Leadership and Management Impact on UK Retail: Sainsbury Study

This research proposal investigates the impact of leadership and management on organizational productivity and performance within the UK retail sector, focusing on a case study of Sainsbury. It aims to understand the concepts of leadership and management in the UK retail context, identify their impact on Sainsbury's productivity and performance, and discern the challenges faced by the organization in the absence of effective leadership and management. The study employs a deductive approach, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative research choices, and gathers data through primary (questionnaires) and secondary sources. The research methodology incorporates positivism philosophy and a survey strategy to collect relevant and valid results. The proposal outlines a proposed timescale and anticipates that the findings will provide valuable insights into enhancing business productivity and addressing managerial practices within Sainsbury.

Short research proposal

Contents
Research topic: To ascertain the impact of leadership and management on Organization
productivity and performance within UK retail sector....................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH FOCUS...................................................1
Research aim:...............................................................................................................................1
Research objective:......................................................................................................................2
Research Question:......................................................................................................................2
Rationale of research...................................................................................................................2
JUSTIFICATION AND CONTEXTUALIZATION......................................................................2
To understand the concept of leadership and management within the context of UK retail
industry........................................................................................................................................3
To identify the impact of leadership and management on Sainsbury productivity and
performance.................................................................................................................................3
To discern the challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of effective leadership and
management within the organization...........................................................................................4
METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................................5
Proposed Timescale.........................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

