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The Corner Bakery is a popular local bakery known for its delicious pastries, fresh bread,
and custom cakes. It’s been operating for 15 years and has recently experienced rapid growth
expanding to three (3) locations within the city. The bakery employes a diverse team, including
bakers, decorators, cashiers, and delivery drives. The company’s organizational structure consists
of a general manager (top level), store managers (middle level), and the team leads for each shift
(lower-level).
1. Describe the key responsibilities and decision-making authority of the general
manager at the Corner Bakery. What types of decisions would they typically make?
At the Corner Bakery, the general manager makes sure that everything runs efficiently.
Since the bakery has been growing fast, the general manager has more responsibilities now,
especially with three locations to manage. Their job is to manage operations, make important
decisions, and ensure that all three stores are working efficiently. One of the main tasks of the
general manager is planning. They decide how the bakery should operate daily and make long-
term goals. For example, if they want to increase sales, they might create new promotions or
introduce a loyalty card for customers.
Planning also includes scheduling employees so that every shift has enough workers,
preventing delays or customer complaints. Another important responsibility is organizing. The
general manager makes sure each employee knows their role and follows the right processes.
Bakers must bake on time, decorators must finish orders correctly, and cashiers must serve
customers quickly. If there is a problem, the general manager figures out how to fix it. For
example, if one bakery location is always running out of ingredients, the general manager will
check if they need to order more supplies or if the employees are wasting too much.
The general manager is also responsible for leading the employees. They motivate the
team, solve conflicts, and ensure that everyone works together. If a store manager is struggling to
keep up with customer demands, the general manager might step in, give advice, and offer
solutions. Leadership is important because a good work environment leads to better service and
happier customers. Lastly, the general manager must control and monitor the bakery’s
performance. They check sales reports, review customer feedback, and look at expenses. If a
certain type of bread is not selling well, they may decide to stop making it. If customers are
requesting a new type of cake, they can approve adding it to the menu.
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The general manager makes many important decisions that affect the whole business. They
decide on budgeting, hiring, and even store policies. Some decisions are strategic, meaning they
impact the bakery in the long run. For example, deciding to open a fourth location is a big step
that needs careful planning. Other decisions are tactical, like adjusting the prices of cakes to
attract more customers. Lastly, there are operational decisions, which are small but necessary,
like deciding how many loaves of bread to bake in a day.
2. Explains the role of the store manager in coordinating and controlling the activities of
the team leads and other staff within their respective bakery locations. Provide specific
examples.
Store Managers' role in coordinating and controlling activities of both team leads and other
staff within their respective bakery location is:
★Maintaining Standards: Store Managers ensure that all staff to follow the company's
policies given by the General Manager, to properly execute procedures, and adhere the
standards of quality and customer service in accordance with the customers' satisfaction.
★Delegation and Supervision: They delegate tasks to team leads, who then be in charge
of their respective teams in their respective bakery location. The Store Manager supervises
both the team leads and the overall staff to ensure that they will work according to the task
given in efficient and effective way.
★Setting Goals and Expectations: Store Managers communicate with the team leads
the overall company goals and expectations from the top managers, to guarantee that
everyone, including other staff, is working towards the same objectives of the Corner Bakery.
★ Communication: Store Managers act as a communication channel between the
general manager (top level) and the team leads (low level), relying information and updates
in certain circumstances.
★ Training and Development: They may provide trainings to both the team leads and
other staff to make sure that the they work more efficient and effectively. Ensuring that
everyone has the necessary skills and knowledge to perform their jobs well. It helps in
making team of competent employees work for growth in the Corner Bakery.
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For instance: The Corner Bakery is experiencing an equipment malfunction at two different
locations — Location A and B — during their peak hours. The Problem: There are three
locations established by the Corner Bakery, namely Location A, B and C. Both locations are
experiencing high customer demand for its pastries, custom cakes, and their other freshly baked
goods. But, some of the equipment’s of location A and B that is used for baking is having a
malfunction that leads to a potential customers dissatisfaction, lost possible high sales, and a pile
of orders.
