Report: Leadership, Management, and Operations at M&S

This report delves into the operational strategies of Marks & Spencer (M&S), examining the distinct roles and characteristics of leaders and managers. It explores how leadership and management theories, including situational, systems, and contingency approaches, are applied within the organization. The report highlights the importance of operations management in achieving business objectives, analyzing factors that influence operational decision-making and efficiency. It covers various operational management approaches such as empirical, social systems, human behavior, and socio-technical systems, and their impact on productivity. Furthermore, the report provides an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different leadership approaches, providing a comprehensive overview of how M&S utilizes leadership and management to optimize its operations and achieve its goals.

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager..............................................1
M1 Difference between the role of a leader and function of a manager ....................................2
D1 The different theories and approaches to leadership ...........................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2 How the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply.............................................3
P3 Different theories of leadership including Situational leadership System leadership and
contingency.................................................................................................................................4
M2 strengths and weaknesses of different approaches..............................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P4 Approaches to operations management.................................................................................5
P5 Importance and value of operations management in achieving Business objectives ..........6
M3 How leaders and managers can improve efficiencies of operational management ............6
D2 Application of operations management................................................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P6 Factors affecting operational management and decision-making ........................................7
M4 Analyse factors affect the business environment ...............................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Present report is based on the operations of M&S. Under this report the different
characteristics of a leader and manager are described. This report contain how managers and
leaders can properly apply the theories and concepts in the enterprise. This report gives a detail
about how the approach adopt by a leader or a manager can affect the performance of the
employees. The operations management plays a big role in achieving and controlling the day to
day operations of the business. This report contain or tells that a leader should change his
approach of working or leadership according to the situation to achieve the objectives and goals.
The main objectives and goals of the enterprise can be better achieved by the help of managers
and leaders or in the absence of them the better utilisation of available resources is not possible.
This report gives an insight about the different approaches used by the M&S to achieve the goals
and objectives.
TASK 1
P1 Different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.
Roles of a manages
 Monitor role of a manager: One of the major and important role of a manager is to
monitor the activities of the employees in the work place. Monitoring and assessing the
activities involves checking that employees are doing according to the set criteria or
not(Bujak, Carvalho and Sriramulu 2012.). If any improvement is needed or required
than that can be applied to improve the performance of the employees.
 Liaison role of a manger: Liaison means act like a bridge or a mediator. Managers the
one who act as a mediator between the lower level of enterprise and the top level of the
enterprise(Rani and Moreira 2010). Manger is the one who communicates the policy of
top level of enter[prise to the subordinates and at the same time tells the top management
about the problem if any faced by the lower level.
 Performance management: It is the role of a manager to manage the performance of the
employees and continue evaluate the performance of the employees if any corrective
action is required in the performance of the employees and there is a need to develop
some qualities in the employees than training and development programmes can be made
for the employees.
Roles of a leader

 Thinker: It is the most important role of a leader is to think about how do the activities in
order to achieve the organisation goals and objectives. How he can better respond to the
internal and external activities of the enterprise and how the targets set by the enterprise
can be achieved by his decisions.
 Decision maker: Take effective decision about his team members is one the most
important role of a leader. Taking decision at different level of the enterprise is one of the
major responsibility of a manger.
 Required at all levels: Leader is the one is required at all level of the management. In the
top level the leader helps the top management in making the important policies related to
the enterprise(Rosemann and vom Brocke 2015). In the middle level the leaders are
required to execute the policies decided by the top management and in the and in the
lower management the role of leader is to motivate the employees to perform best in their
day day operations.
M1 Difference between the role of a leader and function of a manager
Manager
 Manager of the enterprise focuses on
the structure and culture of the
enterprise in order to achieve the
objectives.
 Manager of the enterprise tries to avoid
the complex situation.
 Manager maintains the qualities of the
employees by giving them complex
tasks.
 Manager is the one who control and set
the objectives for the employees.
 Managers tell the people what to do.
Leader
 Leader is the one who more focuses on
the people of the enterprise to achieve
the objectives of the business entity.
 Leader of the business enterprise get
always ready to solve or to work in the
complex situations.
 Leader is the one who develops the
qualities in the employees by giving
training to them and by plan the
development programmes for them.
 Leader believes empowerment and
gives the employees freedom to set
their own objectives.
 Leaders guides his employees in a
direction to achieve success.

