Analyzing Operations Management: Leadership and External Influences

This report provides an in-depth analysis of management and operations from a store manager's perspective. It begins by differentiating between leaders and managers, highlighting their roles and characteristics. The report then explores Fayol's managerial functions, including planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling, with examples of their application in the store. Different leadership styles such as situational, contingency, and systems leadership are discussed with relevant scenarios. The report further delves into various approaches to operations management, such as Total Quality Management and Six Sigma, identifying the approach used in the store. It also explains the role of a store manager as a classic example of an operations manager and the importance of operations management in maintaining a competitive advantage, managing profits, complying with regulations, and improving productivity. Finally, the report identifies and assesses key external factors, such as changes in the labor market, government policies, raw material prices, and innovations, and discusses their impact on decision-making as a store manager.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
1
MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
Student’s Name
Code + Course Name
Professor’s Name
University Name
City, State
Date

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
2
Contents
Task one:....................................................................................................................... 3
b. Managerial functions according to Fayol.............................................................5
Planning.................................................................................................................. 5
Organizing............................................................................................................... 5
Commanding............................................................................................................ 5
Coordinating............................................................................................................ 5
Controlling.............................................................................................................. 6
Situational Leadership................................................................................................ 6
Contingency leadership............................................................................................... 6
Systems leadership..................................................................................................... 7
Task Two:...................................................................................................................... 7
.1. Explain different approaches to operations management and identifying what
is used in your store................................................................................................ 7
Total Quality Management Approach..............................................................................8
Six Sigma Approach................................................................................................... 9
2. Explain what makes your role as a store manager a classic example of an
operations manager.............................................................................................. 10
Resources Management............................................................................................. 10
Facilitating effective communication............................................................................11
Setting Targets........................................................................................................ 11
Maintaining the overall image of the store......................................................................11
3. Explain the importance of operations management in your store.....................11

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
3
Maintaining a competitive advantage............................................................................12
Managing profits..................................................................................................... 12
Complying with regulations........................................................................................ 13
Improved manufacturing process.................................................................................13
Operations management plays a role in improving productivity............................................13
Optimum Utilization of resources................................................................................ 14
4. Identify and assess the key outside factors that can have an effect on the operations management for
your organization........................................................................................................... 14
Changes in labor market....................................................................................... 14
Changes in Government policies...........................................................................14
Changes in prices of raw materials.......................................................................15
New Innovations and competition.........................................................................15
Natural and manmade disasters...........................................................................15
5. How are these factors impact upon your decision making as a store manager?
.............................................................................................................................. 16
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 17
Introduction
According to Peter Drucker, a leader is simply anyone with a follower (Cohen, 2009).
Gaining this followership requires both influence and integrity. (Koontz, 2010) defines a leader

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
4
as someone who gets things done through others and with groups that are organized formally.
Based on these two definitions, it can be seen that differences between leaders and managers
exist. Most successful entrepreneurs are both leaders and managers. The main difference
between these two is the fact that while leaders have followers, managers have people who work
for them (Go2HR, 2018).In an organization, managers are known to give direction in all tasks
and projects, on the contrary, leaders delegate and maintain less control over assigned tasks and
responsibilities. While leaders are happy when their juniors excel in their assigned tasks and
responsibilities, managers may perceive it as a threat to their positions (Lucas, 2016).
Task one:
a) Differences and similarities between a leader and manager considering their roles and
characteristics.
Differences exists in where the focus of a leader and a manager lies. While managers are
focused on the moment, leaders focus on the future. The focus of the manager is always getting
the current job done. On the contrary, leaders always have a picture such as ensuring that the
current tasks are in alignment with the individual employee and organizational goals. They will
always try to interrogate how, various tasks are in alignment with the wit the overall plan of their
organization (Lucas, 2016).
While leaders may play a contributory role, leaders perform their duties by playing a
supervisory role. By being contributors, managers act as people that subordinates can look up to
for guidance. Through their contributory role, leaders naturally win the hearts of their followers.
Managers have to play an active role in ensuring that all tasks are carried out as they would want

