The document discusses factors that impact operational management and decision-making by leaders and managers. It analyzes several theories including chaos theory, managing by objectives, Miles and Snow's theory of organizational strategies, and social responsibility. It contrasts the roles of managers versus leaders in operational management. Managers focus on allocating resources, daily operations, and internal health. Leaders emphasize team building, entrepreneurship, vision, and customer-centricity. Contemporary management requires leaders to encourage risk-taking and prepare for challenges.

1. Task 6 by Mr Ong
Assess the factors within the business environment that impact upon operational management
and decision-making by leaders and managers
Environment, strategy, culture and organisational size cannot be separately to make organisation as
order winners. The key environment factor in OM is obviously Digital Technology. However, it takes
more than deploying technology to be a digital enterprise (Peter Van lee Wen, The newspapers, 19
Apr 2018). Furthermore, Chaos Theory, Managing by Objective (MBO), Miles and Snow’s Theory and
Social Responsibility are the contemporary issues which would impact of the Manager and Leaders’
decision on OM.
Chaos Theory Vs MBO
Edward Lorenz (Lorenze, 1960), refers to an apparent lack of order in a system that nevertheless
obeys particular laws or rules. MBO is a Manager’s technique to set participating goal followed by
performance appraisal to decide whether to promote, train or transfer or dismiss.
In a contrasting aspect, Leader capitalise on tin negotiations on how to improve and push he Chaos
Theory’s underlying principles of rules and law, to articulate a vision to add value to customer.
Leader can use Business analytics within 75% accuracy to forecast the attribution of the staff within
6 months. Understanding this and can provide customer with consistency of capable employee to
serve customer.
Miles and Snow’s Theory
There are basically four strategies, the organisation can use. Namely, Prospector, Defender, Analyzer
and Reactor. Leader on the top level would has to innovate for survival due the dynamic condition of
the environment. Whereas, Analyzer’s strategy would use control method to drive the company’s
performance as the environment is more stable.
Social Responsibility
This the concern of the future generation’s survival. In short, if organisation is refining their strategy
there should thought for the future generation. Hence it would a high term endeavour that specifies
what is well and fine today must be so also in future. As Jack Ma put it “1 billion dollars, that’s not
money, the money is responsibility. In this area, there is difference between Manager and Leader in
this undertaking. Manger would look to its processes and refine it, adding in avenues where the
company is able to give back to society, eliminating segments of the process that seems to harm
environment. A leader on the other will work the aim and mission of the company toward the
purpose and instead build a business upon.
In short, manager builds a social purpose out of business whereas a leader builds a business out of a
social purpose.
Manager’s Decision Vs Leader’s Decision in the areas of OM
Manager
A Manager distributes and allocates resources in an organisation, (Hill, 1993). This can be seen in
the activities of Production Schedule. A manager is involved in negotiations on how to improve
operations and the daily operation of the company (Pettinger, 2006). Hence his presence and
attitude would dictate the morale of the working people (Pettinger. The Manager is also the

2. spokesperson for the worker. He has to decide what to bring up to top management in term of job
design to motive, encourage and spur worker to do their best.
Leader
Leader is involved in team building to fulfil the corporate’s objective. He or she is more involve in the
employee’s affair, trust and fun. He need to harmonise the staff members in line with goals set.
There should be good collaboration within the staff and the Leader in the concept of TQM.
Contemporary management requires the Leader to set the tone for entrepreneurship and
intrapreneurship by advocating for a creative culture that is not fearful or discouraged from risk
taking. A risk averse culture should be discouraged by the Leader. Leader’s attitude towards the
preparation unforeseen challenge and competition is vital. All these translates into having a vision of
customer centric as opposed to the Managers who would be more concerned with the internal
health of the company.
Reference
(Lorenze, 1960), Chao Theory, https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/chaos-theory assessed on
the 18 April 2018
(Pettinger, 2006), Richard Pettinger , Introduction to Management, Macmillan Education UK
(Hill, 1993), Terry Hill, The Essence of Operations Management, Prentice Hall, 1993
(Peter Van lee Wen, The newspapers, 19 Apr 2018). Becoming a digital enterprise, 19 Apr 2018 pg 8