Analysis of Leadership and Operations Management in LEVC Company

This report provides an in-depth analysis of leadership and operations management within the London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), a UK-based automotive engineering organization specializing in electric taxi manufacturing. It differentiates between the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, applying various management theories and leadership styles to the context of LEVC's operations. The report examines how these roles are applied in different situational contexts, addressing current challenges such as low customer satisfaction and employee performance. Key approaches to operations management, including Total Quality Management (TQM) and Just-in-Time Inventory, are explained, highlighting the roles of leaders and managers in their implementation. The importance of operations management in achieving business objectives is emphasized, along with an assessment of environmental factors impacting operational decision-making. The analysis incorporates models such as Situational Leadership, Systems Leadership, and Contingency Leadership to provide a comprehensive understanding of effective management practices within LEVC. Desklib provides access to this and many other solved assignments for students.

Management and Operations

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
LO1..................................................................................................................................................2
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.........2
P2 Examine roles of leader and functions of manager in different situational contexts.............7
P3 Apply different theories and models of approach..................................................................9
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role of leaders and
managers play............................................................................................................................12
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives...................................................................................................................................17
P6 Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision making by leaders and managers....................................................19
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................21
References......................................................................................................................................22

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Management process........................................................................................................2
Figure 2: Mintzberg Management roles..........................................................................................4
Figure 3: Leadership styles..............................................................................................................8
Figure 4: Situational Leadership Theory.........................................................................................9
Figure 5: System leadership...........................................................................................................10
Figure 6: Contingency Leadership.................................................................................................10
Figure 7: Total Quality Management............................................................................................13
Figure 8: Continuous Improvement...............................................................................................14
Figure 9: Six Sigma Management.................................................................................................15

LIST OF TABLE
Table 1: Interpersonal Roles............................................................................................................4
Table 2: Informational Roles...........................................................................................................5
Table 3: Decisional Roles................................................................................................................5
Table 4: Comparison between leader and manager.........................................................................5
Table 5: Role of managers and leaders in operation management approaches.............................15

Introduction
Operation and management function plays an important role in managing and controlling the
business activities in London Electric Vehicle Company headquartered in Coventry, United
Kingdom. It operates as an automotive engineering organization that specialises in
manufacturing electric taxi. An organization was founded in 2013 with its parent organization
known as Greely UK Ltd.
The report will focus on differentiating the roles of managers and leaders and analyse their
characteristic with support of theories. ‘How the role of managers and leaders are applied in
different situation’ is applied to the selected organization with the help of different theories.
Various approaches of operations management and role of leaders and managers will be
explained. Importance of operations management in achieving business objectives will also be
reflected in the report. Last task of the report will put emphasize on decision making of leaders
and managers as well as factors that affect the operational management.
1

LO1
P1 Define and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager.
The task will explain about role of leaders and managers in London Electric vehicle Company
(LEVC) as well as functions in context to support for employees so that work can be done in an
efficient manner.
Manager: Managers play an important role in managing and designing of various tasks in an
organization in order to achieve desired goals and objectives. The major responsibility of
managers is to develop strategies to align the working style of employees with predetermined
objectives. They also co-ordinate with employees so that their performance can be evaluated to
support the appraisal process (Ku et.al.2015).
Leader: Leaders play main role in encouraging the employees through their communication as
well as leadership skills. Their main focus is on achieving organizational goals and objectives
and therefore they support employees to accomplish the task on prescribed time. They motivate
employees to enhance their productivity within an organization.
Types of management functions
Figure 1: Management process
2

(Source: iedunote, 2018)
Planning: Managers at LEVC are responsible for setting up of goals so that sales and revenue
of an organization can be increased. The bank planned to employ several strategies to minimise
the capital cost on employees that includes wages as well as salaries.
Organizing: Managers utilise and re organize resources in the most efficient manner so that
desired outcomes can be achieved. Allocation and motivation highly influence the performance
of an employee and therefore, managers utilise resources in the best way for the effective
outcome (Study.com, 2018).
Leading: Skills that focus on influencing the employees of LEVC for some specific reason is
defined as leading. Leading process promote resources to work together as per the interest of the
firm. Barclay Plc is responsible for motivating the employees in terms of monetary values to
encourage them to work harder to benefit the organization.
Controlling: Formulation and implementation of strategies by leaders of LEVC are finally
controlled and monitored by managers and then they guide employees to work accordingly.
Different types of leadership roles
Mintzberg suggested three basic categories that describe the roles of manager which are
explained as follows:
3

