A Comprehensive Report on Leadership and Management in Operations

This report delves into the core concepts of operations management, differentiating between the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers. It explores the functions of managers, including planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, while also outlining the multifaceted roles of leaders such as figurehead, liaison, monitor, disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, problem solver, asset allocator, and negotiator. The report further examines various leadership theories and models, including situational, systemic, contingency, great man, trait, transactional, and transformational leadership, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses within the work environment. The analysis highlights the differences in orientation, personality, and focus between leaders and managers, providing a comprehensive understanding of their respective contributions to organizational success. Finally, the report evaluates the impact of different factors on the business environment and provides critical evaluations of the applications of operations management.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Table of contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................3
a) Defining the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers............................................3
b) Examining the roles of leader and function of managers in different contexts.....................4
c) Applying leadership theories and models..............................................................................7
d) Analysing and differentiating between the roles of leaders and managers............................8
e) Assessing the strengths and weakness of different approaches within work environment....9
f) Critically analysing and evaluating the leadership approaches..............................................9
Task 2.......................................................................................................................................10
a) Explaining the key approaches to operations management taken up by managers and
leaders......................................................................................................................................10
b) Explaining importance of operations management in terms of business objectives...........10
c) Assessing factors affecting business environment...............................................................11
d) Evaluating operations management improvement strategies...............................................11
e) Analysing impact of the factors on business environment and wider community..............11
f) Critically evaluating the applications of operations management and its impact on business
environment..............................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

Introduction
The practices and procedures undertaken by the management to improve the overall
performance and efficiency within an organisation are collectively termed as operation's
management. One should not oversimplify operations management just as the modification of
the existing operation processes to meet the consumer demands but rather as the act of
integrating raw material procurement and their transition into end user products and services
so as to satisfy the demands of the consumers. This assignment shall help us to understand
how the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers differ from each other along with
examining their respective roles and functions. The various models and theories linked with
leadership shall also be discussed.
Task 1
a) Defining the roles and characteristics of leaders and managers
In words of Beske et al. (2014, p.131), leaders and managers are interrelated yet they are
fundamentally very different from each other. While leaders are more involved in performing
appropriate tasks, managers are more involved in completing tasks in the appropriate manner.
This kind of fundamental difference compels everyone to understand the roles and
characteristics of both, leaders and managers. This clear understanding of the roles and
characters will help to compare and contrast the differences and similarities between the two
pillars of management. According to Stadtler (2015, p.3), understanding these fine nuances of
the management can help organisations to solve their problems and tackle them by employing
the correct kind of person to lead the organisation or a team.
As discussed earlier, leadership undertakes to do the right things. To further simplify this
sentence, leadership can be summarised as the capacity of an individual to be impactful,
influential and critical of the adequateness of the tasks performed by the individuals
following the leader. According to Brandenburg et al. (2014, p.299), leaders have the
capability to positively contribute to the feeling of effectiveness and accomplishment among
the individuals. This is mainly so as leadership and leaders are more people oriented and this
helps them to better understand the most important ingredient of any market and company,
the people. This statement is true because the market is people, the developers are people and
even the staffs involved are people, not machines. This kind of people oriented outlook
enables the leader to gain the trust of the people they command. Their personality is
incredulous and alluring at the same time. They are highly imaginative and great minds have
a tendency to be introvert and are not liked by others often but without any doubt, they
command the respect of those who follow them. In words of Kafeztopolous and Gotzamani

(2014, p.2), leaders are more private persons and have a very colourful, imaginative and
calculative mind which helps them to lead the people. They know which buttons to push to
get the right results without hurting the self-confidence and loyalty of the followers.
Successful outcome by leading and guiding the people towards the set objective is the main
concern of any leader.
b) Examining the roles of leader and function of managers in different contexts
Functions of a manager are:
Planning This function of managers is crucial as they
define the way of how they are going to
achieve their goals and objectives.
According to Manzini and Accorsi (2013,
p.251), this involves prioritising the steps
that are deemed necessary to achieve the
goals set up by the management.
Organising Organising and re-allocating the staffs and
assets takes place in this step. The managers
need to have the authority and trust of the
senior management to organise a random
group into more focused and result oriented
team.
Leading After the planning and organising phase, the
manager needs to identify the potential of
the individuals in the group. As observed by
Bosona and Gebresenbet (2013, p.32), they
look for the pro and cons of the individual
which will be helpful in giving clear cut
instructions.
Controlling After all the above-mentioned phases, have
been taken care of, it is necessary to take
corrective measures so as to keep the entire
team on track with the set-up goals,

