Marks and Spencer: A Report on Management Operation and Leadership

This report provides an in-depth analysis of management operations and leadership at Marks and Spencer (M&S). It begins with an introduction to the organization and its management structure, highlighting the roles of managers and leaders, including their interpersonal, informational, and decisional roles. The report then delves into various leadership theories such as situational, system, and contingency leadership, discussing their strengths and weaknesses in the context of M&S. It also examines how leaders and managers navigate different organizational situations and the impact of external business environment factors on operational efficiency. Furthermore, the report explores the application of operation management approaches within M&S, emphasizing the roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders in improving operational efficiency. Finally, it concludes with recommendations for enhancing leadership and management practices within the organization.

Management Operation
Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1 Introduction to organisation and management structure..........................................................1
2 Role and characteristics of manager and leader.......................................................................2
3. Role of leader and function of manager..................................................................................3
4. Role of leaders and managers to overcome different situation of organisation......................4
5 Different management and leadership theories for sustainable business performance............5
6. Strength and weakness of different theories...........................................................................6
7 Impact of managers and leaders on organisation and recommendations.................................6
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
1. Operation management and its key approaches......................................................................7
2. Roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders ...............................................................8
3 Importance of approaches of operation management..............................................................8
4. Role of managers and leaders to improve operational efficiency...........................................8
5.Impact of external business environment factors.....................................................................9
6. Evaluation of application of operation management............................................................10
7.Conclusion and Recommendation..........................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Management operation is an area which is concerned with creating highest level of
efficiency possible within an organisation. It involves utilizing resources from staff, materials,
equipment and technology. To better understand the concept, Marks and Spencer has been
selected for present report. It is a British multinational retailer headquarter in Westminster,
London. In this report, the role of leader and function of managers in managing the operation of
company has been explained. There are various theories of leadership which is being discussed
in report. Apart from this, there are certain approaches of operation management and importance
of operation management is also being explained in context with given scenario. As business
operations are affected by environmental factors, so these factors also discussed in the report.
TASK 1
1 Introduction to organisation and management structure
Introduction to Organisation:
Organisation is an entity comprising group of people for a definitive goal and linked to an
external environment. The Marks and Spencer plc is a big British multinational retailer of
Westminster, London, founded in 1884. It was founded by Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer.
The company deals in selling of clothing, home products and luxury food products. M&S
reported its revenue GBP 10.63 Billion for year 2017. As there are around 84950 employees are
working for company. In year 1998, company reported its pre tax profits around GBP 1 Billion
and it became first British retailer of achieving this height.
Management Structure:
Management Structure is basically managing hierarchy of communication, authority and
right and duties of an organisation. It refers to the way that an organisation arranges people and
jobs so that its work can be performed and pre set goals can be achieved. Structure depends on
the organisation's objectives and strategy. M&S follows the flat management organisational
structure. This kind of structure has limited levels of management between administrative level
and front line employees. This structure is followed in organisation to involve the employees in
decision making process. This motivates the employees of company to give their best effort in
order to achieve the task.
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2 Role and characteristics of manager and leader
Manager:
Simply managers are the one who manages company. A manager is an individual who is
in charge of particular group of tasks. They have power to hire, fire, maintain discipline and
performance appraisal of subordinates. Manager have certain quality and plays role accordingly
which are discusses below:
Interpersonal Role:
This is an important role of managers as they communicate with their employees and
motivate them to perform their task effectively. It is further divided as under:
Figure Head Role:
The managers of Marks and Spencer are obliged to perform legal or social duties like
signing legal documents and greeting visitors etc.
Leader Role:
Every manager is a leader. The managers of Marks and Spencer are responsible for
motivation and activation of subordinated so they can perform their task.
Informational Role:
This role involve handling, sharing and analysing information. There various parts which
are as follows:
Monitor Role:
The manager of Marks and Spencer needs to evaluate the information from both the
internal and external environment for better decision making.
Spokesperson Role:
In this managers transmits information to outsiders public like about holding board
meetings etc.