D1 The different theories and approaches to leadership
 Trait theory: trait theory of leadership says or tells that leader are born not made.
Successful leaders have some qualities that that qualities can be in a person by hie or her
birth that qualities can bot be teach to a person or individual.
 Contingency theory: Contingency theory of leadership says or tells that only that person
can become a good or successful leader who has the quality to manage the situations
according to the changes arises(Metters and et.al., 2010). This one of the most applied
theory of leadership. For achieving the success the M&S leaders should adopt this type of
leadership.
 Behavioural theory: this theory is opposite to the trait theory of leadership. Under this
theory it is explained that for become a successful leader there are certain qualities which
should be therein the person and if a person has lack of that qualities than that qualities
can be taught to that person.
 Transactional leadership: Under this theory of leadership the leaders sees the process of
leadership an exchange process. Under this approach the leaders think that the
employees will do according to the leader 's command if leader do the same as the
employees want.
TASK 2
P2 How the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply.
The role of a leader can be apply in organisation context in the following ways:
 Motivating the employees: one of the most important responsibility of a leader is to
motivate the employees in order to ado work in a way to achieve organisations
objectives. A leader can motivate the employees by giving them more incentives .
 Set a clear vision: Set a vision for the enterprise is one of the main role of a
leader(.Nagurney, Masoumi and Yu 2012). It is the role of a leader to study all the
relevant data related to the enterprise and than set a vision and than communicate same
with the employees in order that the employees know the same that what is the future
state of the enterprise and how they can better contribute to achieve the same.
The functions of a leader can be apply in organisation context in the following ways:

 Controlling : Controlling all the activities of the enterprise is one of the major function of
a manager. It is the responsibility of a manager is to balance a ordination among all the
activities of an enterprise.
 Planning: Plan all the activities in order to achieve the enterprise objectives is the
function of the manager. It is the manager who make a plan under which optimum
utilisation of resources can be achieved.
 Staffing : Recruitment is one of the main function of a manager . The manager recruit the
employees to perform the tasks of the enterprise.
 Leading : Leading is one of the important function of a manager(Ellison and Boyd,2013).
Leading includes encouraging and motivating the employees to perform their best and to
give best to achieve organisation objectives.
 Organising : Organising include distribute the available resources in a way that maximum
results can be achieved from them. Organising means allocating the funds available to all
the activities of the enterprise.
P3 Different theories of leadership including Situational leadership System leadership and
contingency.
Situational approach of leadership says that a leader should have the ability to change
the style of his leadership whenever a change is demanded from from him according to the
situations. In today complicated and competitive world predict the future become difficult , any
big change can be happen at any time so a leader should be prepared for that and should have
the quality to change the style of his leadership according to the situation . This will give benefit
to both the leader and the enterprise too(Drake and Spinler 2013). If a leader does not have the
the ability to quickly accept the change and do necessary changes that person can not become a
successful leader because to become a successful leader this quality is a must.
Whenever a big change takes place in the organisational context the leader can do the changes in
the following:
 Work procedure: The old method of doing the things can be changed to get the
maximum results and to cope up with the changes.
 Coaching : Coaching can be better provide to the employees of the business enterprise to
do the changes in their old work procedure.

Contingency leadership: This leadership style says that whenever a big change is happen that a
leader should do the or take a step from which the loss caused to the organisation can be
minimised.
M2 strengths and weaknesses of different approaches
Approach Strengths Weakness
 Historical approach
 Modern approach
This approach give emphasis
or highlights the main qualities
or traits that should be there in
a person to become a
successful leader(Jørgensen
and Zaccour,2012).
This approach is opposite to
the historical approach and
says that a person is not born a
leader. The qualities which are
necessary to become a leader
can be taught by provide
training.
The main weakness of
approach is that this approach
believes that a leader has some
specific qualities by born and
that qualities can not be taught
to anyone.
This is more complex
approach and the role of a
leader is much more complex
under this.
TASK 3
P4 Approaches to operations management
Operation management: Operation management is the management of all the different
activities takes place in the business enterprise. Management of al the activities gives good
results to the enterprise like improved productivity and many more. By using this M&S can
better control and coordinate all the activities with the improved productivity(Closs, Speier and
Meacham 2011). This will help the M&S in achieve better results. The various approach f
operation management are there as follows:
 Empirical approach: Under this the enterprise done the management of operations by
using the past records. This is one of the simple approach of operation management.

