Leadership and Operations Analysis: A Case Study of Vodafone Group

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Vodafone Group's leadership, management, and operational strategies. It begins by distinguishing between supervisors and leaders, examining their roles and responsibilities within the organization. The report then delves into the job accountability of directors under various circumstances, highlighting key functions such as human resource management, production, operations, IT, marketing, and sales. Furthermore, it explores the leadership styles adopted by Vodafone, including situational, system, Laissez-Faire, and contingency approaches, with an emphasis on the effectiveness of the Laissez-Faire style in selecting specialized workers. The report also elucidates the key approaches of business administration, including total quality management, Six Sigma, queuing theory, and lean production, to illustrate how Vodafone manages its operations to improve services and satisfy customer demands. Finally, the report concludes with an interpretation of the aspects of the industrial atmosphere that affect operational management and executive decisions, offering insights into Vodafone's strategies for competing in the telecommunications market. The report utilizes Vodafone Group as a case study to provide practical examples and insights into the application of leadership and management principles.

Unit – 4
Management
And
Operations

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................3
PART – A...................................................................................................................................3
TASK – 1...................................................................................................................................3
1. Distinguish among supervisors and leaders.......................................................................3
TASK – 2...................................................................................................................................5
2. Describe the job accountability of directors at varied circumstances................................5
3. Elaborate various premises and sculpts of appraoch executed by leaders.........................6
PART – B...................................................................................................................................7
TASK – 3...................................................................................................................................7
4. Elucidate the key approach of business administration for managers and organizer.........7
5. Determine the value and importance of business administration.......................................8
TASK – 4...................................................................................................................................9
6. Interpret the aspects of industrial atmosphere that affect operational management and
decisions of executive.............................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The essential activity done by managers and leaders to motivate workers for finishing
and achieving their desired goals is called operational activities. It is further being managed
and organised by executives in order to track, monitor and control all the actions within
business environment to compete with rivalries is termed as management. In this project,
Vodafone Group has been implied as a British multinational telecommunication company
which is located at Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom. This project distinguishes among
supervisors and leaders with their job accountability at varied circumstances (Alsharoa and
et.al., 2019). It further elaborates various premises and sculpts for approaches of leadership
style. This also elucidates the key approaches of business administration for managers and
organizers. Additionally, it determines value and importance of business administration and
interprets the aspect of industrial atmosphere over executive decisions.
PART – A
TASK – 1
1. Distinguish among supervisors and leaders
Vodafone Group Plc:- The Vodafone organisation as being former idea cellular
limited which is British multinational telecommunication company. It predominantly operates
services at various geographical areas by expanding business at vast level. The company was
founded by Gerry Whent, Ernest Harrison and is headquartered in Newbury, Berkshire,
United Kingdom. Its ISIN number is GB00BH4HKS39 with products as fixed line telephone,
mobile phones, digital and internet services, IPTV and broadband.
The managers have the ability to develop inventive thinking skills for implementing
and executing plan to attain success in future. It is most important for directors to increase
brand awareness and positioning of its product and services for enlarging sales by attracting
customers to purchase (Bandi, Trichakis and Vayanos, 2019). The manager further
emphasizes leader to take corrective measures for playing its role to delegate and lead the
team to accomplish specific target with professionalism.
The comparison between supervisors and organizers are as follows:-
Basis of Difference Supervisors Organizers
Meaning The managers refer as person
who has the accountability to
manage and run business
effectively for achieving the
target efficiently.
The leaders are less powerful
as compared to managers and
have the responsibility to
follow instructions of
directors for finishing the
desired short term goal on
certain date.
Examples The supervisors of Vodafone The organizers of Vodafone

