Operations and Management Report: LIDL, Leadership and Management

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of operations management, leadership, and management practices within the context of LIDL, a discount supermarket chain. It explores the roles and characteristics of managers and leaders, comparing their responsibilities and contributions to achi...Read More

OPERATIONS AND
MANAGEMENT
1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
P1) Explain and compare the roles and characteristics of the managers and leaders.............3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................6
P2) Role of leader and manager in different situational context............................................6
P3) applying different models and theories of approach........................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
P4) approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and mangers play........8
P5) Value and importance of operations management to achieve business objectives:.........9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P6) Business environment factors that have a impact on the operational management and
decision making by the mangers and leaders.......................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11
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INTRODUCTION
Operations management is refers to the planning, organising and supervision of the
manufacturing, production and other provision departments in order to ensures that company is
deliver the goods and services with the successful outcomes. It is associated with the effective
designing and controlling process of the production of product and services to get the prominent
results. This aspects helps in to the proper balance of cost with the revenue through which
company can effectively achieve the higher productivity and profitability. And this process is
successfully accomplished with the help of effective roles of managers and leaders in assuring
the systematic operations of all activities while ensures profitable outcomes that is the major
aspect in the growth of the organisation. (Choi, Wallace and Wang, 2018 )
LIDL, which is a discount supermarket, that has more than 10000 stores across US and
Europe is consider in this report for study. This report has been included the formative discussion
on the different roles and characteristics of the leaders and managers, role of leader and a
function of managers apply in different situational context. Furthermore theories and models of
approach including situational leadership, systems leadership and contingency and key
approaches to operational management and roles that leaders and managers play.
MAIN BODY
TASK 1
P1) Explain and compare the roles and characteristics of the managers and leaders
For the effective functioning of the organisation, managers and leaders are plays the
essentials roles that allow the company to fulfil their objectives and goals with great efficiency.
Mentioned below are the wide range of the roles and responsibility being performed by the
leaders and mangers responsibility in the context of the LIDL.
Leader: leader is an individual who knows who things are improved and rallies people to move
towards the better vision to accomplish the mission of the organisation. It provides effective
guidance and motivation to the team and individuals within the entity in order to increase the
performance and productivity at a work place(Gibson and Parkman, 2018).
Various roles and responsibilities are performed by the leader in respect to the company
through which they set the proper direction for the employees in order to achieve the desired
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goals and objectives of the organisation. LIDL company use this in a positive attitude with the
effectiveness to encourage the employees towards the objectives of the entity.
Roles of leaders: Most important role played by the leader of the LIDL company is related to the providing
proper guidance and motivation to the individuals towards the vision of the company. In
order to ensures that all the objectives and targets are being achieved on a timely basis
and effectively. Leader pursue the role of regular monitoring and reviewing of the operations in all the
departments to make sure that all the functions are being accomplish according to the
underline standards of the company. This role is conducted in the leaders of the LIDL
company to monitoring the effective functioning of all the activities.
Characteristics of leaders:
Leaders are associated with the integrity that is the essential aspect in the role of leader. Leaders
of LIDL Company are effectively committed to honesty in their roles in order to lead in guide
the employees(Slack and Brandon-Jones, 2018).
 While maintaining the positive environment and ethical standards that tend to
increase the profitability and performance of the company.
 Effective communication is the major characteristics of the effective leader. As leader
has to communicate in a variety of ways, from translating the information to the
monitor and guide the employees. That posses the effective personality of LIDL
leaders which is idle for the higher performance of employees that ensures productive
outcomes.
Manager: Managers are authorised with the professional role related to the managing
activities and daily basis operations through which company ensures the effective results
and higher profitability. In addition to this they are responsible for assigning the duties
and delegation of authorities and responsibility. They also induced with the responsibility
of indentifying the need of the resources in the different departments and provide them
the same in order to completion of the task on the timely basis. In the perspective of the
LIDL Company it has been evaluated that they are professionally authorised with role of
passing the important instructions and information from top management to the
subordinates in order to get the prominent results.
