Organization behavior of Frontier Airlines - Research Paper Example

Organization behavior of Frontier Airlines Executive summary Airline is one of the most competitive industries that are ed to greatest economic variance in which global southwest airline is a partisan. As such, this paper is meant to determine what constitutes the organizational behavior of southwest airline. Putting into consideration critical analysis of the organization culture, means of communication, organizational authority and motivations, the paper puts forward various strategies that southwest airline use to achieve long-term sustainable advantage as a leading low cost carrier in the United States. By having a glance at the organizational structure and motivational techniques of southwest airlines, the paper gives an in-depth analysis of various factors that the organization has taken to achieve a competitive advantage in the market. Introduction For an organization to succeed in the realization of its goals and objectives, it must have a clear vision, mission and proper strategies. Furthermore, all members of the organization must pursue to achieve a better state than its current situation. The underlying factor is improving future returns of the organization through consistent evaluation of a positive trend. The southwest airline, therefore, has laid down appropriate measures that it perceived vital to operation and success in the industry. Having worked to this company for 3years it is worth clarifying that Frontier Airlines operational success has been supported by consistent organizational transformation and motivation towards the leading airline in the United States and globally. The company has diversified from the usual simple concepts of hospitality and reservations to an institution that recognizes the effort of employees as a crucial component of an organization. Moreover, southwest Airline values employees’ role in diversity. The organization values the need for change, embraces the technology and believes that good leadership enhances productivity (Griffin & Moorehead, 2014). History of Southwest Airlines The original southwest airline was founded in 1971 by two pioneers Rollin King and Herb Kelleher to plying the route through Dallas to San Antonio. It gained popularity in 1980s as the first airline that offered low cost carriage by giving opportunity to the passengers’ discounts in their cost of freight per mile distance. Later in 1984, the airline became recognized as the number in the customer service industry. This gave a leeway to this airline that later became the fifth largest carrier in the United States. Southwest made an expansive by moving and acquiring Morris air in 1994 making it increase its returns by almost 150%. In its consequent operations, the airline decided to operate in three cities in Texas where it developed online booking systems to reduce the cost incurred by customers from the agents (Gittell, 2003). The airline developed its own business plan later and bought other two new planes in 2000 destined to Denver and rocky city of phoenix. Southwest airline then gradually developed and occupied the chance left by continental international flights to Mexico City’s, leading to its award in 2001 for its recommendable growth in the airline industry. Since then, the company has become successful and capable of sustaining the highest level of competitiveness in the market (Gittell, 2003). Culture of southwest airlines The southwest airline has a unique culture that can backdate to over 40 years of existence. To this company, the culture simply indicates a preview of what the southwest airlines has developed since it came into existence through a series of innovative growth and persistence recognition of employees. Southwest airline is best known as a leading company in the hospitality due to its efficient service satisfaction of customers that can be traced back to 1987. The company has been voted for several years as one of the best American airlines that offer customer service with minimal complaints (Haasen & Shea, 2003). Due to its role in service delivery, most organizations in the United States including non-airline organizations have since tried to assimilate the southwest airlines strategies. For instance, since the company believes in being unique in terms of customer satisfaction, southwest airline delivers freight within the same day of posting. Besides, the company provides customers air tickets immediately after processing, mostly within a few hours. Moreover, the company’s acceptance to provide the customers with the updates and hottest deals of an airline industry is a breakthrough in invoking the customers support towards building the reputation of the company. In addition, it is considered a recommendable step in sharing the southwest spirit to the community in all cities that the airline has launched its operations (Haasen & Shea, 2003). Admired by most organizations, the culture of southwest airline is being used as a leeway that most organizations follow to improve in the customer support of their businesses. The culture of southwest airline mainly recognizes employees as an important element of business success. This is in contrary to most organizations that believe an organization should be at the forefront before giving employee any slightest consideration. Employees of southwest airline are known as enthusiastic personnel’s, who offer remorseful welcome to the customers. In addition, the