Report on Management and Operations of M&S Ltd (University)

This report provides a detailed analysis of the management and operations of M&S Ltd, a major retail company. It begins with an overview of M&S's organizational structure, emphasizing its flat hierarchy and its implications for employee involvement and decision-making. The report differentiates between the roles of leaders and managers, highlighting their distinct responsibilities in setting objectives, motivating employees, and implementing strategies. It evaluates the effectiveness of leadership and management in various organizational situations, such as planning, organizing, directing, controlling, and staffing. The report then applies the contemporary management theory of contingency theory to M&S, exploring how external and internal factors influence its growth and sustainability. Key operational aspects of M&S, including its Plan A for sustainability and its policies on language and animal welfare, are examined. The role of managers in key operational functions is assessed, and operational approaches are explained. Finally, the report concludes with recommendations for improving employee training, fostering interaction between staff levels, and enhancing coordination to optimize operational efficiency and achieve organizational objectives. The report is a comprehensive assessment of M&S's management and operational strategies and provides valuable insights into its successes and areas for improvement.

A36457_MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
University
UNIT 4: MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
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Table of Contents
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the M& S Ltd and management structure...................................................................3
Difference between the role of a leader and a manager to differentiate leadership and
management.....................................................................................................................................3
Evaluating the role of leadership and management in different organizational situations..............5
Applying the contemporary management theory for improving the growth and sustainability......6
Conclusion and recommendation....................................................................................................7
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................8
Operations of M& S Ltd..................................................................................................................8
Assessing the role of managers in key operational functions..........................................................9
Explaining the key operational approaches to operation management.........................................10
Evaluating the impact of external business environmental factors over decision-making process
of managers and leaders.................................................................................................................12
Improvement in operational efficiencies through applying relevant leadership and management
approaches.....................................................................................................................................13
Conclusion and recommendation..................................................................................................13
Reference List................................................................................................................................15
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Task 1
Overview of the M& S Ltd and management structure
M&S Ltd is one of the largest retailers in United Kingdom established in 1884. With the global
presence, M&S is specialised in Home, luxury food and Clothing product. Due to the wider
customer reach, the total profit of M&S was calculated around £481.6 millions in the year 2015
along with Operating income of £762.4 million and revenue of £10.4 billion.
M&S believes in following the flat organisational hierarchy or structure since this kind of
structure holds limited management levels between the front line staffs and administrative
bodies. The reason behind following this type of organisational structure is to increase the
involvement of front line employees in the organisational decision making process. As per the
viewpoint of Silver (2013), following the flat organisational structure provides better framework
for the management to decrease the bureaucracy and strengthening employee’s skill in making
effective decisions in critical situations. The flat structure has a shape of pyramid but unlike the
traditional structure, it is flatter and broader thus, less management level exists between top-
bottom of the pyramid. Through employing over 3000 staffs in head office (London), M&S
focus at making them specialist in their own field.
Difference between the role of a leader and a manager to differentiate
leadership and management
Managers: managers are referred to the person in a company responsible for designing and
managing the work for achieving the pre-determined aims and objective for the company. As
opined by Stevenson and Sum (2012), in order to successfully accomplishing the organisational
goal, managers are responsible in developing the relevant and efficient business policies, plans
and strategies with indulging each staffs to focus on the aim while performing the respective
task.
Leaders: as per the viewpoint of Urban (2011), leaders are responsible for motivating the staffs
behind the organisational goal and objective and accomplishing the task successfully. They also
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play crucial role in encouraging the morale of an employee through effective communication and
leadership skills. However, a leader might not be a manager but they are built by their motivating
skill and holds special place for his/her staffs. Moreover, they coordinate with the managers in
accomplishing the business strategy through affecting a larger group of employees.
Differentiating the role of a leader and a manager
The role of leader and manager are often considered as an interchangeable, but the crucial
differences between their roles come up with similar task accomplishment as to get employees
work in and for the company. As per the opinion of von Solms (2014), managers are responsible
for setting the goal considering mission and vision of a company, while leaders are responsible
for further communication of vision to employees and inspire them so that employees can own
the vision of company and follows the path decided by the leader.
Managers Leaders
Manager sets objective of company along with
communication of policies to leaders. They
direct the group with creating innovative idea
for better development of the company.
