigned various number of tasks for
particular department of the company.
Manager generally have a staff who reports to
him/ her.
Leaders role is to inspire and motivate other to
do better work. They create as frame in which
they defines goals to be accomplished.
Managers role is to focus on goals and on
objectives which are defied by the leaders.
They motivates and encourages people to take
part to achieve goals of the organization.
They try to control and handle the steps which
are to be followed to achieve goals.
Leaders believes in change and innovation.
They try to find out the better way of working.
Manger helps bringing that innovation into
reality. Structures and system are improves by
them.
Responsibility of leader is to create teams in
the organization.
Its responsibility is to manage and make
groups in the organization.
They try to be themselves and try to work
uniquely and actively to make the brand
popular and different from others.
Their role is follow the rules defined by leaders
and mimic them. They make their own style of
leadership (Slack, 2015).
They do not hesitate in taking risk without
thinking of failure. They way to success can be
achieved by going through failures.
They work on risk minimization. They
generally try to avoid risks rather than handling
them.
3

They takes responsibility for each task and
work they do for the company.
Mangers role is to take credit for the work
done by his/her group.
Their goals are long terms. They implement
what they have thought and remain motivated
fro their objectives.
Their goals are short terms. They look towards
leaders for acknowledgement
Leaders role is to influence stake holders and
shareholders of the company. They identifies t
best stake holder who can make most of them
of the company. They try to build trust in the
stakeholders.
Managers role is to concentrate on structures
that are to be followed to accomplish goals.
They requires analytical skills to confirm that
all tasks are in lace and working well.
Leaders have followers and they help their
followers in achieving goals.
Manager have group of employees and they
follow the rules an direction defined by the
managers.
Leaders of M & S try to convince people. Managers of M & S communicate with others.
They have ability to answer the employees and
tell them what to do and how to achieve that.
They give guidance and directions to em
employees to do task.
M 1
Difference between characteristics of manager and leaders and their role differ from each
other. leaders in M&S make use of situation theory approach and takes decision on the basis of
requirement of the situation. Different characteristics and attributes are required for manager and
leader to handle particular condition in the company. System approach takes affects of system on
employees and take decisions according to it.
D 1
Characteristics and roles of leaders and manager differs from each other at different
situations. Leaders and manager have responsibility according to condition. However various
skill, and behaviors and skills are required to react properly in organizational situations.
P 2
Role of leader and function of manager in different situational context
Roles and responsibility of leader and manger of Marks and Spencer's differs according
to situation (Karlsson ed., 2016) . For example Crisis arises in M&S and it is creating
disturbance and conflicts in company's workplace. Crisis is condition where unexpected incident
4

happen in the organisation which creates state of unrest in individual employee. In this situation
role of manager and leaders of the company will be as follows:
 Leader of company should lead and have to create confidence among employees and
staff. They are required to take responsibility of the situation. Whereas manager need to
control situation and take control over employees. They should collect information of
what is happening in the organisation. They should analyse the situation from the initial
stage and should not ignore a single point . If a single point missed by manager then it
will lead to major crisis further (Stadtler, 2015).
 Leader must be alert and attentive about the prior indications of crisis and should also
caution employees about the result and consequences of it. Leaders must be able enough
to forecast the crisis situation. Whereas manger should try to convince employee that
they should not overreact on the situation and stay calm. They should motivate
employees to handle crisis situation with braveness.
 Leader of M&S should try to communicate with each employee during the crisis and will
try enough to prevent this situation. They should discuss it with employees and find out
the best solution to overcome crisis situation. Manager need to motivate and encourage
employees to deal with the condition. Manager need to take interactive session with staff
and convince them that company is there for its workers.
 Leaders need to make decision and take essential steps require to overcome the situation
arrived . Proper plan are required to be made by leaders to handle the crisis. Where as
manager role is to make ware everyone about the situation.
 Leaders have to make alternatives which can be used fro proper functioning of the M&S
in such condition. Accurate and appropriate information should be spread by the manager
in such condition (Walker, Seuring and Klassen, 2014).
 Manager should try to avoid negativity to slide in employee's mind. They need to make
sure that employees are believing in organisation. Leaders should take action against the
people who are bringing negativity in the company trying to make the bad reputation of
company.
 In this crisis situation leader should not forgot stakeholder of the organization. They
should speak up to media about the situation. They should try to make their bond stronger
5

