Leadership, Management, and Operations at Sainsbury's: A Report

This report delves into the distinct roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, comparing their functions within an organizational context. It examines how leadership and management principles are applied in various situations, using Sainsbury's as a case study, including product launches and conflict management scenarios. The report applies leadership theories such as situational, systems, and contingency models to operations management, exploring their impact on business objectives. Furthermore, it assesses environmental factors influencing operational decision-making. The report provides a comprehensive overview of leadership, management, and operational strategies, offering insights into effective practices within the retail sector.

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.........1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2 Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.......................................................................................................3
P3 Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.........................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play..............................................................................................................................8
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6 Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers...................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Management is considered as the phenomena that is helpful in terms of directing and
operating company including its members as well. For this, the organisation is undertaken as the
group of people, objectives and further actions that revolves around the world in terms of
attaining the goals and objectives in an effective manner (Reid and Sanders, 2019). For this, the
operation management is undertaken as the process that is significant and also important to take
actions that influences the performance and performance of company and undertaken the change
and concerning functions. Moreover, the report is based on Sainsbury's which is the second
largest supermarket chain in UK and founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury. It is classified
under three divisions which is Sainsbury's Supermarket Ltd., Sainsbury's Bank and Sainsbury's
Argos. Furthermore, the report is going to cover the role of leader and functions of managers
according to various situation in terms of gaining better vision and insight for the concept. Along
with this, it tends to cover various models and theories of operations management with proper
implications. It also depict the significance of operations management practices and also
consider various factors that tends to impact the decision making of managers and leaders.
TASK 1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
Managers are those individuals who are responsible for all the managerial and
administrative activities. Managers are undertaken as the experts who make effective plans and
policies for the company in terms of dealing with the overall performance and effective
management of company (Faruk and et. al., 2018). For this, managers tends to perform various
roles and also keep unique perspective which is evaluated as under:
Roles of manager: Monitoring: It is the significant role of a manager which include monitoring and
maintaining the record of prominent activities that are performed by the employees and
other staff associates. It is performed under the high standards and considering the
performance of employees by placing the right person on the right job. Resource allocator: Here, managers comes under the top level management in the
organisational structure. For this, the major role is to develop effective plans and
considering strategies with effective use of resources by undertaking the performance and
1

also tends to achieve goals on time. For this, the managers tends to fill gap among the
demand and supply and develop strategies to overcome from the risk and other barriers.
Characteristics of manager: Risk avoider: Managers tends to avoid risk as they do not influence creativity and
innovation. For this, leaders tends to opt various ways in terms of working and also tends
to pre-examine its uses.
 Time management: Managers need to carry effective time management skill which is the
part of expertise knowledge and skills. For this, managers also tends to ensure in terms of
keeping their work and task on time and also actively obtain effective goals and
objectives within the stipulated period of time (Fettermann and et. al., 2018).
Leaders are those person who tends to effectively make use of human resources in terms
of effectively guiding and directing individuals for the right decision and also keep them
encouraged. For this, leaders are those individuals who are being followed by others in terms of
their practice.
Roles of leaders: Developing vision: Every leader has its own team in which its members follow the
effective instructions and guidance of their leaders. For this, the leaders has effective role
in terms of developing vision for team in terms of significant goals and prominently
executing several practices. Decision maker: Here, leaders plays an important role in terms of taking decision and
also adopt prominent tools and techniques in terms of making decision on the grounds of
market area and organisation.
Functions of managers: Risk taker: Leaders tends to induce innovation and creativity that represent the features
and characteristics of becoming a risk taker with the help of using various ways in order
to perform various task in terms of more effective way (Slack and Brandon-Jones, 2018). Self management: For this, leaders has the responsibility in order to lead the whole team
considering the number of people in order to work with them. For this, leaders represent
the features of highlighting the prominent efficiency for the self control and management
that tends to move towards the effective management for the whole team.
Comparison between the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers:
2

Characteristics and roles Leaders Managers
Risk seeker/Risk avoider Leaders are considered as the
risk seeker as they work with
some unique ideas and
innovative approaches
regarding the effective
production.
Managers are those who tends
to look the traditional method
of working instead of opting
new approaches.
Decision maker/Resource
allocator
Here, the decisions for the
team are taken by the leader.
For this, managers have the
responsibility in terms of
managing the prominent
resources and also allocate
them on the prominent period
of time.
TASK 2
P2 Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts
The managers and leaders plays an important role as per the several situation that takes
place with proper skills and experience of experts undertaking their knowledge as well. For this,
the performance and the guidance of both leaders and managers influences the overall
performance of staff and prominent result (Gibson and Parkman, 2018). In terms of this, few
situations with proper implications are mentioned with proper roles and responsibilities of both
leaders and managers:
SITUATION 1: PRODUCT LAUNCH
Currently, Sainsbury's is planning to introduce few changes and tends to bring new and
organic food items for their supermarket store. In regard of this, this decision is taken by the top
level management in order to evaluate the market conditions and also increase significant
competition.
Role of leaders:
3

