Management and Operations Report: Leader, Manager Roles and Functions

This report delves into the critical roles and functions of leaders and managers within an organizational context, using Marks and Spencer as a case study. It explores the distinction between leadership, which focuses on vision and influence, and management, which emphasizes resource allocation and operational execution. The report covers key concepts such as situational, systems, and task-oriented leadership, as well as the application of chaos theory and management by objectives. Furthermore, it examines the roles of leaders and managers in the operations function, discussing theories like Six Sigma, lean production, and queuing theory, alongside operational management approaches such as Total Quality Management, Just-in-Time inventory, and continuous improvement. The report concludes by analyzing the relationship between leadership and management in a contemporary business environment, considering factors such as corporate social responsibility, culture, values, ethics, sustainability, and stakeholder expectations.

Management and
Operations

Contents
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................3
LO 2............................................................................................................................................................3
The role and functions of a manager and a leader....................................................................................3
LO 3............................................................................................................................................................5
The roles and functions play by the leader and the manager respectively in operation function of an
organization.............................................................................................................................................5
LO 4............................................................................................................................................................7
An understanding the relation between a leader and a manager in a contemporary business
environment.............................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Management refers to an activity to manage the resources of an organization. Resources
may include raw materials, machineries, human resource and so on. All these resources need to
get align to achieve the organizational goals and objectives. Management performs five basic
functions i.e. planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. A manager is a person
whose roles and responsibility is to perform these above management function whereas a leader
is a person who make vision and set mission for his organization. To run the organization
successfully, it is very much necessary for the organization to plan for its effective operational
activities. For reference purpose this report has taken an example of a company, Marks and
Spencer. Marks and Spencer is a British multi-national company which specialized in
manufacturing high quality clothes, home products and food product (Chopra, Meindl and Kalra,
2013). The company was established in the year 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Spenser.
The company has successfully opened 1463 stores by serving worldwide.
This report discuss about the roles and responsibilities of a leader and a manager. This
report also includes the different operational methods which are used by the company in
effective and efficient production of goods and services.
LO 2
The role and functions of a manager and a leader.
A leader is a person who has the capabilities to influence a person or a group of persons
and direct them towards the attainment of a specified objective or goal. It is the responsibility of
a leader to form mission and vision of his idea or organization. He is the one who thinks out of
the box and solves the issues of his followers. The role of a leader is as follows:
Required at all level: Leadership is such a task which is required at all the levels, whether at the
middle level of management or at lower level of management or at the top level of management.
A good leader has the ability to motivate his workforce or concern people. As in the case with
Marks and Spencer, there are all kinds of employee working at all the levels, a good leader is one
which has to motivate the employees of all levels and resolve their concerns and issues which
they may face into his work (Cruz and Rincon, 2012). When employees think that their leader
thinks and care about them then the workforce also feels motivated in their work and performs to
the best into it.
Representative of an organization: A leader is a person who is a representative of his whole
organization or people. He is the one who put the problem and issue in front of others on behalf
of is whole team. He is the one who takes responsibility of his own team. The success of his
team will be his success and the failure of his team will be his failure. As in the case with marks
and Spencer, the leader job is to represent the whole company on his behalf; Michael Marks and
Thomas Spencer in this company are the representative leaders. They are the one who forms