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
5
them to be carried out. In addition, while leaders are focused on establishing relationships in
their organizations, managers create processes and system. Leaders believe that all they need
only their influence is what is needed in the realization of organizational goals. By maintaining
positive relationships with their subordinates, they can influence them. On the contrary
manager’s efforts are centered on ensuring that the necessary systems are available in an
organization for the realization of the desired outcome.
The two differ also in that while managers have employees, leaders have followers.
Leaders inspire their subordinates to act in a certain way. They focus on making them their
number one fans. They work in collaboration to achieve organizational goals. The realization of
organizational goals brings some sense of fulfillment and satisfaction for both leaders and their
subordinates. On the contrary, employees create directions to be followed by their subordinates.
In their everyday schedule, employees seek ways of pleasing their managers by following
directives (Koontz, 2010). Its therefore evident that while leaders lead subordinates towards
success, managers constantly tell their subordinates what to do to meet targets. Managers always
want to be in control while leaders can sometimes let things evolve without their involvement.
Managers focus on numbers while leaders focus on people. Managers will do anything to
ensure that their employees hit the targets agreed upon including overworking them. To them,
numbers are the most important aspect of organizational success. For leaders, however, numbers
are not the only thing that matters. Leaders take their actions with their people in mind. For
example, while a manager might fire employees whose numbers do not add up, a leader many
approach the issue by trying to understand the issues that could have led to the underperformance
and trying to resolve them.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
6
b. Managerial functions according to Fayol
Henry Fayol devised a management in which he identified various ways in which the
management interacts with subordinates. In his model, he described the 14 principles of
management out of which he identified five ways in which the management should interact with
employees. He summarized these ways of interactions into5 functions of the management,
namely planning, organizing, controlling, coordinating and commanding (Răducan and
Răducan,2014).
Planning
This function involves creating plans of actions for various levels of the organization.
They schedule all parts of the organizational processes. Planning has been viewed as one of the
hardest managerial functions. In creating a good plan, the management is required to involve all
levels of the organization. The realization of the plan should be preceded by effective
coordination across all levels. Planning acts as a bridge between where an organization is and
where it intends to be in the future. It defines what needs to be done, by whom, where and when,
and how it needs to be done (Bârgău,2015). An example of how this function is carried out in my
organization is the creation of quarterly sales forecast plans
Organizing
Managerial organizing function precedes planning. It is the process through which the
management brings together organizational resources such as physical, human and financial
resources. Fayol perceived it as the process of providing a business with resources necessary for
its effective functioning. Organizing also involves establishing an effective relationship between

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
7
these components of the organization for the realization of organizational goals. Under this
function, the management identifies activities that need to be carried out, classifying these
activities, assigning duties and responsibilities for completion of the activities, delegation of
authority.
Commanding
After plans have been created and necessary resources channeled towards their
implementation, the third managerial function comes in. Commanding is the process through
which the management gets things done. It involves instructing employees and ordering them to
carry out certain activities needed for the realization of the plans. Employees need to be provided
with clear instructions on what they need to do; when they are needed to do it and how they are
required to do it (Renz,2016). Effective communication is key to this process.
Coordinating
For organizational goals to be effectively realized, various activities need to be carried
out harmoniously. Coordination is the process is the process of streamlining group efforts by the
management to ensure all parts of the organization work harmoniously towards a common
purpose (Lunenburg, 2011). Better functioning is achieved when organizational activities are
harmonized. This function is aimed at achieving group discipline and motivation.
Controlling
For organizational functions to be realized there is a need to ensure that all plans are
carried out as anticipated. Controlling function involves setting standards, comparing
performance against standards and taking necessary corrective actions. It is meant to ensure that

