Management and Operations Report: Amazon, Leadership and Operations

This report provides an in-depth analysis of management and operations, focusing on the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers within an organization, specifically using Amazon as a case study. It compares the functions of leaders and managers, highlighting their skills, authority, performance approaches, and how they handle various situations like crises, conflicts, and workplace accidents. The report then explores different leadership theories, including situational, system, and contingency leadership, along with their strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, it delves into operation management approaches, their value, and the importance of operations management in achieving business objectives. The study also identifies and discusses factors within the business environment, such as customer issues, competition, quality, human and financial resources, physical resources, technological capabilities, and organizational structure, that impact operational management and decision-making. The report concludes with a summary of the key findings and their implications for effective management and operations.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
ACTIVITY 1....................................................................................................................................1
Role of Leaders and Mangers at different situational Context ..................................................3
Applicable Theories and model of approaches of leadership.....................................................3
ACTIVITY 2....................................................................................................................................5
Key approaches to Operation Management and the roles of leaders and managers...................5
Importance and value of operations management in achieving business objectives..................6
Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Management and operations is the administration of business practices that can support
an organisation in creating a highest level of efficiency that is possible in the firm. It is highly
confined with the principle of profit maximization with inclusion of task force and quality
services. Present study will lay emphasis on Amazon who is a multi-national technology
company which is been focusing on e-commerce, artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Assignment will lay emphasis on different roles and characteristics of leaders and managers. It
will also highlight different theories and model of approach that support organisation in
achieving objectives. Further, study focuses on primary theories and approaches related to
operation management with description of role of managers and leaders in implementation of
approaches.
ACTIVITY 1
Definition and Comparison of roles and characteristics of Leaders and Managers
Every organisation have leaders and managers for achieving the organizational goals and
objectives smoothly. Both plays significant part in conducting specific organizational protocol.
Leaders help the organisation to establish harmonious relationship among employees while
managers performs specific actions to comply necessary activities for goal achievement (Hill and
Hill, 2017).
Definitions
LEADER: A leader is a person who leads and commands a group of people in the organisation.
Leader has certain characteristics it includes honesty, ability to delegate, communication, sense
of humour.
MANAGER: It defines as an individual who is responsible for controlling or administrating an
organisation group or staff. Characteristics of manager are leadership, experience,
communication, reliability, deligation.
The fundamental roles and basic functions of leaders and managers have been compared in the
context of the company “Amazon”
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Basis Leaders Managers
Skills The position of leader is acquired
on the basis of an individual's
interpersonal qualities.
A leader at Amazon inhibits
certain interpersonal qualities
within themselves (Role of leader
and manager, 2016). The leaders
communicate politely with the
team, treat them with respect and
have an attentive ear to each and
everybody's grievances.
Position of Managers depends upon
certain skills, qualifications and work
experiences.
Managers at Amazon have great skill
and work experience to comply with
the working conditions of such a vast
network/ organization. The Managers
need to be attentive, qualified and
extremely prepared to work in
unfavourable conditions.
Authority Leaders do not have certain
authoritative rights to perform
any formal aspect of work and
have its ownership.
Leaders of Amazon take the
ownership and the responsibility
of each and every tasks done by
their team and always find better
ways to conclude the given job
with the team members.
Managers have formal authority to
conduct any organizational activities.
Managers of Amazon have the
authority to conduct training sessions
for the employees that incorporate
advanced training aids. The managers
are responsible to provide various
workshops, conferences to educate
and empower their employees with
new technologies.
Performance Leaders tends to build trust,
inspiration for the workforce.
At Amazon, Leaders continue to
perform their best for each and
every allotted work and do not
depend upon the performance of
Mangers creates the strategic paths to
maintain the organizational culture
and inspire the employees.
Managers at Amazon follow certain
strategic processes to maintain the
standardized work culture depending
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the team members only, hence
setting a good example of
inspiration for the team members.
