Analysis of Leadership and Management for Marks and Spencer Operations

This report analyzes leadership and management practices within Marks and Spencer (M&S). It begins by defining the roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers, highlighting their importance in achieving organizational goals. The report then explores the application of these roles in various situations, such as interactions with employees, customers, and government entities. It further delves into different leadership theories and models, including situational, system, and contingency theories, discussing their strengths and weaknesses. The report also examines approaches to management operations, emphasizing their significance in achieving organizational objectives and improving efficiencies. Finally, it addresses the impact of internal and external factors on management operations and decision-making, offering a comprehensive overview of leadership and management within the context of M&S's business operations. The report concludes with a summary of key findings and recommendations.

Management and Operations

Table of Contents
harshita.aINTRODUCTION............................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Different roles and responsibilities of leader and manager..............................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2. Application of role and functions of leader and manager in different situations.............3
P3. Different theories and models of approach related to leadership.....................................4
M2: Strengths and weaknesses of various approaches...........................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P4. Approaches to management operations and role of managers and leaders......................6
P5. Importance of management operation in achieving organisational objectives................7
M3: Managers and leaders can improve efficiencies of operational management................8
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P6. Impact of internal and external factors on management operations and decision making of
manager and leaders...............................................................................................................8
M4: Factors that affect business operations and decision making process............................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Management plays an important role in operating business activities by taking the help of
managers and leaders of company who perform their delegated roles and responsibilities in an
effective and efficient manner so that an organisation can achieve its desired goals and objectives
within pre-determined period of time. Main purpose of preparing this report is to define the roles
and characteristics of leader and manager in growth and success of an organisation. Company
named Marks and Spencer (M&S) Ltd. is a UK based firm which deals in selling clothes, home
products and luxury food products is taken for the purpose of preparing this report. Various
models and theories which are important to be applied in an organisation to achieve desired
targets are also covered here. The internal and external factors which affect business
environment are also summarised in this report.
TASK 1
P1. Different roles and responsibilities of leader and manager
Mark and Spencer Ltd., a British multinational retailer company which deals in providing
luxurious clothing, food and home products to large number of customers across worldwide. It
was founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer in 1884. In 1998, over 1 billion revenue of
company has been recorded and has over 84,939 employees are working in an organisation in
2017. It has attained over 979 stores across UK out of which 615 stores are available only for
selling food products.
There is hierarchy in management structure includes Top level, middle level and Lower level
management.
An organisation can achieve its desired objectives only when manager and leader perform
their roles and responsibilities in such a manner that will bring positive results to company. It is
required for both of them to perform all the functions such as planning, organising, controlling
and supervision. These all help company in facing future challenges and problems which affect
the performance of an organisation. Manager and leader; both perform different roles to achieve
the common goals of company. The managers of M&S Ltd. are focusing on formulating plans
and policies that will help in achieving organisational goals whereas leader focuses on
motivating their employees to perform in such an effective way that will bring positive results
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within limited period of time. Roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders are discussed
as under:
Managers: They are the one who has power to formulate an effective plans and policies to give
proper direction to their employees so that desired goals and objectives can be achieved within
pre-determine period of time.
Roles and responsibilities of Manager of M&S:
Formulating and implementing plans and policies: Manager is held responsible to
formulate the plans and policies by using their effective skills and knowledge as well as
collecting feedback from employees. It is important for the manager to clearly define their
formulated plan and policies to their employees with a motive of providing right direction to
accomplish goals.
Conducting training and development programs: The top authority includes managers is
liable to improve skills and knowledge of employees through implementing training sessions and
development programs on regular basis. This will bring motivation and confidence level of
employees to perform their allotted tasks in a profitable manner.
Managing and controlling: The managers of M&S Company should required to manage
business activities and ensure that company's resources will be utilized at an optimum manner.
This will help company in reducing the cost of production and provide products at an effective
price to their customers.
Leaders: They are the one who have skills and knowledge of getting work done from others in
an effective and efficient manner through conducting training sessions and development
programs.
Roles and responsibilities of Leader:
Building team structure: The leaders are held responsible to motivate their employees to
work together in order to bring more profitable results. They should focus on bringing members
having different skills and knowledge altogether to achieve desired target within limited period
of time.
Motivator: The leaders of M&S Company should have responsibility to get work done by
their team members in an effective and efficient manner. Therefore, it must be required for a
leader to adopt effective techniques and methods to enhance motivational level in their team
members to perform in right direction in a right way.
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Supportive: Leaders play an important role in supporting and guiding the team members
through collecting view and problems from them and focus on taking corrective actions to
resolve them with a motive to create a healthy environment at workplace.
Comparison of characteristics of leader and manager:
Basis Leader Manager
Meaning He is the one who leads others
to get work done in a
profitable manner.
He is the one who manages
and controls business activities
in an efficient way.
Basis The leaders should have trust
and confidence on their team
members to achieve desired
productivity in work.
Manager has control on the
performance of members and
analyse whether they
performed in right direction or
not.
Appeal to Leadership is considered a
heart of company with the help
of which company can achieve
desired objectives.