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
8
the performance meets the agreed-upon criteria. Performance can be controlled through
appraising performance, crosschecking financial statements, rates of customer satisfaction
among others (Whitehead, Weiss and Tappen, 2010).
c) Situational leadership, systems leadership and contingency leadership using various
scenarios in your organization to support your explanation.
Situational Leadership
Situational leadership is a leadership style that depends on the situation at hand. It is
based on the assumption that no single leadership style is best. Situational leadership style
involves putting to work strategies that are best suited to address the current task or situation.
Situational leadership involves managers adjusting their style to accommodate the needs of their
subordinates and the organization (Bush, 2008). For example in a situation where an employee is
highly committed to the organizational course but lacks critical skills a manager may adapt to
situational leadership by directing the employee and giving them specific instructions to ensure
that they understand what they are needed to do.
Contingency leadership
This style of leadership is based on the assumption that the alignment of a leader’s skills
with the situation at hand is what determines their effectiveness. It involves solving the right
problems in the right way. Contingency leadership the success of a situation does not depend on
the manager’s skills but how these skills are used in different situations (Bolden, 2016). It is
therefore dependent on the situation at hand based on its specific factors such as the task, the
composition of a group and the individual leader. Prediction of success is therefore difficult.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
9
Maximizing the potential of success, therefore, requires leaders to adapt to different situations.
For example, a leader may adopt different approaches when dealing with two employees with
different attributes.
Systems leadership
In the organizational context, a system refers to a whole organization that is made of
different parts, interacting together. This in kind of interaction, a change in one part would
necessitate a change in the other. A system leadership is, therefore, a type of leadership where
the management creates a system for the whole organization. The system is developed to
maximize the productivity of business units, teams, individuals and an entire organization
(Briggs, Morrison and Coleman,2012). This approach can be used by leaders across the different
level and in different organizations. System leadership needed in order to maintain high
performance within an organization. An example of this includes establishing departmental
targets aimed at achieving a single organizational goal. This approach ensures that all parts of an
organization work together towards a single organizational goal.
Task Two:
.1. Explain different approaches to operations management and identifying what is used in
your store.
Operations management entails organizing; planning and overseeing organizational
processes. It also involves making necessary changes to organizational processes to improve
profit levels in an organization. These adjustments are made in everyday operations and need to

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
10
be in line with an organization’s strategic goals. Operations planning occur after a detailed
analysis of current processes. This analysis ensures that no deviation from an organization’s
strategic plan is caused by changes to organizational processes. Successful operations
management requires a number of skills. These skills may include organizational skills, Analytic
capabilities, and ability to coordinate processes, high level of creativity, effective people skills
and a deep understanding of technology.
Total Quality Management Approach
Total quality management approach is an approach centered on a continuous
improvement of an organization as a way of bringing effectiveness in organizational processes
and improving the quality of products. This approach emphasizes teamwork, maintenance of a
strategic approach for improvement, maintenance of work quality, teamwork and client
orientation. This approach is aimed at improving quality and performance in order to meet the
expectations of customers. Organizations that adopt this approach incorporate quality aspects in
all organizational processes and functions, across different levels (Russell and Taylor-Iii 2008).
All quality measures are taken into account trough collaboration will all employees and across all
levels of an organization. This approach, therefore, analyses organizations quality measures such
as quality assurance, quality improvement, and quality maintenance and control and quality
design.
Total quality management is founded on several principles. The first is total management
control which stresses the role of the top management as the driver of the process. Training is
also an integral part of the approach. Employees should be trained regularly. It also emphasizes
that decisions should be informed by measurements (Foster and Ogden, 2008). The total

