Leadership, Management and Operational Decision Making Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers within a business context, using Uber Technologies as a case study. It explores the functions of both leaders and managers, comparing their responsibilities and impact on organizational performance. The report delves into the importance of operational management and its role in achieving business objectives, evaluating the factors that influence decision-making in this area. Furthermore, it examines leadership theories such as situational, system, and contingency leadership, assessing their practical applications. The report concludes with an overview of the critical aspects of leadership, management, and operational management, highlighting their significance in driving business success and adapting to the dynamic market environment.

Management and
operation

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Analysis and comparison of various characteristics and roles of a manager as well as of a
leader............................................................................................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2. Identification of the different situations in which functions of a manager and role of a
leader apply..................................................................................................................................3
P3. Application of the models and theories which also includes contingency, system
leadership, and situational leadership..........................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P4. Detailed evaluation of management of operations and the role that a manager as well as a
leader play....................................................................................................................................5
P5. Examination of the importance that operational management possesses and its role in
achieving business objectives successfully.................................................................................6
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P6. Identification of the factors that influence decision making regarding management of
operations by both a manager and a leader..................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Operations and management is one of the most important part for each and every firm that is
operating in the market irrespective of the industry in which it is working as it helps the
companies to achieve its goals and objectives in an effective and efficient manner and that too
within a limited period of time (Barelli, Bidini and Ottaviano, 2016). Uber Technologies is a
company that is working in the industry since a pretty long time and thus has captured a
considerable amount of share in the market too and is spread in almost each and every part of the
world. In this report there is a detailed discussion about the various aspects of both a leader as
well as a manger, their role and functions, its impact on the working of the firm and its
environment. Apart from this the report also covers a comparison between the two and their roles
and characteristics. Further approaches, theories, decision making concept and other important
factors are also analysed and evaluated in detail in this report.
TASK 1
P1. Analysis and comparison of various characteristics and roles of a manager as well as of a
leader
Both a leader as well as a manager carries a lot of importance for every firm as they are
treated as backbone of the companies without which business cannot run in an effective and
efficient manner. All of the above aspects are discussed below in a detailed manner-
Leader- A leader s a person that leads a group of people or an organisation so that it can
achieve its goals and objectives in a precise manner. They are very far sighted personnel’s that
carry the potential to increase and improve the profitability as well as growth of the firm by
making employees follow their guidelines and thus improving overall working of the company.
A leader has the capability to judge everyone’s potential and then work accordingly so that
employee can work with maximum of its capability. Uber Technologies is a firm that stands well
ahead of all of its competitors as it possess a team of expert leaders that proves beneficial for the
company in the long run.
Manager- Manager is a person that analyses and evaluates each and every aspect of the
firm in detail and then takes decisions that are in favour of that company. They are highly
educated and skilled workers that put all their skills so as to improve the conditions of the
company so that it can sustain in the competitive market condition for a longer period of time as

compared to its competitors that are prevailing in the similar industry. Uber Technologies have
identified this aspect in its early days and thus it recruits highly knowledgeable personnel’s in its
business so that it can add to the profitability and growth of the firm and that too in the long run
aspect (Gan and Zheng, 2019).
Both manger and leader possess various characteristics as well as there are many roles
that they have to play and all of them are elaborated briefly below-
Leader Manager
 A leader has many characteristics that
include foresightedness, leading
qualities, motivation, etc. that helps
them to do all the things that other
person’s can’t do because of their
limitations. Uber Technologies keep a
eye on this aspect that their leaders are
performing as per set standards or not
and thus it helped the company a lot in
the current market that is highly
competitive in nature.
All the leaders have to play an important role
so that the business can accomplish the desired
objectives and goals that are set at the starting.
Uber Technologies have a experienced and
skilled team of leaders that is very beneficial as
it helps the firm to adapt to the changing
environment of the business (Hernández-
Callejo, 2019).
 Managers are persons that are highly
skilled and possess a lot of
characteristics like good
communication, self assurance,
management skills, etc. and help the
firm to manage and take appropriate
decisions about various aspects that are
important in nature. Uber Technologies
is a firm that has a wing of mangers
that are highly qualified and helps to
add to the value of the firm in the long
run.
 There are various roles also that
manager’s play that is to take necessary
decisions that are beneficial for the firm
to improve its value in the market. Uber
Technologies have a team of expert
managers that helps it to compete in the
market without facing much challenges
from its competitors.

