Analysis of Leadership and Management in M&S Operations (MGMT 101)

This report provides an in-depth analysis of leadership and management practices within Marks & Spencer (M&S). It begins by defining the characteristics and roles of leaders and managers, differentiating between their functions within an organization. The report then explores the application of these roles and functions specifically within M&S, examining how leaders and managers contribute to achieving the company's strategic objectives. Various leadership theories, including situational, contingency, and transactional leadership, are applied to the M&S context, demonstrating their relevance and impact. Furthermore, the report investigates the approaches managers take in operation management and the importance of effective operation management in achieving organizational goals. Finally, it considers the factors affecting operation management and the decision-making processes of managers, concluding with an overview of key findings and insights. The report uses M&S as a case study to illustrate the practical application of leadership and management concepts.

MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................4
P1 Characteristics of leaders and managers with defining their different roles in organisation. 4
M1...........................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P2 Application of role and function of leaders and managers in M&S..................................6
D1...........................................................................................................................................8
P3 Application of various theories.........................................................................................8
M2...........................................................................................................................................9
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................9
P4 Approaches of managers in operation management.........................................................9
M4.........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Importance of operation management in achieving organization goals..........................11
M3.........................................................................................................................................12
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P6 Factors affecting operation management and decision making by managers.................12
D2.........................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Operation management is group of activities that controls and direct the various tasks
associated with production and manufacturing of company product. Operation management
includes various functions that are carried by organization in converting raw materials and
different company into new desired end product (Akkerman, Farahani and Grunow, 2010).
Operations and functions of company should be managed and controlled by mangers effectively
in order to change optimum utilisation of resources of company. This functions of organization
involves planning, controlling and directing operation efficiently and effectively.
Marks and Spencer is company dealing with variety of product like food, wine,
cosmetics, women lingerie etc. in UK market. Company has captured large no. of market shares
with managing quality of operations and products of business organisation. It is necessary to
mange operations of Marks and Spencer effectively in order to reduce cost incurred in wastage
of raw material and other resources available in firm. Operations management focuses on
development of end product through managing quality of product within the specified time
constraints and quality measures by optimum utilisation of resources and capabilities of human
resource available to company. Mangers and leaders are motivating forces that regulates task and
job assigned to workforce of organization and helps in enhancing their efficiency by developing
new capabilities and skills in employees by implementing new technology in workplace.
In this report various roles and functions of mangers and leaders in achieving goals of
company effectively are discussed (Burke, 2013). Various external and internal environment
factors affecting operations and decisions making process of managers are also discussed in this
report in order to gain specific knowledge about development of specific methods of effective
decision making for success of organisation.

TASK 1
P1 Characteristics of leaders and managers with defining their different roles in organisation.
Executives plays key role in organization. Managers are the policy makers in company
that develops various strategies, values, norms for organization to work in appropriate defined
manner to achieve all goals effectively and ethically.
Leader play a vital role in business entity to give direction for employee to help achieving
goals and objectives(Barratt, Choi and Li, 2011). It increases the behaviour and ability of
workers toward complete job tasks.
Characteristic of leader and manager-
A manager defined effective way for determine all function of organization. On the other
hand a leader help to workers for learning new things, and increasing own skills or knowledge
for their work.
Flexibility- Manager have to ability to make change in hard work process into easy
formate that employees focus on organization goals. Work of a leader in a company to take
decision in sort time. Leader help in managing workers problem and providing direction to take
own responsibility. Manager and leader of Mark & Spencer's are very flexible to take decision in
uncertain situation.
Communication- This skill is very important for the manager and leader of an firm.
Leader communicate with their team member to sharing information or identifying issues are
related to work place. A manager communicate with leader to identifying group activities under
work environment.
Responsible- Manager take responsibility for all function of business and create a road
map for all elements. A leader to take liability to identifying strengths and weakness of their
team members.
Role of leader and manager-
 Manager and leader play an important role in Human resources department is to
communicate with employees and analysing issues in different situations as well as
organisation.
 In Mark & Spencer' s manager define role of a leader to work with employees or manage
all activities of the leader (Chen and et. al., 2011). Leader is person whose role is to
define employees task and give instruction to complete challenges.

