Comprehensive Analysis: Leadership and Management at Unilever Plc

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management practices within Unilever Plc, a multinational consumer goods company. The introduction outlines the scope, defining the roles of leaders and managers and their impact on organizational efficiency. Task 1 differentiates between leaders and managers, highlighting their characteristics and roles in guiding employees, making decisions, and creating a vision. Task 2 explores the functions of leaders and managers in various business situations, such as conflict resolution, task failures, sales declines, and change management. Task 3 applies leadership theories and models, including situational leadership, system leadership, and contingency theory, to the context of Unilever. Finally, Task 4 examines key approaches to operational management, such as lean manufacturing, and their impact on achieving business objectives. The report concludes by summarizing the relationship between leadership and management in the contemporary business environment.

Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1- compression of role and characteristics of leaders and managers.........................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................3
P2- Role and function of leaders and managers in various situation within business.................3
P3- Apply theories and models of the leadership .......................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................6
P4 Key approaches of the operational management and leaders and managers role in those
approaches....................................................................................................................................6
P5- Explain the Importance and the value of operational management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................7
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................8
P6- Business environment factors that affect Operational Management and decision making of
the company.................................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCESS............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Operational management is the administration of the company practices that helps to
develop the high level of the efficiency for the organization. It refers to converting the material
and lobar into the goods and services as efficiently as possible to company can increase their
profitability, and they can success within their business. This report includes study about
Unilever Plc which is an British multinational company and having huge reputation in all over
the world. They sell varieties of the products that coves Food, Soft and energy drinks, beauty
products and many more other. And they own more than 400 brands with the turnover of 50
billion euros.
This report will define functions and role of leaders and managers and it will apply the
role and function of leader and managers within behaviour organizational situation. This report
will demonstrate approaches of the operation management. In the end of this report will
Demonstrate the relationship between leadership and management in the contemporary
environment.
TASK 1
P1- compression of role and characteristics of leaders and managers
Overview of entity: Unilever Plc is a leading consumer product business that is
headquartered at London, UK since 1929. Its product line comprises of energy drinks, cheese,
juice, personal care, confections, pet food, pharmaceutical, chewing gum, food, margarine,
breakfast cereals and hence forth. It have around 155000 employees working at its premises.
Definition of a Leader: A leader is said to an individual who possess potentials for
influencing and guiding others for completion of work. Leader are most important part of the
organization, and they are responsible to proper successfully outcomes for the Unilever Plc.
Definition of a manager: Manager is delineated to a person who looks after
administration and controlling of working of staff. In Unilever Plc, manager is charge of whole
activities undertaken and controlling them with certain independent judgements.
Here are roles and characteristics of both leaders and manager.
Differentiation Management Leadership
1

Meaning It could be termed as a sequential act to
plan, devise decisions, organise
resources, lead and motivate people
together with control deviations among
human resources, information, tactics
as well as operations.
It refers to an act to influence
or stimulate manpower with the
hope of attaining common
objectives. In Unilever,
leadership means to direct
employees with tactics so to
meet needs of organisation.
Characteristics Within Unilever, managers posses
following characteristics:
Leader employees
Leader of the Unilever Plc are
responsible to lead the employee
toward the gaols and objective (Burns.,
2018). A effectually leaders take each
and every member of the team with
them and create daily objectives so they
can achieve their gaols and objectives
within the daily activities.
Motivate other
Leaders role is to motivate other
by using their skills and experiences, a
effective leader always an inspiration
for their team, and they motivate them
by communicating and making them
members their straights.
Create vision
Leaders of the company create
vision for the company so employee’s
can understand what they need to
Leaders of Unilever are
characterised as:
Communicate with the
employees
Leaders characteristic
include communication, they
are export in the
communication, and they
provide information to the
other by using their
communication skills and also
motivate their employees.
Influence others
Leaders have the ability
to influence other to work
effectively and this
characteristic they use to
influence employees to achieve
their goals and objectives of
the Unilever Plc and helps
them to achieve success.
2

