Uber Case Study: Management and Operations Report - Unit 4

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Uber's management and operational practices. It begins with an introduction to leadership and management, defining the roles of leaders and managers and highlighting their functions in various situations, using Uber as a case study. The report then delves into leadership theories, including situational, system, and contingency approaches, explaining how these theories guide decision-making within the organization. Furthermore, it explores operational management approaches such as lean production and six sigma, illustrating their application within Uber. The report also discusses the importance of operational management and identifies factors within the business environment that impact operational decision-making. Through this analysis, the report offers insights into how Uber navigates challenges, fosters innovation, and adapts to market dynamics to achieve its objectives.

Unit 4 – Management and
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
LO1..................................................................................................................................................4
Management and leadership........................................................................................................4
Role of a leader and functions of manager in different situations:..............................................5
LO2..................................................................................................................................................7
P3. Theories and approaches of leadership..................................................................................7
LO3..................................................................................................................................................8
P4. Approaches of operation management .................................................................................8
P5. Importance and value of operation management.................................................................10
LO4................................................................................................................................................11
P6. Factors within business environment impact on operation management............................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Leadership is defined as guiding employees of company to achieve the mutual objectives
work behind the operations of company. This report is based on the case study of Uber Company
in respect to its operations and management practices. The organisation was established in the
year 2009 by the founders Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick in respect to its management and
operations practices of organisation. Headquarter of the company is based in California, United
States of America. Company has been associated with the transportation sector to achieve its
overall objectives behind the operations of company. IN this project different approaches used by
company related to the operation and management practices are entertained at the organisation
level. Henceforth, report will emphasis over different roles and characteristics leader and
manager contains to achieve the maximum possible outcomes in operations. Examples will also
given in this project related to role of leader and function of manager apply in different
situational context. Application of different theories will also demonstrate in this project.
Furthermore, this project would emphasis over the key approaches related to the operation
management and also assessment will be done related to role of leader in organisation. Factors
influence the leadership and managerial decision making will also demonstrate in this project.
LO1
Management and leadership
Manager: A manager is that person who perform the work of management in any organization
whether it could be a public or private company, non-profit organization or any government
organization. A manager is the main key of any organization who performs various managerial
functions.
Functions of Manager:
Managers perform various functions in the organization out of them some major functions
includes:
Planning:
It means the base on which whole building stays which means planning is the main and
foremost function which a manger performs before starting any activity. It means a manager first
plans the way or strategy by which the organizational objective will be achieved.
Organizing:

Planning is not only enough which means the next main function of a manager includes
the organizing in which he organizes all the activities or assign the various steps in terms of
different departments so that, every performed activity will lead to the achievement of
organizational goal (Akhmetshin, 2018).
Leading:
In this a manager will give instructions or orders to his employees regarding how to
perform the work in a particular decided way.
Controlling:
This is also one of the major function of a manger because making the plan and putting it
into action is not only enough until it is checked which means under this function the manager
will check that whether the performed actions are right or not or whether they are in the correct
way which means moving towards the main goal or not and if not then manager will take
corrective actions so that those wrong actions or moves will be corrected and goal will be
grabbed (Chiu, and Fogel, 2017).
Leader: A leader is that person who leads the peoples or his followers either by his proficiency
of his knowledge or his leadership skills.
Roles of Leader:
There are many roles which a leader can perform in order to lead or guide his followers. Some of
them are:
Communication:
The leaders are always a good and effective communicator and by possessing this
effective communication skill he always leads his followers in such a way that they not just
follow him in-fact many other people will also attract towards him and become his followers.
Influencer:
This is also one of the important role of a leader by which he influences the people. It is
usually seems in an organization that people many times resist the changes and in that case the
leader plays an important role by influencing the people towards those changes (Jiang, 2019).
Innovation:

The leader is not like manager who works on the prescribed manner of doing the work,
in-fact a leader always try to do something innovative and make the work more interesting so
that people would easily ready to do it.
Adaptor:
The leader is not only a good adaptor towards the change in-fact he also made his
followers to adapt those changes. A leader always develops the flexibility in his followers.
From the above points it is very easy to differentiate between a manager and a leader in terms of
their functions and roles which means that a manager is only concerned about performing the
managerial functions and the achievement of company's goal by using anyhow.
On the other hand, the Leader not only works towards the goal achievement, but he is also
concerned about the manpower and their issues. A leader by using his leadership skills and
performing his role, not only motivates or leads the employees but also tries to make the efficient
utilization of manpower towards goal achievement.
Role of a leader and functions of manager in different situations:
Operational change:
The Uber recently made some operational changes in its business regarding reducing the
number of passengers in its cabs has put some adverse impact towards the staff and management
people of Uber.
But to meet this situation, the managers and leaders both plays an important part in terms of
performing their roles and functions. As, manager already forecast that by making this changes,
the staff and management employees would definitely react adversely and in order to meet this
situation he already plans in advance that how this situation will be dealt which means the Uber
will now increase the numbers of cabs or create health awareness so that, the employees will be
employed and the above managerial level will also not suffer losses. So that, their resistance will
at certain level will be reduced (Reichard, 2017).
In the same way, leaders also influence the employees regarding the requirement of this change
that it is all done for their safety purpose only which will motivate them towards accepting the
change and do not resist this change.
Strong competition:

Like all companies, Uber also face severe market competition in terms of services,
customers or employees retention, and many more.
But to meet this competition situation and proves Uber best, the managers and the leaders of
Uber plays a significant role by using their skills and performing their functions or roles. In order
to improve the employees retention and attraction they plan to provide flexibility in terms of
working hours, or giving the chance to other persons to join the Uber by creating the more
employment opportunities, will not only help the Uber to attract the more employees but also
leads to more retention and increase in employees share.
Also, by performing the various managerial functions including the proper planning by managers
and various innovative tactics by the leaders, helps the Uber in achieving a great success in terms
of good profit share or customer satisfaction and their preference towards Uber which means by
using proper planning and innovations in the current operations, the Uber proves successful in
meeting the customers needs in terms of their safety, providing them best services, and doing
various other things which improve customer's satisfaction and this will ultimately help the Uber
and its management in terms of goal achievement and meet the prevailing market competition
and proves itself best among others (Terziev, 2017).
LO2
P3. Theories and approaches of leadership
Leaders and managerial take guidance from different theories and models related to the
leadership and management. Theories like situational leadership, system leadership and
contingency leadership drive the leaders and manager to perform the operations and functional
activities in the best way possible.
Situation approach
Situation approach guide leaders and manager to make decision on the basis of the
specific situation in organisation. This approach of leadership make the leader and manager to
make decision on the basis of the specific situation of the organisation. Business environment
contain a volatile nature where situations can change any time (Han, Liu and Zhang, 2016). This
leadership approach drive the leaders and manager to make decision by assessing the situation of
organisation. IN the approach evaluation related to the business environment is conducted and
with the support of critical evaluation they make the best level of decisions suitable for the
organisation. Situation leaders approach give emphasis to both short term and long term dealing

of business environment where leaders and manager associated the situation in context to both
short term goals and objectives of company and also in relation to the long term goals and
objectives of company. Many situations Uber Company has faced in recent time like change
management, product launch and other such situation which allowed leader to make the decision
based on the situation of operation.
System approach
System approach is also a part of different approaches leader and manager implement in
order to reach the maximum possible level of work efficiencies. In this approach both leader and
manager try to establish and develop the proper system that can support all different functional
needs and requirements of organisation. This approach has guided the Uber Company to control
all its various divisions and functional areas with the support of specific system that can allow
complete control over the operations of organisation (Wang, Huang and Ji, 2017). Uber
Company is a part of different other business segment in which company offer food product,
transportation and many such division. To control each individual division and organisation as a
whole it is important for the organisation to develop a who,e system which can look forward to
all different functional areas. Company has given a huge emphasis over infrastructure
development and technological advancement to deliver the best level of system to control all
different functional areas part of the organisation.
Contingency approach
Contingency approach is also a critical practice that manager and leaders follow at the
organisation level to channelises bets level of operations of organisation. This leadership style
comprises over certain contingent and serious situation which required leader and manager to
make decisions so that company can sustain and grow in business environment. In recent time
world has faced the challenge in form of COVID 19 pandemic which requires manager and
leaders in company to hold the strong decision-making to make the best level of decisions in
company (Su and et.al.,2016). The contingency situation are crucial and role of leader and
manager become more crucial and significant in such situation in order to sustain the
organisation and guide a certain path to enhance and boost growth opportunities of organisation.
The above mentioned approaches are among the key methods and practices
associated with leadership and management that support the organisation to grow and sustain in
market.

LO3
P4. Approaches of operation management
Operation management is defined as managing all different areas related to the operations
of organisation. Decisions leader and manager take under operation management are based on
the different approaches denoted in the management of operations. Different tactics and
approaches like lean production and six sigma are the approaches that management and leaders
in the Uber Company prefer in regards to the operation management so that maximum level of
operational outcomes can be entertained by the company.
Lean production
Uber Company take the guidance of lean production to deliver best level of business
outcomes of company. This approach give emphasis over the minimisation of the wastage of
resources of company in order to deliver the services of company. Maximum of the products
offer by the Uber Company are related to the service sector which make the company to conduct
proper utilisation of time. This approach suggest and guide the management to entertain services
at the organisation level in the best way possible (Ongkasuwan and Sookcharoen, 2018).
Company has delivered a system with the support of information technology that allow company
to consume proper time management while catering the services to achieve the maximum
possible work efficiencies and profitability against the services entertained by organisation. If the
company consume wastage while delivering the services it would make it more unfavourable in
respect to the organisation to meet its business objectives.
Strength of lean production approach
Lean production approach focuses over minimising the wastage involve in services
company deliver. By controlling the possible wastage involve in services company get to boost
its work efficiencies and productivity. Uber Company has delivered a system that consume lesser
time and improve the productivity of operational activities of organisation.
Weakness of lean production approach
This approach of operation management prioritises control over the wastage involved in
the service deliver. Many authors and experts has criticised this approach due to its
ineffectiveness in guiding the management towards a certain direction where company can
actually control over the wastage. This approach also not segregated between ideal wastage or
abnormal wastage which also confuse to organisation in making decisions under this approach. s