group are Chairman, Chief
Executive Officer, Deputy
General Managers, etc., also
termed as key persons.
group are Richard Boyce,
Ben Elms, Nick Gliddon, etc.
Directors:- The managers of Vodafone Group emphasize on playing their roles and
responsibilities effectively as being aware of pros and cons for each actions took in business
(Cusumano, Gawer and Yoffie, 2019).
Role:-
 Develop inventive ideas:- It is most important for directors of Vodafone Group as to
take initiative for pertaining competitive ideas that leads company to enlarge
customers.
 Performance appraisal:- The main duty and accountability for managers of
Vodafone Group is to appraise workers by monitoring and evaluating their task as per
the time consumption for identifying specialisation.
Characteristics:-
 Time-Management:- It is very essential for directors of Vodafone Group to
accomplish the desired plan with time management that leads company to develop its
effective position at global market by full utilisation of scarce resources.
 Human Resource Management:- The managers of Vodafone Group further
analysing vacancy in business that creates delay of goal accomplishment. It
emphasize on recruiting and appointing more workers by creating job opportunities
for completing the goal on time (Dmitriev and Novikov, 2019).
Organizers:- The leaders of Vodafone Group are highly inspired by managers decisions to
attain success for competing with rivalries. It further focuses on encouraging workers to
complete their task with eagerness by describing them importance of every action that
motivate to give their best efforts.
Role:-
 Delegator:- It is most important role for leaders of Vodafone Group in delegating
jobs and accountability to individual with division of work as per capabilities of
workers.
 Decisiveness:- The organizer of Vodafone Group accentuate on taking effective
decisions for delegating work to employees in order to accomplish target at certain
duration.
Characteristics:-
 Empathy:- This is very essential for leaders of Vodafone Group to build good
employee association among them for understanding their situations at varied
circumstances (Esenduran, Atasu and Van Wassenhove, 2019).

 Team Player:- The organizer is highly capable in taking responsibility of task being
done by its workers and take necessary steps to achieve the target.
TASK – 2
2. Describe the job accountability of directors at varied circumstances
There are various functions being played by managers in an organisation, some of
them are mentioned with reference to Vodafone Group as follows:-
 Human Resource Management:- HRM:- The department of HRM highly focus on
managing the human resource by filling the vacancy through hiring and appointing
employees (France-Mensah and O’Brien, 2019). Managers of Vodafone Group
analyse the vacant designation and further recruit the staff as per requirement and
satisfies with terms and conditions. It is essential to develop good workforce that is
capable in finishing the goal at meticulous time period that leads to compete with
rivalries by increasing strengths.
 Production:- It refers as ability of managers to produce strategic decision-making
procedure for generating innovative product. This is most important for directors to
implement inventive ideas that results in being stable at global market. The managers
of Vodafone Group further plans various ideas such as high data package at least
amount, broad networking, etc.
 Operation:- The operation means to perform task on certain valid decision that will
surely create prospect to compete. It is most important for managers of Vodafone
Group to execute their plan that enlarge customers throughout satisfying their needs
and wants by delivering various services at low cost.
 Information Technology:- The managers of Vodafone Group aims to analyse the
varied technologies or techniques being adopted by its rivalries that are Airtel,
Reliance Jio, etc. It is essential for directors to determine as that might create threat by
transforming the mind of its loyal customers (Gokilakrishnan and Varthanan, 2019).
This further develops various strategies to compete with them in order to maintain its
value at international marketplace.
 Marketing:- The Vodafone Group managers focus on promoting and positioning its
services at large scale by attracting from rural to urban areas for high consumption of
its services.
 Sales:- The directors of Vodafone Group further develops various plans or schemes to
attracts large numbers of customers for increasing its sales that leads to generate high
profit-margin.
The managers of Vodafone Group further takes protective measures for restricting the
risk through increasing competitive advantages for sustainable at worldwide marketplace
(Helo, Phuong and Hao, 2019). Some of the strategies being adopted by managers for
creating opportunity to compete with rivalries as to remain stable at international marketplace
are:-

