Comprehensive Report: Leadership, Management and Operations at M&S

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management practices within Mark & Spencer (M&S), a multinational retailer. It explores the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers, differentiating their responsibilities and comparing their approaches. The report examines leadership and management in various situational contexts, including conflict resolution and organizational changes. It also delves into different leadership theories and models, such as situational leadership, systems leadership, and contingency theory, and their application within M&S. Furthermore, the report investigates key approaches to operations management, including Total Quality Management (TQM), Kaizen, and Six Sigma, highlighting the roles of leaders and managers in implementing these approaches to achieve business objectives. Finally, the report considers factors within the business environment that impact operational management and decision-making by leaders and managers at M&S, providing a holistic view of leadership and management in a retail setting.

Management and operation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Lo1...................................................................................................................................................3
P1: Differentiation and comparison between the different role and characteristics of a leader
and a manger ...............................................................................................................................3
Lo2...................................................................................................................................................4
P2 : Role of a leader and the function of a manger in different situational context....................4
P3 : Different theories and modals of approach including situational leadership, system
leadership and contingency..........................................................................................................5
Lo3...................................................................................................................................................7
P4 : The key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and mangers play
......................................................................................................................................................7
P5 : importance and value of operations management in achieving business objective ............8
LO4..................................................................................................................................................9
P6 : Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision making by leaders and managers .................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Leader is a person who inspire, encourages, and motivates the subordinates to attain the goal of
an organization and manager is a person who is liable for managing, running and supervising the
employees of the organization. This report elaborates about Mark and Spencer, it is a
multinational retailer of UK who deals in clothing, food and home products mostly under its own
brand. This report explores the key operations and function of the organization and identify the
role, function and responsibilities of managers and leaders. It also defines the key operational
approaches of operations management along with various functions and approaches of manager
and leader has been discussed. This report consists various situations of M&S where the role of
leader and the function of manager has been defined along with the impact of various internal
and external factors on M&S which affects the decision-making of leaders and managers also
explored. The numerous approaches of operations management has been defined in this report.
Lo1
P1: Differentiation and comparison between the different role and characteristics of a leader and
a manger
Leader is a person who encourages, motivates, and inspires its subordinates to perform their job
enthusiastically and willingly to attain the goal of an organization. Leader is one who always
think that how the work of its subordinates can be improved so that they can achieve the goal of
an organization along with their own goals
Manager is a person who is responsible for managing, directing, controlling, and supervising the
staff and the employees of the organization. Manager has to be perfect in planning, organizing,
leading, co-ordinating and controlling. It is the responsibility of a manger top oversee the work
of the employees and to guide them (Mayhead, 2020).
Roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager
Leadership is a characteristic and quality which a person holds. Leadership can only survive with
followers, but it totally depends on the people if they follow a person or not, if there is no
follower there is no leader. Leader is one inspire and influence people. Any organization
anticipates from a leader to set goals and policies for the subordinates and help them to persuade
them. A good leader don't give order to others but direct and guide the subordinates towards their
goal. The first and foremost role of a manager is to make sure the day-to-day functioning of the
department and the employees. Manger is liable for setting goal and longevity of the

organization. Manger has to solve the problems of its employees and provide them proper
training so that they perform their job perfectly and develop growth opportunities for them
(Lumby and Mac, 2020).
Difference between leader and a manager
Leader Manager
Leader is a person who creates a vision,
inspire and engage the followers to attain the
visions.
Manager sets goal for its employees. They
mobilize the employees to attain the goal.
They always ready to try new things they
don't have fear of failure because they know
failure is a path of success.
Manager tries to avoid the risk.
Leader knows the potential of its
subordinates and don't assign any kind of
target to them, they don't tell people what to
do and how to do.
Managers often give targets and task to
employees and give them guidance to
accomplish them.
Leader give emphasis on inspiring people. Manager focuses on managerial activities.
Leader works on instructions, suggestions,
guidelines, principles and prescriptions.
They work on plan, strategies, approaches and
procedures.
Without followers leader is nothing therefore
it's a follower –oriented approach.
Manager assign task to each and every employee
so it is a task-oriented approach.
Lo2
P2 : Role of a leader and the function of a manger in different situational context
The role of a leader and the function of a manger is to bring the organisation in a way so that it
can achieve the desired goal. There are numerous functions of management and different styles
of a leader which supports in the actual functioning of the management. Leader creates
relationship among the workers and influence them to attain the vision of the organization while
the manager focuses on task and targets to employees to achieve the goal and objective of the
organization along with manager focuses on the growth of the employee (Alat, and Suar, 2019).

