Leadership and Management: Roles, Theories and Approaches

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership and management, focusing on the distinct roles and characteristics of leaders and managers within an organizational context, specifically using Morrisons as a case study. It examines the practical application of leadership and management in various situational contexts, highlighting the importance of setting goals, fostering cooperation, and providing motivation. The report delves into different leadership theories and models, including situational leadership, systems leadership, and contingency theory, and assesses their strengths and weaknesses in different work environments. Furthermore, it explores key approaches to operations management, emphasizing the roles of leaders and managers in improving efficiency and achieving business objectives. Finally, the report assesses factors within the business environment that impact operational management and decision-making, analyzing their effects on the business and the wider community.

Management and
Operation

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
P1. Identify and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager......3
M1 Analyse and differentiate between the role of a leader and function of a manager by
effectively applying a range of theories and concepts................................................................4
P2 Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.......................................................................................................5
P3 Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership, systems
leadership and contingency.........................................................................................................6
M2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to situations within the work
environment.................................................................................................................................7
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play..............................................................................................................................8
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.....................................................................................................................................9
M3 Evaluate how leaders and managers can improve efficiencies of operational management
to successfully meet business objectives...................................................................................10
P6 Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers...................................................10
M4 Analyse how these different factors affect the business environment and wider
community.................................................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Operations and management are interconnected term which is used to manage the operational
activities of the management. It is an administrative process which increases the efficiency of the
organisation. It helps to achieve the long term and short term objective of the company.
Employee is the asset of the organisation who contributes their part in the functioning of the
operational activities of the business. The operational activities of the management may vary
according to the nature and type of the business. The managers and leaders plays significant role
in managing and supervising the work among the members and lead the team towards the goal of
the company (Camuffo and Gerli, 2018). The organisation chosen for this report is Morrisons
which is fourth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. It has around 497 stores all
around the globe. This report will analyse the features and differentiate the manager and leader's
job role. Further, it cover various theories and approaches that are used to ensure smooth
functioning of the organisation. Also, it will identify the factor which affect the business
environment and the decision making power of the leaders and managers.
TASK
P1. Identify and compare the different roles and characteristics of a leader and a manager. Leader- he is responsible for leading and supervising the team to coordinate the work
among them. He plays significant role in achieving the goal and objectives of the
organisation. They are carrying out all the internal activities of the business and facilitates
better communication between them.
 Manager- is a person who manages the team mates for maximising profit and production
level of the company. He is responsible for planning, organising, motivating and training
the employees towards the desired goal of the organisation.
The comparative analysis between the leaders and manager has been done in context to
Sainsbury which includes-
LEADER MANAGER
Leader is a responsible person who supervise
and monitor the activities of the members. It
Manager is responsible to formulate plans and
policies for the organisation. He involves in the

aims to facilitates better communication among
the members and prevent conflict within the
organisation.
process of planning, organising, staffing ,
directing and controlling. Manager ensure the
day to day operation of a business.
Leaders ensure positive relation among the
members and direct them towards the goal of
the organisation. They are focused on the work
of the employees.
They puts all their efforts in maximising profits
and minimises the wastage of resources. They
are mainly focus on the resources.
Leaders always interacts with their employees. A manager always interacts with the leaders.
He takes proactive approach which means
anticipation of future market and change in the
need and expectation of the consumers.
He takes reactive approach to address the
grievances of their employees to provide them
better output.
M1 Analyse and differentiate between the role of a leader and function of a manager by
effectively applying a range of theories and concepts.
The leaders and managers are the two responsible person of the organisation who are
coordinating and integrating the work among the members (Coleman and Bourne, 2019). They
are performing different function and role within the organisation and contributes its part in the
success of the organisation. The role of leader in Morrisons is defined thereunder-
 take charge for coordinating and supervising the activities among the members.
 They authorise the team mates with certain roles and responsibilities for which they are
being accountable.
 They are mainly focus on the resources that are important for enhancing the production
and profit earning capacity of the organisation.
Whereas, Manager plays crucial role in the functioning of the Morrisons company and it
includes-
 Firstly, he is responsible for the important functioning such as planning, organising,
staffing, directing and controlling which is core element of the company.
 They are managing the various activities of the team in order to bring positive output.
 They are playing significant role in enhancing the resources which is used to organise the
work in a most systematic and efficient manner.