objectives and plans.
Table 1: Functions of managers
(Source: Dabbene et al. 2014, p.79)
Roles of a leader are:
Figurehead As a leader, a person is expected to be
authoritative and inspirational. A leader has
several responsibilities, which include
social, professional as well as legal
responsibilities (Dora et al. 2014, p.125).
This is the person whom everyone looks up
to and hence, the leader becomes a
figurehead.
Liaison As a leader, an individual is supposed to be
the link between the various elements that
are linked with the organisation and
employees as well. In words of Pizzuti et al.
(2014, p.17), the leader needs to take up the
responsibility to effectively communicate
with the internal as well as the external
sources so as to develop a reliable
communication channel on behalf of the
organisation.
Monitor Monitoring and reviewing is an important
role of leadership. The information
pertaining to the company as well as the
employees is crucial as this helps the leader
to identify the key issues that can do with
changes and modifications Darkow et al.
(2015, p.163). The leader’s reviews must not
be focussed on performance but also on the
well-being of the followers.

Disseminator Information dissemination is critical to the
success of any organisation and team. The
leader needs to come out of the introvert
shell to guide and lead the team as well the
company by effectively communicating the
information that is critical for the growth of
the organisation (Govindan et al. 2014, p.9).
Spokesperson The employees cannot be expected to stand
up to the management to discuss their
problems. According to Schulze et al. (2016,
p.3692), the leader needs to represent the
team and in an even bigger context, they
need to represent the entire organisation. It
is their responsibility to disseminate the
information pertaining to the company to the
outside world so as the common people
understand the company's goals and
objectives.
Entrepreneur A leader is expected to be the person who
brings about changes that are radical and
unheard of. Generating ideas and
simultaneously solving problems can be
considered as one of the roles of a
successful leader (Bourlakis et al. 2014,
p.112).
Problem solver Obstacles or barriers are an integral part of
doing a job. The leader has to be adept at
solving these problems and removing these
roadblocks which hamper the productivity
of the team as well as the organisation on a
whole (Anisul Huq et al. 2014, p.610).

Asset allocator The organisational assets that are necessary
for performing the task need to be efficiently
allocated to boost the performance of the
organisation (Ayağ et al. 2013, p.1111). The
assets or resources may be funds, staffs or
any element that can be termed as a
resource.
Negotiator Negotiations are an important part of
business and organisational deals. In words
of Agustina et al. (2014, p.29), as a
representative of the organisation, a leader
needs to take part directly or indirectly in
the negotiation processes concerning the
organisation or the team.
Table 2: Roles of leaders
(Source: Gold et al. 2013, p.784)
c) Applying leadership theories and models
The theories of leadership have come into existence so as to best define the qualities and
traits of a leader. The most common leadership theories are situational leadership, systematic
leadership, contingency theory, transformational theory, great man theory, trait theory and
transactional theory. These theories try to pinpoint what makes a leader stand out from the
masses.
As stated by Diahat et al. (2014, p.391), the situational leadership theory elucidates the point
that the leadership qualities of an individual are honed and inculcated due to their actions
which are in response to the demands of the different situations. It also states that these
qualities may develop from past experience, beliefs and personality. The situational leaders
have been found to be adaptive and flexible. As stated by Tsolakis et al. (2004, p.47), in
systemic leadership the entire organisation is observed as a system in which the different
cogwheels namely the different branches of the organisation come together to play a crucial
part in sustaining the organisation. This leads to the development of the appropriate
leadership attributes which can take the company forward. The leadership perceives the
higher management levels as the true masterminds running the organisation rather than the