Manager focuses on things and according to
the situation plans the important changes for
the organisation. They are less involved in
direct communication with each staffs and
regulate as a single point of plan. They gather
report and information about present and future
changes due to any new policy
implementation.
Leader persuades objective developed by
managers. Employees are motivated and
influenced in order to work as per the policy of
the organisation. They also provide direction to
the team and play the role to implement those
ideas into the reality. Leader focuses on people
rather than things and according to
organisational policies, strategies and plans
inspire their employees to get the work done on
time.
Table No. 1: Difference between management and leadership
(Source: Johnston and Marshall, 2016)
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Evaluating the role of leadership and management in different organizational
situations
The effectiveness and significance of managerial role and leadership role is highlighted during
the critical situation emerged in the organisation. As opined by Ackfeldt and Coote (2011), it is
very important to analyse the annual performance report of a manager and leader in order to
identify their behaviour during different situations emerged throughout the year. The following
points or factors can be considered while measuring the management and leadership role as
different organisational situation.
Planning: the important part of a manager is replicated through his/her planning skill. In M&S
Ltd, managers were observed highly involved in planning of business strategies and policies
derived to achieve the organisational aim and objective. While dealing with planning, it is
equally important to consider the positive and negative consequences of the planning. However,
it was never observed with bad impact over consumers and performance of M&S. On the other
hand, role of leader in planning is equally important since the significant effort of an employee is
due to the inspiration of a leader. The steps taken from a leader is very significant in encouraging
the employees to process for organisational goal.
Organising: the manager of M&S organise and make total utilization of the available resources
in efficient manner for reaching out to the organisational aim and objective. The role of leader of
M&S is to allocate those resources efficiently and motivating the employees to bring out the
maximum and best outcomes.
Directing: the manager can direct the particular task to perform among the staffs and employees
of M&S, whereas leaders play efficient role of creating a team and motivating/directing them
how the work could be accomplished.
Controlling: The manager formulates different business strategies whereas leaders implement
those strategies for M&S Ltd. These activities are monitored and controlled from the manager
for ensuring the process of leader for verifying the outcomes of employee performance with
standard laid down from managers.
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Staffing: the term staffing denotes the best practices of manager and leader for producing the
best outcome from the applicant recruited in an organisation. M&S recruits the staff and allocate
or assign the task based on the knowledge and skill possession by the candidate.
Therefore, the role of a manager and leader is different in few prospect but they carry forwards
the organisational goal through considering the performance of employees and staffs. However,
in order to accomplish the given task within the timeframe, managers and leaders are the role
model for employees to get the task done.
Applying the contemporary management theory for improving the growth
and sustainability
Contingency theory
The contingency theory can be referred as the class for behavioural theory, which claims of
inexistence of possible way for organising a corporation, leading the company and making
decisions in favour of organisational development. Instead, optimal action course is dependent
(contingent) upon the external and internal situation. Dawson (2013), stated that nowadays
technologies are assisting in directly determining the differences in such attributes of the
organisation as control span, authority centralisation and procedure and rules formalization.
Therefore, it can be interpreted that the best way for dealing with the growth and sustainability is
referred to the technical differences among the companies. However, the leadership and
managerial skills are also important in strengthening the organisational growth hierarchy, but it
has been observed in many companies that advancement in plans, technical improvement has
been also playing vital role in deciding the improvement. Kim and Shim (2013), suggested some
important contingencies for organisations are such as
1. Technology
2. Distributors and suppliers
3. Customer interest groups
4. Competitors and consumers
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5. Government
6. Unions
As stated by Good et al. (2012), companies are opened systems that require the careful
management for satisfying and balancing internal needs in order to adapt the environmental
circumstances. Furthermore, there is no possible ways for improving the organising the things,
but improvement in decision-making process is the key to enhance the growth and sustainability.
Therefore, it can be interpreted that leadership and management theory is dependent over the
different factors such as technical efficiency, better employee training and increased interaction
between the high and low level staffs of company.
Conclusion and recommendation
Based on the findings and the collected information about existing loopholes and drawbacks,
ample number of recommendations has been provided in order to fill the gap and achieving the
organisational objectives.
