Analysis of Leadership and Management in Puma's Operations

This report provides an in-depth analysis of leadership and management within the context of Puma, a global sportswear company. It begins by differentiating between the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, highlighting their distinct responsibilities and qualities. The report then examines how leadership and management functions are applied in various situational contexts within Puma, focusing on quality control, training and development, and productivity improvements. Different leadership theories and models, such as situational leadership, systems leadership, and contingency approaches, are discussed in terms of their application and effectiveness. The key approaches to operations management within Puma are also explored, along with the importance and value of effective operations management. Finally, the report considers the factors of the business environment that affect operational management, providing a comprehensive overview of the interplay between leadership, management, and operational efficiency within the organization.

UNDERSTANDING HOW
MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS MAKE A
POSITIVE EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE
CONTRIBUTION TO AN
ORGANISATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................3
P1 Difference between roles and characteristics of leaders and manager of Puma.....................3
LO2..................................................................................................................................................4
P2 Role of a leader and the function of a manager......................................................................4
P3 Different theories and models of approach............................................................................6
LO 3.................................................................................................................................................7
P4 Key approaches to operations management...........................................................................7
P5 Importance and value of operations management..................................................................9
LO 4...............................................................................................................................................10
P6 Factors of business environment affecting the operational management.............................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Management and operations play great role in the all over growth of an organisation.
Basically, management is a task to the top-level manager of a company or business. The manager
of an organisation is always highly responsible to plan, organise, direct and control it’s all
operations for gaining an effective result in the market. Top-level management within each
company or business always takes some productive steps towards more developing their
managerial skills and abilities. There are well-developed managerial skills are very necessary for
a company to achieve its different objectives decided time period. Generally, a manager who has
well-developed managerial skills can easily run it’s all operations effectively. The management
within each company or business is always responsible to remove those all elements from its
workplace which can negatively affect its daily operations. This report discusses management
and operations aspects of Puma. There are Puma is a popular German multinational company
which mainly offers causal and athlete footwear, clothing and accessories etc. This report
discusses excellent role of leaders and managers in an organisation as well.
LO1
P1 Difference between roles and characteristics of leaders and manager of Puma
Leadership is the function which requires to be perform at every level of management in
the company to achieve the goal. Top level management of Puma uses leadership in framing the
plans, objectives and policies which are to be achieved in the future. Leadership helps in
implementing these plans to achieve the goal of the company at middle and lower level of the
management. Company’s task is completed under the guidance of the leader for effective and
efficient achievement of goal (Nekhili, Chakroun and Chtioui, 2018). Puma have counselling,
general meetings, seminars, conferences which are to be represented by the leader to develop the
skills of the workers. Leader helps employees to achieve individual goal with organizational goal
by performing on the same platform. A leader can be friend of the employees which helps in
sharing of problems coming under the work process that can be solved to achieve the goal of
puma. Leadership helps in better communication between the workers of the company to have
less chaos in the work process. Puma has different departments working to achieve objective
which are leaded by the great leaders of the company. Leadership also develops communication
to the people from the outside of the company (Boak and Crabbe, 2019.). One direction of the
efforts is being provided by the leader to complete the task. Motivations of the work in the
3

employees are being given by the leader of the department of Puma. Leadership needs good
personality, experience and maturity to make the results positive in the company.
A good manager is the person or employee in the company which perfectly utilize the
resources in the work process to achieve the goal. Puma manager appoints the work on the basis
of the ability and skills of the employee. As work provided according to specialization will
results in timely completion of the task. Manager looks after the wastage of resources of the
company which can be used in better way to generate the positive results in the company. Puma
manager has the power to take the decision in the work process. Manager needs to control over
the actual work and future plan of the company. This controlling of the work will provide the
actual position and if any distraction comes in the process will be removed by the manager of
puma to achieve the goal of the organization (Jansen and et.al., 2016). Manager identifies the
problems in the work process so as to accomplish the goal smoothly over the time period. Puma
manager focuses on the strength and weakness of the employees to complete the task in better
way. Managers design plan chart at every step which need to be achieved by the workers
prevailing in the company so that goals can be achieved. Puma manager always find the ways to
motivate the staff or employees which are part of the work process. Motivated employee
contributes more for the company in the work process. Manager always helps employees in
achieving of individual goal rather than group goal. As all individual goal designed in such a
way which automatically leads in achievement of the group goal by the manager of Puma.
LO2
P2 Role of a leader and the function of a manager
There are a leader and a manager play very great role in the different situation contexts of
Puma. Basically, without leader and manager no company can achieve its different goals in the
market in decided time person. Both gives their great contribution in the all over growth of this
company (Wu, Li and Fang, 2017). Currently Puma is one of the leading clothing brands in the
international market. Reason is, Puma’s different leaders and managers always put their great
efforts in the workplace to maintain existing high reputation of their Brand in the market. There
are some major organisational situational contexts has been discussed below for properly
understanding the great role of a leader and a manager in an organisation.
Quality control
4

