Case study on Principles of Management and Leadership

Tom (who works for Blocks Ltd.), and Deirdre, (who works for Fones Ltd.), are employed as production managers. Last night, both of them attended a staff development meeting organised by a Production Management Institute (a professional body), of which they are members. During the tea-break, Tom and Deirdre discussed the various leadership styles that they were following in their respective organisations.

Tom told Deirdre that he had a friendly personality and was optimistic that he will get on well with the workers in the factory. He went on to say that a total of fifty workers are employed, with 40 of them having been employed with the business for over 20 years. The others, mostly unskilled, tend to be younger workers who stay for a year or so and then move on, since Tom thinks that they are harder to motivate. Tom is aware that new Health & Safety regulations are due to be implemented and this will require discipline in the workforce. He is thinking of adopting a more autocratic leadership style.

Deirdre told Tom that she was newly appointed to the role, and was relatively inexperienced. She pointed out that she manages a team of forty workers, grouped into project teams with highly skilled and experienced staff in each team. Deirdre mentioned that her predecessor was unpopular with the workforce since he adopted an autocratic style of leadership. At one stage, the Labour Relations Agency were asked to mediate in a dispute regarding management/employee relations. In view of this, she had been thinking of adopting a democratic leadership style.

1. Explain the key functions of management within organisations such as Blocks Limited and Fones Limited.

2. Discuss whether or not Tom and Deirdre should adopt their proposed new leadership styles within their respective organisations.

3. With