TASK 2
P2. Identification of the different situations in which functions of a manager and role of a leader
apply
There are different functions of a manager as well as there are various types of role that a
leader plays and almost all of them are discussed below in detail with the reference of the above
company-
Role of a leader- As a leader possess a lot of important in each and every industry sector
thus there are various types of roles that a leader play for the firm so that it can improve its
performance. All the roles of the leader are analysed below in detail-
 Vision- It is one of the most important role of a leader that is a leader must be far sighted
and must know the things that are to be achieved in the near future. If a leader have a
clear vision it can also prove very crucial for the rest of the followers as it defines the
path for the employees in the prevailing market conditions. Uber Technologies leaders
are the one which have a clear vision about all the aspects of the firm.
 Motivation- Role of a leader is to motivate its followers so that they can successfully
achieve the targets, goals, and objectives and that too within a limited period of frame. A
leader must have the capability to keep the rest of the team motivated so that it can prove
beneficial for the entire firm. Uber Technologies leader motivates its employees by using
various tools like incentives so that all the persons in the team stay motivated.
Delegation- It is a role that is very critical as well as crucial for all as it helps in fulfilment of the
task at an early stage. A leader must have the potential to delegate authorities and responsibilities
to the rest of the team according to the capability of each and every individual so that it can act
as a tool for improvement of the value of the firm in the long run. Uber Technologies leaders
delegate their powers in an effective manner that helps the firm in critically achieving its tasks
(Jafari, Malekjamshidi and Zhu, 2019).
Functions of a manager- There are various functions of managers too that are very critical
as well as crucial from the firm’s point of view and all are explained in detail below-
 Planning- It is one of the most important function as it decides in advance the crucial
questions that are what to do, how to do, who is to do, and when to do. It also bridges the
gap between present that is where the firm is and the future that is where the firm wish to
be. It is regarded as a mental activity that is thinking before doing and critical analysis of

all the various other aspects. Also it involves with objectives and policies that are essence
of planning and also it involves decision making that is to choose the best alternative
from the number of alternatives. Uber Technologies uses this aspect in a very skilled
manner all because of their excellent force of managers.
 Organising- It is a function in which there are creations of various job positions and
relating and linking the jobs through power. In it collection and relation of resources
takes place and it also ensures that all the efforts are directed towards the attainment of
goals laid down by planning function. It also leads to creation of organisational structure
with job positions in which roles are clearly defined. Uber Technologies managers work
in a systematic manner that helps the firm in doing it in a proper manner.
Staffing- It is a function that means filling the job positions created by organising and placing
right person to the right job in the organisation and maintaining them through training and
development. It also includes manning the organisations by providing right number and right
type of individuals needed to do the job. It takes and maintains a satisfied work force and also
compromises of specialised functions such as recruitment, selection, training and development,
etc. Uber Technologies recruits all of its employees after a rigorous procedures so that only
deserving candidate is processed further (Li, Xing-zhi and Yao-qiang, 2016).
 Directing- This function instructs, guides, motivates, and leads the efforts of others as it
involves telling people what to do and seeing that they do it with the best of their
abilities. This is regarded as the heart function because actual work begins after this
function. Directing bridges the gap between preparatory functions that is planning,
organising, and staffing and controlling function. Uber Technologies managers direct
each and every individual in a precise manner so that it can lead to the accomplishment of
all the goals of the firm in an appropriate manner.
 Controlling- In this function a comparison of performance is done with the standards so
that deviations can be highlighted and then rectified as soon as possible. It is a function
that ensures that all the plans are achieved and that too within a limited period of time.
Uber Technologies managers perform this function of management in an efficient as well
as effective manner so that it can add to the long term value of the firm.

P3. Application of the models and theories which also includes contingency, system leadership,
and situational leadership
There are a number of approaches that carry a lot of importance in the current market
scenario and all of them are discussed below with the context of the above firm in a detailed
manner-
Situational leadership- It is a type of leadership theory that was developed by Paul Hersey and
Ken Blanchard in the year 1969 as it helps in adapting to the changing business environment
which is one of the most essential aspect in the current situation. It also helps to make
appropriate decision according to the needs, requirements, and demands of the firm. Uber
technologies is a company in which leaders has all the skills and knowledge about the changes
that has to be made so as to deal with the changing environment in an effective and efficient
manner (Procházková and Procházka, 2020).
 System leadership- It is an approach that is very beneficial from the organisation’s point
of view as it helps in evaluating and analysing the system of a business in an appropriate
manner. Uber technologies is a type of company that trains its leaders well enough so that
it helps to achieve and accomplish the goals and objectives that are laid down at the
starting of the firm.
 Contingency- It is one of the most important aspect as it helps in making a plan in case
of any contingency that is not pre planned and thus it proves very useful at that time as it
helps in sustainable development of the firm in the long run. Uber technologies makes
and evaluates all the possible contingency plans so that it can handle all the problems in
the near future.
TASK 3
P4. Detailed evaluation of management of operations and the role that a manager as well as a
leader play
Management of operation provides a detailed plan to the company so that it can reduce the
cost by cutting down wastages as well as it helps in controlling the activities of the business in an
effective way. In a firm like Uber technologies this aspect is given priority as it helps in
improving the growth, profitability, as well as development of the firm in the long run.
Types of Operation management approaches-