Most people within market highly like to buy different products and services from the
Puma because of its excellent quality of products. Basically, top-level management of company
believes in providing quality products and services to different customers in the market. That’s
why this brand has the large customer base as well. There are leader and manager at Puma plays
very great role in maintain excellent quality of product. For example; the function of a manager
at company is to always prepares a specific plan to control the quality of different products. It
gives order also to its different leaders and employees for properly implementing different
quality control techniques or methods, like; TQM (total quality control), JIT (just in time), Lean
production etc. Generally, these methods are very helpful in systematically producing different
quality products and services.
On the other side, a leader is responsible to properly take different orders from its upper
manager (Engelbrecht, Heine and Mahembe, 2017). When its manager give order for
implementing quality control methods or techniques, then this leader is responsible to
systematically implement different techniques and methods in the production process. There are
leaders is always required to inform its various employees or team members about new
techniques and methods of quality control.
Training and development
The manger always wants effective and skilled employees within its workplace. In this
situation, the manager takes different productive decisions towards providing training and
development sessions its employees. Reason is, with the support of appropriate training and
development sessions an employee can easily develop its different skills, abilities and area of
knowledge. That’s why the manager at Puma plays very great role the development of
employees’ skills and abilities.
On the other side, a leader within Puma also contributes in training and development
function. Basically, a leader always encourages and motivates its employees or team members
for taking huge advantages through different training and development sessions. Many times, a
leader suggest its upper manager always for organising various training and development
sessions within workplace to improve performance and productivity of employees and team
members.
Improvement productivity of organisation
5

There are a manager and leaders play very excellent role in improvement productivity of
employees as well (Ogbonnaya and et.al., 2016). The manager always takes necessary decisions
for improving productivity of Puma. The manger is only responsible body within the company to
implement appropriate technology in the workplace. Basically, currently there are various
technological machineries, tools and gadgets easily available in the market which can support in
improving productivity of Puma. In this situation, the manager is responsible to take decision for
implementing technology in daily operations.
On the other hand, ta leader need to take various orders from the manager. When
manager at Puma take decision for using new technology within workplace, then a leader is
responsible to implement decision of its manager. It means, leaders need to aware its employees
about new technology which enables to Puma for improving productivity. It is very necessary
task to a leader, because when company will be implemented new technology, then these
employees are the main people who use that technology in daily operations. At the end, leader
and leader will be able to improve productivity of Puma.
P3 Different theories and models of approach
There are different theories and models available which leaders of Puma should follow in
their daily operations (Lin and Liu, 2017). For example; situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency are some major leadership approaches which every leader within
organisation should employ its daily life for becoming a successful leader. These all leadership
approaches have been discussed and applied below. There are some major strengths and
weaknesses of these all approaches also has been discussed below;
Situational leadership
Situational leadership approach is a very common and useful approach of leadership
which always teach to different leaders in the workplace about how to deal with various
organisational situations. Basically, a leader of Puma always faces many situations in the
workplace. For example; sometimes it needs to solve different problems of employees in the
workplace, sometimes it needs to take decisions for improving performance of its performance.
In short, a leader always needs to deal with many situations in the Puma’s business operations
(Worline and Dutton, 2017). In this situation, the leaders within Puma should implement
transformational leadership approach in its daily operations for systematically dealing with
different organisational situations.
6

