Improving Operational Efficiency in Retail: A Case Study of ASDA

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report analyzes leadership, management, and operational efficiency in retail settings.

Management and Operations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction................................................................................................................................1
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................2
a) Differences and similarities between a leader and manager considering their roles and
characteristics.........................................................................................................................2
M1. Analyse and differentiate between the role of a leader and the functions of a manager 4
b) The functions of a manager according to Fayol and how a manager in your organisation
performs these functions using various examples..................................................................5
c) Situational leadership, systems leadership and contingency leadership using various
scenarios in your organisation to support your explanation...................................................7
M2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to situations within the
work environment..................................................................................................................9
Task 2.......................................................................................................................................11
1. Explain different approaches to operations management and identifying what is used in
your store..............................................................................................................................11
2. Explain what makes your role as a store manager a classic example of an operations
manager................................................................................................................................12
3. Explain the importance of operations management in your store....................................13
M3. evaluate how managers and team leaders can improve efficiencies of operational
management to successfully meet the business objectives for a retailer.............................14
4. Identify and assess the key outside factors that can have an effect on the operations
management for your organisation.......................................................................................15
5. How are these factors impact upon your decision making as a store manager?..............16
M4.Analyse how these different factors affect the business environment and wider
community............................................................................................................................17
Conclusion................................................................................................................................18
References................................................................................................................................19

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Fayol’s Five function management.............................................................................5
Figure 2: Situational Leadership................................................................................................7
Figure 3: System leadership.......................................................................................................8

Introduction
For any business organisation, operations Management is one of the most significant
practices that are required to be implemented for attaining maximum business efficiency and
productivity to raise the profits margin and to achieve the business aim. In the current report,
Marriott Hotel is taken into consideration that is one well-known service provider in the
hospitality sector of UK. In the report, various similarities and dissimilarities between
manager and leaders are identified with the help of multiple theories and approaches. The
report will discuss the role and responsibilities of a leader and manager within a business
organisation to enhance its productivity. A brief discussion regarding procedures of operation
management is also illustrated in the present report considering ASDA a leading organisation
in the retail sector. At last, the report highlights various external and internal factors that are
influences the business environment and operation and also in the process of decision
making.

Task 1
a) Differences and similarities between a leader and manager considering their roles
and characteristics
Definitions of a leader and a manager
Leadership is a process to influence others whereas a leader is a person who influences or
command a group of peoples to achieve a defined goal effectively. Management is a process
to deploy and manipulate technological resources, financial resources, human resources, and
natural resources so that effective operational execution can be achieved. Therefore, a
manager is a person who has liabilities to control and monitor the resources and
organisational operations (Zhang et al. 2012). For example, Winston Churchill was a great
British political leader whereas Santiago is a manager of Real Madrid who manages the
operations of the football club.
Common themes: The leader has the main purpose to guide the team toward the defined
goals whereas the manager defines the strategies and approaches those can be used to lead
the team. Also, a manager has some characteristics of leaders during resource planning and
organisation.
Comparison between leaders and managers
Besides the general definitions, the leaders and managers can be differential on the following
factors which taking the example of Marriott hotel.
Approach: a manager plans details whereas leader has the role in setting directions. For
example, the human resource manager in Marriott has a role in planning the resource
arrangement and strategic execution whereas leader has the role to complete those strategies
with resources for a timely outcome.
Attribute: a manager has mostly decisions on the present availability of data and capabilities
whereas a leader has foresightedness. For instance, the manager in the organisation can plan
the strategies on a defined number of resources whereas a leader foresight the circumstances,
cautions, precautions and prudence during the resource directing to achieve that goal.

Subordinates and style: Leader has followers and manager have employees where a leader
uses transformational leadership to achieve desired outcomes from them and manager uses
transactional leadership to optimise their contribution in business operations (Bolman, and
Deal, 2017).
Focus and change: Leaders promotes changes through a focus on people whereas the
manager reacts to changes through process and procedures. For example, a human resource
manager in Marriott defined a process for attainment according to change whereas leaders
focus on motivation and coordination of resources for quality execution.
Challenges: Leader normally accepts the changes and uses them as assets during working
while managers prefer to avoid conflicts. For example, Marriott leaders can use the problems
for innovation and creative solutions at the workplace whereas conflicts in work or ethical
behaviour are avoided by managers to retain the existing standards for faster execution.
Powerful traits: Leaders have main traits of integrity and honesty, strong decision-making
capabilities, communication skills, empowerment and delegation, creativity and innovation,
accountability and influence. The manager has main traits of coaching, caring, development,
communication, fair treatment and innovation fostering for the resources.
Similarities: However, leader and manager at Marriott entail working with employees and
create functional structure and foundation of the business. They concern about the goal
achievement through the allocation of the available resources. They also influence the
environment and structure through their innovation and creativity for the strategic approaches
to achieve the goals.

