Case Study: The Participative Style Of Aldi

Identify an effective manager
An effective manager that we have identified is the founders of Aldi, Karl and Theo Albrecht.
Karl Albrecht was the second-richest person in Germany and the 35th-wealthiest in the world, with an estimated fortune of £12.2bn. However, in 1960, the business and its 300 shops were split by the brothers after they fell out over whether to sell cigarettes. This led to Aldi being separated into Aldi North and Aldi South, which is based in the south and now operates Aldi's UK stores. This explains why I feel Karl is an effective manager. As he worked hand in hand with his brother and had the novelty of sharing the work load of the businesses, it would have been a difficult adventure to take over half the stores single

What is Karl Albrecht’s Style of Management? In my opinion Dr. Karl Albrecht can not be said to have one definite style of management. “He is a recognised expert on cognitive styles and the development of advanced thinking skill.” (Colman) I think this expertise on cognitive styles allowed Dr. Albrecht to adopt a style of management, like The Affiliative Style (Avoids conflict and emphasizes good personal relationships between employee and employer.).
However, this style is more effective when partnered with another. In Karl Albrecht’s case, The Participative Style of management was adapted (Focus on an employee’s input in decision making.). "I believe that intelligent, talented, and motivated people can do more than one thing well. When we turn our minds to new challenges — in a spirit of humility and willingness to learn — we might even outsmart the encamped experts who know what can't be done. The Zen master Shunryu Suzuki said, 'In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few. The most important thing an expert needs to learn is how to think like a beginner.' ((KAI), n.d.) He believed in new ideas, and the endless amount of them. Karl Albrecht adopted this style of management in a bid to maximise his idea generation, his employees where key to this so maintaining a good relationship and welcoming their opinions was

Leadership: The activity of leading a group of people or an organization or the ability to do this.
Leader: The person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country.

Leadership requires a set of skills which are essential in order to be a successful leader. For instance, a leader must be passionate about the role they play in order to inspire others to join them. They must be able to communicate their thought process in order for outsiders to fully apprehend their vision. Leaders must be committed to carry through their ideas. They must be able to build a solid group foundation in order for them to succeed in the long run. Leaders should be decisive which requires a lot of confidence in themselves and their idea.
Leadership is important as it helps to maximize efficiency and to achieve organizational goals. It initiates action.

Management: The organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve defined objectives.
Manager: The person responsible for controlling or administering an organization or group of