Research topic: To ascertain the impact of leadership and management on
Organization productivity and performance within UK retail sector.
INTRODUCTION
Leadership and management both plays crucial role within retail industry. As leadership is
considered as the efficient process which is used by leaders to guide, direct and convince
individuals’ attitudes and perform towards accomplishment of common objectives in specified
time period. It is also regarded as process to inspires person by influencing as well as
empowering the team. This is also the abilities to develop a changes or difference by forming
objectives that bring individuals together, maximising their development through effectual
vision, empowerment, enthusiasm and many more. Management is regarded as the procedures to
guide the development, maintenance and allocation of resources for attaining the firm’s
objectives. Additionally, managers may renders leadership to its groups, facilitating an intent as
well as guidance that staff may trust. In addition to this, the effective management and
leadership can leader organisation in enhancing their productivity and performance in efficient
manner. It assists workers reach its targets and manage regular manufacturing & procedures of
business. The company chosen for this study is Sainsbury, which is one of the leading retailer
and second largest supermarket chain in UK. Its headquarters is in London, United Kingdom and
established in year 1869 by John James Sainsbury. The topics which are going to be discussed in
this study are Theoretical backgrounds and research focus, justification and conceptualisation.
Apart from this, research methodologies are also explained in this investigation.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH FOCUS
Within this chapter, it would be utilised to briefly introduce the fundamental theoretical
topics which would be formed in detailed manner. Moreover, the key intent of this is to connect
the research existent knowledge. The main focus of research is to impact of leadership and
management on Organization productivity and performance within UK retail sector.
Research aim:
“To ascertain the impact of leadership and management on Organization productivity and
performance within UK retail sector: A study on Sainsbury”.
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Research objective:
 To understand the concept of leadership and management within the context of UK
retail industry.
 To identify the impact of leadership and management on Sainsbury productivity and
performance.
 To discern the challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of effective leadership and
management within the organization.
Research Question:
 What is the concept of leadership and management within the context of UK retail
industry?
 What is the impact of leadership and management on Sainsbury productivity and
performance?
 What are the challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of effective leadership and
management within the organization?
Rationale of research
The one of the key reason for performing this research is to ascertain the impact of leadership
and management on organization productivity and performance within UK retail sector.
Additionally, this enables researcher to obtain the understandings related to different effects of
management and leadership upon organizational performance & productivity, concepts of both
leadership and management within retail industry and challenges faced by firm in absence of
effectual management & leadership. In respect of organization, this aids in gaining insight
related to their impacts on business productivity. This also assists researcher to develops as well
as learnt competencies like communication skills, time management skills, data collection and
many others. In addition to this, this would be also helpful in performing further investigation in
efficacious and on time.
JUSTIFICATION AND CONTEXTUALIZATION
Justification describes towards the rationale for study, or reason why investigation is being
performed that includes a description for design & methods included into study. Additionally,
conceptualisation is considered as the way to approach the research project, or relating this to
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appropriate study as well as to set the investigation. As it provides credibility and assists to its
research project as whole.
To understand the concept of leadership and management within the context of UK retail
industry.
As per the view point of Kazemi (2020), Within UK retail industry, Leadership and
management both plays crucial role within retail industry. As leadership is considered as the
efficient process which is used by leaders to guide, direct and convince individuals’ attitudes and
perform towards accomplishment of common objectives in specified time period. It is also
regarded as process to inspires person by influencing as well as empowering the team. This is
also the abilities to develop a changes or difference by forming objectives that bring individuals
together, maximising their development through effectual vision, empowerment, enthusiasm and
many more.
Management is regarded as the procedures to guide the development, maintenance and
allocation of resources for attaining the firm’s objectives. Additionally, managers may renders
leadership to its groups, facilitating an intent as well as guidance that staff may trust. In addition
to this, the effective management and leadership can leader organisation in enhancing their
productivity and performance in efficient manner. It assists workers reach its targets and manage
regular manufacturing & procedures of retail business.
To identify the impact of leadership and management on Sainsbury productivity and
performance.
As per the view point of Kent (2020), Leadership is regarded as the procedures to influence the
attitude of individuals through developing them in striving voluntarily towards accomplishment
of business objectives. Additionally, management is undertaken as the coordination and
administration of activities for attaining the objectives. Such practices of management
incorporate setting business strategy and coordinate the potential of employees to attain these
goals by the application of available resources. So, both leadership and management have
positive & negative impacts on Sainsbury productivity and performance. As ineffective
leadership and management have negative impacts upon Sainsbury’s performance and
productivity as these leads towards employees de-motivation and higher staff turnover. The
employees’ morale is undertaken to be the most effective aspects for all organization.
Additionally, management & leadership within firms leads towards minimisation in staff morale
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which effects lacking into discipline due to that staff would not proficient to renders their
efficient efforts. In addition to this, this is so while there is lack of management and leadership
the productivity of employees get reduced as well as their performance also get impacts as it do
not gain effective guidance along with assigned activities. leadership and management not only
impacts the organizational performance and productivity but also it effect managerial practices as
well. This is because while there is lack off appropriate management & leadership then it will
drives towards ineffective management of resources, inappropriate keeping of records, inefficient
human resource management and so on. In addition to this, the particular aspect might directly
impacts respective organization productivity and performance as it could not gain proper
information resources and data related to activities.s Additionally, it affects directly or indirectly.
In direct way, it drives towards mismanagement of resources whereas in regards of indirect they
will not capable to recognize the competent workers. Therefore, there are different circumstances
that highlights that inappropriate management & leadership have adverse impacts upon
respective organization performance and productivity
To discern the challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of effective leadership and management
within the organization.
As per the view point of Bordeleau (2020), The challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of
effective leadership and management within the organization are discussed below:
Minimization into morale of employees: The employees’ morale is undertaken to be the most
effective aspects for all organization. Additionally, because of absence of management &
leadership within firms leads towards minimisation in staff morale which effects lacking into
discipline due to that staff would not proficient to renders their efficient efforts. In addition to
this, this is so while there is lack of management and leadership the productivity of employees
get reduced as well as their performance also get impacts as it do not gain effective guidance
along with assigned activities.
Mismanagement of resources: The absence of leadership and management not only impacts the
organizational performance and productivity but also it effect managerial practices as well. This
is because while there is lack off appropriate management & leadership then it will drives
towards ineffective management of resources, inappropriate keeping of records, inefficient
human resource management and so on. In addition to this, the particular aspect might directly
4

