Analysis of Leadership and Management Practices within Marks & Spencer

This report provides a detailed analysis of leadership and management practices within Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins by defining the distinct roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers, highlighting their importance in achieving organizational goals, motivating employees, and ensuring smooth business operations. The report then explores the application of these roles in various situations, such as manufacturing, marketing, and financial reporting. It delves into different leadership theories, including situational, contingency, and system theories, and how M&S can apply them for effective leadership. Furthermore, the report examines various approaches to operations management, such as business process redesign, Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, and reconfigurable manufacturing systems, and their significance in achieving business objectives. The report also discusses the impact of the business environment on management and leadership processes, including decision-making. Overall, the report offers valuable insights into the leadership and management strategies employed by M&S and their impact on the company's success.

MANAGEMENT
AND OPERATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
P1 Roles and responsibilities of leader and manager of M&S organisation..........................1
P2 Applications of roles and function of leader and manager in different situation of M&S2
P3 Leadership theories and model of approach......................................................................4
P4 Approaches of operations management............................................................................5
P5 Importance of operations management for achieving business objectives.......................6
P6 Impact of business environment on management and leadership process........................7
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Marks & Spencer corporation focuses on satisfaction of needs and expectation of the
customer by providing effective products and services. This project report defines the roles and
responsibilities to manager and leader of the company from which readers can identify
importance of leader and manager in the firm. It covers responsibilities of leader and manager
which is different from each other. In this report readers will find that manager and leader can
apply different theories and approaches in different situations by adopting effective strategies for
smooth functioning of its business. It includes the approaches of situational theory, contingency
model and system theory that can be applied by the organisation for its business growth. At the
end of this report reader will find all the factors of business environment that affects the
leadership style and management and their decision making process.
P1 Roles and responsibilities of leader and manager of M&S organisation
Leadership is a process in which leaders have to encourage, motivate and guide
employees for their work performance. Leader plays a vital role in M&S organisation for setting
goals and objectives. It can be defined as leading employees and staff members to achieve
business goals. The role of leader helps in building morale of employees(Expósito.,2016). In this
regard, leader of M&S provides guidelines to employees from which they can get success in pre-
decided goals. In the process of leadership, the leader has to provide training to workforce so
that they can develop the best products and services within the manufacturing department.
Leader of M&S has a number of responsibilities in relation to achieve its business goal.
Main duty of the leader is to set clear vision and mission for the organisation. To understand
work performance of employees, he has to evaluate past working structure. He is also
responsible for influencing staff members to work hard. It means to analyse needs and
requirement of workers from which they can help to achieve successful business growth.
Another responsibility of leader is to encourage and motivate employees for developing
communication skills so that leader can provide information about strategies of business.
Manager of M&S also have important role in the organisation and deals with
management functioning of whole firm. His role is very important for smooth functioning and
motivating employees for achieving goals of the firm(Branch., 2012). In addition to this, the
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manager of the company has to interact with outsiders and clients for the growth of the business.
Hence, he plays an important role for management department as well as all other departments.
Manager of the organisation is equally responsible as leader of that firm. He should
motivate staff members to achieve their highest capabilities and also manage day to day
requirements of employees and other workers(Johnson., 2014). The main responsibility of a
manager is to follow legal obligations or rules and regulation of the organisation from which he
can influence employees for effective work performance. Another responsibility of manager is to
ensure all the requirements of production department and marketing department in relation to use
of resources.
Manager Leader
Manager of M&S creates strategies for
influencing employees to develop work
performance for business goals.
There is an important role of leader of M&S to
improve efforts of staff members and new
candidates.
Management of all department includes the
activity of hiring new candidates, providing
training, motivating and communicating
employees about job profile.
Leadership is a process that includes the
activities of leading, guiding and encouraging
employees to achieve success in business.
It is a responsibility of manager to maintain
effective functioning of all departments and to
create policies for achieving long term
objectives.
Leader provides guidelines to new employees
from which they can help to develop desired
quality of goods and services(Expósito.,2016).
Manager operates work of all departments
efficiently so that it helps to achieve long term
success in the market and to analysis progress
at the end of the year.
Leader describes the effective ways of working
from which employees can easily develop
innovative ideas.
P2 Applications of roles and function of leader and manager in different situation of M&S
In M&S, there are different kinds of roles of leader and functions of manager that are
very important for achieving organisational goals. They have to perform activities for
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encouraging and motivating employees. M&S wants to achieve a well-known position in the
market so that the management department have developed goals and objectives of the company
to reach at that stage. In the firm, there are so many situations arises in which manager and
leader have to perform activities in the manner from which the company will get success. The
situations are as follows:
Manufacturing- In the situation of manufacturing of goods and development of services,
manager ensures the requirement of resources from which the process of production will
complete smoothly. In the same situation, a leader identifies barrier that can arise in the
production process and also creates strategies to avoid problem(Fennelly., 2016).
