Literature Review for Master of Business Research: CHEP Leadership

This literature review, prepared for a Master of Business Research project, investigates the role of strategic business leadership in CHEP's supply chain management, specifically addressing the challenge of meeting demand forecasts. The introduction outlines the research topic, aim, and objectives, including analyzing strategic business leadership, its significance within CHEP, and its effectiveness in meeting demand forecasts. The review explores the concept of strategic leadership, emphasizing its influence on organizational growth and supply chain management. It provides a background on CHEP, its operations, and the challenges it faces. The critical review of literature delves into strategic leadership roles, including navigator, motivator, captivator, and change driver. It discusses the advantages of strategic business leadership, such as encouraging objective thinking, building commitment, and creating frameworks for strategic decisions. The literature identifies a gap in the existing research concerning the direct link between strategic business leadership and addressing the issue of not meeting customer demand forecasts. The research questions focus on the meaning, significance, and influences of strategic leadership practices within CHEP's supply chain. The report concludes with a summary of the findings and a list of references.

Literature Review for Master of
Business Research Project
(Strategic Business Leadership in supply chain
management in CHEP)

Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................1
Research topic .............................................................................................................................1
Research aim................................................................................................................................1
Research objectives......................................................................................................................1
Overview of the topic .................................................................................................................1
Background of the company .......................................................................................................1
Literature Review ............................................................................................................................3
Critical review of literature..........................................................................................................3
Literature gap...............................................................................................................................6
Research questions.......................................................................................................................6
Research Methodology....................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

Introduction
Research topic
“To determine the role of strategic business leadership in overcoming the issues of not
meeting the demand when forecasted. A study on CHEP.
Research aim
To identify the effectiveness of strategic business leadership for meeting the demand
when forecasted. A study on CHEP.
Research objectives
 To analyse the concept of strategic business leadership.
 To evaluate the significance of strategic business leadership in CHEP company.
 To identify effectiveness of strategic business leadership in meeting the demand when
forecasted.
Overview of the topic
Strategic leadership refers as an ability of an individual to influence others to voluntarily
makes decisions that improves the prospects for the organisation's long term growth while
maintaining short-term financial stability (Ward, 2016). Supply chain management is the
effective management of the flow of goods and services and also includes entire processes that
transform raw materials into final products. The leadership is responsible for strategies
development to attain the vision of company. Managing people as well as relationships is an
integral or essential part of supply chain management, and effective leadership is of great
significance to success. With the help of literature review, researcher can easily collect
secondary data about the strategic business leadership, significance of strategic business
leadership and influence strategic leadership practises in functioning of supply chain
management of company (Gavetti, 2012).
Background of the company
CHEP is an organisation and full name of this Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool.
Company is dealing in Pattet and container pooling services. Company was founded in 1946 by
Brambles. CHEP provides wooden and plastic pallets, crates and IBC containers and small
display pallets. These types of products can mainly be recognised by their blue color and CHEP
logo. Company used different types of management and leadership theories that helped business

in meeting the demand when forecasted. These theories are situational leadership, behavioural
theory etc.
Research problem: One of the main problem of this research is to identify the impact of
ineffective functioning of supply chain management. Poor leadership has negative impact on
customer service by not meeting customer's demand. Poor leadership impact on employees by
reducing their productivity and performance that turn to effects on customer service. Uneducated
employees not deal customers in proper manner that effect in in meeting the demand when
forecasted.

Literature Review
Critical review of literature
The role of strategic business leadership within an organisation?
According to the Cetin, Demirciftci and Bilgihan (2016) strategic leadership introduces to
a manager's potential to express a strategic goal and vision for the company. It can be defined as
the capability of the top level of executives or managers to ascertain the future courses of
activities and direction of the company and encourages the team members to make full efforts in
that direction. Main aim of strategic leadership is to inspire others to accomplish long term goals
and vision of the company. Leadership has essential and significant impact on the process of
strategic management. Basically it assist to determine the mission and vision of the company.
Further, it assist the company to develop effective and suitable strategies to accomplish that
vision. Within strategic management, business leader execute the different roles. These roles are
introduces the environment for change, develop the leadership team, formulates the vision and
strategy and change the culture which helps the strategic management. There are different
functions of strategic business leader including setting the direction, strategic decision making,
change management, human capital management, effective communication in the company,
developing strategic competencies and many others. All these are considered more effective and
essential role of strategic business leadership. This will facilitates company in accomplishment
of their long term objectives and goals successfully and effectively. There are some essential and
main roles of strategic business leader which will be explained as below:
Navigator: It is the role of strategic leader to identifies the main problems and its causes.
Additionally, she/he always look for essential chances, to affect actions. Therefore, this role will
be more essential and important for leader in achievement of better outcomes easily (Chase,
2013).
Motivator: This is another role that is more essential for strategic leader because with the
assist of this, they can easily motivate their team members towards attainment of strategic goal
and objectives (Breevaart and Bakker, 2018). By following as a role of motivator, they can easily
attract, develop, encourage and retain talent within an enterprise, to ensure that the organisational
have the best human resource.