Also, The leaders are trustworthy
and follow their words and
commitments.
upon the need of the organization.
They themselves work hard to set an
example and inspire the employees
to increase the productivity.
Approach/
honesty
Leaders are approachable and
friendly with the employees.
Managers are believed to be bounded
with formal protocols of the
workplace and follows certain rules
to create discipline.
Growth Leader focus upon the growth of
the workforce individually.
Managers specifically focus on
accomplishing the targets on
provided deadlines.
Role of Leaders and Mangers at different situational Context
Many situations can arise at organizations due to any sudden circumstances or
unfavourable conditions. Amazon being a vast network may face numerous of challenges and in
such situations the Leaders and Mangers of the company have to be on toes to handle the
situations smoothly.
CRISES- At the time of crises, the leaders of the organizations must be attentive enough to
create comfortable yet highly advanced work culture. At Amazon, Leaders try to cope up with
the unavailability of required resources through strategic planning and forecasting.
Mangers have a responsibility of conducting feasibility analysis related to resources required for
different business activities. Amazon has effective team of managers who analyse the situations
and keep a continuous track of the future requirements and risks that can hurdle their growth
(Lee and Tang, 2017).
MANAGEMENT OF CONFLICT
At the time of disagreements among employees, leaders act as a supporting element in resolving
the misunderstandings and misconceptions among the employees. Companies like Amazon has
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extremely advanced involvement of leaders to settle such situation of conflicts on the basis of the
presented facts without any discriminations (Holweg and et.al., 2018).
During conflicts management, managers are responsible to deliver sustainable working
atmosphere to team members. They tend to formulate certain set of policies and protocols that
have to be followed to reduces such instances at workplace. Amazon has highly professionalised
team for resolving the conflicts and do not allow any type of external interference for resolving
the issues.
WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS:
In such conditions, the leaders need to be highly attentive regarding the cause of the loss and
should maintain the peace at workplace. Amazon, has significant leaders who has expertise
interpersonal skills to manage such situations.
Managers also need to look up to the compliance of safety measures according the legals laws.
Amazon has proficient and expertise managers who can easily manage such horrible situations
happens or occur at workplaces.
Theories of leadership
SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP-
Delegating, Coaching, Directing and supporting are essential aspects, that aid the
business in handling people well in different situations. Leaders adopt this leadership style in
order to provide full support to employees by providing them coaching and training.
SYSTEM LEADERSHIP-
It is another type of style of leadership that always emphases on developing advanced
system and making people comfortable in workplace. (Devalkar Anupindi and Sinha, 2018).
Company, adopt the system leadership by providing highly advanced, safe and healthy
environment to its workforce so that people like the workplace and work in the firm for longer
duration (Gunasekaran, 2017)..
CONTINGENCY LEADERSHIP
It implies that there is no specific criteria of good leadership style exists in organization,
Every time leadership style gets changes as per external and internal situations Amazon has
flexible yet professional leaders who believe not to maintain a strict and bounded environment
for the workforce.
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WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS OF LEADERSHIP APPROACHES
Situational Approach
Strength
It may train a lot of leaders regarding the various leadership aspect.
Weakness
The responses from the leaders may be inconsistent due to the different situations arises
at the workplace.
System approach
Strength-
It focuses upon the overall growth of the organisation, makes it adaptive and decisions
are dependent upon the external and internal environment (Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis and
Schönberger, 2017).
Weakness
Its is very specific and bounded due its interdependencies upon various departments.
Contingency Approach
Strength
Contingency approach incorporates different style of leadership to resolve the grievances
and issues of the organisation in any suddenly occurred situations).
Weakness
It sometimes creates confusions, by this way leaders fail to perform their role well and
handle situation appropriately.
ACTIVITY 2
Operation Management approaches and its value
(Covered in ppt)
Importance of operations management
(Covered in ppt)
Factors that impact operational management
Number of elements influence operational
and managerial functions of
organizations. Managers and leaders
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of Amazon have faced many problems
not only related to organisation but
also related to the customers. Every
day customer problems has created in
online shopping (Gunasekaran, 2017).