with stakeholder in current crisis. Manger need to clearly define the responsibility of
each person in situation.
 Whenever the company comer out from crisis, leader should inform and communicate to
employees about experience learnt from the situation. They should tell employees that
not to repeat previous mistakes again.
P 3
Theories and model of leadership
There are various theories and model of leadership used by Marks and Spencer's for
proper functioning of organization. Different type of leadership approaches used by company
are as follows:
Situational Leadership: Situational leadership approach used by leaders and managers of M&S
for functioning of company. This style describes that particular leadership style is not enough to
solve any problem (Smith, Maull and CL Ng, 2014). Theory of situational leadership style is
base on situation and which leadership style is best to solve the problem. It is the style when
company's leaders and managers try to adjust style of leadership according to the situation. In
this style its leaders duty to amend the style rather than forcing the employee to work according
to style adapted. Style of leadership changes more often situational leadership. This style has
four primary phases which are as follows:
Telling: In this phase leader of the company makes decision and tell other employee about it. In
this style workers simply have to do what they are told to do.
Selling: In this phase input is taken from workers and leaders try to implement them. Ultimate
decision is up to to the leader.
Participating: This phase of situational leadership style imposes responsibility on employees and
try to take more participation of employees in decision-making process of organization.
Delegating: In this phase leader's involvement is lees and employee involvement is more. Leader
is only involved in the feedback process.
System Leadership: This system leadership theory used by M&S focuses on recognizing the
impact of different systems and how these system affects employees of organization. System
constitutes many parts that are combine to achieve the goal of the company (Holsapple,ed.,
2013.). System theory helps managers and leader to identify the happenings at workplace of
6

company. Coordination of programs fro working together to achieve objective of company is
done by system theory .
Contingency theory: Contingency theory use by M&S is theory which is base don making
decisions according to situation rather than method of using same style in all situation. Manager
of the company takes actions which are appropriate according to aspect of current situations. It
includes participation from workers (Expósito, Gomez-Exposito and Canizares, 2016). Mangers
role is to motivate workers to take more participation. This theory is almost same as situational
theory with one difference which is that this focuses more on skills of leader that should be used
in particular situation.
M 2
Situational leadership helps in resolving complex problem that re faced by company .
Weakness of this method is that it is time consuming process which requires proper amount of
time in implementation. Manage and leaders have their own reactions in particular situation and
they try to handle it according to demand of situation. Proper analytical skills are required for
both leader and manger to handle different kind of criss in M&S.
D 2
Leadership style highly affects processes of business organisation . Style of leadership
has the ability to come out from any crisis which arrives in company. On the other hand it is
required to be patient and calm in any crisis to get perfect solution for it .
P 4
Key approaches for management operations and role played by manager and leader
There are various key approaches used by manager and leader of Marks and Spencer's.
Some of the approaches used by company is as follows:
Six Sigma approach : Six sigma is approach in operation management which is used to enhance
the quality of procedures and operation of management. It focus on removing errors and flaws by
improving quality. This approach decreases cost and and saves time. It is use in high level of
manufacturing companies whose purpose is to provide better quality of products. Companies
look for six sigma approach to reduce the frequency of defects and errors in the products. Six
sigma is costly to implement (Medlik, ed., 2016). Operation management of the company deal
with product delivery and try to provide according to need of customers. This approach works
7

when quality assurance executive and managers of department get full support form the senior
ones. Sometimes this approach doesn't work due to lack of support form the senior people. It
doesn't provide result in one attempt but is requires proper communication and interaction for
removing and eliminating errors. This provide high quality of product if it is performed well by
all executives
Total quality management: This approach use by M&S is focused on improving quality
continuously to provide better products to customer. It is used to improve efficiency of
procedures. Total quality management uses many tools to provide an atmosphere which take the
voice of customers. It has 4 stages :
Continuous improvement: Continuous improvement impacts quality of product by enhancing
quality continuously. It needs worker to try to remove as possible as defects for better quality.
Customer focus: In this external and internal customer are taken into account to improve quality
of products. External consumer involves individual who purchase from the company. Internal
customers are the staff or individual employee of company.
Involvement of team: TQM takes involvement of team for continuous improvement of product
and services . Initiatives and participations are taken by team to achieve the objectives (Galindo,
and Batta, 2013).
Just in time inventory : Just in time inventory approach helps M&S to manage its operation to
in which product are made only when there is demand of it. It has four stages which are as
follows:
Purpose: JIT is made to prevent conditions where demands gets exceeds and creates pressure on
the enterprise. Company using JIT method makes product according to demand of retailers and
customers. Immediate customer demands are satisfied in this stage .
Just in time inventory Manufacturers: Manufacturers who are using this approach stops this
inventory process when it has produced in excess. Extra production require a storage to store all
the product . Excess of production creates the risk of shutting up the organisation.
Just in time inventory Retailers: Retailer want product according to their demand which
sometime divides customers. When demand falls retailers have to give discount on product or it
becomes waste.
8