M1. Analyse and differentiate between the role of a leader and the functions of a
manager
The role of the leader is to guide the resources toward the defined goals. Mainly a leader has
four roles: plan the function with management, organise the resources accordingly, lead them
toward the goal and control the performance and quality. At another side, a manager has
functions to plan the strategies, organize the resources and capabilities, staffing on vacant
positions, direct the employees for goals, provide coordination among them, report the
outcomes to top management and control the quality and performance with budget.
Hard management skills and soft leadership skills
Hard skills are teachable abilities and specific for job success. For example, a manager has a
strong need for proficiency or awareness of management areas, certification, business process
knowledge, time management and problem-solving skills. At another side, a manager or
leader in Marriott organisation needs the soft skills those can help to increase their
proficiency and efficiency at work (Winston et al. 2013). For example, flexibilities for role
and work management, communication skills, motivation, team working and time
management are some of the significant soft skills to enhance efficiency and quality in role
execution.
Mintzberg managerial roles
Henry Mintzberg’s has stated a different range of managerial role covering ten roles that a
manager of an organisation. All the activities of the manager fall under these categories, i.e.
Leader, Figurehead, Liaison, Monitor, Disseminator, Spokesperson, Entrepreneur,
Disturbance Balance, Resource Allocator, Negotiator. All the mentioned roles are
subcategorised as into three further roles including decision making, information processing
and interpersonal relation with the employees. For instance, it is the responsibility of the
manager to establish proper contact and communication with employees and stakeholder for
developing relation by being a leader, figurehead and Liaison.

b) The functions of a manager according to Fayol and how a manager in your
organisation performs these functions using various examples
According to Fayol, the manager of an organisation must support and encourage to interact
with the employees of an organisation for effective management while performing various
activities and functions of the organisation (Vaccaro, et al 2012 ).
Figure 1: Fayol’s Five function management
Planning: It is management’s responsibility to plan the work and develop various strategies
objective so that the employees can perform accordingly to achieve the organisational goal.
For the present organisation, the manager prepares and schedules the daily activities
according to which the resources are distributed to offer various services to the customers.
Organising: The next step of Managers is to organise all the available resources in the most
effective way and distribute the role and responsibilities accordingly among them through
proper communication. In the hotel business, different services are offered to the customers
as per their need and requirement (McCleskey, 2014). Therefore different employees are
involved in performing various activities. Consequently, it is the responsibilities of the
Managers to allocate the employees as per their knowledge and skill. With the advancement
of new tools and technologies and changing customer demand of the customer form the

hospitality sector, the manager of Marriott Hotel also trains the employees and prefers
recruiting the most skilled and educated resources to increase efficiency.
Commanding: For effective management of various function and for solving multiple issues
rising in an organisation, the Managers should effectively supervise all the subordinates by
their routine work, and must also motivate them to increase their efficiency and productivity
to achieve the organisational goal (Bolden, 2016.). The manager of the Marriott Hotel
effectively communicates with the employees discussing the policies and purpose of the
organisation to encourage them to work accordingly upholding the set standards offer service
accordingly.
Coordinating: According to Fayol’s theory, the Managers should work for harmonising
various activities and procedures that are performed within Marriott Hotel so that employees
are kept motivated and maintain proper workflow in between different department
minimising internal conflicts.
Controlling: The Managers of an organisation is responsible for managing various activities
as per the set objective and policies rules. The manager effectively works for reporting and
observing deviations. In the current organisation, the manager of the Marriott Hotel take
proper initiatives for making changes in the organisation as per the organisational and
customer requirements without using the business functions.

c) Situational leadership, systems leadership and contingency leadership using various
scenarios in your organisation to support your explanation
Situational leadership: In this style of leadership, the manager and leader can adjust their
leadership style as per the current organisational or business situation. This style of
leadership suggests the manager and leaders appointed in Marriott Hotel considering the
skills and knowledge of the employees (Bryman, 2013). For instance, the performance of the
employees is declining due to workload or pressure then the leaders must work as a
supervisor by directing the employee rather than management style.
Figure 2: Situational Leadership
(Source: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/define-situational-leadership-2976.html, 2019)
Systems leadership: In this style of leadership, the leaders of an organization like Marriott
Hotel works for offering a friendly and healthy environment for the employees to motivate
and hence the productivity at the different organizational level. The behavior of the
employees working for providing services to the customers is analyzed. This model provides
a useful tool to the leaders for predicting human behavior using proper communication and
interaction and accordingly the employees are guided and motivated to enhance their
potential and creativity to perform various operations (McCleskey,2014.).

Figure 3: System leadership
Contingency leadership: This leadership style is beneficial in the organisation like the
Marriott Hotel, in this style; the leaders match the style of leadership according to the
situation. In the present case study, the leader can implement this leadership style to raise the
level of trust and confidence among the employees in case of harsh condition or during high
pressure in the seasonal time by rewarding and motivating them. And in case of dangerous
work, the same leaders are expected to take necessary action to condemn the employees
through penalties.

M2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to situations within the
work environment
Table 1: Strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
Approaches Strength Weakness
Situational leadership
Model
 The leaders do not
have to implement a
definite style
leadership for
building the team
 The employees are
motivated by the
managers by
involving the
employees in the
process of decision
making (Chemers.,
2014)
 Demographic
difference in this style
of leadership is
complex
 All the factors in the
organization and
operation are
interrelated the thus
issues of complexity
arises.
 The managers are
involved with short
term strategy
according to the
situation
System leadership style  The manager offers
proper explanation of
the situation to the
employees.
 This approach applied
by the leaders is quite
complex and Lengthy
Contingency leadership  This type of leadership
is applied by the
managers as per the
situational demands and
helps in planning the
 This approach is quite
straight forward and not
all situation can be dealt
with by the manager.