Efficient training for the employees
As per the above observation, it can be said that due to lack of employees training, their potential
remains unfolded or unused in an operation. Therefore, it has been suggested to enhance the
training of employees so that they can be able to understand the project or operation
requirements and gets high involvement in delivering their potentiality. Moreover, the training
needs to be objective centred for conveying the scope and resources to each staff.
Session for interaction among leaders, managers and employees
However, the lack of interaction between high level and low-level staffs has caused of
employee’s less interest in the project, de-motivation thus, unattained participation in goal
achievement. Therefore, recommendation has been made to increase the session of interaction
between them so that each employee can feel motivated and give their best to attend the
organisational improvement.
Coordinative approach
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The coordination is the key for active participation of staffs in business policy, plan and strategy
implementation. Based on the information gathered about lack of coordination among staff has
been a major concerning issue for M&S Ltd. Therefore, with effective coordination, plan and
strategies could get equal contribution of each employee and can be helpful in preventing the
major hindrance.
Task 2
Operations of M& S Ltd
Since being a large retail company, M&S have their unique retailing operations that have
significantly affected the growth of company.
Plan A
The aim of company is focused on communicating with the customers regarding sustainability
issues in easy and straightforward manner so that company could be able to promote the
sustainable product at all the possible areas.
Image
One of the biggest affecting operations of M&S is to listen from their stakeholders regarding the
wrongdoings. M&S is committed to be socially responsible for depicting the ethical and social
diversity. Moreover, the company always tries to avoid the campaign or images inappropriate or
cause offence to public.
Policy of Welsh language
The company adopted the policy of Welsh language in order to regulate the product or service
delivery convenient to customer language choice. It is regarded to give equal importance to
welsh language comparing to English because of the high significance and choice of public.
Animal Pledge
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M&S has signed-up the Animal pledge in the year of 2013. The reason for signing up the project
is for commitment of not using the picture of wild animal while promoting any product and
attracting the consumers.
Assessing the role of managers in key operational functions
The success behind becoming one of the largest retailing chain, M&S has unique set of managers
efficient in increasing the sales and profiting the company with effective managerial skills. It has
been observed that unlike other company, Managers of M&S has been actively coordinating the
role of leaders in encouraging and motivating the employee thus, leading the way to achieving
organisational goal.
With efficient use of available resources, managers have been promoting the wide product and
service implementation by the company. However, they also have been capable to make
employee feel special through organising the events for rewarding the better functional bodies of
the organisation. Moreover, for efficiently running the business operation, managers are getting
high involvement in implementing the significant business operations. Apart from that, manager
has never forgotten to collect the end user and employee feedback of current ongoing things. End
user feedback has helped in understating the product or service potential as well as modification
required within a particular product. Collecting feedback from employees has provided enough
understanding about state and need of business process for more efficient outputs.
Instead of leaders, managers of M&S has been leading the group from front and looking after the
progress of the project or strategy. This has resulted in improved potential of employees and
encouraging them for their best performance aimed towards organisational goal. On the other
hand, through taking active participation in various programs organised within the company,
managers are showing high empathy to each level staffs. Based on the viewpoint of Kim and
Shim (2013), managers of M&S are playing special role in achieving the following milestone for
the company such as
 Creating healthy working place
 Compliance with the national law
 Preventing discrimination and bringing equal opportunities for all
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 Organising disciplinary procedures
 Grievance at workplace and,
 Employee involvement, engagement and participation
The findings about the role of manager of M&S in their business operations can be said as very
significant and result oriented. The necessary steps taken by the company has been effective and
improving the growth graphs. Moreover, the skilled managers of M&S are producing tough
challenge to other retailing competitors.
Explaining the key operational approaches to operation management
Equality and Diversity
The commitment of M&S is to provide the equal opportunity for all. It has been found that M&S
is promoting the discrimination, victimisation and harassment free work environment where each
person can receive the treatment regardless:
 Age
 Religion and belief
 National or ethnic origin
 Civil or marital partner status
 Work hours
 Sexual Orientation
 Gender reassignment
 Race
 Nationality
 Maternity/pregnancy
 Disability
The following factors are not considered at the workplace of M&S and leads to equal work
environment for each employee.