 Social system approach: Culture and social factors are given more focus under this
approach.
 Human behaviour approach: This approach is relate with balancing the human behaviour
in the enterprise environment with guidance given to them from managers and leaders.
 Socio technical system approach: This is a combination of social factors with the existing
technology.
P5 Importance and value of operations management in achieving Business objectives
Operation management is used by various organisations in various ways to achieve the
goals in an efficient manner(Montes and et.al., 2013.). Various business objectives can be
achieved by the business entity by applying the concept of operations management in their daily
routine of work.
The main objectives which can be achieved by the M&S by applying operations management in
the following areas:
 Quality: The quality of the products can be maintain by doing the inspection of the
product with the help of operation management.
 Flexibility: Flexibility in the business operations can be achieved by properly monitoring
the routine operations of the business enterprise.
Other than this there are various objectives which can be attain by M&S by using the operations
management. Operation management manage all the important business activities in a way to
achieve greater output from them. Operation management checks and evaluate all the activities
of the enterprise and do the corrective and necessary changes in the process(Bureau and Hua
2010). Operation management tells the management about any change which is required to boost
up the enterprises activity and to achieve much better results. Operation management does the
evaluation of all the activities of the enterprise and correct the mistakes as they arise or done.
M3 How leaders and managers can improve efficiencies of operational management
Managers and leaders are the most important part of the enterprise. These play the role
of mediator in the organisation and play a big role in improving the efficiencies in the operations
of the organisation. Leaders are the one which motivate the employees to achieve better results.
The approach adopted by the leaders effect the activities of the enterprise. If the leader can be
able to better motivate the employees of the enterprise than it will help the enterprise achieving
effective results. Just like the leaders the managers plays an important role in achieving the

enterprise objectives(Mahadevan 2015). Managers are the one who plan the activities for every
department of the enterprise, by doing research and knowing the strength and weakness of every
department the manger can better set the objectives for every department. Managers can make a
plan for the organisation in which the optimum utilisation of available all the resources like
financial resources can be properly used by the business firm( Su and Fu, 2011). The managers
and leaders both play an important role in achieving the enterprise objectives because these are
the one decide the tasks and goals for their employees or team members and can also motivate
them in improving their performance. In the absence of leaders and managers an enterprise is
like nothing because these are the one who organise and maintain all the tasks of the enterprise
without them an enterprise is like without a direction and the objectives of the enterprise can
never be achieved so both of these play a big and important role in achieving the goals of the
enterprise.
D2 Application of operations management
 Maintain the equipments: Operation management keep a check on the equipments
required for achieving the goals and performing the tasks, so it maintain the equipments
necessary for completing the business activity.
 Quality control: Operation management checks or control the quality of the product
before finally delivering it to the customers(Simpson and Samson,2010). If it is checked
that the particular process wants any modification or improvement than that can be done
by the
 Project management : Operation management maintains the every project it checks the
quality of the project and also maintains the quality of the project.
 Performance management: Operation management indirectly helps in maintaining the
performance of the employees.
TASK 4
P6 Factors affecting operational management and decision-making
There are various major factors exist in the enterprise which affect the activities of
operations management and at the same time the decision making process of the business firm.
Some of them are internal while some are external factors.
Following are the factors which affect the decision making process of a business firm:

 Government policy: the government of the country makes many laws for various
businesses(DeHoratius and Rabinovich, 2011). Any major change in the government
policy can affect a lot the decision making process of the enterprise.
 Technology: A big change in technology can affect the process of enterprise. If any
innovation takes place than the enterprise has to change the old process of doing the
work.
 Organisation culture: Culture adopted by the enterprise affect he decision making process
of the firm.
 Taskforce: The employees work in an enterprise affect the process of decision making.
The competent people helps the manager in taking more appropriate action or decision
and also contribute a large in achieving organisation objectives.
M4 Analyse factors affect the business environment
There are various factors exist in the business environment which affect the business
operations. Before doing anything or taking any bid decision the study of these factors are
necessary. Study of these factors will help the management of the business in taking more
appropriate decision(Brandenburg and et.al., 2014). The study of the following factors will help
the management in taking decisions relating to the following:
 Risk management: The M&S can better analysis how much risk to take in the business
activity that it can give fruitful results to the enterprise.
 Method analysis: what method should be adopted by the enterprise that cab be proof
more useful to the enterprise.
 Operational strategy: Operational strategy is how to manage all the operations of the
enterprise.
There are various factors exist in the environment that affect the activities of the business and
business environment a lot. Before taking a major decision about the enterprise it is the
responsibility of the manager to study all the key factors which can affect the daily operations of
a business(Ashby and Hudson-Smith, 2012). Study of these factors will help the manager in
taking more effective decision for the enterprise.
CONCLUSION
Above report contain all the relevant informations related to the operations of the M&S.
The report shows that the leader and manager both play an important role in managing the tasks

of the enterprise and how they should change the process of doing the work according to the
changing situations. The leader and manager both should adopt or give emphasis on the
empowerment of the employees this will help the employees in making a self assessment of their
activities. The managers and leaders of M&S should adopt a flexible approach of changing the
work to achieve a competitive position in the market. What qualities should be there in a leader
to become a successful leader and how the manager should done the planning activity all are
gives under this report. Present report gives an insight about how situational leadership is
effective in the organisational context in today's world.

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