Management and Operations Report: Leadership, Theories, and Approaches

This report provides a detailed analysis of management and operations, focusing on the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers within an organization. It explores the application of leadership and management functions in various situations, examining different leadership theories and models, including situational, system, and contingency approaches. The report also delves into key approaches to operational management, emphasizing their significance in achieving business objectives and identifying factors that influence operational decision-making. The content covers essential aspects of leadership, operational strategies, and their impact on organizational success, providing insights into how effective management can drive efficiency and profitability. The report includes an introduction, task-based sections, and a conclusion summarizing the key findings and implications for business operations.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS.........................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1 Roles and characteristics of leader and a manager............................................................3
P2 Application of role of a leader and function of manager in different situations...............4
P3 Different theories and model of approaches.....................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
P4 Key approaches to operation management and role of leader and manger in the
organisation............................................................................................................................7
P5 Importance of operational management in achieving the objective of the business: .......9
P6 Factors that have impact over the operational management and decision making.........10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
.......................................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCE.................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Operation management creates high standard of level to create more efficiency in the
business. It is related with the conversion of material and labour to the goods and services to
produce more efficiency to achieve more profit as well as organisation objective. A organisation
can have effective operation management only when it follows systematic flow i.e. planning,
organising and supervising (Talk, 2016). M & S Ltd can apply effective operation management
to achieve it goals and target that would also help in to grow the future of the company and to
earn more profit. Operation management also focuses on controlling of business operation as
production of goods and services.
TASK 1
P1 Roles and characteristics of leader and a manager
Following are the main roles of a leader and a manager in the organisation-
1. Required at all level:
Leadership skills required at all level. At top level, it is required to formulate plans and policies
and at lower level, it is required to execute the plans and policies that are assigned by the top
management. Leadership provides guidance to the subordinate for the proper execution of plans.
2. Representative of organisation:
Leader and manager are the representative of the organisation. Leader has to represent the
organisation at all level whether it is at top level or at middle level. Manager and leader represent
the organisation at seminar, programme and at meetings and communicate with the public (Su
and Wang, 2012).
3. Integrate and reconciles the personal goals with organisational goals:
It is a good quality of the leader and the manger id to integrate personal goal with the
organisational goal. It is the duty to co-ordinate employees goal to the organisation goal so the
target can be achieved and this can be possible only when manager and leader of the team will
focus on the co-ordination among the various sector of the business.
4. Solicits support:
Leader as manager invites support from their subordinates. It depends upon his personality,
experience and level of intelligence. Subordinates provide their idea to the leader and it is his
duty to implement such plans and ideas into reality to provide better support to the public.

5. As a friend and guide:
Leader and manager can be a friend to their subordinate so that better solution to the problem can
be provided to them which will help in to achieve the objective of the business. Manger and
leader provide guidance to their subordinate because they have expertise knowledge in their field
(Smith, Maull and CL Ng, 2014).
Following are the traits and characteristics of a leader and a manager which turn Manager and
leader into great manager and leader-
1. Ability to delegate task:
Task can be delegated by the manager and the leader to their subordinate according to the area of
intelligence. Leader and manager must have this quality to delegate the task so that task can be
completed by their subordinate with in time and degree of risk can be reduced.
2. Problem solving skills:
Leader and manager are the one who have expertise knowledge in their field and are the senior
most person of the organisation who has ability to lead their team so they can provide better
solution to the problem that are faced by their subordinates.
3. Good communicator:
Effective communication make the leader and manager more intellectual to their work and paste
positive impact on the mind of their subordinates. Manager generally deals in programmes and
seminar that are held in the public so effective communication helps in to attract the people
toward their organisation (Nagurney, Masoumi and Yu, 2012).
4. Self confidence and will power:
Confidence of manager and leader helps in to achieve the confidence of their subordinate and
manager must have the quality to handle all the situation with full power.
P2 Application of role of a leader and function of manager in different situations
The role of a leader and manager affect the business of the company. These roles can be
applied in different different situations as per the performance and working conditions of the
company. Leader is the representative of the team that is lead by them and manager represents
the company in public. Manager represents the company in seminar and programmes that are
held in the public to inform the public about the plans and targets of the company so that people
can get attract toward the company. Leadership style is required at all level whether it is top

level, middle level or at initial level so that people who are associated with it can work with more
efficiency and effectiveness which overall help in to achieve the target of the company. The
function of manager is applied at all level and at every kind of the company whether it is for the
manufacturing or it is only service proving organisation (Lewis and Brown, 2012). The manager
of M&S Ltd follows the every aspect of the business so that he may guide to their subordinate
and help in to achieve the target of the company. The roles of the leader can be applied by
following the different different theories.
These theories can be applied in different situation as the situation arise in the company
like if team member faced an issue with any work then it is the duty of the team leader to provide
solution to the problem to them that is why leadership quality applied at every level.
Contingency and situation theory is used to describe the contingency that arise in the company
and provide solution to the problem that arise due to contingency. Manager adjust their decision
making power as per the characteristics of the employee, type of the work that is assigned to the
employee, structure of the organisation, preference of the employees and the influence of the top
management over the small and middle management. There are three situation control the
leader's situation i.e. Task structure that affects the employees, relationship between leader and
the member, positioning power of the leader and how such leader use his position (Kusluvan and
et. al., 2010).
P3 Different theories and model of approaches
Following are the different approaches to leadership-
1. Situational Approaches to Leadership:
Situational approach says about the traits or skills of leadership to understand and work in the
different situations that are arise in the business. Situation theory examines the situation that are
arise in the business and provide the guidance to manager to deal with such situation. Managers
use their decision making and motivational approach as per the situation that is arise in front of
them. These situations are based on the employees, type of work done by the employees,
organisational structure in which employees are working, internal and external factors that may
affect the business of the company, influence by the upper management.
Following theories can describe the situational approach-
 Fiedler's Contingency theory-