Six Sigma
Six sigma is another operation management technique and approach that guide the
organisation to improve its overall work efficiencies and profitability. This approach of operation
management consume the risk factor while making the best level of decisions at the organisation
level. This technique of operation management guided the management to analysis about the
potential risk factors part of the organisation (Anvari-Moghaddam and et.al.,2017). IF the
company is capable to minimise the overall risk involved in the operation than it can improve its
decision making ability and potential along with enhancing the profitability of company.
Profitability is directly interconnected with the risk involved in decision-making process. By
covering possible risk involved in operation company try to boost its profitability of the
organisation. This approach cover practice lie define the situation, measure the outcomes,
analysis, improve the business outcome and control the operation of company.
Strength of Six Sigma
This technique involve risk factor which directly inter connected with profitability and
business outcomes of organisation. IT is an effective way or approach to deliver the best level of
unprovability against the operations entertained by organisation.
Weakness of six sigma
This factor do not specifies about the possible risk factors that company can address
which many times mislead the organisation while making decisions for business.
P5. Importance and value of operation management
Operation management is among the key functional area part of the Uber Company. The
significance of the operation management can be demonstrated in the following points.
Improve work efficiency
Operation management support the organisation to achieve the maximum level of
outcomes against the operational practices of company. Operation management approaches
follow by company like lean production and six sigma like approaches supported organisation to
maximise the overall work efficiencies of the organisation (Satyaninggrat and Surendro, 2017).
This is among the key objective part of the company to improve the work efficiency. Approaches
are the key fundamentals that support the company to raise its efficiencies and boost the overall
growth potential of organisation.
Profit maximisation

Profit maximization is another crucial factor part of the operation management approach
channelize by company. This approach guide the organisation to maximise the overall
profitability of company. This is among the key objective behind the business operations
entertained by company and maximizing the profitability of company can boost the overall
potential of company to achieve the business objectives (Van Dongen, Frunt and Martinetti,
2019). Approaches like lean production and six sigma which Uber Company follow directly
impact over the wastage control a decision-making which significantly boost the profitability of
company.
Improve product quality
Operation management practices channelises by the organisation directly uplift the
service quality of the Uber Company. IN case of service sector the quality of services company
dleiver put a large impact over the potential of company to meet business objectives (Chen and
Wang, 2019). These approaches guide company to deliver better qualities that also support the
organisation in taking competitive advantage to cut the competition in market.
The above mentioned points are among the key importance operation management
approaches provide that can boost the overall growth of company.
LO4
P6. Factors within business environment impact on operation management
Business environment is a sum of different internal and external factors influence the
business operations of company. All such factors related to business environment impact over
the business operations of Uber Company in respect to the operation management can be
projected in the following points.
Political factor: Political factors is related to the policies of the government related to the
business environment which influence the decision-making of company to manage its operations.
Political stability also impact over the practices of Uber Company related to operation
management.
Economic factor: Economic factor is directly related to the financial management of company.
Pricing policy of Uber Company is also impacted from the economic factor. Inflation in the
economy reduces the buying capacity of customers in market which restricts the profitability of
company.

Social factor: Social factor denote as the fashion and trend part of the society. In this aspect
company need to use the current tools that support the organisation to deliver its overall
outcomes of business operations (Aoki and Katayama, 2017).
Technological factor: Technological factor has supported the Uber Company to channelize the
technological advancement and development in performing the operations of company.
Environment factor: Company tries to channelises environment friendly products and services
of the company. Company has also involved in corporate social responsibility to perform the best
level of operations in company.
Legal factor: While channelizes the operation management at the organization level company
need to follow all different laws like equality act, anti discrimination and many such act.
CONCLUSION
Operation management is denoted as managing the operational responsibilities of the
organisation. Leaders play the key role in guiding employees to achieve the mutual objectives of
business. Operation management contain different approaches that are denoted as lean
management, six sigma and other such approaches. Different factors like political, economic,
social, technological, environment and legal factors that influence the operation management
practices of organisation.

REFERENCES
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