Selling vision and goal- Management department primarily work according to business
goals and manager of the company creates strategies for achieving goals and target of its
business. Leader identifies possibilities of guiding employees and inspire them to develop
innovative ideas of producing goods so that the organisation can achieve its goals and objectives.
Financial report- At the end of every financial year, leader of the organisation solves the
problems by creating structures that arises in measuring annual report. Manager monitors annual
result by ensuring that it is according to business plan or not.
Marketing- Marketing plays an effective role for promoting an organisation and its
goods and services. In this situation, manager and leader work together but both have different
duties. Manager introduces the company and its brand in the market by social media, online
advertisement and TV. With this, the firm gets efficient employees and customers for its
products and services. Leader of the corporation promotes goods and services inside the firm and
guide new candidates that helps in reducing employee turnover.
Taking risk for business growth- Leader of the company is specially known for taking
risks for doing new things whereas a manager always tries to reduce the risk from the
organisation. Leader takes risk doing innovation from which the company get success in its
business. They measure situations and develop planning for reducing risks(Johnson., 2014).
Making relationship- Leader of the organisation influence employees and provide
guidelines to them from which it increases good relationship between employees and other staff
members. It is very important for the development of employees in order to achieve business
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goals. On the other hand, manager in same situation creates policies and systems that is followed
by employees and outsiders from which it helps in making good relationship with employees,
stakeholders and clients.
P3 Leadership theories and model of approach
Leadership plays an effective role for influencing and encouraging employees by guiding
them in the organisation. Leader provides coaching and training to new employees so that the
company can get competent people for its business. From the leadership process employees
effectively perform for the firm to achieve objectives. It is very important process that helps to
lead staff members of the organisation for doing work effectively(Expósito.,2016). For
increasing the level of efficiency it is required to adopt approaches according to conditions. So
leadership theories are as follows:
Situational theory- Hersey Blanchard introduced this theory for understanding
leadership style that can be apply in an organisation for increasing effectiveness. M&S can
follow this theory for effective leadership style. According to this theory the company can
improve efficiency level of leader to lead employees and providing guidelines by identifying
their behaviour and traits. This theory is divided into two models Hersey Blanchard's situational
model and contingency model that will help to describe situational theory.
Contingency model- it is a kind of natural style of leadership which was introduced by
Fiedler for explaining that efficiency of leader works according to situations and current
conditions. Leader of the company can apply this model of theory in his working style by
identifying situation of leading and encouraging employees. By adopting this model leader can
rate the experience of life and growth like highly developed, experienced and lower score. It is
very appropriate model of leadership if employees and staff members of the company are ready
to accomplish given tasks.
Hersey Blanchard's situational model- There are four levels of this model that is based
on the direction technique. First level is low employee and high task by adopting this model
leader gives instruction to employees and subordinates for providing a specific direction. Second
level is high task and high employee relation which reflects that leader of the company should
encourage employees for two way communication and motivate them to work hard(Branch.,
2012). Next is low task and high relationship in which leader can share information relating to
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important decision and also provide directions to fulfil requirement. Last style is low task and
low relationship that reflects that leader can apply strategies if employees are ready to follow
this.
System theory- It is a Morden theory of leadership which is helpful for reducing
problem of human beings. By applying this theory leader can understand organisational
problems and mistakes. M&S can also adopt this for effective leadership style. It includes the
activities of providing coaching to employees of setting goals, data collections and contracting.
P4 Approaches of operations management
Operations management is a process of controlling business operations in the effective
manner. It includes certain responsibilities for production process and for other department such
as ensuring that resources are effectively utilized. In this process raw materials, energy of labour,
skills and knowledge of employees are converted into goods and services. For the successful
operations M&S can apply a few approaches for its effective functioning from which the
company will get technological knowledge and creativity for its business growth(Johnson.,
2014). Approaches are divided into four type that are as follows.
Business process redesign- BBR is the approach of operations management that focuses on
designing flow of work. It is a management strategy that helps to analysis functioning of
business operations by restructuring plans. It also helps the manager to create new strategies for
effective functioning of the business. M&S can apply this approach for its business to design it
from ground level.
Six sigma- This approach of operations management primarily adopted for focusing on quality
of products and services. It defines six steps for reducing cost of products that involves potential
defect calculations and trending charts. M&S must adopt this approach that will help to reduce
cost of products and increase quality of this. Manager and leader can also focus on maintaining
good quality of products.
Lean manufacturing method- It is a systematic method of operations management that focuses
on eliminating wastage of raw material within the organisation. It helps to reduce wastage in the
process of manufacturing goods. Uneven work load on employees and overusing raw material is
not effective for business growth so this model provides strategy to reduce this problem(Branch.,
2012). M&S should also apply this theory for its business so that manager can identify utilisation
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of resources within the organisation. It also helps to ensure that strategies that are made by
management department for analysing value of goods and services are as per planning or not.