Figure 2: Mintzberg Management roles
(Source: Mintzberg Model, 2018)
Interpersonal Roles: These roles specify the behaviour of managers that focus on roles of
persons outside from organization or their subordinates.
Table 1: Interpersonal Roles
Interpersonal roles Description
Figurehead Employees in LEVC who are responsible for
performing ceremonial duties like greeting
customers, etc (Dath et.al.2015).
Leader Motivation, and undertaking of formal authorities
Liaison Making contact with other firms or government
Informational Roles: These roles focus on collecting, receiving as well as disseminating of
information.
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Table 2: Informational Roles
Informational roles Description
Monitor Identify new opportunities in an environment
Disseminator Passes collected information to its subordinates
Spokesperson Shares information outside the organization
through speech by explaining about the
modification in product.
Decisional Roles: Interpersonal roles of managers are responsible for decisional roles that focus
on making choices in an organization (Alvehus et.al.2015).
Table 3: Decisional Roles
Decisional roles Description
Entrepreneur Responsible for initiating new projects by
improving the unit
Disturbance handler Helps to minimise the disturbances in any project
or task in an organization.
Resource allocator Focus on utilising the resources in best way to
achieve organizational goals.
Negotiator Negotiation involves the involvement of resources
as per their skills to achieve goals.
Difference between manager and leadership
Table 4: Comparison between leader and manager
Mangers Leaders
Responsible for directing the groups and set
objectives of LEVC.
Responsible for directing team and achieve
objective set by managers.
5

Managers plan the activities and communicate
about various policies to leaders.
Leaders motivate employees to work and promote
employees to follow the policies.
Managers develop ideas for the organizational
growth.
Leaders transform the ideas into practicality.
6

P2 Examine roles of leader and functions of manager in different situational contexts
Leaders will involve other member in an organization as per the situational analysis as well as
the need of task to achieve organizational goals. The approach supports employees to be a part of
decision making. Managers on the other hand self focused and takes decision without any
involvement of team members. Therefore, it is observed that leaders are democratic while
managers are autocratic in approach (Certo, 2018).
There are several management functions as well as leadership styles that support the effective
functioning of LEVC. Current issues faced by a organization in low level of customer
satisfaction and employee performance. To overcome the issues, it is important to implement
various strategies to increase the revenue and sales of an organization. Various theories of
management are to be implied that exhibit the leadership skills are as follows:
Contemporary Theory of Management helps in dealing with current scenario in LEVC that is
facing the issues of low level of customer satisfaction. Mangers focus on planning the strategies
for satisfying customers at extremely high level. Leaders focus on motivating the employees to
serve the customers in the most efficient manner.
Management by Objective: The theory revolves around the combined efforts of employees and
managers. Managers support employees to set the performance level in order to accomplish the
goal. Leaders motivate employees and delegate duties so that task can be accomplished on
prescribed time.
Classical management theory: It is based on economic as well as physical needs of employees
rather than job satisfaction or social needs (Shafritz et.,al.2015). Under the theory management
as well as staff are in process of continuous enhancement of their efficiency which helps in
minimising the overall cost of an organization.
Leadership Styles
7

Figure 3: Leadership styles
(Source: Author)
Directive: Leaders inform to employees about to accomplish the task, what to do, as well as co
co-ordinating and scheduling of task. This type of leadership style is effective when employees
are not sure about the work with lot of environmental uncertainties.
Supportive: Leaders highly support employees by creating pleasant working environment. They
show friendly approach to motivate them to work hard to accomplish goals and objectives.
Participative: Under this leadership style, leaders discuss the issues with team members before
taking decisions. It is effective for trained employees that supports effective decision making.
Achievement: Leaders are involved in setting up of challenges for employees and expect to
perform them at higher level as well as shows high level of trust to meet expectations.
LEVC involves employees in major decision making and makes them feel that they are
important for an organization and therefore, Supportive type of style is followed by leaders in an
organization (Geisler and Wickramasinghe, 2015).
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