Here are some possible ways on how the Store Manager address the conflict:
1.) Assess the Situation: Both store managers will determine the specific equipment
that's experiencing malfunction and the extent of the situation to help in deciding the best
option or actions to make.
2.) Communication and Coordination with the General Manager and other
Location: Both store managers will immediately report of the equipment having a
malfunction to the general manager and provides specific details about the issue to be
addressed properly. The general manager, having received the reports from both locations,
might consider in temporarily transfer some baking equipment from Location C that is not
affected by the malfunction to the both affected locations to help reduce the pile up orders.
They might also consider delivering the pre-baked goods from the unaffected location to
lessen the time and to make it easy for the bakers.
3.) Implement Temporary Solutions: Instead of waiting for the help from the
unaffected location for their equipment, store managers might implement the following:
Reducing and adjusting the menu for availability to focus on the items that can be
produced with the equipment that is not affected by the malfunction.
Offering a reschedule option for customers in their order if it’s not urgent to reduce the
needed baked goods to produce.
4.) Communicate Effectively: This strategy is crucial for addressing the situation firmly
for the rights of the customers and for the team.
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Transparency: Address the situation in an honest and sincere manner with the customer
about the equipment issues and for potential delays. And provide a regular update about
the customers' status of their orders.
Team Communication: Communicate to all team leads and staff explaining the
equipment issue, its impact, and the plan to address the problem. By following these few
ways, store managers can effectively coordinate their team, control the situation arising
anytime, and minimize the negative impact on customers satisfaction and the sales.
3. Discuss the potential challenges faced by team leads in motivating and supervising the
employees during their shifts. How might these challenges differ from those faced by
store managers of the general manager?
In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving work environment, teams and leadership face unique
challenges in motivating and supervising employees. With a diverse workforce, varying levels of
engagement, and shifting organizational goals, maintaining motivation and effective supervision
becomes increasingly complex. Teams often struggle to balance personal development with
productivity while ensuring that each employee feels valued, supported, and aligned with the
company’s vision. This case study examines the key challenges teams encounter in motivating
and supervising employees, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual needs,
fostering a positive work culture, and adapting leadership strategies to keep the workforce
engaged and productive.
Challenges as A Team Personality Conflicts: Employee conflicts can occasionally arise
from the distinct personalities, tastes, and working styles that each member of the team brings to
the table. Despite being normal, these distinctions can occasionally cause stress and result in
miscommunications or conflict. Conflicts between coworkers can have a detrimental effect on
team morale and reduce the sense of support and collaboration in the workplace. The team's
sense of togetherness and overall productivity may be impacted by poor collaboration (Birt).
Lack of Communication: Any team needs open communication to make sure that everyone
knows exactly what is expected of them and what their coworkers are expected to do. By
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establishing clear objectives, roles, and due dates. Employees can better coordinate their work
and lower the likelihood of misunderstandings or disputes when there is open communication.
open communication makes the team more dependable and guarantees that resources are spent
efficiently, which improves performance and helps the group reach its objectives (Birt).
Challenges in Supervisors Addressing absenteeism: Understanding the underlying causes
of employees' absences and figuring out how to provide support while preserving a harmonious
and effective work environment are key components of addressing absenteeism. In order to find
the underlying problems, executives must have candid and sympathetic discussions with staff
members before swiftly implementing sanctions (Ellis).
Motivating employees: More than merely establishing objectives or providing incentives,
motivating staff members involves fostering an atmosphere where they feel appreciated,
involved, and a part of their job. Employees are more likely to be enthusiastic about their work
when they believe that their efforts are valued. Small actions like acknowledging their efforts,
providing chances for development, and demonstrating a sincere concern in their welfare can
have a significant impact (Ellis).
4. Analyze the leadership styles that would be most effective at each level of
management. Justify your choices by explaining how your leadership style/s would
contribute to the bakery’s success, continuing its recent growth and diverse workforce.
Each and everyone in the organization has important roles to play in keeping the business
going, leaders for each respective rules have different leadership styles that they follow
accordingly, to maintain the harmony and peace of everyone. Free rain leadership was not
included in the selection of the leadership style that managers or leaders of the corner bakery
must possess since they are improving rapidly coordination of everyone is needed in order to
maintain its fast phase growth.