Reconfigurable manufacturing system- This is another an important method management of
operations that defines a structure to incorporate changes that was occurred by restructuring
process. The purpose of this approach is solved the problem relating to technological
components(Expósito.,2016). From this approach M&S can provide solutions in relation to
production process and other department. It will help to create a strategy that will reduce the
problems raised by restructuring style.
P5 Importance of operations management for achieving business objectives
Operations management is a process of making strategies that will help to focus on
production and manufacturing department in the organisation. It plays vital role for all the
department of the company. This process helps to create smooth functioning of all the operations
within the organisation. Management department can follow these methods for making proper
strategies for organisational management. It must clear that manager and supervisor of the
company should apply strategies in well manner from which they will not suffer form problems.
So it is very important management technique of the company that is helpful for achieving
objectives of its business.
Human resource department- Well going operations of the company helps to
understand the needs and expectations of employees and other staff members so that HR
department can efficiently fulfil their needs. It is also helpful for developing good job
description from which management department easily hire candidates. Operations management
reduces employees turnover and increases employee satisfaction from which it will help to
maintain productivity level within the organisation.
Financial department- Operations management creates strategies for financial
department as well. It helps to raise capital money through debt and equity. With a smooth
running operations of management the company can achieve a successful business with high
productivity and low cost of goods and services. It also provides help to reduce difficulties in
relation to raising capital(Branch., 2012). So that good operations' management is beneficial for
effective functioning of financial department.
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Accounting department- Operations management helps to reduce bills of raw materials
and deciding cost of goods and services. If there is poor performance of operations management
process than it will be difficult for accounting department to ascertain cost of goods and services.
So that it reduces problems of accounting and helpful for good functioning which is valuable for
analysing and evaluation.
Marketing department- This department is totally depends on a successful operation of
the business because it helps to produce goods and services in a very appropriate manner from
which marketing department promote products and services very easily(Expósito.,2016). From
effective operations marketing department can attract customers with doing any efforts.
Legal division- operations management is very supportive for production process so
these strategies well development of products and services reduces the liability claim of
customers. Well going operations management also helps to reduce disputes in the market.
Therefore, from effective operation of all department of the corporation disputes between
customers and firm can be reduced.
P6 Impact of business environment on management and leadership process
Leader of the company provides guidelines to employees and other people for
maintaining efficiency in working and effectiveness of functioning of business that is helpful for
achieving organisational goals and objectives. Manager of the firm influences workers and staff
members and motivate them to work hard from which management department take actions and
important decision for well going production process. But there are many factors that affects
business goals and objectives so leader and manager of the corporation both needs to understand
about that factors who affects its business. So all the factors that affects management and
leadership process are as follows:
Employees- All the employees of the company have different roles and duties within the
organisation. Leader provides guidelines and training to employees and other worker for
working hard from which the company can get success in market and gain achievement relating
to its objectives. Manager also provides training and development programmes to employees of
the organisation that it is beneficial for expanding business through developing innovative ideas
of producing goods and services(Branch., 2012). A well trained employee creates effective
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strategies with new ideas that affect business environment positively and a non trained employee
reduces the chances of business development and affects negatively.
Customers- Choices of costumes always affect manufacture process of the organisation
because production department creates the strategies of developing goods according to demand
of customers. Culture, trends and needs of customers affects operations of the company. So
manager and leader of organisation have to maintain productivity according to the customer's
choices that affects their decision making process as well.
Product- quality of goods and services is very important for M&S corporation.
Decisions of management department and leader depends on the products qualities. Leader
provides guidelines to employees of the company for creating strategies of innovative products
and services and manager of the firm provides training and development programmes to
employees and new candidates from which it helps to develop new ideas of producing effective
products(Expósito.,2016). Manager and leader both have to take decision according to product
of the firm so it affects management and leadership process.
Technological factor- It is another a factor that affects leadership and management
function. Leader and manager have to adopt new technology if that either it will be effective or
not. New technologies changes the business environment. Some times it helps to employees for
working with new ideas and innovative techniques and some times it increases work load of
employees by developing goods and services in different manner(Fennelly., 2016). So manager
and leader have to adopt new technologies for the betterment of the organisation and its business
that affects their decision making process in all the departments.
Suppliers- Suppliers are intermediaries of the company that helps to divide goods and
services according to locations. Manager creates strategies for supply of products of the firm and
leader provides guidance to suppliers for effective distribution that covers all the areas of
particular location. All the planning executed by manager and leader according to supply of
products and services so this factor also affects decision making process leadership and
management department.
CONCLUSION
From the above report readers can find the roles and responsibilities of leader and
manager of M&S from which it can be identified that leadership and management process is
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helpful for achieving organisational goals. According to this report Operations management is
very important for achieving business goals that reflect that well going operation is effectively
work for whole organisational development. The company must apply all the approaches of
leadership as per the situations and conditions of all the department so that it will gain business
goals and success in the market. From the above defined approaches the reader will identify
management of operations.
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