Six sigma- It is an approach of management of operations that was first coined by Bill Smith in
the year 1986 and it is related with the improvement of the firm by using appropriate tools and
techniques so that it proves beneficial for overall working of the firm in the long run. Uber
technologies is a firm that uses this approach and that too very often as it has helped the firm to
achieve the desired results in a limited period of time (Szewczak, 2017)(Tu, 2020).
 Total quality management- This approach tends to shift its focus on building and
creating a sustainable environment of working in which all the employees can work
towards a similar objectives that is to accomplish the goal of the company. In this there is
a constant focus on improving the quality of the employees as well as the work that they
do so that it can generate maximum results in a short period. Uber technologies recruits
specialised personnel’s so that this approach can be implemented successfully in the
organisation which will subsequently increase the sales and then profits of the company.
 Lean production- It is an approach that focuses on cutting down wastage so that all the
resources that the firm possess must be used in an appropriate manner as well as with the
best of their capabilities. In a firm like Uber technologies it is given high importance that
there must be minimum wastage of resources and thus it have proved very beneficial too
for the firm in the long run as it has increased its profits and growth many folds as
compared to its competitors that are prevailing in the similar industry.
P5. Examination of the importance that operational management possesses and its role in
achieving business objectives successfully
Operation management is an essential aspect for each and every firm and its different
aspects that are very crucial too from the company’s point of view are explained below in detail-
 Utilisation of resources- It is one of the most important as well as crucial aspect because
if the resources that are available with the company are utilised properly then it would
help in increased sales and further will result in improved profitability and thus it is very
important for all the companies to analyse this aspect in a careful and precise manner.
Uber technologies does a detailed analysis and evaluation of all the resources that it
possesses and then implement it so as to utilise the available resources in an efficient and
effective manner (Xu, 2017).
Inventory management- It is a factor in which inventory which is one of the most important
part for each firm that is operating in the market irrespective of the industry in which it is

operating. In this aspect inventory is managed so that in case of any wastage it can be reduced or
eliminated if it could be so that it would result in increased efficiency of the firm and that too in
long run. Uber technologies manage its inventory in a very precise manner so that it can add to
the value of the firm in the market as well as in the industry in which it is operating (Wen-Si and
Jia-Long, 2019).
TASK 4
P6. Identification of the factors that influence decision making regarding management of
operations by both a manager and a leader
There are various different factors that are related with business environment that impacts the
working of the firm in both direct and indirect way and thus it is very important to analyse and
evaluate all those aspects in a systematic manner so that it could not lead to damage of the firm
in the long run. All of them are discussed below briefly-
 Economic- These are factors that are related with the economy and its related aspects that
impact the firm and these can be inflation rate, foreign exchange rates, unemployment
level, etc. and possess a lot of importance. As Uber technologies is working in a dynamic
environment so all these factors impacts it directly due to the world wide operations that
it does.
 Legal- These are factors that are related with the rules and regulations, laws, policies and
procedures, code of conduct, etc. and all the firms have to comply as well as abide by all
these otherwise it can adversely affects the company. Uber technologies is very much
impacted by the Bexit law that is systematic leaving of the UK from the European Unions
and thus it have to keep abiding by the laws so that it does not affects the firm that badly.
Social- These are factors related with the society and its citizens like change in preference,
trends, or taste of the consumer and the firm that is Uber technologies has to cope up with all the
challenges regarding this by anticipating all the aspect well within time so that it can add to the
value of the firm in the long run (Wimmer, Skrzyppek and Köbl, 2016).
Environmental- These are factors that are related with environment like carbon footprints of a
company, pollution, etc. and the organisation that is Uber technologies have to abide by all its
aspects so that it can lead the firm to grow and prosper in all the areas and to stand ahead of all
its competitors that are prevailing in the similar industry (Zhang, Jiang and Wang, 2018).

CONCLUSION
Management operation is one of the most crucial aspect as it helps in achieving the goals
and objectives of the firm and that too within a limited period of time. From the above it can be
concluded that there are various factors that are related with managers and leaders and all are
important at their respective places. Apart from this it can be concluded that the firm Uber
technologies is doing exceptionally well in the market and has to put more focus on some areas
so that it can become a company that no one can beat in the long run.

REFERENCES
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