Here, the leaders of Sainsbury's plays major role and also tends to develop effective
vision and insight for their team members and also make them more enthusiastic in order to
perform their job role and undertake prominent changes that are executed in company.
Meanwhile, on the same side, the role of leader is to become an informant and keep their staff
members inform regarding the significant goals, objectives and vision of company.
Functions of managers:
In relation with this, the role of managers plays an important role in terms of developing
prominent strategies and also allocating significance resources undertaking the duties and
responsibilities of prominent team and specialist undertaking the mindset of specialist and their
skills (Meredith and Shafer, 2019). In terms of this, managers also assign work and duties which
is related to the launch of new product and also tends to ensure that right person is placed on the
right job with effective skills and tends to get prominent outcome.
SITUATION 2: CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
This situation depicts that the mindset and opinions of individuals gets clash when they
are not agree with each other and perspective. Along with this, conflicts tends to arise with the
help of external environment and Sainsbury's need to deal with the aggressive market and also
make things possible undertaking the conflict situation.
Role of leaders:
Here, the role of leader tends to include the conflict situation which is considered as the
negotiator and for this, leaders also make things balanced by developing effective
communication with other parties regarding conflict. For this, negotiators and other leaders tends
to understand the perspective of all the parties and also make decisions in order to resolve the
issues. Furthermore, employees are encouraged only through good and healthy working
environment which is offered by the manager and leaders to perform effectively regarding the
performance.
Functions of managers:
For this, the functions of managers considering the situation in order to manage the
conflicts tends to monitor and control things. In terms of this, managers need to collect
prominent information which is required considering the appropriate data and information and
also analyse significant issues (Lee and Tang, 2018). For this, when the situation is effectively
4

identified and the information is collected by the manager then they tends to consider controlling
measure and also inform leaders prominently for effectively execute the controlling plans.
P3 Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency
Operation management is the wide concept and consider various factors in order to
involve business which is task related and also tends to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency
of company by inducing the performance and productivity. In terms of this, leaders plays an
important role for effectively executing various operational management techniques and other
theories (Gupta, Yang and Jain, 2019). For this, the number of theories are related with
leadership concept and prominently undertake operational management practices. Few theories
are discussed as under:
Situation leadership theory:
It is undertaken as the effective method in order to offer effective direction to staff
members and it is based on various situations and surrounded factors. In terms of this, leadership
style is under here is Heresy-Blanchard leadership as per this leadership, it is stated that leaders
can opt their own leadership style as per their capabilities and confidence level of employees. It
is considered as the flexible leadership which is designed in order to increase significant
potentials of workforce and also induces the power of company in terms of achieving prominent
goals and objectives. Furthermore, as per this model, there are four leadership style that is opted
by the leaders of Sainsbury's as per the situation considering the flexibility. These styles are
mentioned as under:
5

Illustration 1: Situational Leadership
(Source: Situational Leadership, 2019) Telling and Directing: This leadership style depicts the effective support and guidance of
employees in terms of performing task by closely supervising the teams (Hidaka and et.
al., 2019). For this, the leaders of Sainsbury's tends to opt this style considering the new
employees and individuals who currently join the company according to the requirements
and needs by making things clear and also understand regarding their task like what is
expected from them. Selling and Coaching: The next one is about selling and coaching in which leader tries
to develop new and unique path for individuals in order to perform their job role by
effectively working. For this, leaders wish to influence employees regarding proper
involvement for the operations in Sainsbury's by effectively adopting prominent
leadership style.
6

 Participating and Supportive: This leadership style represent the minimum direction and
high decision making authority which is being allocated by employees by considering
their competencies. For this, leaders of Sainsbury's tends to opt this leadership style only
when they are properly aware regarding the abilities and skills of staff members. Delegating: It depicts the effective delegation of work and task in which leaders allow
team members to work according to them and also tends to leave all the prominent
authorities considering the single hands (Wong and et. al., 2020). In terms of this, this
type of leadership style is rarely opted by leaders of Sainsbury's considering the
managerial actions and hierarchy as they does not allow them to perform various
activities.
System leadership theory:
This theory refers to the significant actions that are taken in terms of managing the
projects in systematic and effective way that tends to impact the performance and power of team
and company. In terms with Sainsbury's, their leaders opt system leadership style in an
organisation in which they tends to identify the external environment and other concerning
market conditions in terms of guiding the staff members. For this, the effective execution of
system leadership tends to enable the employees of Sainsbury's in terms of engaging their
responsibilities in an effective way and also tries to maintain balance among the flow of demand
and supply. Furthermore, with the help of this system leadership of the company tends to adjust
the significant changes regarding the enhancement of profitability and revenues for better market
share.
Contingency leadership theory:
This leadership theory represents the prominent approaches of company that tends to
separate various situations that occur in company as various tools tends to work in an innovative
way.
7