organization plays a positive role by giving back to the community through positive deployment of activities that are friendly to the environment (Haasen & Shea, 2003). According to the leadership policies of the organization, its mission of employees support guides the airline to the delivery of services to the customers. By emphasis of pluralism as their main cultural practice, the company goes ahead in ensuring customers satisfaction such that they get to feel the positive effect of the southwest airlines. For instance, the management does its best by ensuring that it conserves the prices to be as low as possible and may only involve the use of fee as the final resort during crisis. However, the organization highly recognizes the need for change. It does not relent to any opportunity improvement without doing proper analysis. Southwest airline has put in place enough measures considered vital to the international space such as reconstructing its boarding facilities in satisfying customers by making improvement in both physical and technical resources (Haasen & Shea, 2003). Due to the organizational passion for offering low cost carriages, it has developed consciousness of frugality in all its technical areas by utilizing the organizational amount in a fair manner that is impressive for both the employees and the customers. In contrary to what has been pointed out by most of the American business journals, the organization may seem radical to change in its airlines evaluating, but this company believes an organization should be conscious not to be at the forefront to a change in aircraft carriages. Instead, they should put more emphasis on value-measurement approach as a way of determining progress in the airline industry (Baack, 2012). The southwest has embraced a culture and spirit of innovation by encouraging the employees to consider their personal responsibility and initiatives as factors of their independent future success. Consequently, the organization by the adherence of the ethical code of conduct ensures sustainable trust, which further translates to a harmonious relationship between employees and the customers (Haasen & Shea, 2003). Mode of communication The Southwest airline has succeeded in the delivery of services based on the organization structure and the leadership acceptance by listening to the employees and evaluating their creative proposals. Through giving enough room for communication, southwest airline has succeeded in thriving towards a competitive edge, because all employees of the organization get an update concerning all the operations that take place within the organization. Due to even distribution of the information in all sectors of the organization, Southwest employees can easily respond to situations quickly since all the employees are conversant with latest happenings. Moreover, being an airline industry, the mode of communication is mainly through verbal. However, to optimize the dissemination of information, the organization has resorted to an online communication system where most pieces of information are sent through networks as this enhances faster distribution in case the need may have risen (West, 2005). In most airlines, employees tend to avoid a problem such as sudden incidences due to fear of being associated as part of the problem. The Southwest airline has utilized this trend for its own advantage. The airline has set as part of its culture that, every employee is responsible for any of the organizational problems. For instance, in case a problem has occurred, an employee is encouraged to report or get involved in finding the best possible solution to such a problem. This is a clear indication on the quality of communication taking place within this organization (West, 2005). Nature of authority at Southwest airlines As a domestic airline operating within the United States, the nature of authority of Southwest airline is termed functional in nature hoisting three levels of management, the CEO, departmental managers acting as the vice presidents and the supervisors. Despite the three subdivisions of authority, the airline has put more value on issues such as quality, employees’ reliability and informal means of communication where an immediate feedback is expected. At Southwest airlines, there is limited emphasis on the employees’ job specialty as anybody can take an active role in sorting out any duty. For instance, air hostess finds it normal to clean an aircraft, which is supposed to be a duty of a janitor. The operations of the southwest airline are considered to be technical in nature because only targets on how to be consistent while improving the efficiency of the organization (Wensveen & Wells, 2007). Source: http://www.danielihliu.com/blog/2012/05/07/organizational-structure-analysis-for-southwest-airlines-co/ CEO Mr. Herb Kelleher who is closely followed by three executive presidents heads the organization executives and are all responsible in different areas of the organization including operations, service maintenance and engineering among other duties. However, the company is characterized by informal job description with a decentralized method of decision making regarding the needs of the customers with respect to decentralized decision-making process all the employees have been empowered to participate in any activity that is perceived to enhance customer’s satisfaction. The company policy is considered impractical and informal in nature allowing