Decisional Role:
Every manager perform this role by taking better decisions for the organisations. Other
roles comes under this are as follows:
Entrepreneur Role:
As the managers of Marks and Spencer are obliged to decide on new projects or
programs to initiate and invest.
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The manager should have some quality to manager its subordinates and to manage the
business functions. The manager should have positive attitude so manager can deal with many
people from inside as well as outside the organisation. Apart from this manager maturity, self
confidence and leadership quality should be possessed by manager of Marks and Spencer for
smooth functioning of business.
Leader:
Leader is one who leads the individual and team towards achieving a shared goal of
organisation. The leader plays vital role as it requires at all levels of management of Marks and
Spencer. These are as follows:
Motivating Employees:
The main role of leader is to get work done by its employees. So for that leader of Marks
and Spencer should motivates its employees so they can achieve the task.
Support their employees:
The leader should be supportive to its employees. So employees of Marks and Spencer
can work freely and attain their goals.
Characteristics of Leader and Manager
Leader Manager
They are risk taker Manager have quality to control the risk and
take calculative risk.
Leader sets the vision They sets long terms goals for Marks and
Spencer
The leader of Marks and Spencer work like a
coach
Managers gives direction to employees.
Leaders of company work with innovative
approaches
Managers of Marks and Spencer work with set
benchmarks.
3. Role of leader and function of manager
Role of Leader Function of Manager
Leader of Marks and Spencer influence it team
members.
Manager of Marks and Spencer manage and
influence the overall organisation.
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Leader of company manage its team Manager of Marks and Spencer control the
overall members of the organisation.
Leader participate in the work of its team
mates because leader is accountable for the
better performance of its team mates.
Manager of company is responsible for the
performance of its whole members of the
company.
Leader of Marks and Spencer focus on the day
to day activities of its group members.
Manger of company notice the activities of all
members on weekly or monthly basis due to
insufficient time.
Leader of company focuses on how its team
members have to perform a particular task in
the company.
Manager of Marks and Spencer focus on what
should be performance of persons in the
organisation.
Leader of Marks and Spencer follow the traits
theory of leadership because they believe that
leaders are born, not made. According to this
theory leadership quality is inherent in persons.
Marks and Spencer believes management
quality in manager can be developed by
training.
4. Role of leaders and managers to overcome different situation of organisation
As organisations faces the various kind of situation according to the market needs. So the
leaders and managers of Marks and Spencer needs to evaluate these kinds of situation for
sustainable business growth. These are as follows:
Stable Situation:
Stable situation is considered as safe situation for company. In this situation changes does
not take place frequently. As under this situation, managers and leaders analyse the market and
then take action accordingly regarding the change. For example if Marks and Spencer has stable
condition and currently there is slow change in remuneration policy of company than leaders and
mangers have to motivate its employees for work under same situation. And they have to make
prepare employees to accept changes when occurs. (GrantWong and Trautrims, 2017).
Moderate Situation:
Under this situation changes takes place but not very frequently. The changes in trends
and preferences of people in clothing segment can considered as moderate change. So the leaders
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and managers of Marks and Spencer are obliged to take crucial decisions according to change.
As managers will guide its employees to work according to latest changes.
Fast Changes:
In this situation changes takes place very frequently. As in case of technology,its
changing day by. The Marks and Spencer has launched its mobile application then scope of its
up-gradation should be regularly checked by leaders and managers. The leaders and managers
convey the importance of app up-gradation to its employees so they will make necessary upgrade
in application.
5 Different management and leadership theories for sustainable business performance
Leaders are the one who inspires and motivates its subordinates to perform their task. It is
very difficult for leaders to keep motivated there employees. So for that leaders of Marks and
Spencer uses different theories which are as follows:
Situational Leadership:
This theory refers that there is no single leadership theory is best. The managers and
leaders all depend on situation and according to that they take decisions. It is an adaptive
leadership style. This theory can help the Marks and Spencer to support growth and sustainable
performance (De Roover, 2017). It can be understood with Hersey and Blanchard's leadership
style. There are four style which are as follows:
Telling:
In this leaders creates roles and objectives and expect other to accept these roles and
objectives. It is a one way communication mode.