P2 Examine examples of how the role of a leader and the function of a manager apply in
different situational contexts.
Leader: A leader is responsible and figurehead of the subordinates whose main aim is to reach
the organisational goal and objectives with the helps of their employees. He leads and guide the
employees to achieve the desired result. Leaders are motivating tool that encourages the
employees to meet the ultimate goal of the organisation. They are the actual change makers and
innovators for the company. It brings positive change in the business environment. In context to
Morrisons, the leaders role are very crucial as their direction and encouragement attract the
employees and motivate them to meet the need and demand of the consumers through effective
production of the product. It includes-
 Setting goals- The most important function performed by the leader of the Morrisons
company is to set goals for the team members. It includes long term and short term
objective that are made to accomplish within a specified period of time. The leaders of
the Morrisons establish the road map for their employees which direct them towards the
organisational goal.
 Cooperation among employees- Leaders aim to cooperate and integrate the work among
their employees to secure their interest (Darabant and Narayanan, 2021). In context to
Morrisons company, its employees are highly motivated and satisfied due to presence of
best leadership approach used by the organisation in order to retain them at workplace.
 Motivation and direction- Effective direction and motivation is required to lead the
team as it is their primary function which is performed to achieve the desired goal of the
organisation.
Manager- is an individual who is responsible to strategies the plan and policies of the
organisation. They are various functions which is performed by the managers to reach the better
result of the organisation. The primary function of the manager is to implement the set plans to
sustain growth and expansion of the Morrisons company.
 Decisional roles: According to Morrisons company, a manager perform their decisional
role to make necessary improvement in their business. Manager plays entrepreneurial role
to manage the error that take place due to variation between the actual action and set

action. The corrective measures is used by the Morrisons company to monitor the
activities that are performed by the human resources and tries to meet set target.
 Environment and Managers Roles: The business environment plays significant role to
control and manage the operation of the business. Environment is considered as the
macro concept whereas the business unit is a macro business. It includes internal and
external factor that widely affects the business environment of the Morrisons company.
P3 Apply different theories and models of approach, including situational leadership,
systems leadership and contingency.
For the successful functioning of an organisation, the role of leaders and manger are
essential to consider. Each of the authority are responsible for their unique functions and
characteristics that are available to ensure the success of the organisation. In reference to
Morrisons company, there are recently lowers down their production level due to non -
availability of resources and sufficient materials. Then, the role of the effective manager comes
into pictures who is responsible for ensuring the resources which is important for increasing the
sales and production of the company (Fehr, Fulmer and Keng‐Highberger, 2020). Therefore,
they established their strategies, plans and policies to enhance their production level and profit
earning capacity of the organisation to meet the desired goal.
However, there are various approaches which is used by the management to develop the
leadership skills in order to increase the potential growth of the company. The Morrisons
company implements their management theories in order to reduce their expenditure and wastage
by following ways:
 The contingency theory of management- this theory is based on happening of certain
events. The leaders of the Morrisons uses this approach in order to deal with the dynamic
business environment that are prevailing in the existing market. In order to reduce the
impact of such barriers and challenges, the contingency theory of management is used by
the leaders. It brings major change in the operational activities of the business. The contemporary theory of management- It refers to the situation that derives in the
prevailing market condition. It focus primarily on the production and cost of the product.
The leaders uses this theory of management in order to advance their technologies and
quality of product. This theory of management is used by the leaders of Morrisons in

order to motivate and encourage the employees for achieving the desired goal of the
organisation.
M2 Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to situations within the work
environment.
With the help of operational management and leadership style, desired output can be easily
achieved. The use of contemporary theory of management emphasise mainly on the existing
change which take place due to various factors. In context to Morrisons, the leaders are taking
continuos efforts to eliminate the uncertain business environment so that they can easily survive
in the competitive market (Lohmer and Lasch, 2020). The leadership skill is one of the
significant skill for the organisation which allows the company to compete with the other
organisation in order to expand the business in the global market.
There are certain benefits and drawbacks of each of the form of leadership approaches and it
includes:
Contingency theory-
Benefits Drawbacks
It is considered as the dynamic approach which
is used for providing adequate solutions to the
company.
It is expensive process and can minimise the
financial resources of the company,
There are range of solutions and market
research is conducted to analyse the available
solution to the company.
Changes can be evaluated very slowly and lack
of resources may affect the performance of the
organisation.
Contemporary theory-
Benefits Drawbacks
It includes innovative approach which is used
to bring unique ideas and opinion in the
working system.
Lack of funds can create barrier in identifying
the market need and preferences.