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Roles of managers:
 Manager plays a very initial role that is planning in which they identify the future
opportunities and threats. And undertake the project planning into the action with
aligning policies and company guidelines for the growth of the organisation. LIDL
mangers also use various planning tools like the matrix diagram that supports the
efficiency of the planning process. (Meredith and Shafer, 2019)
 Proper commanding is also the major role of the manager that lead the workers towards
fulfilment of the objectives with the higher efficiency. In respect to the LIDL company,
managers use this with the help of chain-of-command. In which worker report to their
respective team leader, leader report to the managers and then they report to the top level
management such as CEO. With the help of this model entity ensures the
accomplishment of the goals on a timely basis.
Characteristics of managers:
 Mangers are reliable as they are managing a team for the accomplishment of task for that
manager has to be reliable. They are being available for the employees to getting things
done effectively and on the time. As LIDL mangers always there to support the team
whenever they needed to achieve the targets for the growth of the company. (Karlsson,
2016) Time management is another key factor that is essentials for the being a successful
manager. For the success of the company time management in the functioning of the
department is necessary that is to manage by the mangers. Mangers in LIDL are focused
and prioritize their working, manage proper time for the communication and accomplish
goals throughout the weeks.
Comparison between mangers and leaders:
Basis Manager Leader
Characteristic
s
Mangers are continuously engage in
the planning, innovations and
decision making for the higher
growth of the organisation.
leaders mainly focus on the activities
related to the offering effective
guidance and motivation to
employees in the support of
enhancement of the performance.
Decision- Mangers are the one who makes the Leader is the one who facilitates the
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making decision for the effective functioning
of the departments(Heizer, Render
and Munson, 2017).
decision making to the other team
members. It involves participation of
the entire group.
TASK 2
P2) Role of leader and manager in different situational context
Leader within the company plays different types of roles, they are authorised with the
responsibility of managing the wide range of activities for the effectiveness of the performance
of the team. In addition to this, mangers are associated with the role of gathering required capital
and resources to support the smooth operational flow. These are the situations in which mangers
and leaders plays different roles:
Team building:
Team building refers to the formulating a team of an individual having different skills,
abilities and background are combined for the common goal. In the perspective of LIDL
company, managers ensures that duties and responsibility is to be delegated effectively and
individuals are performing their responsibilities in a adequate manner. While leader believes that
making team not enhance the performance but also the productivity and that provides a proper
guidelines and motivation. LIDL leaders follow democratic leadership style for the effective
working and to provides the motivation to the team members in order to achieve the goals.
(Ravinder and Kollik kathara, 2017)
Project management:
Project management refers to implementation of processes, methods and tools to achieve
the specific project objectives in accordance to the company criteria within the acceptable
parameters. In the context to LIDL company, manager identify the difficulties and threats, skills
and knowledge required for the accomplishment of the project. Also includes formulation of the
strategy and ensures optimum utilization of the resources effectively. While leaders effectively
allot the roles and duties according to their skills and abilities. Along with this they also guides
and motivates the team to support the effective completion of the project.
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P3) applying different models and theories of approach
 Leadership refers to the both research area as well as practical skills that induce the
ability of an individual or group to lead, influence or guide the others. This factor
includes the offering of guidelines and motivation to the employees in order to complete
the task effectively and efficiently (De Sousa Jabbour, and. Et. al 2019).
 Leaders are the one that help themselves as well as others to do the right things at a right
time. These are some leadership styles discussed below that applying in the context to the
LIDL retailing company :
Situational leadership approach:
This leadership style, leaders adopt their leading style which suits the current working
environment and need of the team. This is the most flexible model in which LIDL leaders can
effectively influence any form of leadership style according to the working situation and the need
of the company. With the help of this company can effectively drives the changes in the business
environment and in the behaviour of the employees. Through which they get help in to make the
better strategies and accomplishment of the goals and objectives in a well defined and effective
manner.