Selling:
Under this leaders are open for suggestions and opinions. They sell their idea to others in
order to gain cooperation.
Participating:
The leaders of Marks and Spencer invites their employees to take participation in
decision making process.
Delegating:
The leaders of company delegate responsibility to employees and expect from them to
complete the task.
System Leadership:
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It enables the leaders of Marks and Spencer to create condition where people work at all
levels can work productively to their capacity. This approach works on concept of rigidity but
sometimes this can give positive and better results.
Contingency Leadership:
Today's environment is very dynamic and there are certain ups and downs in economy.
As business faces various kinds of contingency situation, so to face that leaders of Marks and
Spencer use this theory to motivate its employees to overcome these situation (Caplan, 2014).
6. Strength and weakness of different theories
Situation Leadership:
Strength:
This theory gives the chance of participation to the employees in decision making process
of company. It motivates the employees and employees come up with new and innovative ideas.
Marks and Spencer can work with flexibility because there is not any specific formal method of
leadership followed in company.
Weaknesses:
The employees can be dissatisfied if there ideas are not implied by managers.
System Leadership:
Strength:
The system is already applied by managers so employees does not need to bother about
new ideas.
Weaknesses:
As employees can get bored by using same working style regularly.
Contingency Leadership:
Strength:
This is helpful in working under dynamic environment. It can help Marks and Spencer to
deal with external factors.
Weaknesses:
The main weakness of this theory is difference in perception of employees can create
dissatisfaction among employees. And overall there productivity could be decreased (Bromiley
and Rau, 2016).
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7 Impact of managers and leaders on organisation and recommendations
The managers and leaders of every organisation plays an important role in development
and growth of company. They guide and motivate their employees in order to achieve the goals.
They identify competencies of employees and according to that delegate the work to employees.
Manager of Marks and Spencer perform various function like Planning, organising, staffing,
directing and controlling for smooth function of company. Managers are the one manages the
business activity regularly and sets the goals for employees to achieve them.
So managers and leaders have huge impact on the overall growth and development of
organisation.
As recommendation, leader and managers of Marks and Spencer should use supportive
style of leadership in organisation. As it will improve the productivity of employees. And there
confidence will also be boost up. The Marks and Spencer should provide training programmes to
its new joiners for better understanding of operation of company (Anderson and et. al., 2018).
TASK 2
1. Operation management and its key approaches
Operations Management:
Operation management is responsible for managing the day to day management of
organisation's process and resources. The main objective of operation management is to ensure
day to day functioning and smooth running of bushiness activity.
Key approaches of Operation Management
There are some approaches of operation management which can be used by Marks and
Spencer for improving productivity of business operations. These are as follows:
Total Quality Management:
This approach suggest to focus more on quality. It is the continual process of detecting
and reducing errors in manufacturing, streamlining supply chain etc. It is basically a customer
centric approach. As Marks and Spencer is attracting is customers by providing quality products.
As company maintain same quality globally which attract most consumers (Wensveen, 2018).
Just In Time:
This approach is helpful in maintaining regular inventory of business effectively and
efficiently. With the help of this approach company can cut its excess cost of warehousing. It
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allows business to aligns raw materials orders from supplier directly with production schedules.
This type of strategy increase efficiency and decrease the waste by getting only those materials
which needed for production. The Marks and Spencer can use this approach to minimize their
cost and maximize their profits
Continuous Improvements
It is a Japanese term which means “Change for Better”. This mainly focus on to make
small changes over a period of time to time to create improvement within company. The
manager of Marks and Spencer can empower their workers to be vigilant in production process
and make improvement where needed (Vashneya and Gupta, 2017).