It also encourage and trained the employees for
their skills and knowledge so that they can
bring transparency in the business culture.
It may create conflicts and misunderstanding
among the members.
P4 Explain the key approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and
managers play.
Operational management is an important aspect as it brings transparency and organise the
work among the members of the organization. It facilitates the day to day operation of the
business and aims to reduce the wastage of the company in order to maximise the profit and
production capacity of the organisation. In reference to Morrisons, they are using the different
approaches which the help of leaders and Managers who enforces such theories to gain
competitive advantages in the global market. It includes-
 Total quality management- It is one of the theory of operational management that are
used to strategies the quality of products and services that facilitates long term benefits to
the company. It assure the better quality to the consumers and hold better position in the
international market. In context to Morrisons, they are primarily focus on their quality
products and customer' services in order to establish brand value and goodwill in the
market.
 Lean production: this is the production methodology which is used to minimise the
wastage and maximise the profit of the company (Neirotti, 2020). In context to
Morrisons company, they are using the sustainable method of production to create their
large base of consumers and influence the production system across the world. They are
cutting out the waste and aims to ensure quality of the product.
 Just in time approach- it mainly focus on the inventory management that are received
by the supplier within a specified period of time. For this, the company is required to
meet the set target on time so, that need and demand of the consumer can be easily
achieved. Time plays significant role in the business as desired target are being set by the
leaders and managers to enhance the operational efficiency of the organisation.
Role of manager
 He is responsible for the important decision of the management and perform various
function such as planning, organising, directing and controlling.
 They are focus on the efficient use of resources without its wastage.

Role of leaders
 To motivate and encourage the employees towards the organisational goal.
 To enhance the productivity and profit earning capacity of the organisation .
 To evaluate and analyse the performance of the employees and review them with the help
of appraisal and feedback. To take corrective measures to overcome the variation which may affect the overall
growth of the organisation.
P5 Explain the importance and value of operations management in achieving business
objectives.
The role of operation management is enormous for smooth functioning of the organisation. It
is one of the tool which is used to increase the production level and printability of the company.
It helps the organisation to achieve the desired goal by using available resources of the company.
In context to Morrisons, operational management is one of the source for the success of the
supermarket chain of the United Kingdom. The importance of operational management are
discussed below:
 Increase profit: Effective operational management facilitates the proper utilisation of
resources and improves the performance of the company in the competitive market. It
also contributes in the profit generation and lead to expansion of business (Obholzer,
2018). In context to Morrisons company, operational management ensures them to
achieve the set target in a specified period of time in order to meet the need and demand
of the potential consumers.
 Change in taste of consumers: It is essential for the organisation to keep track on the
associated changes that generally take place in the complex business environment. In
context to Morrisons, they gives priority to the need and expectation of the consumers so
that it would be easy for them to establish brand value in the market.
 Enhancing sales: Operational management is also connected with the sale and
production capacity of the organisation. The leaders and managers are directed their
employees to meet the set target in order to achieve the desired result. In context to
Morrisons, they encourages the efforts of their employees in order to enhance their
efficiency within the organisation.