 Supply Chain Management (SCM):- It refers as ability of manager further focus on
delivering broad networking facilities to its target market by encouraging them to
build network wherever they move. Managers of Vodafone emphasize on selling their
services at large level and promoting its network through advertisements, posters,
events, Olympic Games, etc.
 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):- The directors of Vodafone furthermore
focus on developing good corporate social responsibility that leads to increase co-
ordination with employees for achieving goal efficiently. It is also essential for
managers to build good interpersonal relations among customers for analysing the
change in their demands (Huang, Roychowdhury and Sletten, 2019).
3. Elaborate various premises and sculpts of appraoch executed by leaders
Leadership style for Vodafone Group:- The leaders of an organisation focus on
adopting various leadership styles for encouraging workers to finish their target within the
same date. It is mandatory for leaders to become lenient and harsh by evaluating the
employee performing for achieving goals. Organizers of Vodafone Group further focus on
various approaches to ascertain target that leads company to attain its vision and mission
efficiently.
 Situational approach:- This style of leadership encompass organizers to follow the
plan as per the guidance and further focus on monitoring actions for identifying gap.
The leaders of Vodafone Group can use this approach for being strict and harsh
towards workforce as they lack in accomplishment of huge target. The strength of
this style is making workers aware of taking responsibility seriously for completing
task with efficacy. The weakness of this approach is people lack in developing morale
with adverse reaction of leader that is hardly expected for them.
 System approach:- This refers as workers are entitled to complete the task within
systematic or discipline manner and must follow the decision of directors for
achieving short term goals. The Vodafone develop strength with this approach as
people are good listeners and active participators that lead to attain goals efficiently. It
creates weakness for company as workers does not have any power and feel like
robot working in an organisation that restricts their interest or job satisfaction.
 Laissez-Faire approach:- In this approach of leadership style, leaders aim to develop
an effective team by selecting the best candidates in team that are highly active,
participative and productive in nature. The leaders of Vodafone increase strength
through giving them power to complete their task in accordance to their will and
efficacy. The Company further face weakness as people become lazy and lacks in
achieving goals at fixed time boundation (Jaggi and et.al., 2019).
 Contingency approach:- This appraoch describes the process through which leaders
or team player adopts the combination of both situational and system leadership style
within the organisation. The leaders of Vodafone Company develop strength through
performing its task continuously with the motive to achieve ambition efficiently. The
Company challenges weakness by change in demands of customers or governmental
legislations that has to be focused.

From the above mentioned leadership styles, managers of Vodafone Group adopts
Laissez-Faire approach, as being the best style for selecting effective and specialised
workers in the team that are active in finishing goal on time.
PART – B
TASK – 3
4. Elucidate the key approach of business administration for managers and organizer
Definition of Operation Management:- The operation management is also termed as
business administration which focus on transforming the scarce resources or raw materials
effectively for ascertaining expansion and improvement of company. Managers of Vodafone
Group implement these approaches of operational management for improving its services
with the motive to increase sales for enlarging target market.
 Total Quality Management (TQM):- It refers as ability of managers to improve
their qualitative services that is capable in satisfying the demands of customers. The
role for directors of Vodafone Group is to analyse the changing demands of customers
with their contentment level (Jeevabharathi, 2019). The role of organizers further
adopts various strategies to increase their quality through developing servers at every
corner by building its more towers.
 Six Sigma:- The Six Sigma approach emphasize on restricting errors within
organisation by analysing the pleasure of customers. Role for managers of Vodafone
Group focus on improving its facilities that enrich the desires of customers through
effective utilisation of broadband. The role of leaders in Company is to focus on
maximising services from rural to urban areas by linking connection from one place
to another.
 Queuing Theory:- The queuing theory describes that configuration, utility and
blockage for waiting lines that results in lack of customer satisfaction. The role for
directors of Vodafone Group further focus on solving the problems or queries of
customers by focusing on it. The role for organizers of Vodafone is to determine the
improvement in pleasure of loyal customers by developing corporate social
responsibility.
 Lean Production:- This approach refers as focusing on business activities of
production by developing competitive strategies that immune the consistency for
stability of company. Managers of Vodafone focus on hiring those candidates that is
highly capable in operating technological equipments which leads to improve
efficiency and leads to sustain in global market. The role for managers of Vodafone
Group is to examine the functions of manufacturers and producers by analysing the
varied process that might lack in effective production activity (Kasperson, 2019). The
role for leaders of Company is to encourage workers for performing their task with
high skills and knowledge that leads to complete business activity with specialisation.