 Strengths: Supports in properly dealing with various situations. Weaknesses: Ineffective in task-oriented workplace
Systems leadership
There are systems leadership is also a very useful leadership approach which give
opportunity to leaders for taking excellent work from its employees or team members. Basically,
with the support of systems leadership, a leader can easily maintain a systematic workplace for
its all employees, where all employees only talk about progress, growth, success and
achievements. That’s why systems leadership approach is very useful for different leaders within
Puma. Many times, some conflicts have raised between employees within Puma, in which
leaders should use this approach to systematically deal with this issue. Strengths: Mostly provides positive results Weaknesses: Time consuming
Contingency
Contingency approach of leadership also always guides to different leaders about how to
effectively lead different employees, people or members within an organisation (Ellis and et.al.,
2017). In this situation, different leaders of Puma also need to take huge advantages through
contingency leadership approach. Sometimes, employees want to deliver their any message to
top-level management of Puma, but not be able to do this. In this situation, contingency
approach give opportunity to a leader for working like a mediator between employees and upper
management. This attribute of contingency always helps in maintaining effective relationship
between employees and employer. That’s why this is too important approach of leadership. Strengths: Provides various styles of leadership Weaknesses: Promotes complexity
Evaluation
 Leaders within the Puma should follow the concepts of these all leadership approaches
for effectively leading employees in the workplace.
 With the support of these approaches a leader can easily improve productivity of
employees.
 These all approaches give opportunity to a leader for becoming a successful leader.
7

LO 3
P4 Key approaches to operations management
The company Puma has always been an extremely quality conscious company where they
have always tried to manufactured best products with extremely good quality (Ravindran, 2016).
By regularly working on the improvement of the existing quality levels in their product, the
Puma Company has been able to successfully minimise the amount of wastage as well as the
number of defective pieces and create such a strong brand value. There are various techniques of
effective operations management that they adopt and implement in their organisations so that
benefits of this level can be drawn in the company. The techniques that have been used can be
illustrated as:
 Six Sigma (DMAIC): The technique of Six Sigma involves five major tools termed as
DMAIC i.e. define, measure, analyse, improve and control. The set of these tools
collectively are focused on increasing the quantum of goods that are being produced and
this is done mainly by elimination of the causes of defects and also by minimising the
impact to of variability in the process of manufacturing all over (Meredith and Shafer,
2019). The manager at Puma integrate this technique by ensuring proper implementation
of all the tools under the six sigma technique and the leaders at the company ensure that
the employees comply to such tools diligently and willingly.
 Lean Production: This type of operational management approach is solely focused on the
amount of waste that is being generated by the production process of a company and the
manner in which the waste can be minimised by controlling the activities that are
undertaken (Bromiley and Rau, 2016). This technique further entails the method in which
the resource usage can be minimal in order to develop skills that can assist in increasing the
capabilities of production in Puma. Managers at Puma focus on availability and
maintenance of resources that are required for production and leader of the company
increase the performance of the employees by motivating them to generate minimum
waste.
 Queuing Theory: Queuing theory integrates the availability of the resources and their
utilisation in a systematic manner where the sequential order is preferred in order to
establish proper balance (Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016). The theory claims that a customer
must not be kept waiting or in queue in order to utilise the goods and therefore, the
8