impacts respective organization productivity and performance as it could not gain proper
information resources and data related to activities.
METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is defined as the methods which are generally used by researcher for
identifying the information related to investigation. In addition to this, it is effective procedures
which research opt to accumulate data to successfully accomplishment of their investigation by
gaining appropriate outcomes. Moreover, there are various methods such as research
philosophies, approach, designs and so on. There are several methods which would be used in
this study are explained below:
 Research philosophy: This is undertaken as the manner wherein information related to
study in collected, evaluated and utilised. Additionally, there are mainly two kinds of
research philosophies that are positivism and interpretivism. Based upon the chosen
research topic, positivism philosophy is efficient as this essentially based upon subjective
approaches beside of any feelings and emotions. In addition to this, it is an effectual
method as this aids in obtaining much relevant as well as efficient decision into actual
time situations. Also, this aids investigator to gather information in lesser period and
resources.
 Research approach: This is regarded as the method which is applied through investigator
with goals to effectually analyse the data related to topic of study. Additionally, inductive
and deductive are known to be the two key approaches of research as well as both are
helpful in performing the investigation. Based upon the chosen topic, deductive approach
is appropriate as this assists in determining the information that is statistical as well as is
also undertake lesser time & cost. The key reason to opt deductive approach is depends
upon the facts because of that there is officious testing of quantitative data.
 Research strategy: One of the key integral aspect of research methodology which aids in
planning, executing and observing research in effective and efficient way. Additionally,
the various kinds of study strategy are case study, survey, action research, experiment and
so on. In regards to current study, survey as research strategy is helpful as this assists
investigator to accumulate data which in future aids in attaining relevant and valid results.
In addition to this, it also aids to collect initial and appropriate data from various
respondents.
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 Research choices: This is undertaken as the other crucial element of research
methodology. This is essential classified in two kinds that are quantitative and qualitative.
In case of current study, Both qualitative and quantitative method is opted through
investigator. Additionally, quantitative research choice aids in gathering information
based upon the figures & facts into lesser time and cost. While qualitative information
aids researcher for gaining deep understandings related to chosen study topic that is
already evaluated and gathered through professionals.
 Data collection: This is crucial for researcher for developing an effective utilisation of
data collection method for performing the investigation as whole outcomes depends upon
it. Additionally, there are two kinds of data collection such as primary and secondary.
For accomplishing the current proposal, both primary and secondary method is adapted
through investigator. In order to gather primary data, questionnaires is utilised through
researcher as this aids in obtaining relevant as well as optimistic results into lesser time
period. In addition to this, it also forms researcher competent for collecting initial data
because of that relevant, accurate and unbiased conclusion may be drawn. Questionnaires:
Q1: As per your view point, do you have any ideas about the concept of leadership and management within retail
industry
a) Yes
b) No
Q2: What are the impacts of leadership and management on Sainsbury performance and productivity
a) Positive impact
b) Negative impact
Q3: According to you, Does the leadership and management have negative impacts on business productivity?
a) Yes
b) NO
Q4: What are the various challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of effective leadership and management within
the organization?
a) Resource mismanagement
b) Reduce the staff morale
Q5: What are the several advantage of adaption of effective leadership & management approach at Sainsbury’s
productivity
a) Effective and timely execution of activities
b) Attainment of competitive advantage
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c) Increase in employee performance
d) Enhancement of brand image
Q6: As per the view point, Is effective leadership and management have positive impacts upon organisational
productivity and performance?
a) True
b) False
Q7: Any suggestion
 Sampling: This is undertaken as process to choose sample size from overall population
for performing the investigation as well as is essentially classified in two that are
probability and non probability sampling method. In respect of current investigation,
probability sampling method is opted as this aids to select huge sample size. The 30
employees of Sainsbury is chosen ass respondents to gather information as well as to
accomplish research objectives. The key reason beside opting staff as respondents is that
they have understandings related to works, norms & policies of entity.
 Research instrument: There are several instrument of study which aids in performing
investigation like interview, focus group, questionnaires is appropriate as well as
significant instrument as this aids to gather information in lesser time and cost.
Additionally, this also assists researcher to understand the perceptions of participants
upon topic of study that in future drives towards formation of relevant conclusion.
 Data analysis: It is the other crucial kinds of research methodology. Additionally, this
undertakes into various kinds like thematic analysis, frequency distribution analysis and
others. Within current investigation, frequency distribution analysis is utilised as it aids in
evaluating primary and quantitative data in efficacious and efficient manner.
Frequency distribution annalysis
Q1: As per your view point, do you have any ideas about the concept of leadership and
management within retail industry?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q2: What are the impacts of leadership and management on Sainsbury performance and
productivity
Frequency
a) Positive impact 28
b) Negative impact 2
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Q3: According to you, Does the leadership and management have negative impacts on business
productivity?
Frequency
a) Yes 26
b) NO 4
Q4: What are the various challenges faced by Sainsbury in absence of effective leadership and
management within the organization?
Frequency
a) Resource mismanagement 10
b) Reduce the staff morale 20
Q5: What are the several advantage of adaption of effective leadership & management approach
at Sainsbury’s productivity
Frequency
a) Effective and timely execution of activities 5
b) Attainment of competitive advantage 10
c) Increase in employee performance 7
d) Enhancement of brand image 8
Q6: As per the view point, Is effective leadership and management have positive impacts upon
organisational productivity and performance?
Frequency
a) True 22
b) False 8
Q7: Any suggestion
Proposed Timescale
Activ
ities
1st
week
2nd
week
3rd
week
4th
week
5th
week
6th
week
7th
week
8th
week
9th
week
10th
week
11th
week
12th
week
13th
week
Selec
tion
of
resea
rch
topic
Deve
lopin
g
aims
and
8