P 5
Importance of management operations in achieving objective of organisation
Operation management is an essential and important part fro proper functioning of Marks
and Spencer's. Operation management is defined as a set of coordination and cooperation
required for functioning of M&S to achieve its objectives and goals. This focuses on moving
business of company to the heights where it should be. There are various phase where operation
management is very important. Some of which are as follows:
Importance in Mechanism control: Operations management of M&S supports in controlling
mechanist of the company. It helps in defining and designing the communication and co-
ordination which goes in company on daily basis. This assists in handling operation like training
fro employees, evaluation of employees performance etc. it also helps in subordinating tasks and
assigning them to departments of organisation (Fernie and Sparks, 2014.). It supports in
providing systematic documentation on daily basis .
Importance in controlling inventory: Invention and innovation is very important for Marks and
Spencer's to grow. At the same time it is difficult to implement inventory. Operation
management helps a lot in controlling of inventory operations. It helps company to determine the
effectiveness of the inventory. Operation management supports in detecting all the flaws in
inventory. It determines if the products are of required quality or customers stratification is not
achieved. It helps company to find out if the employee of the company are performing according
to the needs fro inventory.
Importance in controlling quality: Operations management is very important in controlling
quality of product. Quality of product for M & S is generally having the right product which
meets all expectations of consumer. It is importance to assure that brand is getting success in
meeting demands of customers. Operations management supports in identifying how workers of
company focusing on satisfying customers. Quality has the ability to prompt various operations
and policies made by company. Ensuring quality help in proper workflow of the company.
Importance in Marketing: When M&S creates any new product they need to consult operation
management to determine profitability of the product (Brandenburg, Govindan and Seuring,
2014.). Operation management decides if the product should be promoted or not. Problem of
marketing gets resolved by asking to operations department.
9

Importance in financing: Finance of M&S and its budgets gets implemented by taking decision
from operations management. Operation department helps in increasing capacity of existing
finance operations.
Importance in managing supply : Management of supply is a procedure form start to end which
provides details about customers engagement in company. Operation management determines
effectiveness of process involved in supply chain management.
Importance in information technology: Operation management of M&S play an important role
in managing IT operations of company. Operations helps IT effectively to determine
management in company. It helps increasing competitive advantage by enhancing the processes
and quality.
M 3
Leaders and managers can improve efficiency of operation management by suing
different kind of leadership approaches and style. Situational leadership is the style adopted by
M&S to work according to situation arises. Whereas system leadership approach helps
company's managers and leaders to identify the current happening using system subset.
Contingency theory requires skill in leaders to make decision unlike in situational theory.
P 6
Factors that impacts operation management and decision making by leaders and managers
There are several factor which affects the operation management and decision-making
process of Mark and Spencer's. Here are some factors which influences the operation
managements and decision making of the company:
Environmental factors: These factors are related with aspects which are either ecological of
environmental. These factors impact a lot on demand of product made by company. It affects
business operation of M&S (Johnson, 2014). Operation management have to check whether the
environmental regulations are taken care of in making of product. Carbon footprint is the major
issue for any company to maintaining its effectiveness and demand of products.
Political factors: Political issues are termed as pressure created by government on the
companies which highly impacts the business. Policies made by government and trading polices
sometime helps in getting opportunities. International trading rules and inter country relationship
also affect the management operation of M &S.
10

Economic factors: Economic factors are related with economical structures and regulation. It
impacts operation of M&S in terms of taxation, issue of season, trends in economy,rate of
inflation, exchange rates and growth in industry.
Social factors: Social factors also influences operation management of the company in terms of
beliefs , values and culture that adversely affects the demand of company's products. Social
factors includes trends, lifestyle, brand image, publicity and promotions, consumers perception
about the product etc.
Technological factors: Technological factors are the major issue of concern for operation
management of company (Mok, Sparks and Kadampully, 2013). It includes hurdles of
innovation which impacts business operations of M&S. Legislations of technology and
innovation are big barriers for effective management of operations.
legal factors: Legal factors includes legislation and rules made by government that can impact
operations of M&S (Marks and Spencer's, 2017.). It includes various terms such as law of
employment, consumer protection acts, taxation rules etc.
Factor affecting decision making of company :
Decision making process is the most important term in organisation success . Any
decision made by the company can affect positively or negatively both. There are several factors
that affects decision making of Marks and Spencer's :
Support from employee: Employee's support in decision-making for the company is an
important factor which influences. If company get full support and participation of employee ion
decision-making process then only it can get success. Support from employee depends on
leadership style company uses. If company do not allow workers to give their ideas and thoughts
in the process then it adversely impacts (Management operations, 2017.).
Working culture : Behaviour of employees and management impact process of making decision
for company. Norms , beliefs , assumption and share values make working culture of company.
Scarcity of these affects the decision-making process. If one employee do not behave well with
others them it adverse effects could be seen in achieving goals.
Funds: Funding and finance are the two important terms that impacts decision making of M&S.
Insufficient fund lessens the chances of getting success in decision making process. Proper
11

funding from al the stake holders and share holders is necessary for effective implementation of
process
Goals: Goals and objectives should be clear for effective decision-making process. If employees
and management of organization are not clear with its objective then the process get affected
due to it (Fernie and Sparks, 2014.).
M 4
Environmental, social , legal, political, technological, social are some factors which
affects the business operations of M&S. Decision-making process of company gets affected by
various factors such as proper funds and finance, support from employees ,goals and culture of
the company which impact a lot the management operations of company.
CONCLUSION
Summing up the above report it can be stated that management and operations are crucial
part of functional activities that are performed in any company. Operational activities that are
performed through various approaches and it comprise six sigma, Total quality management and
Just in time inventory. All the methods helps for performing the required functions of business in
successful manner. Moreover leaders and managers play a key role in executing all the required
functions of entity in effective way. They involve participation of the staff members so that
required functional activities could be performed by gaining positive support of the employees.
12