policies takes all the liabilities if any arises on the company, they forms the objectives and
deliver it to the audience and to their employees (Handschin and Petroianu, 2012).
A manager is a person who manages all the resources of an organization. Resources may
include the inventories, human resource, machineries, raw materials and many more. The
manager performs five major functions and they are planning, organizing, staffing, directing and
controlling. The elaboration of the functions is as follows:-
Planning: The manager has to perform the activities according to the planning. They make sure
that all the operations are with accordance to the plan. As in the case with marks and Spencer, a
manager makes plans and aligns the things with accordance to the plan. They plan the objective
so that they have an idea about the resources, obstacles and etc they get to know at the initial
level only (Hong and et. al.,2015). Through planning an organization can prepare them for the
barriers.
Staffing: Staffing refers to putting the employee at the right position in an organization
according to the skills and knowledge them posses. Here the function of a manger is to staff the
employee at their respective places and jobs. In this function the manager educate the employees
about their job description and the expectation they have with their work.
Situation leadership: Situational leadership is a type of leadership style in which the
manager or a leader adjusts to the style of his team or followers to attain the specified task or job.
In situational leadership, leader or manager changes his attitude and style with respect to his
followers. In this, it is the leader or the manager who changes himself not the followers. For
example, if the company Marks and Spencer wants to expand its business to other countries also,
then the manager or the leader has to adjust to the style of the people of other countries not he
needs to change the employee of that country (Liu and et. al.,2014).
System leadership: In this type of leadership, the leader or the manager creates a system
or environment in which an employee can produce to its potential in an organization. The system
formed by the leader or manager is so motivating and comfortable that it automatically motivated
the employees to gives the best. In this workplace culture also plays a major role. Marks and
Spencer provides a system where the employee has the freedom to contribute into any idea and
opinion before taking any decision. The organization takes the opinion and ideas of every
employee and then takes its final decision. This activity motivates the employees as they think
them as an important part into their organization.
Task oriented leadership: In this the company forms its structure, policies, rule and
regulations so clear and strict. This type of leadership style does involve punishments and reward
system. Marks and Spencer does apply this type of leadership style at some places where they
feel its extreme needs (Mendis, Muttaqi and Perera, 2012). This type of leadership style does not
really acceptable into the organizations now as they think that the employees can get motivated
through other positive modes also.

Chaos Theory: In this type of theory the attitude and the behavior of a person is
predicted before he his actions. This may help the leader or a manager to attain the response he
might get from the employees or followers. This might help them in the decision making process
or in bringing any kind of change into an organization. As in the case with marks and Spencer
Company, if the organization wants to initiate any sort of change into their system then they first
predict the response they might get from the employees. Whether the employees would accept it
or whether they will reject it.
Management by objectives: In this the organization clearly defines its aims and
objectives which is agreed by both organization and employees. In this type of theory, the
organization sets its goals and objective by consulting from its employees (Mensinger and et. al. ,
2015). And in the environment where the objectives are clearly agree by both the parties i.e.
organization and employees there the productivity level will automatically increases and the
organization becomes successful into the attainment of its objectives.
LO 3
The roles and functions play by the leader and the manager respectively in operation function of
an organization.
Theories of operation management-
Six Sigma: This is the tool which helps the organization in improving its efficiency. In
this approach the sig sigma team defines the objectives and goals of a company and then
evaluates the actual productivity. By analyzing the actual productivity, the problems along with
the gap between the actual and standard objectives are also analyzed. From this the company
detects the problems and tries to solve it (Ming and et. al., 2013). As in the case with marks and
Spencer, the role of a leader is to set the goals and objective for the whole organization where as
the function of manager is to make sure that those goals must get achieved by employees. In six
sigma, the leader performs the role to understand that where and why the productivity is lacking
behind and then execute some measures whereas the function of a manager is to follow the
directions and monitor that whether the things and activities are being followed by the planning.
Lean production: Lean manufacturing is a method in which the organization tries to
minimum its waste without doing any compromise in this production quality. In this method the
company tries to maximize this productivity. Marks and Spencer has adopted that manufacturing
method which leads to minimum waste and maximum productivity. In such a case the role of a
leader is to choose the method and release the need for saves cost by minimum waste. For this
the duty of a leader is to choose the appropriate method of production from the available choices.
And the function of a manager is to perform the planning, organizing, directing and controlling
function when the change is established into the organization (Nakayama and Bucks, 2012).