Captivator: This is another and effective role of strategic leader that aims at developing
dedications, passion, commitment and persistence towards the common goals and objectives, by
influencing or persuading them in a way that persons always ready to follow the vision (Chase,
2013).
Change driver: An organisation require to change the dynamic business environment by
making accurate variation on a daily basis. Strategic leader within an organisation played an
important role as a change driver. For this, leader develops and creates change management
strategies as well as evolves tools to make the workers accept that change time-to-time. This will
be important for company ion its success and growth (Sharma and Iyer, 2012).
As per the view point of Thiel and et. al., (2012), strategic leaders are known for
preparing for succession, implementing a strategy and thinking ahead. If business are struggling
in such areas, then it would make sense to proceed a look at bringing within a strategic leader.
There are different advantages and importance of strategic business leadership which are
described as below:
Encourages objective thinking: It is more easy or essential for leadership to become
engaged in daily basis activities as well as forget to plan for the future. Such type of leader cause
management to know the relations between routine work and future. This will be essential for
company in accomplishment of its long term objectives and goals in successful manner.
Build commitment: Good strategic business leaders know that if they want workers to
take on few traits, they have to model them. They are all about dedication or fidelity to the
business and represent a commitment to an organisational objectives and goals. This will helps
company in retaining of talented employees at workplace for longer time period. This will
further assist company in accomplishment of the competitive advantages successfully.
Creating framework for strategics decision: Each and every worker is not have
knowledge about the single objectives. Along with this, strategic leader will be installed a
strategic model where all decision will be considered. This will assist each and every person to
stay on the same page as well as make sure the whole organisation is moving in the similar kind
of direction.
Improvement of productivity and performance: Strategic business leadership will be
essential and important for company company in improvement of productivity as well as
performance. Business leader will helps staff members by providing appropriate guidance. This

support employees in completion of business tasks systematically and timely (Breevaart and
Bakker, 2018).
According to Elkhdr (2019), in today’s modern business era competition within market is
so high as the each business wants to make themselves stand out among the rivals and attaining
higher growth and success. Therefore, businesses in this modern scenario are working for
attaining business objectives to achieve higher growth and success. However, for better business
performance organisations are concern over implementing effective strategic business leadership
for effective and systematic execution of operations and attaining higher growth and success. In
these days, businesses are mainly required a good and effective strategic management and skilful
leader to be able to attain their predetermined objectives and targets. The aspect of business
strategy and leadership are different and has their own meaning and are basically working
together but it seems to different way (Waters and Rinsler, 2014). A skilful Leader follows own
norms and rules, therefore, the effective leader always having own norms of Woking and
implement actions as per own knowledge and skills base. However the strategic management
always look after for business low and policy. Strategic management mainly assures the
businesses the long term business viability because it is an effective procedure of predicting
the future which is encompasses over interpretation of today's trends and signs, that aid the
business leadership to choose the right direction for stability and growth. However, businesses
from each side are focuses over designing an effective strategy in which the role of leaders are
effective in the manner to encouraging others to put their significant efforts in the growth and
advancement of the business. However, it can be said that, there is a positive relationship among
the strategic business leadership and reduction of the problem associated with not meeting the
demand when forecasted. Thus, an effective planning is done by the businesses on the basis of
the plan which is forecasted to enhancing the operations and profitability of the business.
Irrespective of time and position, leaders are basically able to put their appropriate efforts
in the way of managing the operations effectively and completing the task systematically.
Leadership that has suitable strategies can work as the basic base for a business to effectively y
employing the strategic management process. However, an effective planning always lead the
business towards the direction to attaining higher growth and success (Bolton, Brunnermeier, and
Veldkamp, 2013). Leaders who are concern over following the business strategies are more
liable to expedite the enlargement of suitable strategic activities, and they specify the paths to