2. Roles and responsibilities of managers and leaders
Managers are the one who manages the overall business activity and leaders are those
who motivate the employees to do their work effectively. They both plays an important role in
successful management of operation of Marks and Spencer. Manager need to analyse the market
trends and according to that they formulate plan and policies for company. The employees face
the various barrier while stepping toward the goal. So here leaders of Marks and Spencer plays a
role of barrier buster for its employees so they can complete their task smoothly.
3 Importance of approaches of operation management
Operation management plays a crucial role in the business for successful completion of
project. The main aim of operation management is to ensure timely delivery of products and to
successfully turn the raw material into finished products. There are some importance which are
as follows:
Helps in delivering customized products to customers:
The operation management control entire operations so with adequate management,
Marks and Spencer can provide the products according to demand and need of customers. And
they can sell it at their desirable price.
Help to maximize the profits:
It allows a company for optimum utilisation of resources. So optimum utilisation of
resources leads to low cost of production for Marks and Spencer. The low cost of production
leads higher profits for company (Renz, 2016).
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4. Role of managers and leaders to improve operational efficiency
Leaders and managers are those who constantly keep eyes on the work process of
business. They have knowledge about business process and they can very helpful for Marks and
Spencer to improve their operational efficiency. The managers and leaders are keep updated with
latest technology so by adapting new equipment they can enhance performance of business
operation. The improved communication in an organisation can improve productivity. For
example manager of Marks and Spencer can setup the computer system for calculating current
inventory and send the information to manufacturing department. So with help of these
operational efficiency can be increased.
5.Impact of external business environment factors
The external factors are those which are uncontrollable at the part of organisation. These
have direct or indirect effect on the operation of business. It has two parts micro and macro.
Micro factors are relaed with internal performance of organisation and macro factors related with
external environment. In order to know impact of these factors on operation of Marks and
Spencer, analysis has been done (Piper, 2016).
Micro Factors: It is analysed as under:
Suppliers:
Supplier are those who supply raw material to company. As if supplier of Marks and
Spencer increases the price of threads then cost of production will be increased for company and
profits will be lower for business.
Customers:
The customers are integral part of any business and if customers of Marks and Spencer
are not satisfied than the demand for company's product will be less. Overall profit will also be
less.
Macro Factors:
Political:
Political factors includes the trade tac, government policy, taxes and political stability in
country. As if government put the trade restriction than Marks and Spencer would not be able to
export its products. And their profitability would be decreased.
Economic:
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Economic factors includes the inflation rate, exchange rate, interest rate, growth rate and
unemployment etc. As at the time of inflation Marks and Spencer product prices would be high
and consumer would not be able to pay high prices. The result will decrease in sales of company.
Manager of company should evaluate the factor so impact of inflation could be reduced to some
extent (PedryczChen, 2015).
Social:
Social factors have direct impact on business environment. It includes demographic, taste
and preferences and social culture etc. The taste of consumer changes frequently. If Marks and
Spencer would not be able to meet consumer demands than their profitability could be lower
than usually. With the market analysis manager could take decision for betterment of company
(Grant, Wong and Trautrims, 2017).
Technology:
The technology is changing day by day and its frequent up-gradation is important for
companies. Marks and Spencer should use latest technology in order to achieve operational
efficiency.
Environmental:
Environment factors are those which are related with geographic location, whether and
climate of particular country. As if manager of Marks and Spencer use eco friendly equipments
for manufacturing than it could lead to high operational efficiency and low cost of production.
Legal:
Legal factors are the most considerable factors. The manager of Marks and Spencer
should aware about all legal procedures in business which is set up by the government. As non
following of rules and regulation could lead to heavy penalties on company.
6. Evaluation of application of operation management
Operation management very helpful to frame plan and policies which are important for
achieving organisation goals and objectives. It is very helpful in satisfying customers by
maintaining the same quality at worldwide. It allows business to analyse the different external
factors and according to that make strategy for business. As Marks and Spencer operate its
operations around the world with the help of operation management they can provide customised
quality products to its customers worldwide. And they can attain the business goals (De Roover,
2017).
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