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
11
improvement should also be focused on improving the satisfaction of customers. Organizations
are also required to work on improving the quality of processes on a continuous basis.
Employees across all levels should also be fully involved in the identification and finding
solutions to quality problems. Finally, a collaborative culture should be adopted to ensure
employees can work together to address quality concerns.
Six Sigma Approach
This approach is used by organizations to identify and eliminate defects in a bid to
improve services, products, and current processes. This Approach is majorly used by large
organizations in managing quality in their operations, products, and services. Its central focus is
on finding out and eliminating any defects attributed to quality variations. It achieves this by
defining a set of steps around the various targets (Peng and Lai, 2012). The assumption here is
that errors and defects in the processes are likely to have a negative impact on the quality of the
final products or services. Six Sigma approach works on the principle of Smaller is better, which
specifies the upper limit; larger is better, which specifies the lower limit and Nominal is best
which focuses on the middle ground.
My Store uses the total quality management approach because of its various attributes
identified above
2. Explain what makes your role as a store manager a classic example of an operations
manager.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
12
The role played by an operations manager is one of the most important roles in business,
government or any other organization. Although their role depends on a range of factors
including the size and nature of the organization in which they operate, organization’s success is
to a large extent depend on their ability to perform their duties and responsibilities (Lewis and
Brown,2012). My job as a store manager is to a large extent similar to that of an operations
manager. It is my duty as a store manager to ensure that to oversee day to day operations in my
retail store. In broad terms, these roles can be classified into the following
Resources Management
Just like an operations manager, I play an integral role in the management of both human
and financial resources in my retail store. One of my primary roles as a store manager is the
recruitment of human resources. Not only do I hire them but also train and develop them in order
to improve their productivity and ability to work in the retail store efficiently. It is my role to
ensure that the store functions correctly by facilitating all employees to record optimum
productivity (Johnston and Clark, 2008). This responsibility requires me to keep them updated
on the latest trends in the industry, keep them motivated and provide ongoing support. In
addition, I am also responsible for monitoring financial performance and ensuring the
employee’s customer service meets the expectations of customers.
Facilitating effective communication
An operations manager plays a great role in enabling different parts of the organization to work
together. This is the reason why they need to possess interpersonal and good communication
skills. This is basically what I do as a store manager, I create a culture founded on positive

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
13
relationships and where employees can work together to maximize profits and meet targets
(Galindo and Batta, 2013). In addition, I also resolve any disputes and disagreements between
employees at the store.
Setting Targets
Just like operation managers set departmental goals for their organizations, plan for sales
and play a role in sales forecasting, I am also responsible for setting targets for my store, and
ensuring that these targets are met.
Maintaining the overall image of the store
My role also includes ensuring that the store remains attractive to customers. It is my
responsibility to ensure that the store meets customer’s expectations and the image of the brand.
This responsibility requires me to keep the store clean, ensuring proper stocking of products and
lighting of the store among other responsibilities (Kumar and Suresh, 2009). Apart from working
to ensure that customers are comfortable, I also work towards ensuring that their safety is
guaranteed.
3. Explain the importance of operations management in your store.
Operations management is the process of managing the day to day operations. It focuses
on the techniques and tools used in the store to improve efficiency in the production process
(Jacobs and Chase, 2017). Various benefits emanate from operations management as discussed
below

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
14
Maintaining a competitive advantage
It’s the aim of any business to remain competitive against its competitors.
Competitiveness is directly proportional to high profitability. Operations management enables
the organization to manage both their internal and external factors. Handling of internal and
external factors improves employee’s satisfaction levels and leads to reduced employee turnover.
It also helps the organization to match the strategies adopted by competitions and adapt to
changes in the economy. Operations management, therefore, helps the store to understand its
external and internal environment, enabling it to adapt to any changes effectively (Drake and
Spinler, 2013). An understanding of internal and external factors and enables the store to
maintain its competitiveness.
Managing profits
Through operations management, the existing organizational processes are reviewed from
time to time with new ideas on how the process can be improved being implemented. Adoption
and implementation of new ideas to improve processes mean that the store’s expenses and
revenues will be monitored (Hitt, Xu and Carnes, 2016). This process, therefore, helps to manage
the profitability of the store.
Complying with regulations
Regulatory compliance is an important aspect of any business. Violation of governmental
regulations can lead to heavy penalties or shutdown of a business. Management of operations in
the store ensures that internal controls are put in place to ensure that all tasks are carried out in