M3 Evaluate how leaders and managers can improve efficiencies of operational management
to successfully meet business objectives.
In context to Morrisons, leaders and managers are important authorities of the company
who guides and manages the work among the workers. They are also take part in the process of
decision making so that it would be easy for them to manage the operational activities of the
organisation. These decisions are crucial for developing the strategies and plans of the company
and also helpful for dealing with the dynamic business environment. The need and demand of the
consumers can be achieved with the help of leaders and managers who are conducted the market
research to analyse and predict the market changes in order to meet the objectives of the
organisation.
P6 Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational
management and decision-making by leaders and managers.
There are various factors which are existing in the business environment to operate the
management and decision making power of the leaders and managers. In context to Morrisons,
these factors have positive and negative impact on the operational management of the company.
These factors includes-
 Financial resources- Finance plays crucial role to meet the day to day operation of the
business. It is used to meet the unforeseen market condition which may arise due to
uncertain business environment (Roth and Singhal, 2022). The leaders and managers
ensures the easy flow of cash to maintain the financial resources of the company and
aims to reduce the wastage of such resources. It helps to make expansion and
diversification of a business.
 Human resources- Human such as employees are the asset of the organisation who
contributes their part to enhance the performance of the organisation. In context to
Morrisons, they have highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals who are
continuously adding value in the success of the organisation. Technological changes- It refers to use of advanced and innovative use of products that
are used to attract the clients for their services. In context to Morrisons, they are adopted
the advanced and upgraded techniques to enhance their production level.

M4 Analyse how these different factors affect the business environment and wider community.
The use of different factors can impact the performance and operational activities of the
organisation. It includes internal and external factor which may affects the overall productivity
and performance of the organisation (Sunar and Swaminathan, 2022). Leaders and managers are
performing their roles and responsibilities to deal with the dynamic business environment. They
are utilising their resources in the most effective and efficient manner. They are leading the team
towards the organisational goal.
CONCLUSION
From this above report, it has been concluded that the operational management is essential
aspect of the business as it contributes in the success of the organisation. Leaders and managers
are the responsible person of the organisation who directs and guides their employees and
performs various function for the smooth operational activities of the organisation. The theories
and leadership approaches is used by the management to ensure the success and long term
benefit in the competitive market. The involvement of various internal and external factors
majorly affects the performance of the organisation. The manager are performing the managerial
function to meet the organisational objectives.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Camuffo, A. and Gerli, F., 2018. Modeling management behaviors in lean production
environments. International Journal of Operations & Production Management.
Coleman, S. and Bourne, M., 2019. From managers to leaders. Construction Journal, pp.10-13.
Darabant, C.J. and Narayanan, N., 2021. Job Satisfaction and the Perception of Managers as
Transformational Leaders: Examining the Role of Ethnicity and Other Demographic
Characteristics of Employees in Multi-ethnic Teams. Global Business Review,
p.0972150921999164.
Fehr, R., Fulmer, A. and Keng‐Highberger, F.T., 2020. How do employees react to leaders’
unethical behavior? The role of moral disengagement. Personnel Psychology, 73(1),
pp.73-93.
Golensky, M. and Hager, M., 2020. Strategic leadership and management in nonprofit
organizations: Theory and practice. Oxford University Press.
Lohmer, J. and Lasch, R., 2020. Blockchain in operations management and manufacturing:
Potential and barriers. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 149, p.106789.
Neirotti, P., 2020. Work intensification and employee involvement in lean production: new light
on a classic dilemma. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management, 31(15), pp.1958-1983.
Obholzer, A. and Miller, S., 2018. Leadership, followership, and facilitating the creative
workplace. In Working below the surface (pp. 33-48). Routledge.
Obholzer, A., 2018. The leader, the unconscious, and the management of the organisation.
In The systems psychodynamics of organizations (pp. 197-216). Routledge.
Pham, H. and Kim, S.Y., 2019. The effects of sustainable practices and managers’ leadership
competences on sustainability performance of construction firms. Sustainable
Production and Consumption, 20, pp.1-14.
Roth, A.M. and Singhal, V.R., 2022. Pioneering role of the Production and Operations
Management in promoting empirical research in operations management. Production
and Operations Management.
Sartal, A., Rodríguez, M. and Vázquez, X.H., 2020. From efficiency‐driven to low‐carbon
operations management: Implications for labor productivity. Journal of Operations
Management, 66(3), pp.310-325.
Shou, W., Wang, J. and Wu, P., 2021. The application of simulation in lean production research:
a critical review and future directions. Engineering, Construction and Architectural
Management, 28(8), pp.2119-2154.
Sunar, N. and Swaminathan, J., 2022. Socially relevant and inclusive operations
management. Production and Operations Management.
Valiga, T.M., 2019. Leaders, managers, and followers: Working in
harmony. Nursing2021, 49(1), pp.45-48.