resource suppliers.
As observed by Glover et al. (2014, p.102), the contingency theory states that a single profile
cannot be enough to define leadership and neither its effectiveness. A person who keeps in
the head a contingency pathway can be considered as a leader who can bypass any issue. The
great man theory assumed that leadership quality was an intrinsic quality which could not be
supported by scientific backing (Yu et al. 2013, p.273). This theory is a total fallacy and
cannot effectively sum up the traits of a leader. This fallacy was debunked using the trait
theory which believed that great leaders are infused with certain traits that make them great.
According to Beske et al. (2014, p.140), this theory analysed the mental, physical and social
aspects of an individual to better understand the characteristics of leadership. The
transactional theory gauges the leadership characteristics on the basis of the exchange of
values such as respect among the leaders and the followers Stadtler (2015, p.20). This sees
leaders aligning themselves to award or punish the followers according to their actions
building up a reinforcing environment in which the organisational and individual goals are in
sync. In words of Brandenburg (2014, p.310), in transformational leadership, the interaction
among individuals to promote a strong sense of trust and reliability, thus transforming the
followers using charisma and inspirational outlook. The leader rules flexibly and the ruling
behaviour is guided by the norms and practices of the group. This promotes a sense of
belonging among the followers and helps them identify themselves at par with the leader and
their purposes.
d) Analysing and differentiating between the roles of leaders and managers
Leadership Management
Definition Leadership drives the
individuals towards a set
objective.
Management includes coordinating and
controlling individuals to achieve an
objective.
Orientation People oriented Task oriented
Personality
styles
Introvert yet attractive
personality
Judicious problem solvers
Focus Guiding people Overseeing work
Outcomes Success Result
Table 3: Difference in roles of leader and manager
(Source: Stadtler, 2015, p.17)

e) Assessing the strengths and weakness of different approaches within work
environment
The strength of situational leadership is that a person can take up the responsibilities of a
leader to solve the issues but only be able to act as a leader till the problem persists. In
systematic approach, the leaders may be able to guide the organisation but at cost of the key
components that is, the employees. Great man theory, trait theory and contingency theory are
the cause of many prejudices in terms of leadership and address but a few aspects of
leadership but they lack scientific backing to support their claims. The traits of a leader
cannot be always judged but using the trait theory it will be easier to identify the key traits of
a budding leader. In transformation theory, the leader is involved in building relatios which
can be a good thing for the organisation but stands chances of being exploited due to the
human nature of self-appraisal. However, Transactional approach to leadership is the only
theory that makes sense by inculcating good relations and better discipline by the award and
punish system.
f) Critically analysing and evaluating the leadership approaches
The different theories of leadership cannot explain or justify the characteristics of a leader.
While the situational leadership claims that demands of a situation brings out the leadership
qualities of an individual but needs to be systemic and understand the components of the
organisation. However, contingency theory states that a leader can be characterised by the
number of backup plans thought of by individuals and like great man theory is not supported
by any scientific reasoning. It is interesting to note that the transactional theory and
transformational theory in combination are the qualities and characteristics of leadership.