 Manager create a systematic flow of work and information in all department of company.
On the other hand company leader's capabilities to run a successful store and control the
retail head office as well as franchises in different countries.
Difference between Manager and leader-
Manager Leader
 A manager exist only in a formal
business entity structure.
 They focus on achieving organization
goals.
 Function of executive such as planning,
organising, directing and controlling.
 Executive adopt impersonal and
passive attitude.
 Manager working with employees with
minimum emotional attachment.
 A leader exist in formal and informal
organization structure.
 Leader focus on fulfilling all
expectation of his followers.
 His perform only under directing
function.
 A leader adopt personal and active
attitude
 A boss attracted to new ideas and
describes members with rich
emotionally.
M1
Role of Leaders Functions of Managers
Transformational their can be applied in
defining the risks of leaders in business
organisation . As this defines that leader bring
required changes in actions and capability of
his followers through enhancing their
motivational level and directing them
appropriately to perform task with higher
efficiency.
McGregor Developed theory which defines
management style followed by an individual in
different situation of business surroundings. He
describes two theory namely Theory X which
focuses in development of authorization style in
managers functioning while theory Y focuses in
development of participative behaviour in
actions of manager.

TASK 2
P2 Application of role and function of leaders and managers in M&S.
Role of a leader- A boss role in an organization to understand all function how work
together and get a best respond to internal and external changes. Chief also understand the
strategic objectives are influenced by current and future business forecast (David, 2011). In some
time making decisions and implementation of changes, the leader must consider the impact of
many choice on all stakeholders. Its also create effective team for help its members to understand
all task or help in contributing to the business objectives and goals. A effective boss recognised
all changes in business process. A good chief has to invite many new suggestions and if possible
implementation them into plans and programmes of Mark & Spencer limited.
Role of a manager- A executive play an important role in Mark & Spencer recruitment
and selection process. Its hire right people for right job who take all responsibilities of work
tasks. Supervisor creates short-cuts when in process of sourcing, screening and selecting new
candidate. Manger play a informational role to includes collecting, receiving and maintaining
information. Its play a role as decision maker for resources allocation, handle of all issues as well
as negotiator. Strategic manager spend a lot of time in thinking about firms missions and
achieving targets (Management & Operations. 2017). Executive play a role of figureheads
because the company formal authority and position as a symbolic to represent the goals or
objectives of Mark & Spencer limited.
Function of leader and manager-

Planning- It is the first step taking by executive for identifying goals and objective.
Planning is the logical thinking for achieving goals or make decision for needed resources in
operation of firm (Diabat and Govindan, 2011). Supervisor use this process to plan for future like
some blueprints, alternative for strategies, take the action to reduce old mistakes and to beat the
competition.
Organizing- Next stage is setting all resources are used in business activities. A leader
manage the employees activities and the manager identify the leader activities in the plan. Its
must organize all resources well before to put in hand to take action. Through this function
manager determine inside configuration, creating new relationship and assigning task.
Staffing- Next function is staffing that supervisor decide to recruiting, selecting new
candidates and give training for developing new skills and experience (Zurich, 2017). There are
some situations present a tentative decision that is subject to change by the manager change the
decision according to the subject and that process the decision will not be the one side the
subordination are also the part of it, but the final decision will be taken by managers of Mark and
spender's.
Directing- Under this element involves the implementation of plans by creating
individuals and group efforts through providing motivation, best communication, use leadership
skills and greater supervision to set all resources.
(Illustration 1: Management functions, 2017)
(Sources: Management functions, 2017)