Illustration 2: Contingency Theory of Leadership by Fiedler
(Source: Contingency Theory of Leadership by Fiedler, 2017)
For this, Fiedler's contingency model is used which represent that leaders need to become
more efficient in terms of making effective use of prominent skills of their workers and also
tends to integrate them considering the significant situation of effective result (Hazen and et. al.,
2018). For this, the leadership theory also three prominent components that recommend that
leaders of Sainsbury's need to identify the prominent situation in which they need to work. When
the situation is examined then they need to identify the specific leadership style which is
significant considering the present situation in terms of gaining effective outcomes regarding the
task for the stipulated period of time.
TASK 3
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and managers
play
Effective growth and development of organisation relies on various factors that are
selected by the management and leaders in terms of effectively running the operations. These
operational management methods tends to impact the growth and development that results in
better productivity and performance. In terms of this, Sainsbury's is the largest supermarket chain
8

who opt various practices in terms of effective management and operations as these approaches
are mentioned as: Total Quality Management: This approach tends to focus on the effective quality of
goods which is developed and offered to customers. For this, TQM is opted by
Sainsbury's in terms of rendering effective quality of products to their customers. In
terms of Sainsbury's, TQM is prominently executed for which managers plays an
important role in delegating work on employees considering various activities such as
planning process, production and also assign task to team members. Leaders also tends to
make things clear and then they need to inform their subordinates for the effective
development of vision and also follow their work (Gunasekaran and et. al., 2018). For
this, TQM tends to enable Sainsbury's to eliminate wastage and also make suitable
arrangements for effective productivity and profitability of company. Just-in-time: This approach tends to work according to the new business ideas and
trends. It is undertaken as the phenomena in which organisation tends to create balance
among their in-bounds and out-bounds (Tönnissen and Teuteberg, 2020). This technique
is useful in terms of increasing efficiency, eliminate cost and waste and for this, managers
of Sainsbury's tends to guide their staff regarding the efficiency of prominent methods
that are carried out in company. The leaders tends to make effective use of prominent
skills and other innovative ideas in terms of keeping their staff members motivated and
also effectively use prominent resources.
 Kaizen: This approach tends to offer the thought of suitable development and change of
this method as for this, it is used in terms of identifying the defects in products and
regularly change suitable functions as per the environmental conditions. For this, leaders
and managers of Sainsbury's plays an important role in order to effectively use Kaizen
approach and also keep their staff motivated in terms of opting changing as it leads to
promote innovation and develop productivity.
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives
Operations management is important for company as it has various functions and
operations that are involved in the entity. For the effective growth of company few operations
management techniques are executed and some operations of Sainsbury's are mentioned as:
9

 Production: Sainsbury is the largest supermarket chain that tends to offer their own food
products in their own store. For this, the production department of Sainsbury should
manage the high level of efficiency and also tends to eliminate wastage. Marketing: For this, Sainsbury need to consider word of mouth among the people and
society considering their services and products. For this, the marketing function tends to
work for the same in terms of developing promotional plans and it is done by managers to
market their products. Sales: It depicts that the sales function performed considering the earning profitability by
higher revenues in order to involve people in selling prominent activities and also tends
to make good sale in their stores (Kumar, Mookerjee and Shubham, 2018).
Significance of operations management for Sainsbury's: Enhanced quality of product and higher productivity: The operational management
technique of Sainsbury is quite high considering the level of quality of products and also
manufactured for the better productivity which is gained because of minimum cost and
effective functioning.
 Cost reduction: The prominent benefit is enjoyed by Sainsbury regarding the operational
management tool and other methods like JIT and TQM for the cost reduction. Sainsbury
as the cost leader tends to offer products in the low price in order to achieve competitive
advantage for the operational management technique as it is important for the
development (Sabbaghtorkan, Batta and He, 2020).
TASK 4
P6 Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management
and decision-making by leaders and managers
Business environment is the sum up of both internal and external environment of
company considering the factors that are impacted by the operations and decisions of company.
For this, the leaders and managers of Sainsbury need to align their decisions with the business
surroundings regarding the effective execution of growth of company. Some internal and
external factors that influences the operations management of Sainsbury and decision making of
leaders and managers are mentioned as:
10