Task 2
a) Explaining the key approaches to operations management taken up by managers and
leaders
In contrast to the leaders, managers use their capacity and capability to coordinate and control
a group of individuals. This coordination and control of the group are necessary to achieve
the end result of planning and development stage, or simply the set goals and objectives. The
managers and leaders both recognise and manage the resources at hand to achieve this feat.
The above statement correlates with the fact that the managers are more task oriented rather
than people oriented like the leaeders. In words of Dabenne et al. (2014, p.65), managers
serve as the connecting link between the higher levels and lower levels of hierarchies. The
goals and objectives set up by the higher authorities need to be realised and achieved by the
lower ranks of hierarchy by effective management and task division of the managers. To
achieve these set-out objectives and goals, the managers need to show few traits and qualities
which are generally opposite to that of the leaders. The managers are expected to be judicious
and efficient problem solvers who can take control of any occurring issue and quickly resolve
the same.
As observed by Porananond and Thawesaengskulthai (2014. p.99), managers concentrate all
their activities revolving around the objectives and develop structures to attain the same.
They also have an in-depth knowledge of the skills and faculties to the group’s individuals
which helps the managers to appropriately allocate tasks which would enable achieving the
set goals and targets much more easier than possible.
b) Explaining importance of operations management in terms of business objectives
This may include effective utilisation of the promotional campaigns, assets and staff
relocation.strategies by planning and finding the way a manager can get involved in the goal
achievement process and help the organisation to profit by increasing the revenue influx.
Hence, the elements of organising can be summarised as the ability to allocate jobs and
authority granting capability (Joglekar et al. 2016, p.1977). Leading does not only mean
identifying the individuals. It also means motivating and encouraging the group or the team
to guide them towards the corporate victory. Along with these functions, a manager is also
expected to be conscious of what troubles the group and quickly eliminating these obstacles
by smart problem-solving capabilities is a must for any manager.
Managers are not directly involved in any of the tasks that they hand out but are much more
into overseeing the work and the progress of the group. They are also responsible for
mitigating any risks or obstacles that are involved in the allocated tasks. The desirable end

product of a operations manager is the final result and they will be totally dedicated to getting
the results, either by hook or by crook (Gold et al. 2013, p.784). According to Dora et al.
(2013, p.607), monitoring and reviewing the various aspects of development is crucial so as
to maintain the integrity of devised plan that was conjured to achieve the set goals.
c) Assessing factors affecting business environment
According to Dabbene et al. (2014, p.76), the business environment of an organisation is
susceptible to internal as well as external factors. These factors are present inside and outside
the business organisation and hence need to be taken care of. The internal factors mainly
comprise of the organisational culture,organisational structure, the company’s strengths and
weakness and their vulnerability to competitors and rivals among the other such conditions
that affect the stability and sustainability of any organisation. The external factors that affect
any organisation are political, environmental and economical factors. Along with these
factors, the changing demographics and socio cultural layout of the world bound under
uniform civil laws are few other key influential criterias which not only dictate the working
environment but also the company or organisations strategies.
d) Evaluating operations management improvement strategies
operations management is a key managerial aspect that can directly influence the chances of
survival displayed by an organisation. Such an important aspect of managing the
organisation is always bound to evolve and modify according to the present situation and
helps in maintaining output, thus, the revenue influx of the company in dire times. As noted
by Beske et al. (2014, p.142), the quality standards set by the standardisation organisation
undergo modifications and hence, continuous assessment of the system quality can help in
developing and improving the same. Supplier development and management systems can be
crucial for any organisation and developing and implementing the same can be a wonderful
strategy. Continuous monitoring process is a must and this helps i'm adapting to sustainable
development models and help in projecting the managing programmes and product launches.
e) Analysing impact of the factors on business environment and wider community
The already mentioned business conditions not only affects the business environment but also
affects the community as a whole. The internal factors are irrelevant in this case as the global
community and the organisation itself is vulnerable to the external factors which are not
under anyone’s jurisdiction and hence they cannot be controlled. in words of Dora et al.
(2015, p.137), the growing political and economic instability leads to proportionally
increasing crime rates and making the business environment repulsive to development. the
changing and growing ethnic mixing has been crucial in developing several biases and

barriers to a fair and conducive business environment. the environmental calamities cannot be
ruled out as they are not only uncontrollable but can be very harmful and can halt the
development of a suitable business environment. it would take a long time to return to
normalcy and to cope up with the challenges.
f) Critically evaluating the applications of operations management and its impact on
business environment
The concept of operations management originated first in the manufacturing industries where
saving on cost cutting and streamlined production process can help in generating quality
goods and services. Over the years this idea remained constant but the concept evolved and
now is implemented by every industry in every sector. The importance of managing the
operations and production process became the measuring scale for gauging the effectiveness
of a system while manufacturing or developing a quality product Augustina et al.(2014,
p.38).
Conclusion
Business operations management is a very important aspect of managerial studies. This
assignment takes a deeper look into the various concepts of leadership and management and
also helps in identifying the factors that affect business environment. The impact analysis of
these factors helps in recognising the true potential and need to implement operations
management.