Queuing theory: The method helps the operational department in aligning the time
which is taken by a method in producing the products. By this method the organization knows
the waiting time and can sets its further projects accordingly. The role of a leader in this is to
analysis the time taken by the production method and analyze whether the time taken is
appropriate or more. If the time taken is more, then the organization can moves to another
method for production. But if the time taken by the production method is appropriate then the
leader will stick to this method only. And the function of a manager is to observe whether the
production method is fulfilling the required objectives or not (Parisio and Glielmo, 2013).
Different operation management approaches:
Principle of total quality management: In this approach, an organization thinks to accomplish
all the principles which is necessary for an ideal management system. According to this, the
approach has a total of 8 principles which are: Customer focus, leadership, involvement of
people, process approach, system approach to management, continual improvement, factual
approach to decision making and mutually beneficial supplier relationships. Marks and Spencer
evaluates its management system upon these principles. If they have successfully accomplished
all these principles then they have very efficient management system. The role of a leader in this
is to establish such environment and culture which encourages these principles, whereas the
function of a manager is to observe whether these principles are being achieved into organization
or not.
Just in time: In this type of approach the inventory which are needed by an organization for
production are ordered at schedule. Just in time refers to the approach in which the organization
schedules at time at which the inventories will get finished and then accordingly the organization
put order for the inventory requires. This will help the organization in saving the cost and time
for inventories. The company does not have to wait for resuming its production activity. The role
of a leader is to set the schedules for inventories and the function of manager is to monitor and
control these schedules.
The concept of continuous improvement: In this approach, the company aims for the
continuous improvement. In this the company generates a small idea and tries to implement it.
The company thinks that every small contribution leads to the larger results. This approach
advice the organization to involve all level of employees in the decision making process and then
take the necessary decision. By taking the idea and opinions from employees, there is higher
chance of getting an innovative idea upon which an organization can work (Parisio, Rikos and
Glielmo, 2016). As in the case with Marks and Spencer, the role of a leader is to invite the
opinions or every employee and the function of a manager is to make sure that every employee
participates.
Operational functions:

Logistic and inventory management: In this function the logistics and inventory is managed
properly. From the proper management of inventory Marks and Spencer can saves its cost to a
great extent and can also produces the products at time with great efficiency and effectiveness.
The logistic should be aligning properly and the system should be very properly defined. Apart
from this it should not create any fort of confusion into the process. The role of a leader is to
establish the logistics and inventory management process where the function of manager is to
manage it.
Scheduling: Scheduling refers to making for time table about when and how to order the
inventories, what process should be followed, the schedule for production of products and so
forth (Radosavljević, Jevtić and Klimenta, 2016). By making schedule Marks and Spencer can
align all its business activities very properly which helps them in reducing any kind of waste
whether it is of time or resources. The role of a leader is to recognize the need for making
schedule and the function of a manager is to monitor the schedule.
LO 4
An understanding the relation between a leader and a manager in a contemporary business
environment.
Both the leader and managers plays different role in this contemporary business
environment. But both share a common relationship in the following context:
Corporate social responsibility: The role of a leader is to release the need for sharing the
profits or income with the society by doing some kind of welfare work. It is the leader who
decides the activities which his organization would perform for the society. It has been said that
the business takes the resources from society so therefore it is the responsibility of an
organization to give something in return to society. Whereas the manager takes all responsibility
and helps the leader in executing the plans which the leader has set as a CSR activity.
Culture: The culture of an organization refers to the working environment of the work place.
The culture is always set by the leader and the it’s the responsibility of a manager to make sure
that this culture should be followed properly into the organization. As in the case with marks and
Spencer, the company’s leader set a culture where the employee feel very motivated to work and
the culture of organization prohibits any kind of discrimination. In this the function of a manager
is to make sure that the culture which is formed by the leader should get followed into the
company.
Values and Ethics: Values and ethics are the attitude and the norms which an organization
follows into its structure. Marks and Spencer values and ethics is decided by its leader himself.
The values and ethics do get change with the change in the business environment (Song and et.
al.,2012). Whereas it is the duty of a manager to make sure that these values and ethics are being