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
15
accordance with the law (DeHoratius and Rabinovich,2011). Some of the regulations at the store
include maintenance of healthy and safe working environment.
Improved manufacturing process
Operations management facilitates organizational processes to be reviewed, updated and
improved where necessary. The efficiency or lack of efficiency in these processes has a direct
impact on how goods are produced and how the storage of finished products and raw materials is
done. This aspect, therefore, enables the store to prevent any losses which can affect its ability to
service debts (Akkerman, Farahani, and Grunow,2010). The financial health of the store helps in
ensuring competitiveness in the manufacturing processes.
Operations management plays a role in improving productivity
The amount of input to organizational processes is directly promotional to the level of
output. This input to output ratio defines the productivity of an organization. Operations
management streamlines organizational processes Making both employees and the manager
more efficient in their operations. Operations management, therefore, improves the overall
productivity of the store.
Optimum Utilization of resources
Management of organizational processes promotes optimum utilization of resources.
With little or no wastage of efforts and resources incurred, It means that human resources and
raw materials are effectively utilized. Effective utilization of resources in the store improves its
overall productivity and quality of services (Krajewski, Ritzman and Malhotra,2010). Production
of goods is dependent on appropriate system maintenance, operations, and design. These aspects

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
16
are taken care of in operations management. Operations management, therefore, leads to
optimum utilization of resources in the store.
4. Identify and assess the key outside factors that can have an effect on the operations
management for your organization.
Changes in labor market
Human resources are the most important component of an organization. The success of
an organization is as a result of the skills and competencies possessed by its employee’s (Manuj
and Mentzer, 2008). Changes in the labor market are likely to affect the number and type of
employees available for the organization. With affected capacity and quality of human resources,
the operations in the organization are likely to be affected.
Changes in Government policies
The legal environment is one of the most dynamic business factors. The government can
enact new policies such as those regulating the use of the internet or basic operations in
organizations. These may include tax regulations, changes in health and safety regulations
among others (Fitzsimmons, Fitzsimmons and Bordoloi, 2008). This, therefore, means that
organizations have to adjust their operations in order to remain within the confines of the law.
Changes in prices of raw materials

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
17
Raw materials are the key ingredient in the manufacturing process. They determine the
level of output as well as the quality of an organization’s products and safety. Operations
management is largely dependent on the availability and affordability of raw materials (Chhajed
and Lowe, 2008). An increase in the prices of raw materials or scarcity is therefore likely to have
a negative impact on operations management.
New Innovations and competition
Innovativeness is an important organization process. Organizations become operational
innovators if they can offer affordable, high-quality products and services in a faster and better
way. The adoption of innovative production techniques by competitors, therefore, means that
other organizations to have to adapt to competitive techniques in order to remain competitive.
Organizations that device new and more efficient operational processes are more likely to
outsmart their competitors (Bozarth and Handfield, 2008). Such aspects will, therefore, require
the organization to adjust its operations accordingly
Natural and manmade disasters
Organizations usually depend on third parties for basic supplies. In the event that man-
made or natural disasters strike and suppliers of basic supplies such as raw materials are affected,
operations management is likely to be affected (Heizer and Render, 2008). For example, if an
organization depends on farm produce to manufacture its products, calamities such as foods are
likely to have a negative impact on its operations.
5. How are these factors impact upon your decision making as a store manager?

