BTEC Business Level 3 Unit 6 Principles of Management January 2026 Exam
GSR Food Ltd Notes
Table of Contents:
Introduction to the Notes:...........................................................................................................2
Understanding the Case Study:................................................................................................. 3
Overview..................................................................................................................................3
Business Goals........................................................................................................................3
om
Management Style....................................................................................................................... 3
Autocratic Management...........................................................................................................3
Action Centred Leadership Model........................................................................................... 4
Functions of Management and Leadership............................................................................. 4
.c
Motivational Theory.....................................................................................................................5
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.................................................................................................. 5
es
Herzberg's Two Factor Theory.................................................................................................6
Mayo’s Theory of Human Relations.........................................................................................6
ot
Workforce Structure.................................................................................................................... 7
Full-time Permanent Staff vs Temporary Agency Staff............................................................ 7
sn
Quality Management....................................................................................................................7
Quality Standards (ISO 9001)..................................................................................................8
Quality Control vs Quality Assurance...................................................................................... 8
s
Quality Culture......................................................................................................................... 8
Techniques of Quality Management........................................................................................ 8
ne
Inventory Management................................................................................................................9
Data Analysis............................................................................................................................... 9
si
HR data for GSR Food Ltd...................................................................................................... 9
Financial data for GSR Food Ltd........................................................................................... 10
bu
Challenges, Proposals & Recommendations......................................................................... 10
Challenges............................................................................................................................10
1. Over-reliance on Agency Staff..................................................................................... 10
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2. Low Motivation............................................................................................................. 11
3. No Recognition............................................................................................................ 12
4. Skills Gap.....................................................................................................................13
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5. Poor Quality Management........................................................................................... 14
6. Poor Inventory Management........................................................................................14
7. Unsuitable Management Style..................................................................................... 15
Proposals............................................................................................................................. 16
1. Increase the Proportion of Permanent Employees...................................................... 16
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, 2. Meeting the Tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs......................................................17
3. Management by Objectives Performance Appraisal....................................................18
4. Invest in Training..........................................................................................................18
5. Develop a Quality Culture............................................................................................ 19
6. Just-in-Time Inventory Management........................................................................... 20
7. Transformational Leadership Style.............................................................................. 20
Recommendations...............................................................................................................21
1. Human Resource Planning.......................................................................................... 21
om
2. McGregor’s Y Theory...................................................................................................21
3. SMART Objectives.......................................................................................................22
4. Training Needs Analysis.............................................................................................. 22
5. Kaizen.......................................................................................................................... 23
.c
6. Influencing Stakeholders Function of Leadership........................................................ 23
7. Two-way Communication.............................................................................................23
es
HR Data Charts.......................................................................................................................... 25
Financial Data Charts................................................................................................................ 27
ot
Updates:..................................................................................................................................... 28
Introduction to the Notes:
sn
This document provides a detailed analysis of the GSR Food Ltd case study for the January
2026 Unit 6 exam. These notes include everything students need to know about GSR Food Ltd
s
such as explaining the case study through the content of Unit 6, the key challenges it faces and
ne
the impact on the business goals (such as management challenges, issues with quality and
workforce structure) along with the corresponding proposals and recommendations to help the
business achieve its goals.
si
Please note that this document contains significantly more information than students will need
bu
for the exam. The approach is to allow students to select the topics and theory they feel most
confident about to use in the exam in order to help them achieve a Distinction grade.
ec
The document will continue to be updated up until the January 2026 exam based on feedback
from students. If you see anything missing or think certain areas can be improved, please send
feedback, suggestions and any questions to to help improve the
bt
resource.
© BTEC Business Notes | btecbusinessnotes.com
FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF PURCHASER ONLY
For college/institutional use or distribution, contact:
2
, Understanding the Case Study:
Overview
GSR Food Ltd is a food manufacturing business in South East London that produces
ready-made meals for supermarkets nationwide (business-to-business (B2B)). It is run by Ravi
and Maryam Gill who started the business after leaving the restaurant industry with 20 years of
experience as chefs. The businesses workforce structure involves a small number of permanent
full-time employees that are supported by a large number of temporary staff hired through a
om
local agency. Although this gives the business high levels of flexibility to meet demand as the
agency can send staff on a daily or weekly basis, it has caused many issues from reduced
quality standards to creating a challenging work environment that has lowered the motivation of
.c
the permanent employees. On top of this, the autocratic management style of the owners has
exemplified these issues, as all decisions are made by management and the permanent
employees' concerns/training requests are ignored, it has further lowered motivation and their
es
ability to operate machinery.
Business Goals
ot
GSR Food Ltd has three business goals:
sn
1. Develop the highest quality ready-made meals
a. This goal requires strong quality management and therefore the cause of quality
issues must be tackled (agency staff, poor training, no regular inspections)
s
2. Become a leading food manufacturer in the UK
ne
a. They must increase their market share and outperform their competitors to do so
3. Increase profitability year on year
a. Net profit is the final profit made after deducting all costs and the margin can be
si
calculated by dividing net profit by revenue. To achieve this the business must
lower costs (such as the high waste) and increase revenue
bu
Analysis of the case study including the current challenges and the proposals should assess the
impact on these business goals.