System leadership approach:
With assistance of this leadership approach, leaders build the condition within the entity
in which work force conduct their operations with the higher productivity as according to the
skills and abilities of the employees. In the LIDL Company leaders in this approach undertake
the use of sound principles about the employee’s behaviour in order to create the models of good
leadership, system design and social process. This approach helps the leaders to forecast the
behaviour of the employees that supports formulation of effective strategies to achieve the
targets and desired goals of the organisation (Choi, Cheng and Zhao, 2016)
Contingency leadership approach:
This is refers to the approach that relies on the situation. This leadership style is mainly
related to the result that fit in a best among the leaders and in the working situation. With the
assistance of this LIDL company assures the success by choosing the style depend upon the
demand created by the situation and the team members. In addition to this, it has been analysed
that contingency approach is mainly selected on the basis of diverse range of factors like
relationship among the team members, power of position of the leader, working situation and
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task structure etc. This approach provide support in to analyse the overall environment within the
organisation.
TASK 3
P4) approaches to operations management and the role that leaders and mangers play
Operation management refers to the administration of business practices used by the firm
in order to create the effective strategies to support the accomplishment of the goals at time.
With the help of this company is able to achieve their target goals and objectives in the
competitive scenario. Herein, LIDL that has various stores across the UK is operating the
business in a effective manner through identifying the various factors in the
organisation(Ravindran, 2016). In the support of this various firms used different types of
business operation management tools and techniques to support the smooth running of the
business. Some important approaches of the operation management are explained below:
Six sigmas: this approaches is includes different types of the tool and techniques that helps
in to improve the process, product and services by eliminating the defects from the functioning
of the departments. The main aim of this model is to stream line the quality of the product and
services and quality control in the manufacturing process. In the perspective of LIDL company
as they are dealing in various type of product, so they use this principle to improve the
capability and the manufacturing techniques that supports in the effective cost and generation of
revenue(Wu, 2016). This will help in to achieve the targeted goals and objectives that results into
the success of the company.
Role played by leaders: The main role of leader is to apply this principle and to
implement the superior team work to accomplished the task in a effective and efficient manner
for the betterment of the firm
Role played by manager: There main role of manager is to formulate and implement the
strategies in order to execute the better action plan so that optimum utilisation of resources can
be done in a cost effective manner.
 Total quality management: It is refers to the process of improving the product,
services and the culture of the firm in order to increase the quality and the efficiency of
the business. This approach mainly focus on the regular improvements and changes that
provides the satisfaction to the customers that will support the long sustainability of the
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organisation at a market place. LIDL Company is also use this to induce the improvement
in the services that support in to the fulfilment of the demand of the targeted customers.
Role played by leaders: main role of the leader in this approach is to guide and motivates
the employees at a work place and to eliminates the resist to changes in the employees and
organisation for the better improvement in the working quality.
Role played by managers: in this approach manager of the respective firm is focus on the
selecting the strategies from the various alternative in order to implement the changes in the
processes successfully and to bring further improvement.
Just in time approach: this is the management strategy that is used to order the raw
materials from the suppliers at a time of required while production process. This strategy is used
by the leaders and managers to increase the efficiency and eliminates the wastage in the
manufacturing process within the company (Fiorentino, 2016).
Role played by leaders: leaders focus on to the evaluation of the employee’s performance
in a regular period of time and track inventories effectively.
Role played by managers: mangers are always directs the production and operational
departments so that they perform their task effectively and keep inventories control and safe.
Along with this also responsible for the improvement of the entire process of manufacturing in
the firm.
P5) Value and importance of operations management to achieve business objectives:
Trends in market: in this competitive environment there are various firms who are
operating their business through offline and online shops to achieve the organisational goals.
Thus, it is essential for the other firm to produce their products and services according to the
changing trends in the market that help in to maintain the position at a market place. In the
context to the LIDL Company, their various goods and services that are develop in according to
the changing trends and taste of the customers. To fulfil the needs and wants if the customers
thus, this helps in to retain the customers for the longer period at a market place.
Increase revenue: operation management is helps to formulate the strategies to
accomplish the increment in the sales and the revenue to get desired outcomes on a frequent
mode. In the context of the respective firm, this role of operation management helps the
organisation in to expand the business in the several areas to capture the higher market
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segmentation. It helps to achieve the higher profitability with the new targets in the competitive
market.