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
18
As a store manager, these factors are likely to have an impact on the kind of decisions
that I will make for my organization. First I will consult all stakeholders and put their views into
considerations before making any decision. This approach will mean that the decision taken is
one that effectively deals with the situation at hand. I will also delve deep into industry related
publications to gain more insight on how some of these situations can be handled without
affecting the productivity or operations of the organization (Barratt, Choi, and Li, 2011). Finally,
I will include the employees and others stakeholders in all the decision making processes to
ensure that any crisis is handled in the best way possible.
Conclusion
In conclusion operational management is an important function in the effective
functioning of organizations. It ensures that all activities within an organization are carried out
effectively by facilitating acquisition of human resources, enabling organizations to reviews their
processes and facilitating changes where necessary. Operations management is also important in
that it ensures that organizations finances are closely monitored in order to maintain the financial
health of organizations. Numerous differences exist between managers and leaders. Among these
is the fact that managers are focused on the moment while leaders are future oriented. For leaders
building positive relationships in an organization is one of the basic functions. For managers
however numbers are what matters. Targets have to be met no matter what. Managers however
play significant roles in their organizations. These roles include coordinating, commanding,
planning, controlling and Organizing.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
19
References
Akkerman, R., Farahani, P. and Grunow, M., 2010. Quality, safety, and sustainability in food
distribution: a review of quantitative operations management approaches and challenges. Or
Spectrum, 32(4), pp.863-904.
Bârgău, M.A., 2015. Leadership versus management. Romanian Economic and Business
Review, 10(2), p.112135.
Barratt, M., Choi, T.Y. and Li, M., 2011. Qualitative case studies in operations management:
Trends, research outcomes, and future research implications. Journal of Operations
Management, 29(4), pp.329-342.
Bolden, R., 2016. Leadership, management, and organizational development. In Gower
handbook of leadership and management development (pp. 143-158). Routledge.
Bozarth, C. and Handfield, R., 2008. Operations and supply chain management. Strategies, 21,
p.22.
Briggs, A.R., Morrison, M. and Coleman, M., 2012. Research methods in educational leadership
and management. Sage Publications.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
20
Bush, T., 2008. From management to leadership: semantic or meaningful change?. Educational
Management Administration & Leadership, 36(2), pp.271-288.
Chhajed, D. and Lowe, T.J. eds., 2008. Building intuition: insights from basic operations
management models and principles (Vol. 115). Springer Science & Business Media.
Cohen, W.A., 2009. Drucker on leadership: New lessons from the father of modern management.
John Wiley & Sons.
DeHoratius, N. and Rabinovich, E., 2011. Field research in operations and supply chain
management.
Drake, D.F. and Spinler, S., 2013. OM Forum—Sustainable Operations Management: An
Enduring Stream or a Passing Fancy?. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 15(4),
pp.689-700.
Fitzsimmons, J.A., Fitzsimmons, M.J. and Bordoloi, S., 2008. Service management: Operations,
strategy, and information technology (p. 4). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Foster Jr, S.T., and Ogden, J., 2008. On differences in how operations and supply chain
managers approach quality management. International Journal of Production Research, 46(24),
pp.6945-6961.
Galindo, G. and Batta, R., 2013. Review of recent developments in OR/MS research in disaster
operations management. European Journal of Operational Research, 230(2), pp.201-211.

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION
21
Go2HR (2018). Understanding the Differences: Leadership vs. Management | go2HR. [online]
go2HR. Available at: https://www.go2hr.ca/management-leadership/understanding-the-
differences-leadership-vs-management [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018].
Heizer, J.H. and Render, B., 2008. Operations management(Vol. 1). Pearson Education India.
Hitt, M.A., Xu, K. and Carnes, C.M., 2016. Resource-based theory in operations management
research. Journal of Operations Management, 41, pp.77-94.
Jacobs, F.R. and Chase, R.B., 2017. Operation and supply chain management. Mc GrawHill.
Johnston, R. and Clark, G., 2008. Service operations management: improving service delivery.
Pearson Education.
Kumar, S.A. and Suresh, N., 2009. Operations management. New Age International.
Koontz, H., 2010. Essentials of management. Tata McGraw-Hill Education.
Krajewski, L.J., Ritzman, L.P. and Malhotra, M.K., 2010. Operations management: processes
and supply chains. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.
Lewis, M.A., and Brown, A.D., 2012. How different is professional service operations
management?. Journal of Operations Management, 30(1-2), pp.1-11.
Lucas, N.,2016. What's the Difference Between a Manager and Leader?. [online] Available at:
https://www.cornerstoneondemand.com/rework/whats-difference-between-manager-and-leader
[Accessed 2018].