ec
Management Style
bt
Autocratic Management
Although the case study doesn’t mention a significant amount about management styles, Ravi
and Maryam have an autocratic approach to management. This is because decisions are solely
made by them and have ignored employee input such as the permanent employees’ concerns
about the skills gap. Although this style does have the advantage of quick decisions that are
© BTEC Business Notes | btecbusinessnotes.com
FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF PURCHASER ONLY
For college/institutional use or distribution, contact:
3
GSR Food Ltd Notes
Table of Contents:
Introduction to the Notes:...........................................................................................................2
Understanding the Case Study:................................................................................................. 3
Overview..................................................................................................................................3
Business Goals........................................................................................................................3
om
Management Style....................................................................................................................... 3
Autocratic Management...........................................................................................................3
Action Centred Leadership Model........................................................................................... 4
Functions of Management and Leadership............................................................................. 4
.c
Motivational Theory.....................................................................................................................5
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.................................................................................................. 5
es
Herzberg's Two Factor Theory.................................................................................................6
Mayo’s Theory of Human Relations.........................................................................................6
ot
Workforce Structure.................................................................................................................... 7
Full-time Permanent Staff vs Temporary Agency Staff............................................................ 7
sn
Quality Management....................................................................................................................7
Quality Standards (ISO 9001)..................................................................................................8
Quality Control vs Quality Assurance...................................................................................... 8
s
Quality Culture......................................................................................................................... 8
Techniques of Quality Management........................................................................................ 8
ne
Inventory Management................................................................................................................9
Data Analysis............................................................................................................................... 9
si
HR data for GSR Food Ltd...................................................................................................... 9
Financial data for GSR Food Ltd........................................................................................... 10
bu
Challenges, Proposals & Recommendations......................................................................... 10
Challenges............................................................................................................................10
1. Over-reliance on Agency Staff..................................................................................... 10
ec
2. Low Motivation............................................................................................................. 11
3. No Recognition............................................................................................................ 12
4. Skills Gap.....................................................................................................................13
bt
5. Poor Quality Management........................................................................................... 14
6. Poor Inventory Management........................................................................................14
7. Unsuitable Management Style..................................................................................... 15
Proposals............................................................................................................................. 16
1. Increase the Proportion of Permanent Employees...................................................... 16
© BTEC Business Notes | btecbusinessnotes.com
FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF PURCHASER ONLY
For college/institutional use or distribution, contact:
1
, 2. Meeting the Tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs......................................................17
3. Management by Objectives Performance Appraisal....................................................18
4. Invest in Training..........................................................................................................18
5. Develop a Quality Culture............................................................................................ 19
6. Just-in-Time Inventory Management........................................................................... 20
7. Transformational Leadership Style.............................................................................. 20
Recommendations...............................................................................................................21
1. Human Resource Planning.......................................................................................... 21
om
2. McGregor’s Y Theory...................................................................................................21
3. SMART Objectives.......................................................................................................22
4. Training Needs Analysis.............................................................................................. 22
5. Kaizen.......................................................................................................................... 23
.c
6. Influencing Stakeholders Function of Leadership........................................................ 23
7. Two-way Communication.............................................................................................23
es
HR Data Charts.......................................................................................................................... 25
Financial Data Charts................................................................................................................ 27
ot
Updates:..................................................................................................................................... 28
Introduction to the Notes:
sn
This document provides a detailed analysis of the GSR Food Ltd case study for the January
2026 Unit 6 exam. These notes include everything students need to know about GSR Food Ltd
s
such as explaining the case study through the content of Unit 6, the key challenges it faces and
ne
the impact on the business goals (such as management challenges, issues with quality and
workforce structure) along with the corresponding proposals and recommendations to help the
business achieve its goals.
si
Please note that this document contains significantly more information than students will need
bu
for the exam. The approach is to allow students to select the topics and theory they feel most
confident about to use in the exam in order to help them achieve a Distinction grade.
ec
The document will continue to be updated up until the January 2026 exam based on feedback
from students. If you see anything missing or think certain areas can be improved, please send
feedback, suggestions and any questions to to help improve the
bt
resource.
© BTEC Business Notes | btecbusinessnotes.com
FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF PURCHASER ONLY
For college/institutional use or distribution, contact:
2
, Understanding the Case Study:
Overview
GSR Food Ltd is a food manufacturing business in South East London that produces
ready-made meals for supermarkets nationwide (business-to-business (B2B)). It is run by Ravi
and Maryam Gill who started the business after leaving the restaurant industry with 20 years of
experience as chefs. The businesses workforce structure involves a small number of permanent
full-time employees that are supported by a large number of temporary staff hired through a
om
local agency. Although this gives the business high levels of flexibility to meet demand as the
agency can send staff on a daily or weekly basis, it has caused many issues from reduced
quality standards to creating a challenging work environment that has lowered the motivation of
.c
the permanent employees. On top of this, the autocratic management style of the owners has
exemplified these issues, as all decisions are made by management and the permanent
employees' concerns/training requests are ignored, it has further lowered motivation and their
es
ability to operate machinery.
Business Goals
ot
GSR Food Ltd has three business goals:
sn
1. Develop the highest quality ready-made meals
a. This goal requires strong quality management and therefore the cause of quality
issues must be tackled (agency staff, poor training, no regular inspections)
s
2. Become a leading food manufacturer in the UK
ne
a. They must increase their market share and outperform their competitors to do so
3. Increase profitability year on year
a. Net profit is the final profit made after deducting all costs and the margin can be
si
calculated by dividing net profit by revenue. To achieve this the business must
lower costs (such as the high waste) and increase revenue
bu
Analysis of the case study including the current challenges and the proposals should assess the
impact on these business goals.
ec
Management Style
bt
Autocratic Management
Although the case study doesn’t mention a significant amount about management styles, Ravi
and Maryam have an autocratic approach to management. This is because decisions are solely
made by them and have ignored employee input such as the permanent employees’ concerns
about the skills gap. Although this style does have the advantage of quick decisions that are
© BTEC Business Notes | btecbusinessnotes.com
FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF PURCHASER ONLY
For college/institutional use or distribution, contact:
3