Customer attitude does create issues
because sometimes customer has very
disappointed when they ordered a
thing which saw on the site and they
got the different thing therefore
customer reaction does not good and
then issues creates. All issues are
handled by managers and leaders.
Many trust issues are created in online
shopping when customer purchase
anything and issues influence decision
making. Amazon has social
responsibilities in which customers
satisfaction is most important part
Because company growth only depend
on customer.
Presently many online shopping sites
are available in the market therefore
global competition had improved.
Competition always affect the company
profit therefore company try to give
better product to the customers. The
competition will be increasing day by
day. On Every festival online sites
deliver special offers then its
responsibility of management that
provide good product of the customer
otherwise its too affected on manager
and leaders.
Quality is the most important thing
because customer expect that ordered
thing will get in good quality because
customer do not compromise anywhere
when quality has not satisfied to
customer then it is responsibility of
manager and leaders to solve the
problem and it is also affected on
manager decision. Sometimes customer
get raw material of product which is
very cheap. That is the reason when
some factor has affected to operational
management and their decisions.
Human resources : employee,
volunteers and labour behaviour, talent,
works, strength everything influence to
management. The relationship between
manager and employee can also affect
the management. Amazon hires workers
who have skills and knowledge but
sometime internal factors has affected
to the management. Sometime labour or
employees go to the strike for fulfil
their needs when managers and leaders
are responsible to manage all the things
and all things has also influenced on
decisions related to management and
leadership. It is one of the most
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important internal factors that needs to
be managed by Amazon most
effectively.
Financial resources : financial
resource has also impacted on the
management. Sometime Financial
condition does not good of the company
then it is up to the management how to
manage all the things. Financial
resource is also main part of the
management for internal influences.
Amazon needs to maintain these
resources effectively so that they can
establish a unique image in the market.
Physical resources : In physical
resources company location, facilities.
Physical factor is also impact on the
growth of business. It is also described
the employee strength, efficiency.
Availability of physical resources in
Amazon will support the company in
developing their strength. It will help in
giving them competitive advantage.
Technological capabilities: Amazon
can also get affected by not making use
of advancing technologies. It is one of
the most important internal factor that
can hamper the growth of an
organisation. So firm needs to engage in
making use of advancing techniques for
promoting their products. This can also
support them in gaining competitive
advantage (Gunasekaran, 2017).
Organisation structure: The
organisation structure prepare by
Amazon should be in such a way that it
is easily acceptable by the employees
working in there firm. This will help
them in gaining power.
CONCLUSION
From, the above study it has been summarised that Amazon have been impacted by the
internal factor like organisation structure, physical resources, human resources and others. They
have made use of operational approaches like total quality management and six sigma which has
supported the firm in enhancing the quality of goods and services they are selling. Company has
also applied situational leadership in order to gain efficiency.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Hill, A. and Hill, T., 2017. Essential operations management. Macmillan International Higher
Education.
Lee, H.L. and Tang, C.S., 2017. Socially and environmentally responsible value chain
innovations: New operations management research opportunities. Management
Science. 64(3). pp.983-996.
Holweg, M. and et.al., 2018. Process theory: the principles of operations management. Oxford
University Press.
Gunasekaran, A., 2017. Services and Operations Management.
Devalkar, S., Anupindi, R. and Sinha, A., 2018. Dynamic risk management of commodity
operations: Model and analysis. Manufacturing and Service Operations
Management.20(2).pp.317-332.
Ivanov, D., Tsipoulanidis, A. and Schönberger, J., 2017. Global supply chain and operations
management. A Decision-Oriented Introduction to the Creation of Value.
Online
Role of leader and manager. 2016. [ONLINE] Available Through:
<https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2016/3/managers-and-leaders-are-they-the-same-or-
different>
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