achieve and leaders provide guidance,
so they can achieve.
Roles Key roles of managers of Unilever are
mentioned below:
Guide employees
Mangers of the Unilever Plc is
responsible to guide employees and
listen to their problems, if they are
facing any. They provide proper
guidance so employees can overcome
from the problems and perform their
task effectively and helps Unilever Plc
to achieve success with their business.
Decision making
Managers Take decisions for
the company and helps company to
overcome from the risk within their
operation. This is how a managers give
their contribution to the Unilever Plc.
They use their management strategies
to provide competitive advantages to
the company, so they can achieve
success within the company where they
are operating their business.
Following are certain roles
played by leaders of Unilever:
Leader employees
Leader of the Unilever
Plc are responsible to lead the
employee toward the gaols and
objective (Burns., 2018). A
effectually leaders take each
and every member of the team
with them and create daily
objectives so they can achieve
their gaols and objectives
within the daily activities.
Motivate other
Leaders role is to
motivate other by using their
skills and experiences, a
effective leader always an
inspiration for their team, and
they motivate them by
communicating and making
them members their straights.
Create vision
Leaders of the company
create vision for the company
so employee’s can understand
what they need to achieve and
leaders provide guidance, so
3

they can achieve.
TASK 2
P2- Role and function of leaders and managers in various situation within business
Leaders and manager of the Unilever Plc plays various functions and role for the
company and lead the employees to achieve goals and objectives. Organization can face different
different situation at their workplace and companies top superiors are responsible to control
those situations with the helps of their skills and knowledge. Here are some examples of the
situation and role of the leaders an manager in those situations.
Conflict situation: In a situations like conflict within the Unilever Plc can have negative
impact on the companies performance (Calais., and et.al., 2017). In this situation leaders role and
function is to communicate with the employees and identify the reason behind the conflicts and
leaders role is to solve the conflicts by compromising both the parties. Both together solve the
problem because it affect the company and other employees who are working.
Task failure: Task can be fails best its not possible that employees will always get the
success in their task sometimes it can be failed as well. In Unilever, superior leaders have roles
to motivate employees to realize their mistake a more on for the next task and give their best in
the other task. Leader play function as the motivator while managers identify the reason behind
the task failure and communicate with the employee about the reason and give them a feedback,
so they will not repeat the same mistake they have done, and they can give their best to perform
task and achieve success for the Unilever Plc.
Sales decline: During the sales decline leaders bring some changes in the strategies for
the improvement, and they take decision and make the strategies that can be helpful for the
company to improve their sales. They communicate with their marketing team about the
problems and what promotions strategies they can use to promote and improve the product
quality thorough collecting the information from the market with the help of marketing team. On
the other side managers are responsible to give report a about the sales declining with the reason,
and they also provide Training and development to the employees, so they can improve their
performance and make their employees better so they can provide better services rt customers
and convince customers to buy the product and services.
4

Change Management: Change within the Unilever Plc is important and leaders play
most important role ion the change. During the change employees can be demotivated, if they are
not aware of the changes, and they can have fear of loosing their jobs. In this situation leaders
have to communicate with the employees and give them assurance that they will remain the part
of the company and what change is important for the company (Choi, Wallace and Wang.,
2018). On the other side managers are responsible to implement the change, and they also
provide training and development to the employees, so they can develop new task skills, so they
can perform new tasks effectively.
P3- Apply theories and models of the leadership
There are various theories and model of the leaders and management that can be used by
the leaders and mangers of the company and some of them and situational lectureship, system
leadership and contingency. Leader of the Unilever Plc can use those theories and models to
lead their team members effectively, and they can help company to achieve success within the
business, and they can take competitive advantages within the market here they are operating
their business.
Situational leadership style: Situational leadership style is one of the most effective that
can be useful for the leaders in each and every situation (Clemm, Zhani and Boutaba., 2020). It is
analysed that the theory consists of various leaderships according to the situations within the
organization. Leaders adopt the Leadership that can be suitable in the situation at the workplace
of Unilever Plc. With application of the theory, leaders of Unilever Plc look towards each
situation and develop their knowledge about other styes of leadership so to manage conflicts
effectively. With this, leaders experience advantage of recognising requirement for flexibility,
helping team to work with collaboration and understand others.
System leadership: Systems leadership is a set of skills and capacities that any
individual or organization can use to catalyse, enable and support the process of systems-level
change. It combines collaborative leadership, coalition-building and systems insight to mobilize
innovation and action across a large, decentralized network. In context to leaders of Unilever Plc,
adoption of system eldership theory will help in facilitation of change management as the theory
guides in adapting to changes that are pertaining in organisational environment. With this, it is
analysed that leaders consider impacts of changes in near and distinct future accordingly
correspond towards changes in pertaining conditions. Its limitation is that it lacks potential to
5