enforce them effectively. Thus, a leader in the contxt to business is effective in providing the
right command to the employees for the effective execution of operations and attaining higher
growth and success. The effective actions of leaders that are in favour to the business growth are
working as the gateways to higher-average outcomes and strategic competitiveness. Thus, the
leaders who work in different institution are fully cognisant in relation to the need to chalk out
the plan systematically for the future of their business and take part in the suitable enactment
regarding these well-planned schemes. Issues and problems are unwanted in nature as these can
arise in any situation as the business mainly facing the challenge of meeting the demand of
forecasting, therefore, forecasting is defined as the predetermined plan which helps the business
to aid in the manner to attain business objectives.
The suitable strategic leadership and the reduction of problem like non appropriate
management of workforce, execution of employee at right place, lacking with right command,
lack of knowledge and effective talent and so on, that are associated with not meeting the
forecasted demand (Cappelli and Keller, 2014). In the situation of forecasting the market demand
it is also effective for the business to design and develop a suitable strategic management
leadership to aid the operations of the business in the right direction to attaining higher growth
and success.
Literature gap
Literature gap is the missing or lack of information about the topic in previous
investigations. Within a current study, main gap is the impact of strategic business leadership
within effective functioning of supply chain management within an organisation. In previous
studies, There were information available regarding the strategic business leadership but there
were insufficient or lack of data to link the role of strategic business leadership in reducing the
issue of not meeting customer demand forecast. In order to overcome preliminary gap, research
questions are prepared that are essential for researcher. This will further helps in attaining the
research aim and objectives successfully.
Research questions
 What is the meaning and role of strategic business leadership for CHEP.
 What is the significance of strategic business leadership in CHEP company?
 What are the influences of strategic leadership practises in THE supply chain
management and overcoming the issue of not meeting customer demand forecast.

Research Methodology
Research methodology introduces as an essential process of collecting and analysing
information about the research topic. There re different types of research methodologies that will
be used within an investigation. These are described as below:
1. Research philosophy: According to the present study, positivism research philosophy
will be used by researcher because it facilitates in gathering, analysing and using of
quantitative data within minimum time period.
2. Research approach: Deductive approach is essential for analysing quantitative
information regrading the Strategic Business Leadership in supply chain management in
CHEP.
3. Research strategy: Survey is a suitable and best strategy for collecting primary data
about the current topic (Benn, Edwards and Williams, 2014). Survey will be essential and
important for researcher because it helps in gathering of primary and quantitative
information within less period of time.
4. Research choice: Quantitative research will be used for conducting present investigation
because it helps in providing of valid data in less time period. Main reason behind
selecting quantitative research is it assist in collecting of numerical information without
consuming maximum time.
5. Time horizon: Cross-sectional time horizon is more useful within an investigation
because it based on current situation and also not requires maximum time in research
completion.
6. Data collection: Primary and secondary are two sources of data collection. For collecting
primary information, questionnaire is a best instrument for researcher. For gathering
secondary data, books, magazines, articles etc. are consider useful sources. These sources
are only used for literature review. Along with this, questionnaire will be use for
collecting primary information from responders.
Questionnaire
Q1. Do you have knowledge regarding the strategic business leadership?

a) Yes
b) No
Q2). According to you, what are the effective roles of leadership in CHEP company?
a) Motivating employees
b) Guides employees through the work process
c) Create vision
Q3) What are the significance of strategic business leadership in CHEP company?
a) Meeting customer's demand
b) Improving business performance
c) Retaining loyal customers and talented employees
Q4) Is leadership helps CHEP company in attracting of customers towards the brand?
a) Yes
b) No
Q5) As per your opinion, what are the ways through which CHEP company can improve their
supply chain management?
a) Improves distribution network
b) Devise a distribution strategy
c) Monitor cash flows
Q6) What are the consequences happens when an organisation does not meet the demand of
consumers?
a) Lower sales
b) Higher inventory
c) Lower productivity
Q7) According to you, what are the main factors involved in forecasting the demand of
customers?
a) Changes in income
b) Consumer's tastes and preferences
c) Competitive strategies
Q8) What is role of strategic business leadership in meeting the customer's demand?
a) Providing information about the product
b) Encouraging employees to deal with customer's demand

c) Collecting feedbacks from the customers
7. Sampling: Probability sampling will be applied for selecting 30 responders of CHEP
will be selected randomly. In this 20 are management and 10 are employees.

Conclusion
From the above collected secondary data for literature review, it has been concluded that
strategy management leadership is a crucial aspect which is mainly being considered by the
businesses and its management for the intention to enhancing the operations and progression via
managing systematic operations and employee performance. A leader in the context to business
are playing efficient role in motivating and encouraging others to put their strength in the growth
operations of the business and achieving progression and development. However, in the modern
and competitive business era organizations are facing exciting and dynamic issues related to the
incorporation of business strategy, increasing the talent pool, management of business operations
and so on. In the globalized business, organisations are needed effective strategic thinking and
only by developing good management strategies can they become strategically competitive. A
sustained or sustainable competitive advantage arises in the situation, when a business
implements a value – creating strategy of which other business is unable to duplicate the benefits
or find it too costly to initiate. Therefore, the initial motive of a business needs to be fit in to the
competitive market and enhance competition within market via enhancing the operations of the
business. The management strategy involves the commitments, decisions and actions needed for
the businesses to attain strategic competitiveness and earn above average returns. However, there
is a positive and effective interconnection among the business strategy and meeting the
forecasted demand, thus an effective management planning and strategic decision also lead the
operations in the direction to attaining the desired objectives effectively.