Increase sales: operational management is the helpful tool as it increases the sales through
effective and qualitative changes in the product and services after conducting the research on the
external environment. In the perspective of this firm, this is used by the leaders and mangers so
that they can conduct the analysis on the business environment that provides support in to
indentify the ways that increases the entire sales.
TASK 4
P6) Business environment factors that have a impact on the operational management and
decision making by the mangers and leaders
There are various number of factors that directly effects the firm internally and externally. These
factors interfere in the overall activities of operational management and decision making of the
organisation. As per the changing trend there are so many decisions that is taken by the leaders
and managers towards positive and negative factors
Legal and political changes: These changes are related to the laws and decision made by
the governments. This type of changes always developed policies imposed by the firm that
influences the planning process and decision making of the firm. Here leader plays a crucial roles
as they a have ability to predict the future that bring the changes in the firm so for that they have
to manage and arrange the entire resource effectively.
Stakeholders: Stakeholders includes the customers, clients, suppliers, investors etc that
are associated directly with the company. Investors play a major role as they investing the share
in the firm to get the desired outcomes along with the profits in an appropriate manner.
Financial status: The resources and the financial status of the company always helps mangers
and leaders in order to develop the proper decision making so that they can manage their work in
a proper direction. Decision related with the price of the goods and services that are provided to
the consumers is very crucial as that accomplished the investment that is influences by the profit
and cash flow of the company. (Ivanov, Tsipoulanidis and Schönberger, 2017)
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CONCLUSION
According to the above analysis it has been evaluated that, there are various types of roles
and responsibilities that are played by the leaders and managers that influence the entire
workforce and improve the working quality of the employees. Furthermore firm has been used
the different types of principles that are associated with the different roles of the leaders and
mangers to achieve the desired goals and objectives. In addition to this, operational management
and the roles and responsibilities of the leaders and mangers influences the entire functioning of
the firm so that they can maintain the overall working position in adequate manner. There are
different types of theories and models of the leadership that has been used by the managers and
leaders to attain the desired outcomes. And there also a various business environmental factors
that determined to achieves the goals and objectives of the organisation.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barnes, D., 2018. Operations Management. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Bozarth, C.C. and Handfield, R.B., 2016. Introduction to operations and supply chain
management. Pearson.
Burns, M.G., 2018. Port management and operations. CRC press.
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Choi, T.M., Cheng, T.C.E. and Zhao, X., 2016. Multi‐methodological research in operations
management. Production and Operations Management, 25(3), pp.379-389.
Choi, T.M., Wallace, S.W. and Wang, Y., 2018. Big data analytics in operations
management. Production and Operations Management, 27(10), pp.1868-1883.
de Sousa Jabbour, and. Et. al 2019. Circular economy business models and operations
management. Journal of cleaner production, 235, pp.1525-1539.
Fiorentino, R., 2016. Operations strategy: a firm boundary-based perspective. Business Process
Management Journal.
Gibson, P. and Parkman, R., 2018. Cruise operations management: Hospitality perspectives.
Routledge.
Heizer, J., Render, B. and Munson, C., 2017. Principles of Operations Management:
Sustainability and Supply Chain Management (Global editon). Pearson.
Ivanov, D., Tsipoulanidis, A. and Schönberger, J., 2017. Global supply chain and operations
management. A decision-oriented introduction to the creation of value, 2.
Karlsson, C. ed., 2016. Research methods for operations management. Routledge..
Leiras, A., and. Et. Al 2019. Operations management for social good: 2018 poms international
conference in Rio. Springer Nature.
Meredith, J.R. and Shafer, S.M., 2019. Operations and supply chain management for MBAs.
John Wiley & Sons.
Ravinder, H. and Kollikkathara, N., 2017. Project Management in Operations Management
Textbooks: Closing the Gap. Journal of the Academy of Business Education, 18.
Ravindran, A.R. ed., 2016. Operations research and management science handbook. Crc Press.
Slack, N. and Brandon-Jones, A., 2018. Operations and process management: principles and
practice for strategic impact. Pearson UK.
Wu, C.L., 2016. Airline operations and delay management: insights from airline economics,
networks and strategic schedule planning. Routledge.
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