Example: Mark &Spencer is a UK based company, which indulge in the sales and marketing of
auto mobiles. Any company faces conflicts but it totally up to the management how they handle
such situations. Here the leader and the manager have to work together to overcome such
situation. M&S going through the various conflicts. Conflicts can arises between employees
when they work together to achieve the common goal.
Communications
Lack of information, misrepresentation of information or no information can create dispute
among workers. Now it is up to the manager and leader of M&S how they sort out such situation
from the organization and reduce the communication gap to make employees focus on their job.
Inter management issues
Some times management also compete with each other to get promotion or to increase their
position in the department. Dispute can arises to fulfil the object so that managers and leaders
can get early promotion (Kadriye, et.al 2020).
Contradictory goals
Usually the goal of one person is different from another in such situation there are fewer chances
of occurring conflict but when the employees work in groups to fulfil the same objective. Here it
becomes the responsibility of manger to avoid such differences of opinions between the
employees.
External organisational changes
This changes in the organization come into force by the external factors government regulations,
taxation policy, different economic situation, competitors, changes in the taste and preferences of
customers widely affects the company. In M&S these factors highly influenced the company the
purpose of leaders and mangers here is to make the company stable and achieve the pre-
determined goals.
Internal organisational changes
These factors include the change in the administration and management along with these,
changes in planning, staffing and marketing also get implemented by the leaders and the
managers.

P3 : Different theories and modals of approach including situational leadership, system
leadership and contingency
In any organization leaders and manager uses various approaches and modals to motivate the
employees towards their goals. All the approaches and styles are being taken in force to attain
the goal of the organization.
Situational leadership refers a style by which a leader accepts the leading style according to the
present work condition of the organisation as well as the needs of the employees are also being
taken care. This approach totally depends on the potential and capacity of the leader. As the
name suggest this leadership style gets changed as per the different situation (Nair, and Reed,
2019). As per this style, leaders inspects the market trends and conditions and as per the
conditions they come to any decision. This approach helps the leader to bring out the best
answer and solution of any problem. This theory shows flexibility as it is not only depends on the
particular quality of the leader but it bounds the leader to change the styles for each new
situation.
This leadership theory consists four more leadership approaches
Telling : In this approach leaders provide particular guidance to employees. In this leader take
the decision and states to the employees what they need to do or what not.
Selling : This approach refers that leader will take the decision and will tell to the employees but
they welcome the suggestions and point of views of the employees. As the name suggest selling
means to sell the ideas and opinions to the workers.
Participating : As per this approach leaders left all the decisions on their followers but they
participate in the procedure of taking decision but the final choice left over the employees.
Delegating : This style refers such situation where leaders provide minimum guidance to the
employees. In M&S situational leadership will not be preferable because company is already
facing many issues and if the leader changes the approach inn every situation it will be difficult
for the employees to attain the set goals.
Systems leadership
This styles give more emphasis on the outcome instead of procedure. This style empowers the
leader to make such situations where all the employees can work potentially.
In this approach all the activities are get planned in advance and the actual result get matched
with the estimated. System leadership is implemented in M&S, leaders describes the present

scenario of the company and motivate the employees to work as per the approach to fulfil the
need of the company.
Contingency theory
This approach believes that the most suitable style of management is depended on different
situations. It states that there is no one specific way available to solve any situation. This style
focuses on different situation which takes place the organization, which has happened in M&S
As per this theory any issue which is going on in the company is picked up and the management
tries to sort out the problems. This approach is used to bring out the different paths to achieve the
ultimate goal of the organization.
Lo3
P4 : The key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and mangers play
Operations management gives the highest level of efficiency in the organisation by converting
raw material into finished goods. Operations management is concerned with planning,
organizing, supervising and manufacturing of production(Tang, K, 2019). The professionals of
operations management tries to balance the cost and revenue to maximize the net profit.
Total quality management
The main objective of this approach is up-gradation. This approach is an ongoing procedure who
detect, reduce, and eliminate the error and focuses on the quality of goods and services. It refers
an uninterrupted effort which ensures the best quality of product. In M&S this approach plays a
vital role (Dai, and Tayur, 2019). The major role that leader and manger play in M&S To stay
competitive, suppliers of M&S welcome the energy audit services and give them the
improvement programme to eliminate the carbon emissions and to save cost. With the help of
TQM, M&S can increase the opportunities of energy saving.
Kaizen
It refers to the business activities which improve all the functions, programs and processes. The
motive of this approach is to eliminate waste from. Kaizen brings an improvement which
increases quality, efficiency, and profitability. Leader measures the achievement after
implementing Kaizen in the organization. Leader of M&S identify that the employees are well
versed with the Kaizen technique and to know the need of kaizen approach with in the
organisation. Manger has to acknowledger that the particular task need to handover to the correct
employee of M&S. With the help of Kaizen M&S reduces the wastage of goods.