provide uniform technique for managing situation and there are no appeal made in the theory to
solve issues of company.
Contingency Theory: Contingency Theory puts a idea of the effective leadership hinges
not only the types of leadership but its is also helpful to control the situation at the workplace of
the company. To be successful within the business, it is necessary for the Unilever Plc leaders to
have strong relationship with their team members (Dekker., and et.al., 2018). It has been
analysed that a person could be effective leader in one situation while ineffective in other
situation on which the theory relies. In situation of task failure, leader of Unilever plc could
apply system leadership theory so that they are able to adapt best styles in context to the
circumstance. Leaders can change their styles according to situation and provides options to
employees so that they can share their views and ideas to achieve success in carrying out
operations for tasks.
TASK 3
P4 Key approaches of the operational management and leaders and managers role in those
approaches.
Their are various approaches of the operational management that can be used by the
Unilever Plc to improve their operation and impose their performance within the market. Here
are key approaches of the Operational management that are mostly used and can also be used by
the Unilever Plc to improve their productivity and profitability (Gölzer and Fritzsche., 2017).
Lean manufacturing: Lean manufacturing is the operational management approaches
that use by the organization to make their product more affective and reduce the cost for the
customers without compromising the product. The method of lean manufacturing identify the
waste things from the products and eliminate them so the product prices can be reduced without
affecting the quality of the product. Unilever Plc can use the lean manufacturing technique to
Improve their product quality, and they will able p to provide their product in lower prices and
satisfy their needs.
Role of leaders and mangers: In Unilever, leader and managers plays most important
role in the lean manufacturing. It is analysed that leaders have role to motivate the employees
and coordinate the team members to identify the defaults within the products and remove the
monitoring any issues, and ensuring production targets, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and
6

quality standards are met in order to meet the requirements of the customer. On the other side
manager are responsible to provide clear guidance to the employees that how the lean
manufacturing will work, and they will monitor and control process with the leaders, so they can
produce best possible result.
Six Sigma: Six Sigma is the method that helps to provide tools for the improvement to
the Unilever Plc and increase their productivity as well (Guo, Li Zhong and Huang., 2020). The
method increases the company in performance and decrease the process variations helps lead to
defect reduction and improvement in the companies profits, boost the employees confidence and
provide bets possible quality within the product sell by the Unilever Plc. It will help the
Unilever Plc to remove their errors from the outputs and make the product and services of the
company with more quality and company will able to again loyalty of the customer.
Role of leaders and managers: Leaders and managers are the superiors of the Unilever
Plc, and they take the decision about the implement the new process and approaches so the
leaders in the Six sigma helps to lead the employees and motivate them to put their overall
efforts to element the errors from the manufacturing process. Leaders also play the finance offer
in the Six Sigma approaches, so they control the funding and mangers the funds in whole
process. On the other side Manger's role ion the Six Sigma is to managers is responsible to
record the team activity by suing the measurable tools like Key performance indicator, and they
also provide training for the Six Sigma to the employees.
P5- Explain the Importance and the value of operational management in achieving business
objectives
Operational Management is most important part of the company because it directly
concerns with the plaining, supervising the product manufacturing and the provision of the
services (Nallamothu., and et.al., 2020). He effective operational Management also helps to the
employees of the Unilever Plc to create trust and engage them with each other and employees
engagement is necessary for the companies to be successful within their industry. It helps to
define the roles and responsibilities of of the employees within the company and no matter what
obstacles Unilever Plc faces a strategic operations management plan made by the companies
leaders and managers in place helps to ensure that the companies employees workflow and their
productivity remain unaffected. There are some benefits of the operational management here-
Benefits of Operational Management
7