There are three elements that dictate situational control:
Task structure- Task structure raise many situations to the business. When task is assigned to one
then the problem that he faces during the completion of the task.
Leader/member relationship- This is the form of support that leader gets from their subordinates
(Holsapple and Lee-Post, 2010). In favourable relationship, leader has more authority as to give
reward and punishment to the employees but it is not in unfavourable relationship.
 Hersey-Blanchard's situational theory-
This model is based on the ask behaviour and relationship behaviour. When maturity level is
identified by the leader then appropriate leadership style can be used by the leader as telling,
selling, participation and delegation of work. Telling style shows high task and low relationship
behaviour and leader provides instructions to their subordinates, selling style shows high task
and high relationship behaviour and leader boost the confidence of the employees, participative
style shows low task and high relationship behaviour and in this leader and subordinates
participate in decision making, delegating style shows low task and low relationship behaviour
and it is for them who are ready to take full responsibility.
2. System approach to leadership
System approach covers standard input process output components and also includes the
components to control. System approach follows the input thereafter processing standard and last
stage is output (Holmström, Främling and Ala-Risku, 2010). Very first step is design in which
wants and needs of human are considered and when it goes to the process then points that are
considered in first steps moves to the next step and process gets start. At last step output is
achieved and that may lead to the market.
3. Contingency approach:
Contingency is the happening of uncertain events that may arise in future and that affects the
business of the company. It is required to consider the contingency because it may have negative
impact on the business of the company. Management effectiveness is also contingent which
depends upon the application of behaviour over specific situations. A leader can be effective
only when its group is effective.
This theory access situation favourably by three factors:

 Leader and member relations- this factor says about the relation between the leader
or manger with their subordinates and derives the relationship is bad or good.
Relationship aspect helps in to achieve the future target of the company.
 Task Structure- it compares the structure of the task that is assigned with the standard
that is set for the given task (Ergun and et. al., 2010). There are few task that are easy
to structure and assess.
 Position power- position power says about the powers of the manager and leader to
the task like behaviour of the manger is of rewarding or punishment. For example
when the employees achieved their goal then manager rewarded them or punished
for not achieve the goal within time.
The combination of above factors called octants one through eight. These situation can be
divided into three part i.e. favourable situation, intermediate situation and unfavourable situation.
This theory also believes that high power manager are more effective to influence their
subordinates in intermediate situation and low LPC manager are effective in favourable and
unfavourable situations.
TASK 2
P4 Key approaches to operation management and role of leader and manger in the organisation
Following are the key approaches of operational management that are followed by the M & S
Ltd.-
1. System approach:
Systematic approach is used in the business and it gives more advanced solution to the problem
that arise in the business for achieving the objective of the business (Drake and Spinler, 2013).
Enterprise receive inputs and work on that received inputs and convert it into the output so that
achieved target can be achieved. Businesses are described by open system model that establish
interaction between enterprise and external environmental issues.
 Input and claimants-
People, skills and technological knowledge are the external environmental factor are included in
the input from external environment. Employees want higher pay and bonus and consumer
demand safe product at affordable price. Stakeholder want high return on their investment and

supplier want assurance that their product will be accepted by the customer (Dobrzykowski and
et. al., 2014).
 Transformational process-
Transformational process is to put the available resources in the process to achieve the target.
This process can be seen in different prospective. Management focus on the various sector to
achieve the target as finance, marketing, production etc. These sectors are used to secure the final
output.
 Output-
It is the important task for the manager and the leader to use the available input and transform
such input into the output to perform their task and to achieve the targeted result. These outputs
may be product, service, satisfaction and integration of goal.
2. Production scheduling approach:
Production scheduling approach is to schedule the production process to achieve the result with
in time. It consists of steps involved in the manufacturing and production to manage their task
that are involved in to complete the final task. Affected factors are determined to initiate the
activity that are required to perform and use the available resources to achieve the goals (Closs,
Speier and Meacham, 2011). This approach estimates the time period in which task can be
completed and also focuses on starting time, closing time and idle time in a project.
3. Human behaviour approach:
Human behaviour is very important in the business because when manager and leader will treat
his or her subordinate with humanity then they will be for long run in the business otherwise they
will move back. This approach tells about the nature that is likely to follow for the future growth
of the business. Leader can lead their subordinates only when human behaviour is followed and
equal treatment must be provided by the manager to all the employees.
Role of manager in the organisation-
1. Hire great people:
It is the duty of the manager to ire skilled and intellectual people in the organisation so that they
can collectively work for the development and achievement of the organisation goal and
objective (Bureau and Hua, 2010).
2. Setting overall direction:

Manager provides direction to the various sector of the business. When employees face any issue
regarding their job or any working condition then manager provides guidance to them.
3. Manage resources:
It is the duty of the manager to provide the adequate resources to the employees so that they can
work for the achievement of the objective.
4. Communicate information:
Manager is the one who communicate all the information that received from the top management
to the employees (Brandenburg and Seuring, 2014).
Role of leader in the organisation:
1. Team Builder:
Leader leads the team. Leader is the supreme authority of the team. It is the duty of the leader to
manage all the things and built effective team so that target can be achieved.
2. Communicator:
Leader is the one who communicates all the information to the team member, staff and customer.
They encourage the sharing of information with others.
3. Thinker:
Leader considers the different functions of different sector of the organisation and know how to
respond with internal and external changes in the environment.
4. Decision maker:
Leader is the one who has authority to take decision on behalf of the team. When any decision is
required to take then leader take the decision with consultation of team member.
P5 Importance of operational management in achieving the objective of the business:
Operation management is the key aspect of the business that every organisation required
to consider for the success of the business. M & S Ltd. Also have effective management system
which overall help in to achieve the target of the company with in defined time. Operational
management also help in to achieve the objective and goal of the business as well as it minimizes
the risk level of the task (Benjaafar, Li and Daskin, 2013).
Operation management provides more efficiency to the work and help in to convert the
material and labour to goods and service. It involves overseeing and checking, controlling and
designing in the process of production. Operation management is not same in every organisation.
It differs from organisation to organisation.

Following are the importance of operational management-
1. Active use of available resources:
Operational management helps in to use of the available human resources to achieve the target
and objective of the business. Human resources that are available to the organisation can be used
actively in performance of the target.
2. Completion of task on time:
Operational management helps the organisation to complete the task on time. It provides
effective management to the organisation so that they use their best available resources which
overall help in to achieve the target with in given time (Alderton and Saieva, 2013).
3. Minimization of Risk:
Operational management helps in to reduce the level of the risk that is involved in the project in
which organisation deals. Risk can be minimized only when effective operational management is
used by the organisation.
4. To achieve objective:
Operational management administer the business practice and create high level of efficiency in
the work that is performed by the organisation which help n to achieve the target of the company.
It is more easier for the company to achieve the goal and objective of the company if efficient
and effective operational management can be used by the company.
P6 Factors that have impact over the operational management and decision making
There are two environmental factor that have impact over the operational management and
decision making:
1. Internal environmental factors
2. External environmental factors
Internal environmental factor are those factor that are within the boundary of the organisation
and external environmental factors are those factor that are outside the business and affects the
business (Talk, 2016).
1. Internal factors-
 Owner-
Owner are those person who have right over the business. Generally they the person who
invested their hard earned money to the company and secure ownership right. It is not necessary
that owner can be individual only, owner can be group of person as well who purchased share of

the company and become the shareholder of the company. Shareholder have right to make
changes in the business of the company by conducting general meeting.
 Board of directors:
Board of directors are those person who are chosen by the shareholder to perform the task.
Director are the supreme executive authority and they have power to perform some task,
collectively known as board of director.
 Employees:
Employees are the most important part of the business, without them business can not be
possible. If employees managed in proper manner then they can bring change to the organisation
(Holmström, Främling and Ala-Risku, 2010).
 Culture:
Culture is the behaviour of the person who work collectively in the organisation to achieve the
target of the business. It is the duty of the manager to manage the employees who are from
different different culture so that future conflicts can not arise.
2. External factors:
 Competitor:
Competition helps the organisation in to achieve and growth the organisation in more
competitive environment. Competition provide boost power to the organisation to work in more
growth oriented sector (Lewis and Brown, 2012).
 Customer:
The primary objective of any organisation is to provide satisfaction to the customer. Customers
are the individual who pay money to the company for taking services and product of the
company.
 Regulators:
Regulators are the authority who have power to control and regulate the business of the
company. Regulators can influence the plans and polices of the business. Government is the
main regulator who can regulate the business and have power to influence the business (Su and
Wang, 2012).
 Supplier:
Suppliers are the individual who provide material and things for the production. To provide
quality it is important to have good relation between organisation and supplier.

 Strategic partner:
Strategic partner are those to whom the company have agreement for the benefits of the
organisation. These partner may influence the business of the company.
CONCLUSION
Operational management is important term for the business. It helps in to achieve the
target of the company as well as for the future growth of the business. Operational management
provides strength to the business to compete in more competitive environment. Operational
management minimizes the risk factor that are involved in the business, achievement of goal and
target with in targeted time. Operational management can be successful only when it has
effective leadership. M & S Ltd has effective operational management strategies and if this
organisation continues with it then it may result in more success to the business as comparison to
present situation.