Management is considered as
head of the company which
direct the members through
taking effective decisions.
Power Leader have skills and ability
to influence the interest and
attitude of team members to
contribute in a profitable way.
Manager ruling the members
through implementing plans a
strategies.
Approach to task Leaders are mainly focused on
identifying problems and
implementing creative solution
to bring motivation among
employees.
Managers are generally create
strategies and methods to
create teams that combine to
operate smoothly.
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TASK 2
P2. Application of role and functions of leader and manager in different situations
Manager should perform its basic management function such as planning, organising,
controlling and supervising business activities in order to achieve desired objectives. Managers
are held responsible to manage and control company's resources in such an effective manner that
will bring profitable result. Leaders also play an important role in motivating members to work
in a team so as to contribute maximum efforts in achieving desired goals and objectives. They
both leader and manager contribute valuable efforts in achieving competitive advantage.
Application of these roles and functions in different situations is described as below:
Employees: They are the one who is an actual asset on which the performance of
company depends. Through their contribution the company can capture large market share and
attain competitive advantage in business world. Therefore it is essential for managers of M&S to
recruit new skilled and knowledgable employees and promote existing experience employee to
achieve desired goals. The leaders also need to focus on improving their skills and knowledge
required to perform assigned job position.
Customers: They are the one whose needs and demands are fulfilled by company through
offering quality products and services. As M&S company deals in offering quality and luxurious
products to its customer which maximise the satisfaction level of customers. The manager of
M&S should required to proper analyse the taste and preferences and accordingly implement
effective decision to fulfil them in an effective and efficient manner. The leaders also encourage
the members involved in production process to implement changes in products that will easily
attract customers.
Government: As there are certain policies and regulations implemented by government
which the company must required to follow to operate business activities in an effective manner.
Following all rules and regulations of government help company to protect from unnecessary
legal actions and fines. Thus manager should required to fulfil all these procedures and
implement government policies such as employment legislation through which employees are
equally treated. The leaders also guide their members to perform as per rules and regulation
given by company.
Society: They are the one who decide the success and growth of company for loner
period of time. Therefore the manager of M&S must direct their members to produce quality
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products which can make positive impact on the company's image and goodwill. The manager
must ensure that any business activities must not harm the sentiments of society and
environment. The leader should required to create new and innovative ideas for their employees
in order to perform in ethical way.
Functions of manager:
Planning: The manager need to implement plans and actions which direct the employees to
achieve desired goals and objectives.
P3. Different theories and models of approach related to leadership
Various theories and models were introduced which need to be adopted by leaders and
managers of M&S in order to encourage their employees. Such theories includes situational,
system leadership theories and many more which help company as well as employees in
improving their performance. So, leadership theories which must be used by M&S are as
follows:
Situational theory: This is also known as contingency theory of leadership. According to
this theory the leader must have skills and abilities to manage business activities in different
situations occur in business environment. This will help employees to deals with complex
situations occur while performing at workplace. This theory can be changed depending on the
situations of working environment.
System leadership theory: This theory is useful in resolving problems faced by
employees of company through providing optimum solutions. This brings motivations and
confidence in employees which help them in performed delegated task in more profitable
manner. Thus the leader of M&S should adopt such theory to manage issues and conflicts arising
at working environment. This will also helpful in creating health environment at workplace
which may affect on the performance of employees in positive manner.
Contingency theory: This theory tells that there is no single best way to monitor and
control actions of company. As the internal and external factors affects the business activities
either in an effective and efficient manner so it is required for a leader of company to choose
their won style of leadership while dealing with different situations. The company can face
contingencies related to customers behaviour, supplies and technological changes due to which
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an effective style of leadership must be selected by leader to deal with such changes. This will
help company in achieving desired goals without facing any difficulties.
Modern theory of management: This theory has main objective is to enhance overall
performance of company by using advanced technologies and methods for the purpose of
improving their employee's skills and knowledge. This will help manager to make a good
relation with their employees and communicate with them regarding the activities they need to
perform to achieve desired target.
M2: Strengths and weaknesses of various approaches
Situational theory: Strengths: This style is helpful as the manager can adopt changes according to the
situations.
 Weaknesses: This style of leadership is used only for limited period of time.
System leadership theory: Strengths: This style help in providing corrective plans and actions in order to control
business activities (Cruz and Marques, 2011).
 Weaknesses: It is difficult to implement on the actual business situations.
Contingency leadership theory: Strengths: It will provide benefit for employees in achieving growth and success in their
career.
 Weaknesses: It is difficult for manager to select contingency plan.
TASK 3
P4. Approaches to management operations and role of managers and leaders
There are various approaches which need to adopt by the managers of M&S in order to
manage all business activities in an effective manner. The managers and leaders are playing an
important role in application of such approaches in an organisation with a motive of earning
positive outcome. It includes planning, organising, controlling etc. It will discussed further in
following ways:
Planning: It is pre-determine activity which is performed in future to achieve desired
objectives. It is the responsibility of manager and leader to formulate an effective plans and
actions which direct the members of company to perform their delegated roles in an effective and
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efficient manner (Galindo and Batta, 2013). Thus in order to run the business more smoothly in
near future, the manager and leader both need to focus on implementing effective policies and
standards which should be followed by employees to executer business activities in proper
manner.