Controlling- It is process controlling all running activities of the Mark & Spencer limited
to ensure to easily establishing plans and produce successful outcomes (Heizer, 2016). Through
this function managing the all task of employees in different situations.
D1
System Leadership- System leadership theory is a kind of theory which states that a
leader is one who takes decisions according to the team and the group members. He is the one
who makes sure that every team and department should be managed according to different levels
(operations management. 2017). Every one has its own comfort zone and has a way of doing
things according to them. They follow unique styles of leadership and make decision relevant to
the audience. In a organisation there might be lots of department and for them different people
work for them so that desired goals and objectives can be achieved. Same in the case of Marks
and Spencer who has to take decision related to the department carrying out operations in the
store and outside the store. Some person might not be comfortable at any department and wanted
that he should be shifted to another. So the leader will look at the opportunities and will shift him
to another area.
Transaction theory- This is defined as the maintaining and development of beneficial
type of relations between leader and followers. As per this theory both the aspects work for each
other profit in team. The leaders provides rewards or punishments as per the performance level
of employees and followers in team.
P3 Application of various theories.
Situational Leadership- This theory state that no leadership style can be called as best
because it depends upon the situation that how a individual reacts. There are different situations
which arise in the life of a person and its the strategy which he uses to cope up with those.
According to the theory, a effective leader is one who adapt in the different conditions of the
situation and looks at different aspects of it. This theory was developed by Paul Hershey. Marks
and Spencer leaders should look critically at different situation and make decision according to
it. They should manufacture clothes and other luxury products according to demand of the
situation and season.
Contingency Leadership- This theory or model of leadership state that there is no
defined actions and behaviours which will leads to best mode to manage an company, to lead an
organisation successfully or to implement profitable decisions in practices, all can be achieved

through critically analysing contingent situation and reacting efficiently towards problems and
issues. So any action of the leader is depended on the intrinsic and extrinsic conditions (Sheu,
2010). A contingent leader is efficient in innovating his own leadership style to be reactive
towards uncertain conditions in business environment. All the organisations are a open sector
and need a proper management style in making any decision. Whatever decision is to be taken
should have a aim of achieving goals and objectives in time and should yield more profits. Marks
and Spencer can also adapt this leadership model at some part of their organisation.
M2
Theory Strength Weaknesses
Contingency Leadership This respective leadership
theory follow up an predictive
approach to critically analyse
various uncertainties that may
arise in operation of company.
This particular theory defines
that this is not an proactive
approach and leaders do not
follow precautionary measures
to reduce chances of future
uncertainty.
Situational Leadership Situational leadership theory
can be applied in practical in
order to deal with different
situation of organisation
development effectively.
This respective theory is valid
only for short time period and
should be modified and
improved while applying to
another situations.
TASK 3
P4 Approaches of managers in operation management.
The marks and Spencer is following variety approaches in order to manage their
operations effectively and effectively by optimum utilization of resources available to firm.
Company apply various approaches like lean production, continuous improvement, Six sigma,
total quality management, just in time. All theses approaches are followed by Marks and Spencer
in order to manage their waste and cost incurred in production and supply chain management of
raw material and end product as well. These approaches are defined below:

Six sigma approach: This approach is based on developing zero waste strategy in
organisation. This approach focuses ion reducing the waste production in operations and relies
on the optimum utilisation of resources available in the company (Mohammadi, Soleymani and
Mozafari, 2014). This approach is developed by production manger in order to maintain quality
of services and leads to achievement of higher effectiveness in supply chain system of
organisation and ensures delivery of right product to right customer. This helps in managing
logistic operations in Marks and Spencer. M&S is dealing in variety of product manufactured in
variety of product line that are to be developed large no. of consumers according to the order
placed. This delivery of products should be managed by Six sigma approach in order to reduce
wastage of resources by managing 99.99% accuracy in company operations.
Just In time: This approach is followed managing inventory of company effectively in
introduction unit and retail outlet effectively. This approach ensures availability of required
product at time of need. Marks and Spencer implement just in time approach in order to maintain
their operation efficiently and reducing wastage and maintaining various cost incurred in wastage
of raw material and resources of organisation (White, 2016). This is achieved by company in
order to develop various software that are involved in maintaining inventory effectively in
business firm. Just in time is system that is developed by manger in order to maintain product at
the time of need and the product with expiry date is replaced by new product with help of just in
time approach.
Total quality management: Total quality management follows various approaches in
order to manage quality of product according to the changing customer needs and performing.
Marks and Spencer follows this approach in order to develop new product and improve quality
of product as well as operations of the company according to customers preferences (Peng and
Lai, 2012). This approach focuses on the performance of employees in the organisation and
optimum utilization of and allocation of resources to every employee according to their assigned
task helping in reducing wastage of available raw material and increasing efficiency of
workforce of the company. This approach focuses in monitoring every task of particular
operation carried out by Marks and Spencer according to the review given by the customer about
specific product and services of company.

M4
The Pest analysis of business environment can be carried out in order to critically
evaluate various factors affecting operations management of Marks and Spencer in practices
which is describes below:
Political- The political insatiability largely affects management of operations in company
to large extent as the organisation will not able to access various resources effectively in
practices.
Economical- The economic factors like GDP rate and inflation rate largely affects the
investment budget of company on operation management and also affects internal functionality
of firm.
Sociological- The changing sociological needs and sociological factors influence the
working behaviour of employee in the operation to large extent which may negatively or
positively affects their performance level.
Technological- While technology is have great relevance with bring higher efficiency
and development of good quality in operations by workforce to large extent.
P5 Importance of operation management in achieving organization goals.
Operation management is very integral part of every business organisation in order to
manage its all operations and functions. It can be defined as a process or method that manages all
activities of effective goods and services. In Mark & Spencer, operation management can be
consider with overseeing, controlling and designing or redesigning the all business functions at
the time of production for products (Slack, 2015). Along with this, it can be depended upon the
purpose of the company: it involves- process of efficient designing, timely acquisition of
unfinished goods, manufacturing the items and adequate the training of employees and
maintained of tools. There is mention below the factors of significance of operation
management, such are as follow:-
Managing and designing the system – operation management is helpful in order to
manage and designing the overall system of business organisation. It puts control on all activities
and functions that are performed by employees; provide them necessary information so as they
can improves their productivity. It is a transformational process for Mark & Spencer because
operation management helps into change the manufacturing process and gives something new to

the company. Every successful business entity recognise the crucial role that operation
management plays as part of the overall company's strategy to maintain managerial skills.
Encompasses services and manufacturing:- it also helps in to improving services and
manufacturing process so as customers get quality products. If Mark & Spencer is able to
provide good services to its buyers so as they can easily attracts towards commercial enterprise
and maximise its sales revenue. Along with this, the process of operation management involves-
planning, organising, directing and controlling upon all function or activities in order to measure
the performance of employees. If the productivity of any employee is not good so as it is the
responsibility of managers to give him/her necessary training.
Maintain leadership:- operation management also helps in order to maintain global
leadership among business organisation (Stadtler, 2015). It is responsible in effectively and
efficiently managing the all operations with the help of experienced leaders. This plays strategic
role in economic growth and success ; and help to subordinates for receiving them high wages or
salary packages. If leadership manage in company so as their employees are automatically
motivated and tries to work hard. In addition, with the help of good leaders any employee can
trained and make able to improves its productivity level.
M3
Leaders is having essential role in managing the productivity of firm to large extent. As
the leaders are innovator and risk bearer in firm and they transform the new changes in behaviour
and actions of his followers to bring higher passion towards work in team members. While
mangers are the controller in the firm which regulates human resources as will as other assets
efficiently in order to attain sustainable objectives of firm effectively in business environment.
TASK 4
P6 Factors affecting operation management and decision making by managers.
There are many elements which impact the leader and executive decision making process
of organization.
Internal factors-