followed up in the company. It is also the role of a manager to educate the employees about the
values and ethics they follow into company.
Sustainability: Sustainability refers the ability to maintain a particular level. The mission of an
organization can only be attaining when its vision has the factor of sustainability. The plan of a
leader should be sustainable; it should contribute into the long term success of company. Same
applies with Marks and Spencer, the company’s mission and vision should be very much
sustainable that it must contribute to the long term benefits. Now days the companies are more
putting their focus on their sustainability rather than their profits and growth. They think that
sustainability can bring growth and profit automatically to them.
Stakeholders and their interest: Stakeholder may include the investors, customers, directors,
creators, employees, government, unions and the so forth. And all these people or parties needs
to get satisfied by providing them with their necessary interest. The interest of an investors
would be in getting the returns from the money he had put into the business, the interest of
customer is to buy the products which can satisfies their needs and wants, the interest of directors
is to run the operations and activities of business in a successful way, the interest of an employee
is to achieve his career goal which he has set for himself and many more. Different stakeholders
have different objectives with the company and it is the duty of a leader to satisfy them all. The
leader should run its business such that he can satisfies and make happy to all the parties which
are associated with the company (Stoppato, 2012). This task is very much hard as it requires a lot
of planning and work. But a good leader can perform it. Whereas the role of a manager is to help
the leader by performing all of his managing functions. The manager has to manage the entire
task which a leader has for him. He is the one who manages all the parties and their following
interests.
CONCLUSION
From the report discuss above, the role and the functions of a leader and a manager is
clearly defined. A leader is a person who influences a person or group of persons to his direction
for the attainment of a particular objective or goal. Whereas a manager is a person who is
responsible to manages the resources of an organization. These resources may include raw
materials, inventory, and human resource and so on. Both have different roles and responsibility
to complete. The report also discuss about the roles and functions of a leader and a manager at
different leadership situation or style. On the other hand, the report do focus on operational
management various theories and approaches which are used by an organization.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Chopra, S., Meindl, P. and Kalra, D.V., 2013. Supply chain management: strategy, planning, and
operation (Vol. 232). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Cruz, A. M. and Rincon, A. M. R., 2012. Medical device maintenance outsourcing: Have
operation management research and management theories forgotten the medical
engineering community? A mapping review. European Journal of Operational
Research. 221(1). pp.186-197.
Handschin, E. and Petroianu, A., 2012. Energy management systems: operation and control of
electric energy transmission systems. Springer Science & Business Media.
Hong, T., and et. al.,2015. A review on sustainable construction management strategies for
monitoring, diagnosing, and retrofitting the building’s dynamic energy performance:
Focused on the operation and maintenance phase. Applied Energy. 155. pp.671-707.
Liu, B., and et. al.,2014. System operation and energy management of a renewable energy-based
DC micro-grid for high penetration depth application. IEEE Transactions on Smart
Grid. 6(3). pp.1147-1155.
Mendis, N., Muttaqi, K. M. and Perera, S., 2012, October. Active power management of a super
capacitor-battery hybrid energy storage system for standalone operation of DFIG based
wind turbines. In 2012 IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting (pp. 1-8).
IEEE.
Mensinger, M.R. and et. al. , 2015. Systems and methods for processing sensor data. U.S. Patent
9,135,402.
Ming, Z.,and et. al.., 2013. Historical review of demand side management in China: Management
content, operation mode, results assessment and relative incentives. Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Reviews. 25. pp.470-482.
Nakayama, F. S. and Bucks, D. A. eds., 2012. Trickle irrigation for crop production: design,
operation and management. Elsevier.
Nassiri, P.,and et. al., Health, safety, and environmental management system operation in
contracting companies: A case study. Archives of environmental & occupational
health. 71(3). pp.178-185.
Parisio, A. and Glielmo, L., 2013, July. Stochastic model predictive control for
economic/environmental operation management of microgrids. In 2013 European
Control Conference (ECC) (pp. 2014-2019). IEEE.
Parisio, A., Rikos, E. and Glielmo, L., 2016. Stochastic model predictive control for
economic/environmental operation management of microgrids: An experimental case
study. Journal of Process Control. 43. pp.24-37.
Radosavljević, J., Jevtić, M. and Klimenta, D., 2016. Energy and operation management of a
microgrid using particle swarm optimization. Engineering Optimization. 48(5). pp.811-
830.

Song, I.K., and et. al.,2012. Design of smart distribution management system for obtaining real-
time security analysis and predictive operation in Korea. IEEE Transactions on Smart
Grid. 4(1). pp.375-382.
Stoppato, A., 2012. Energetic and economic investigation of the operation management of an
Organic Rankine Cycle cogeneration plant. Energy. 41(1). pp.3-9.
Zambon, R.C., and et. al.,2012. Optimization of large-scale hydrothermal system
operation. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 138(2). pp.135-143.
Zhang, D., Shah, N. and Papageorgiou, L. G., 2013. Efficient energy consumption and operation
management in a smart building with microgrid. Energy Conversion and
Management. 74. pp.209-222.
Zhang, Y. and et. al.,2016. Model predictive control-based operation management for a
residential microgrid with considering forecast uncertainties and demand response
strategies. IET Generation, Transmission & Distribution. 10(10). pp.2367-2378.