objec
tives
along
with
frami
ng
resea
rch
quest
ions
with
regar
d to
topic
Draft
ing
resea
rch
prop
osal.
Perfo
rmin
g
litera
ture
revie
w
with
the
devel
9

opme
nt of
them
es.
Asse
ssme
nt
along
with
select
ion
of
resea
rch
meth
odolo
gy
Cond
uctin
g
litera
ture
revie
w
Colle
ction
and
analy
sis
of
10

data
Anal
ysing
the
colle
cted
data
Draw
ing
concl
usion
.
Reco
mme
nding
vario
us
strate
gies
for
resol
ving
issue
regar
ding
demo
tivati
on.
Arra
nging
11

repor
t in a
struct
ured
mann
er.
Cons
ultati
on
with
tutor.
Perfo
rmin
g
modi
ficati
on if
any.
Final
subm
issio
n.
CONCLUSION
As per the above study, this has been concluded that both leadership and management plays vital
role within retail industry. As leadership is the efficient process which is used by leaders to
guide, direct and convince individuals’ attitudes and perform towards accomplishment of
common objectives in specified time period. While management is the procedures to guide the
development, maintenance and allocation of resources for attaining the firm’s objectives.
12

Additionally, managers may renders leadership to its groups, facilitating an intent as well as
guidance that staff may trust. In addition to this, the effective management and leadership can
leader organisation in enhancing their productivity and performance in efficient manner. It
assists workers reach its targets and manage regular manufacturing & procedures of business.
Along with this, it is effective procedures which research opt to accumulate data to successfully
accomplishment of their investigation by gaining appropriate outcomes. There are various
methods such as research philosophies, approach, designs and so on. Apart from this, for further
performing this dissertation, frequency distribution analysis is utilised as it aids in evaluating
primary and quantitative data in efficacious and efficient manner.
13

REFERENCES
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