production process should be optimum ensuring that there is no excess productions but the
shortage is also avoided. The manager of Puma ensure that the staffing, scheduling and
other activities are done in a proper manner so that the delay can be avoided and the
leaders ensure that even if there is delay the situation is properly managed thus increasing
the service rate of Puma.
 Total Quality Management: The approach of TQM is mainly focused in the identification
and elimination of as many errors as possible in the entire process o production and
management of the supply chain so that the overall production can be improved and the
customer experience can be further improved. The minimum number of errors would
directly minimise the wastage of resources as well as the time taken to produce such goods
(Grant, Trautrims and Wong, 2017). The managers at Puma focus on the establishment of
good relations with the capable suppliers whose raw materials are least faulty and the
leaders at Puma work on the aspect of employee commitments and honesty where they are
themselves focused on elimination of errors that are identified.
 Kaizen: The Kaizen is the Japanese term of the model of continuous improvement where
the practices and processes that have been adopted in the organisations are constantly
evaluated and improved (Reid and Sanders, 2019). The production process of the company
is integrated with the latest technological developments and advancements so that the
overall process can improve in the organisation. In Puma, the managers of the company
make sure that all the aspects related to advancements and upgrading is carried out i.e.
executed and the leaders of the company focus on the availability of proper guidance
regarding the advanced technology and its usage.
Therefore, in this manner the operational approaches are adopted and implemented in the
organisation Puma.
P5 Importance and value of operations management
The concept of operation management is a very critical part in the entire production
process that is being implemented in the organisations where the maximum production is
encouraged by the utilisation of the resources in a comprehensive manner that is extremely
exhaustive (Schönsleben, 2016). The broad aspects in which the importance of the operations
management can be identified are:
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 Control and Distribution Systems: The operation management at Puma is the major
contributor in the facilitation of the distribution system as they implement different
techniques that are majorly oriented with the control on the entire production process
and the adequate distribution of the resources.
 Process design: The process design is also an important aspect where the redundant
stages are removed from the overall process so that the effective resource utilisation can
be minimised and production quantity can increase in Puma’s production process.
 Transformation into finished products: The transformation of the raw material that has
been accumulated into finished products with great quality is the basic function of the
operatic management and further the major contribution is in the form o delivery of
error free producing with as much number of minimum defective pieces as possible
(Heizer, 2016).
The different aspects of the operation management contribute immensely in the value
generation in the organisation and these can be identified from the following major deliverables
of the company that can be identified as:
 Enhancing Quality: The quality enhancement is one of the major contributions that the
operation management makes as they ensure that the product that is being manufactured
is of optimum quality and further the value generation is increased as more products are
being able to be targeted amongst minimum resource utilisation.
 Cost Reduction: the cost reduction is another major aspect in the value generation. In
puma, the implementation of operation management leads to the better utilisation of
resources that are used in a appropriate manner the maximum production is tried to be
derived out of the production that is taking place.
 Innovation: Innovation is the key in the operation management process as the
technological advancement that is required and the overall integration of the machineries
and other accessories are major contributors in an effective production system and
operation management at Puma facilitates this (Reid and Sanders, 2019).
Therefore collectively it can be said that the integration of the functions and the objectives of
the operation management in an organization are the key behind the ascertainment of the value
contributions that Puma is able to generate and the manner in which the customer satisfaction
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and increased loyalty is also achieved by the organisations. Therefore, collectively these are
instrumental in the success of the entire organisation as well.
LO 4
P6 Factors of business environment affecting the operational management
The business environment is affected by a multiple number of factors that are more
comprehensive and indirectly affects the working if the organisation as well as the external
environment is not just comprising of the external factors that can be categorised as Pestle
factors but it also includes varies other aspects that an organisation needs to consider for their
business activities. Since Puma is a world recognised brand, it is essential to integrate these
factors and evaluate them critically so that the correct estimates and decision making can be
facilitated by this. The major factors that can be included in this analysis include:
 Corporate social responsibility: The compliance to CSR activities is a very
comprehensive activity that can help the organisation in increasing the goodwill and gain
the support of the society as well (Meredith and Shafer, 2019). Collectively the
compliance to CSR activities by Puma will help the company in increasing the method of
performing and the employees can also be motivated towards adopting a sustainable
approach.
 Employee Efficiency/Resources: The employee and their satisfaction level is another
integrated strategy that affects the business environment in which the company is
operating and also assist in the increasing the productivity of the company ultimately.
Puma must emphasis the employee satisfaction s a critical sect of all their policies so that
no disruption in the productivity of the organisation occurs.
 Culture: The compliance to the culture in which the business is operating i.e. the beliefs
of the society need to be complied with at all times. Any organisation cannot function
when it goes beyond the acceptable norms of the society. Therefore, it is inc necessary
for Puma as well to comply to the different aspects of the different cultures in which they
are operating so that success can be assured.
 Value and Ethics: Ethics and values acts as the principles that distinguishes between the
right and the working practices that can be adopted and urges towards the right direction
(Gibson and Parkman, 2018). In Puma, the activities are performed within the legislative
boundaries of that company and additionally the deals and offers given would be fair to
11

the customers so that they gain something that is worth of the value of money that they
are spending.
 Sustainability: Sustainable goals and objectives have become the key aspect in the
success measurement of every company today. The customers are focusing on the
sustainability score of the company along with their profits rather than just focusing on
the profits. In Puma, the sustainable objective as well as the score is very high and should
be worked upon for further improvement.
 Stakeholders in the macroeconomic environment: The stakeholders of the company are
the ones who are invested in the organisation and its activities and therefore it is
necessary to comply to their wishes so that maximum returns can be generated (Slack and
Brandon-Jones, 2018). At Puma, the compliance with the wishes of the stakeholders are
the critical aspect in the operating and ensuring that work processes are working
smoothly thus highlighting the importance of this aspect.
CONCLUSION
The analysis conducted in the report above helps in concluding that the management and
operation is a critical aspect of the overall working of the organisation. The report identified the
difference that exists between leader and a manger. The report also presented an analysis of the
different theories that can be implemented in an organisation and the different leadership theories
were also implemented in context of Puma. Further the report analysed different operation
management approaches and the important and value of operation management. Lastly the
impact of external factors was also presented in context of the normal business activities.
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