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General manager is one of the most important key figures of Corner Bakery, because the
store cannot operate without them, as he/she is the one who make the major role on how the
business should be operate, that involves decision making. Being its top-level manager it is
efficient and effective to be a participative leader, as mentioned above her/his decision will
affect the business greatly in order to decide remarkably her opinions or thoughts may not be
enough to make good decisions, he /she will need the opinions of his subordinates, which are
the store managers as they are the one who handle and know the certain business location
greatly. Base on the research conducted by khassawneh and Elrehail entitled "The Effect of
Participative Leadership Style on Employees’ Performance" it had been found that participative
leader increases employee loyalty and productivity during work hours. The research by
khassawneh and Elrehail has proven that participative leadership style is highly effective
especially when dealing with employees. Employees are considered as the blood or cell of an
organization; therefore, it is important to create a good environment for them.
Store Managers should be a participative leader, as the general managers need their
opinions highly in making decisions, store managers should be like them also, they ask from
the team leads specific question that involves production, quality of the products and, workers
working condition. Middle-level managers with this style can prioritize their team members
needs and well-being, promoting a positive work environment and enhancing employee
satisfaction. By collaboration and open communication, they can ensure the bakery's operations
run smoothly. They report to the general manager the day-to- day transaction of the business.
Lastly, The Team leads for each shift, which do belong at the Lower Management. They
should be an Authoritarian Leaders or possess autocratic leadership style. All of the decisions
will come from the general manager, the team leads obligation is to maintain that those rule and
decision should be implemented without compromising the health and safety of its employees.
In order to do so they should be a benevolent autocrat to develop their team members skills and
confidence, building strong relationships and enhancing their own leadership skills. They are
not involved in the decision making as complex nature of organization requires as true
understanding of its problems which lower- level employees may not be able to do.
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In 1943, a psychologist known as Abraham Maslow developed a theory called the
Hierarchy of Needs. The theory explains that individuals must achieve basic survival needs
before progressing to other advanced needs. To comprehend this theory, imagine a worker who
has not eaten for three days. The worker's dissatisfaction will likely boost his motivation to find
food. At that particular moment, the worker may be more motivated to do an outstanding job at
the workplace and may even get recognition for doing so.
All of these leadership styles can contribute to the bakery's success, while promoting a
positive work environment and developing a culture of collaboration and open communication.
By adopting these styles, the bakery can continue its recent growth, and maintain its
competitive in the industry.
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References:
Birt, J. (2024, January 29). 14 Teamwork challenges and how to overcome them. Indeed.com.
Retrieved February 27, 2025, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-
development/teamwork-challenges?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0MKdEM8atHMiM6jilAKGQL72XwVuGVTLL7
VhpCqvDIbxRzYbbgsAEigkM_aem_U6OhVQLegFdV3ZjGnSOdAA
Feder, M. (n.d.). Exploring store management as a career. University of Phoenix.
https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/what-is-a-store-manager.html?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3JrTom8EI5K5-KifSFW9cQJtqLLkGqj0goNU-
_hn5O03i2e8Cfn-gDA90_aem_TzQqWseqkV1cwqDNT9kMHA
Feder, M. (2024, May 29). Exploring store management as a career. phoenix.edu. Retrieved
February 27, 2025, from https://www.phoenix.edu/blog/what-is-a-store-manager.html?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3JrTom8EI5K5-KifSFW9cQJtqLLkGqj0goNU-
_hn5O03i2e8Cfn-gDA90_aem_TzQqWseqkV1cwqDNT9kMHA
Khassawneh, O., & Elrehail, H. (n.d). The effect of participative leadership style on employees’
performance: The contingent role of Institutional theory. Administrative Sciences, 12(4),
195. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12040195
Simply Psychology. (2025, January 24). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.
https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html?
fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Qb3Za_0EPnlaoMvo67aEU1ML4Rp5W8RiVuP
97NsVQStBPdJlazEXlht8_aem_JCezJKdOOCkUoTycSTDvig
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