Six sigma
This approach helps the business to upgrade the current programme, process and services to
eliminate the deficiencies. Leader need to communicate the significance of this approach to
workers. The major work of leader is to outline the six sigma project. Manger ensures that how
management can do cost cutting by six sigma, for this manager has to give guidance to
employees for better outcome. In M&S with the help of six sigma helps the company to change
its programme and services to attain the predetermined goal (Bachrach, and Mullins, 2019).
Lean production
This approach emphasis on eliminating waste to cut the cost of organisation and deliver the
quality product. It is the key strategy to refine the internal function and profits. The leader of
M&S need to know that workers should be able to provide the correct direction to employees.
Manager has to analyse of product and services, along with they have to ensure useful and non-
useful material in M&S.
P5 : importance and value of operations management in achieving business objective
It is a procedure of planning, controlling, supervising, manufacturing, and producing goods and
delivering services. The foremost objective of any business is profit maximization and this goal
can only get achieved by increasing sales and by satisfying the needs of the customers. The
operation management of Mark and Spencer should focus on their customer and should increase
the customer base by giving various offers and taking feedback from the customers.
Quality of product
operations management checks the quality, durability, and reliability of the product which suits
the needs of the customer. Operations management of Mark and Spencer always try to give the
high quality goods to its customers and try to operate the stores where they can target many
customers at a time.
Consumer satisfaction
If the customer is satisfied with the goods and services of the company, then company can
survive for long in the market. As M&S is one of the leading company in UK so customer
expects the best quality products from them. So the operations management is working to
provide high-quality product to satisfy its customers (Bolton, 2020).
Reduction in operating cost

The operations management of M&S try to reduced the operating cost. only operations
management can reduce the waste production along with, it works to produce the exact number
of goods which can meet the demand.
Quality control
Operations management is the heart of any organisation. The operations management of M&S is
directly involved in giving high quality goods to its intended customers.
Increased revenue
M&S is already having name and fame in UK but to get high and increased revenue, it is
important to crate new customer base. Operations management helps in because it focuses on
planning, organizing and supervising. If an organisation has good reputation then all the credit
goes to the operation department.
Advantages from competitors
A successful operation management always make plan that how M&S can stay competitive and
remain ahead from its competitors and how to manage the external and internal factors in the
organization so it does not harm the profit margin of the organisation.
Motivated employees
Any business or organization can achieve its objective when the employees are motivated
towards their work.
LO4
P6 : Factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management and
decision making by leaders and managers
Leaders and managers motivates, influence and guided the people under them but there are some
factors which affects their decision making. Some of these factors can be controlled and some
can not. These factors are-
Performance of employees
It is the responsibility of leaders and mangers to assign the right task to right employee to
achieve the organisation goal and leaders and managers are ultimately responsible for the
outcome. The performance of employee is one of the important factor which directly affects the
decision making of leader and manger. If the employee didn't perform well as per the
expectation it directly reflects the guidance given by the leaders and mangers (Lumby, et.al,
2020).

Organisational resources
The decisions of leaders and mangers depends on the resources of organization like- staff,
technology, resources etc. The success of any organisation depends on the decisions made by
leaders and mangers that how well resources they acquired for uses.
Sociological factors
Managers have to understand the needs, desires, history and cultures of the clients. After
knowing these things manager and leaders take decision that what kind of product should be
made to satisfy the needs of the clients and customers (Tang, 2019).
Technological factor
Technology is very crucial factor which can get changed overnight. It affects the decision
making of leaders and mangers. It is the responsibility of leader and manager to accept the
technology and create new techniques which makes the work easier.
Political factor
This factors refer the rules and regulation made by the government it directly affects the decision
making because these things are not in the hand of organization. Some times political changes
gives advantage to the organization and sometimes not. So the leader and manger has to take
decisions as per the political factor so that it doesn't affect the profit margin of the company.
Economic factors
Economic system and policies of any company affects the business and organization. Nature of
economic system and capital market influences the organisation. If the economy faces rescission
it directly harms the profit of the company, demand of products and goods decreases and
organization have to bear huge loss. On the other hand if the economy is on peak company
enjoys the profit and the demand of its products also get increases (Wolniak and R, 2019).
Legal factors
This factor states about flexibility and adaptability of legal rules and laws which a company
follows. There are various laws has been made for employees which every company has to
follow.

CONCLUSION
From the analysis of this report it is concluded that it helps in understanding management and
operations of M&S. It also defines leader and manager along with their roles and responsibilities
towards the company. Role of a leader and a manager has been differentiated in this file. This
report reveals the system, contingency and situational theories of leadership along with various
modals. The numerous external and internal factors and their impacts on M&S has been explored
in this report. The key approaches of operation management in M&S and the role of leaders and
managers has been explained. Various importance of operations management to achieve the
business objective has been explored in this report. The relationship between leadership and
management has been revealed in this report. The learner would be able to get full detailed about
the various factors and elements who have consequential impact on the business.

REFERENCES
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