Managing: It is essential for the welfare of an organisation that desired goals must be
achieved within limited period of time in order to gain competitive advantage and growth.
Therefore the managers of M&S is held responsible to manage and monitor the business
activities performed by their employees and accordingly guide and motivate them to improve
their performance. This will help company in achieving desired target without facing any
hurdles.
Coordinating: It is important for managers to create a platform to their employees with
the help of which the managers of different departments and employees can communicate and
coordinate with each other. This will be beneficial for the company as the managers can define
the roles and responsibilities to their employees and also able to collect feedbacks relating to the
problems faced by employees at workplace. It helps in maintaining good relation with employees
as well as creating healthy atmosphere in working environment.
Organising: It is essentially required to organise business activities in such an effective
manner that will ensure in getting positive result to company in near future.
Staffing: Recruiting right candidate and allocate work on the basis fo their skills and
knowledge will help in bringing efficiency in work.
Controlling: The manager is also responsible to control all business activities with a
motive of utilising available resources in an optimum manner in order to get profitable result.
Key operation approaches to operation management:
Total quality management: The company can also achieve growth and success only
when they provide quality products and services to their customers which maximises their level
of satisfaction as well (Giegerich, 2010). Thus it is important for manager of M&S to motivate
and direct the employees engaged in manufacturing process to produce quality products after
which the manager must ensure and verify the quality of product before selling it to final
customers. They have duty to focus on implementing advanced technologies which help in
reducing cost of production and thus company can able to provide its products at an effective
price.
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Lean production: It is considered as a systematic method which is used to reduce
wastage in production process without giving up the productivity. It help company in improving
the quality of their products so as to maximise the satisfaction level of their targeted customers.
Just in time: It is part of company's strategy in which they decide to order raw material
used in production process only when they are needed. Thus it help company in saving cost of
storing goods in warehouses. This approach required that manager to forecast actual demand.
Continuous improvement: This methods is useful to attract large number of customers.
This approach indicates that the company always need to focus on implementing changes in their
existing products as per the taste and preferences of customers so that their sales figure may goes
high and earn huge profit.
P5. Importance of management operation in achieving organisational objectives
Management operation hold the responsibility of achieving organisational goals within
limited period of time by managing and controlling the business operations in an effective and
efficient manner. It is essentially for an organisation to have skilled and knowledgable manager
which has an ability to make an effective business decisions. Some other advantages of effective
management operations are explained as follows:
Profit maximisation: The management operation directs the employees to perform in
profitable manner through providing suitable techniques and methods which help in finding an
effective and innovative ways to perform better (Ivanov, Sokolov and Kaeschel, 2010). This will
help in reducing cost incurred in production process through the company can deduct price on
their product that will attract large number of customers. It will directly enhance the profitability
of company.
Customer satisfaction: Every organisation has an objective to provide quality products to
customers which maximise their level of satisfaction. Therefore it is the responsibility of
manager to focus ion quality, not quantity in order to build brand image and goodwill in
competitive market world. The manager should direct their employees to collect feedback from
the customers relating to the quality of the products and accordingly implement these reviews in
manufacturing process. This will help company in fulfil customer's needs and demand in
satisfied manner.
Brand image: As M&S is already have brand image in competitive market due to which
large number of customers across worldwide. The manager of M&S should focus on improving
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their brand image and goodwill by providing good quality products after analysing the taste and
preferences of customers. The company must follow government regulations, development of
society and environment which help company in gaining competitive advantage and good
reputation in market.
Minimizing wastage: The management of M&S should focus on utilizing advance
technology and methods which help in minimising the unwanted resources and defects from the
products (Jacobs, Chase and Lummus, 2011). This will help in reducing cost of production as
well as also able to produce quality products to customers at an effective price.
M3: Managers and leaders can improve efficiencies of operational management
Manager and leaders perform different roles with a main motive of achieving common
goals. Manager is performing several functions such as planning, organising, controlling and
supervising whereas the leader guide and motivate employees to work in a team in order to
achieve best possible result.
TASK 4
P6. Impact of internal and external factors on management operations and decision making of
manager and leaders
There are two factors such as internal and external which can affect the business
environment wither in negative or positive manner. Thus it the responsibility of manager to
handle and deals with such factors in such a way that will not affect the profitability and
sustainability of company.
Impact of internal factors on the management operation of M&S:
Customers: It is the one who decide what company need to manufacture. Any changes in
taste and preference of customers will affect the sales and profitability of company. For example
if the demand of chocolate produced by M&S company is increases then it will in crease the
sales and profit of company and vice versa (Kang, 2010). Therefore it is important for manager
of M&S to first identify the needs and requirements and accordingly comes in market with
required products.
Employees: They are the actual asset with the help of which the company can achieve its
desired objectives. Any dissatisfaction of employees relation to working environment or salary
etc. then it will make negative impact ion the overall performance of company. Therefore it is
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