Anti-bribery policy
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M&S business operation is strongly committed for doing right things and in right way. It has
been found that company strongly disagree with bribery activity in the organisation that could
hamper the customer perception and their buying behaviour. For dealing with bribery activity
inside the organisation, the process of reporting to chief compliance officer has been
implemented.
Health and safety policy
The health and safety act 2016, was effective enough to measure the health standard of
employee. Company ensures the health and wellbeing of each employee. It has somewhere
helped organisation in increased employee satisfaction and perception as well better
performance.
Mental wellbeing
As per the viewpoint of Johnston and Marshall (2016), the mental wellbeing of an employee is
equally important in developing the business strategy through promoting the happy staffs and
leading to better future for the company. The act was updated in 2014 with a mental wellbeing
awareness camp in October.
Communicating with employees
M&S is committed for the direct participation and engagement of employee through groups of
business involvement elected democratically and work council (M&S believes of following key
dimensions of their employee) such as:
 Significant knowledge about the business operation of M&S
 Huge interest in commercial success of the company, and
 Knowledge about the considerable factors at the workplace with colleagues
Additionally, M&S maintains “Your Say” survey annually in order to enhance their
communication with employees as well as measurement of performance reviews.
International provision
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The business of M&S outside of United Kingdom has been accounting better performance with
good turnover annually. Company has segmented their international business provision with
Part-owned and Franchise business. Company is committed to recruit the local candidates that
can represent their local community. Apart from that, M&S works within framework of
international policy with the following requirements of M&S such as:
 Medical insurance provision
 Employee representation
 Non-discrimination
 Corporate ethic
 Equal opportunities
 Pay and work conditions
Moreover, M&S provides the employee handbook at every offices, ventures and subsidiaries.
M&S has a framework for rewarding the employees with detailed other entitlements like
employee discount and so on.
Evaluating the impact of external business environmental factors over
decision-making process of managers and leaders
PEST analysis
This analysis shows the impact of external business environment factors (Political, Economic,
Social and Technological) over the decision-making process of the managers and leaders of
M&S.
Political
The dimensions affected mostly the regulatory
requirements, impact from current political
climates of M&S where it is operating the
business. The rules and regulations by the
government has been directly affecting the
steps either already taken or can be taken from
M&S in order to improve their business
Economic
The financial crisis of M&S during the 19th
century was highly remarkable. In the words of
Agrawal and Smith (2013), the blunder of
finance over operation of M&S can probably
be the reason for organisational fall down.
However, the company proved its recovery
through taking some most significant decisions
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sustainability. that has been noticed from other companies
throughout the world.
Social
Social factors are mainly responsible for
reflecting the fads, trends and preferences in
the society. The adequate decision by the
managers of M&S was very significant in
drawing the attention of society and improving
their knowledge about active participation by
the company.
Technological
However, the technological aspects was always
remarkable for improved business growth of
M&S. The advancement in technical aspect has
equipped the company not only from the
prospect of handling the competitors but also
the communication process of business
operation managers.
Table No. 2: Impact of external environmental factor over decision-making process
(Source: Created by Author)
Improvement in operational efficiencies through applying relevant leadership
and management approaches
In order to deal with the business operation more efficiently, the ample number of leading and
managing approaches can be implemented in M&S. As uncovered by Dawson (2013), the
different dimensions and approaches that could be effective and result oriented for the
managerial and leadership qualities are such as the pacesetting manager, authoritative leader,
coaching manager, coercive leader, afflictive manager and so on. These approaches are
applicable for leaders and managers to improve their decision-making process and accountability
of operational efficiency. Apart from that, transformational, classical and participative leading
qualities also determine the improved framework for operational efficiency.
Conclusion and recommendation
The operational approaches has been a better platform to measure the difference between the
quality of organisational process and managerial behaviour. From the findings about operational
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management of M&S, ample of recommendation can be provided in order to enhance the
operational efficiency. The advancement in technical aspect can equip the company not only
from the prospect of handling the competitors but also the communication process of business
operation managers. However, company has segmented their international business provision
with Part-owned and Franchise business, but it can be recommended to give more focus on
privately owned stores since it is related with direct profitability of an organisation and trust of
consumer could never be ignored.
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