Operations Management Leadership: Unilever Case Study

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Induction
of the new
employees
of the
operations
managemen
t team
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Introduction
The main aim of discussing this report is to identify, discuss
and understand the roles of leaders and functions of managers
in ensuring the effective operations management within the
organization. The case study of the Unilever Plc will be
discussed that is the consumer goods organization in the UK.
The report will discuss that how different roles of leaders and
functions of managers apply in leadership and management
practices at the Unilever. Also, the report will also discuss
different types of leadership approaches that can be used by
the leaders in the Unilever for ensuring the effective
operations management of the organization.

Definition of Manager and Leader
Manager:
Managers are personnel
who responsible for
management and controlling
of group of staff or
employees and the
organization. Managers
generally work to gather as
a team and within the
business for achieving the
desired goal of the
organization.
Leader:
Leaders are those
personnel who lead and
command group of staff and
the business organization
for achieving the desired
organizational objectives.
Leaders in the organization
mainly influences group of
people or employees
towards accomplishment of
the desired goal of the
organization.

Manager
Characteristics:
Communication
Leadership
Time management
Delegation
Confidence
Respect for employees
Functions:
Planning
Organizing
Commanding
Coordinating
Controlling

Leader
Characteristics:
Confidence
Commitment and passion
Honesty and integrity
Communication
Creativity and innovation
Decision-making skills
Roles:
Coach
Visionary
Influencer
Team player
Decision-maker
Delegator
Listener

Comparison between the characteristics
of managers and leaders
AREAS OF
COMPARISONS
MANAGER LEADER
MEANING Managers are personnel
who responsible for
administration and
controlling of group of staff
or employees and the
organization.
Leaders are those personnel
who lead and command
group of staff and the
business organization for
achieving the desired
organizational objectives.
VISION/GOAL SETTING Managers formulate plan or
set goals.
Leaders execute plan to accomplish
the goals.
STRATEGY Managers develop
strategies to achieve the
organizational goals.
Leaders execute and
perform the work as per
developed strategies.

Comparison between the characteristics
of managers and leaders
AREAS OF
COMPARISONS
MANAGER LEADER
GOVERNANCE/POWER Managers possess power to
manage and control the
activities and performance
of employees.
Leaders possess power to
lead, motivate and enable
employees to perform and
accomplish the assigned
task effectively and
efficiently.
FOCUS /
THINKING PROCESS
Managers think
scientifically as like doctor.
Leaders think innovative
and creative like
entrepreneurs.
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Managers maintain the
healthy relationships
Leaders ensure the fair
treatment with all

Comparison between the characteristics
of managers and leaders
AREAS OF
COMPARISONS
MANAGER LEADER
RISKS Managers take calculative
risks to achieve the
organizational.
Leaders take higher risk to
accomplish the assigned
task.
OPERATIONS/
EFFECTIVENESS
Managers manage and
control the activities of the
organization to ensure
effective management of the
organization.
Leaders lead, encourage
and enable employees to
perform well and ensure the
effective operations
management of the
organization.

Management theories
There are different types of management theories
that can be used by the managers in the organization
like Unilever to perform their functions more
efficiently and effectively for achieving the desired
organizational objectives. Managers can use
Scientific theory of management as per which the
main function of managers is to enhance and
improve the productivity and economic efficiency of
employees for achieving maximum productivity and
profitability of the organization. As per Scientific
management, managers needs to take maximum
decisions scientifically on the basis cause and effect
relationships and ensure harmony among employees
for accomplishing the organizational goals
successfully. While, as per Administrative
Management Theory of the Henri Fayol, there are
five major functions of the managers in the
organization such as planning, organizing,
commanding, coordinating and controlling the

Theories of leadership
There are different types of leadership theories that
leaders in the organization or workplace can
applied and perform different roles to lead,
motivate and enable employees to execute and
perform their assigned task more efficiently and
effectively to achieve the organizational goals. As
per transactional leadership, the role of leaders in
the Unilever is to use both reward and
punishment systems to motivate and enable the
employees to perform their task well and ensure
the successful accomplishment of the
organizational goals. While, as per
Transformational leadership theory, it is the role
of leaders in the Unilever to identify the needed
change, develop vision to implement the changes
through inspiration and coordinating with the
committed team members.

How the role of a leader apply in leadership
and management practice at Unilever PLC.
 At the time of application of the
transformational leadership in the
workplace, it will be the role of the
leaders to work and coordinate with team
members to identify and analyze the
needs of changes in workplace or
performance level of the employees,
develop the vision for implementing the
changes and then implement the changes
by getting support of the committed team
members or employees.
 As per the transactional leadership
practices or theory, the role of the leaders
is to use both punishment and reward
systems for motivating and enabling
employees or team members

How the function of a manager apply in
leadership and management practice at
Unilever PLC.
 As per Henri Fayol’s administrative management theory or practice,
management need to perform five different functions such as planning,
organizing, commanding, coordination and controlling for making the
effective operations management within the Unilever and achieving the
desired objectives.
 Also, on the application of transformational leadership theory or practice,
managers need to make effective plan for implementing the changes in
the organization and then need to organize the resources in effective
manners, and coordinate with and control the activities and performance
of employees to move them in the right direction to accomplish the
organizational goals on-time efficiently.