the employees to take practical attempt in any activity that goes beyond the hierarchical levels with an imminent intention, convinced that they can neither be punished or suspended (Wensveen & Wells, 2007). Motivational techniques Organizational motivation techniques are very essential in determining how well the organization is doing enough to support its employees by recognizing their efforts. Most of the companies proclaim to be doing enough in provision of support to their employees, however, closer insight have confirmed that employees are not actually receiving what they deserve. Southwest airline has made a recommendable effort in recognizing employee’s values towards ensuring customer satisfaction. The employees’ motivation phenomenon in this organization is never an accident since the company is doing much to improve the performance of the organization (Chanda et al, 2007). The organization rewards the employees for their exemplary work and performances. This takes place either directly or at the departmental level where employees are celebrated through peers or the supervisors. In addition, southwest airline also delivers reward to the employees through secondary compensations by animated environment characterized by eagerness, joy and love everywhere within the working environment. Moreover, the organization provides the employees with a stable working environment besides giving equal chances where employees can learn and develop personal growth. In addition, the Southwest airline lays more emphasis by recognizing employee’s innovative and creativity by implementing them towards improving the effectiveness of southwest airlines. Consequently, employees of southwest airlines are accorded enough respect by the organization in a similar capacity they are expected to offer to customers in return. Southwest airline also offers an extensive support to the community by involving them in ensuring that they reside in better places. Conclusively, southwest motivational strategy is based on incentives, promotions of employees and efficient leadership system, but most of all employee retention is considered the best motivation strategy that Southwest airline recognizes (Chanda et al, 2007). Areas of EQ (emotional quotient of southwest airline Southwest airline influences its marketing department to foresee issue of communication both internally and externally. In regard to customer service delivery, the organization has put in place enough measures that ensure all the stakeholders in this airline company come to terms in support of customer service delivery. This trend has empowered employees to take initiative as partisan to improving the image of the organization. Besides, a rollout contest is usually hoisted allowing the employees to submit their thoughts concerning what they feel towards customer service and leadership of the organization. Followed by consistent rewards, employees always work to drive the attention of the customers in choosing the southwest airlines to outdo its competitors (Griffin & Moorehead, 2014). Virtual elements of southwest airline In the history of airlines, Southwest airline is believed to the first company in the airline industry to introduce an online reservation system. The reservation system servers the principal mandate of reducing additional costs incurred by the customers while booking from an agent. This has since seen the organization maintain its low prices even when the jet fuel hikes in prices. Since the launch of the online booking systems, the reservation personnel’s have been relieved excessive strain because all the information regarding the history of the customers can be traced through virtual offices within the organization (Griffin & Moorehead, 2014). Conclusion In the hospitality industry, service provision is considered an intangible effort that can never wear out, but has a substantial effect to the success of an organization especially in the airline industry. As long as the service element poses serious challenges to the organization, they are also valid in determining the level of organizational success. While putting into considerations the issue of service delivery, Southwest airline has taken inadequate measures, in relations to organizational structure, employee motivation among other elements as factors that drive the organizational behavior towards achieving a competitive edge. In conclusion, for the bests achievement of reputable returns to this organization, southwest airline musts ensure customer service delivery is upheld, as this will sustain appositive image of this organization. References: Baack, D. (2012). Organizational behavior. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Gittell, J. (2003). The Southwest Airlines way: using the power of relationships to achieve high performance. New York: McGraw-Hill. Haasen, A & Shea, G. (2003). New corporate cultures that motivate. Westport, Conn.: Praeger West, L. (2005). Lessons in loyalty: how Southwest Airlines does it: an insiders view. Dallas, Tex.: Cornerstone Leadership Institute. Wensveen, J & Wells, A. (2007). Air transportation: a management perspective. Aldershot, England; Burlington, VT: Ashgate. Chanda, A., et al. (2007). Strategic human resource technologies: keys to managing people. Delhi: Response; London: SAGE [distributor]. Griffin, R & Moorehead, G (2014). Organizational behavior: managing people and organizations. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Read More