Product quality: Operational Management can help Unilever Plc to improve their
product and services. Operational manger can implement the key approaches of the operational
management like learn manufacturing and Six sigma and some other approaches (Pinedo, and
Xu., 2017). It will help the Unilever Plc to provide the best possible quality in their product and
it will also reduce the prices of the product by removing the waste from the product and services
of the Unilever Plc.
Customers satisfaction: Unilever Plc can satisfy their customers need if their product
and services are improved and the customers review can make or the break and if the negative
word spreads within the market then it could be challenging for the Unilever Plc to retail the
clients. So the operational mangers ensure that company provide the best possible quality in their
product so the customers can be stultified by using the product made by the Unilever Plc and
company can take competitive advantages within the market where they are operating their
business.
Review increase: Operational Management can also help the Unilever Plc to increase
their revenue within the business. A company will have the good reputation if their products and
services will be good and their customers are satisfy with their products and services. This can
lead the Unilever Plc to increase their review from the new customhouses base. The revenue
growth and the innovative product or increase in the resources an technology which h is an part
of the operational management.
TASK 4
P6- Business environment factors that affect Operational Management and decision making of
the company.
There are some factors within the business environment that has huge impact on the
Unilever Plc and it directly has impact on the operational Management of the company and their
decision-making. Here are business environment factors-
Culture: Culture factored effect the decision-making and companies operational
management because employees who are working within the Unilever Plc are from the different
background, culture and speak different language and together they make Diverse workplace
(Rutherford., 2021). Companies superiors have to take create strategies and take decisions
accordingly and employees from the different culture also come up with the new idea that
8

directly affect companies operational practices and company can take competitive advantages
within the market where they are operating their business.
Ethics: Ethics are most important part of the company and business environmental
factors that affect the companies operation and decision-making. It is necessary for the Unilever
Plc to work ethically within their business to create goodwill within the market so leaders and
mangers of the company take decisions related to the ethical practices. Operational management
also get effect the ethics because having ethics within the business create trust among the
employees, and they give their best and improve the companies productivity and make company
take competitive advantages within the market where they are operating their business.
CRS: Corporative social responsibility plays important role for the Unilever Plc because
companies most of the goodwill generate from the CSR activities. this kind of activities can
include charity, donation etc. leader and manger of the company should take decision related to
their CSR activities, so they can create good image in the customers mind, and they can also link
their sales with the CRS activities so each and every purchase done by customers ill be come
understand the CRS and some part of the products will go for the charity work (Schnepp, Vidal
and Hawley., 2017). It will help to caret good image in the customer of Unilever Plc and
motivate them to buy product and services from the Unilever Plc. CSR also affect the companies
operational management because, it also makes employees motivate and make them give their
best. IT create message in the employees m in that company is doing good work, and they should
support company in their good work.
SWOT Analysis for analysing factors that are impacting operational management and
decision making at Unilever Plc
Strengths:
 Unilever Plc have deep portfolio of
brands along with diversified product
range that makes it positioned at top for
tapping towards changing preferences
to consumers in order to manage
operations globally.
 The company have skilled workforce
that are directed by strong leaders to
Weaknesses:
 The business operates within uber
competitive market in which other
international giants host complexities in
its operations.
 Unilever Plc have o sales channel that
direct contact with its consumers as its
operations rely more on retailers that
are its sales channel.
9

reach nook as well as corner of world.
 The company makes decision to
combine international thinking with
local implementation in its operations
to pursue global strategies.
 It is seen that decision of managers
about using plastic to pack goods
negatively impact on operations as
consumers are growing their concerns
for reducing plastic packaging.
Opportunities:
 Unilever Plc have chance to adopt
digital strategies for reaching directly to
consumers and this will improve its
position along with relations with target
audience.
 The company can use paper bags for
packaging of products that are safe and
are seen as best by consumers.
Threats:
 Fierce competition for top retailers is
boiling threat for Unilever Plc and
impacts adversely on its operations
with decisions of leaders to function.
 Changing consumer preferences is also
a threat for the entity as it have to
change or modify its operations along
with decisions to react towards
dynamic preferences of audiences.
CONCLUSION
As per the report has been coved case study of Unilever Plc on the basis their Operational
Management practices. This report has been compare the roles and characteristics of the leaders
and managers and examined the role and function of both leaders and managers in the different
different situations like conflicts, sales decline etc. It has been apply the leadership theories like
situational leadership, systems and contingent so leaders of the Unilever Plc can use it and
leaders can improve the performance of the employees and overcomes from the various situation
at their workplace. This report also has been covered key approaches of the Operational
Management like lean manufacturing and six sigma for the improvement in product and service
of the Unilever Plc. In the end of this report has been identify the factors within the business
environment that affect the Operational Management and decision making of the Unilever Plc.
10