 Kaizen Approach:- The Kaizen approach motivate and inspire employees to perform
their task in collective agreements with the motive to attain vision and mission of
organisation. The role for directors of Vodafone Group is to emphasize on teamwork,
personal discipline and improve morale of workers. The role for organizers is to
develop interest among employees by encouraging them to perform business activity
for accomplishment of individual and organisational goals.
5. Determine the value and importance of business administration
The Operation administration is very essential for most organisations as it creates
opportunity for enterprises to expand and improve their business activities which highly
satisfies their clients (Nadar and Vijayan, 2020). The managers of Vodafone Group
implement this for transforming their raw material into effective finished services that have
the capability to meet the demands of clients. Some of its significance and worth have been
explained as under:-
 Digital service:- It refers as telecommunication industry further focus on developing
digital services that are available to customers for using their broad internet protocols
to connect with distanced people. The managers of Vodafone Group emphasize on
this operational activity for improving their network services by restricting blockage
in networks. It is most important activity for the company to enlarge its sales by
developing good connectivity for its clients that encourage them to be their loyal and
supportive customers for long period.
 High speed in providing networks:- The information technology industries highly
focus on their network speed for its customers in order to minimise the errors for
insufficiency. It is the main duty and accountability for directors of Vodafone Group
to manage its server effectively and also focus on distributing at high speed that
develops the interest of customers to use it consecutively (Pourmoayed and Nielsen,
2020).
 Solving customer queries:- It is most important for an organisation to determine the
queries or feedback of its customers and to solve it efficiently. The managers of
Vodafone Group furthermore determine the errors within business and analyse the
factor which result in lack of customer satisfaction. It auxiliary takes necessary steps
for improving the errors in order to satisfy them with excellent service facilities.
 Reducing cost of plans or schemes:- The major action being taken by managers of
an organisation is to develop competitive strategies through delivering qualitative and
best schemes at very low cost. This encourages customers to purchase more of its
services and be highly satisfied that leads them to be loyal and enlarge in gaining best
plans. The managers of Vodafone Group further develop various plans for its clients
with high data package at least-cost effective pricing strategy for increasing sales and
profitability ratios.

TASK – 4
6. Interpret the aspects of industrial atmosphere that affect operational management
and decisions of executive
External macro-environment:- The factors of external environment plays major role
in an organisation by creating favourable and unfavourable affect over business
administration. These aspects usually emphasize on positive or negative impact upon
business stability by affecting the operational management and executive decisions
(Riebsame, 2019). Managers of Vodafone Group focus on these factors for identifying the
collision of these extrinsic aspects over business that creates opportunity or threat in being
stable at competitive market.
PESTLE Analysis for Vodafone Group:- This framework is mostly adopted by
different organisations for determining the aspects of business environment that affects its
steadiness in perfect competition market. Managers of Vodafone Group implement this
analysis for identifying the reasons for its success or failure at international marketplace.
 The political factor:- Vodafone Group directors are positively impacted as the
government of United Kingdom used to remain stable which does not affect its
strategic decision-making procedure. The Company is also negatively impacted as
government used to impose new legislations that affect its steadiness which includes
trade restrictions that limits the exchange of export and import across the boundaries
of nations.
 The economic factor:- The managers of Vodafone Group are favourably affected as
customers develop trust and faith for gaining valuable services from companies at
least cost which increase their pleasure. The Company is unfavourably affected by
foreign exchange rate that restricts the buying power of customers due to inflation rate
which decrease sales.
 The social factor:- Vodafone Group directors are positively impacted by developing
corporate social responsibility that leads to analyse the change in taste and preference
of customers for taking necessary steps. The Company is negatively impacted by the
high bargaining demands of customers for purchasing the plans or schemes at very
low price which restricts profitability ratios (Sauer and Seuring, 2019).
 The technological factor:- The technological factor affect decision-making
procedure of directors and supervisor as the new technologies adopted by rivalries
might create threat for company. The managers of Vodafone Group are favourably
affected by adopting new technology and services that includes 4G, 5G, etc., which
increase the speed of network and develop interest of customers to operate it. The
Company is unfavourably affected as manufacturers believe in technology adoption
will become in obsolete in future that results in high expenditure.
 The legal factor:- Vodafone Group directors are positively impacted by following
each and every legal legislations imposed by government that develops good image
and reputation of company among public. The Company is negatively impacted by
not able to implement lawful obligations that diminish the value in front of customers.

 The ecological factor:- The managers of Vodafone are favourably affected by this
factors as it does not affect atmosphere with its business atmosphere and plant more
trees for convenience of employees. The Company is unfavourably affected by
natural disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, Tsunami, etc., which affect the
stability of business (Thürer and et.al., 2019).
CONCLUSION
From the above described project it have been concluded that operational
administration is very important for increasing aggressive strategies that develop prospect for
company to sustain in competitive market. This project distinguishes among supervisors and
leaders with their job accountability at varied circumstances. It further elaborates various
premises and sculpts for approaches of leadership style through situational, system, Laissez-
Faire and contingency approach. This also elucidates the key approaches of business
administration for managers and organizers that include TQM, Six Sigma, lean purchasing,
queuing theory and Kaizen approach. Apartly, it determines value and importance of business
administration and interprets the aspect of industrial atmosphere over executive decisions
with execution of PESTLE analysis.

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