Leadership that influence Implementation at Qantas - Essay Example

Leadership that influence Implementation at Qantas Introduction In this age of globalization and industrialization, change is the most un-evitable aspect. This is because; proper management and implementation of varied types of changes might prove effective for an organization in enhancing its sustainability and profitability. Along with this, successful implementation of a change might help an organization to enhance its brand image and reputation in the market among many other rival players. Moreover, due to enhancement of the brand image, the level of dominance in the market amplifies thereby reducing the threat of new entrants. Similarly, the reputed flag carrier airways of Australia also implemented a strategic alliance with another popular airline named Emirates in order to amplify its total revenues and customer bases. Other than this, the prime desire of such an alliance is to enhance its market share and efficiency in the market (Pardo & Martinez Fuentes, 2003). The problem will be assessed with the help of ADKAR model. Although the implementation of such a strategic alliance proved extremely difficult in initial days but slowly and gradually, it proved extremely effective for the employees and the organization by improving its performance and productivity among others. This essay is divided into five phrases mainly highlighting the process of change implemented in Qantas. Along with this, it also describes the impacts of varied factors such as political, economic, cultural and leadership at the time of implementation of the change in Qantas. Other than this, the process of institutionalisation is also assessed in this essay with the help of ADKAR and Kottler’s 8 Step model along with its degree of success in future era. Thus, the thesis statement of this essay is to analyse and examine the process of implementation of the strategic change along with the ways of institutionalisation and its extent of achievement. Discussion Critical assessment of the process of change in Qantas Globalization is offering a significant impact over the competitive situation and position of Qantas that forced its management to redesign its strategies and policies in order to enhance its market share and profit margin. Other than this, due to high prices of the fuels, intense competition and industrial disputes, the management of Qantas decided to undertake its functioning policies in order to enhance its domestic and international operations (Ogbonna & Wilkinson, 2003). Therefore, in order to make this vision successful, the management of Qantas airlines undertook a strategic alliance with Emirates so as to enhance its network coverage as well as amplification of market dominance within Australia and others. Such a strategic alliance might prove effective for both the organizations to amplify its global branding and competitive advantage in the market among others. Although, the strategic change proved extremely difficult for the organization of Qantas but the sheer intelligence and tactful skills of the chief executive officer, Mr. Alan Joyce proved it extremely effective in its future era. As a result of which, not only the net income of Qantas increased by A$6 million but also the knowledge and performance of the staffs enhanced to a significant extent as compared to others. This proved extremely effective for the organization of Qantas as compared to other rival airlines in the market. Critical understanding of different factors affecting the change in Qantas In order to enhance the competitive positioning of Qantas in the market, its management decided to undertake a strategic alliance with Emirates. After vivid negotiation with its president, Mr. Tim Clark, the joint venture took place that proved extremely effective for the organization of Qantas to reduce its huge losses and debts. However, at the time of implementation of such a strategic change, various internal factors such as politics or political forces, culture and leadership styles resisted it. At the time of implementation of the strategies and policies of Emirates within the organization of Qantas, there arouse a serious conflict among the senior management, employees and trade unions. This is mainly due to over-reaction of the trade unions such as Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA), and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) in order to resist the alliance among Qantas and Emirates. Moreover, both the employees and the trade union members decided to act against the management and joined hands with the other employees of industrial actions. Moreover, the employees also called up strikes that hampered the operations of Qantas thereby decreasing its total profit margin. Along with this, due to industrial strikes, numerous employees are terminated and many fleets are also grounded by the CEO Alan Joyce (Hazledine, 2008). As a result of which, the reliability and dependency of the customers over the brand of Qantas decreased thereby hindering the total revenue of the organization in the market among others. Therefore, due to these industrial actions, the organization of Qantas had to bear a loss of $194 million (Ogbonna & Wilkinson, 2003). However, inspite of this loss, the CEO, Alan Joyce also decided to lock out the organization until the trade union members change their attitude and behaviour towards the change. This proved extremely effective for the organization of Qantas in future era. Apart from political forces, culture of the organization of Qantas also acted negatively over the implementation of the strategic change. This is because, due to strategic alliance, the organizational culture of Qantas coordinated with the culture of Emirates and so all its employees had to cope-up with varied innovative norms and rules (Forsyth & Stewart, 2012). Apart from this, according to cultural web, varied elements or factors such as paradigms, control systems, organizational structures, power structures, routines and stories affects the organizational culture of a group (Hazledine, 2008). However, at the time of strategic alliance, changes in these factors create varied types of interpersonal conflicts among the employees and the management thereby hindering its process of operation. Moreover, the culture of Emirates is to offer more concentration over customer preferences and customer services that is not accepted by the members of Qantas and decided to resist the change (Sarina & Lansbury, 2013). Therefore, both the trade union members and employees joined hands and maintained the industrial disputes in a continuous way thereby hindering the brand value and dominance of Qantas in the market (Ford & Ford, 2000). However, such an industrial dispute aroused mainly due to lack of communication skills of the chief executive officer of Qantas, Mr. Alan Joyce. As a result of which, all other organizational members failed to coordinate and communicate with him (Oxenbridge & et. al, 2010). Moreover, Alan Joyce used to share all sorts of ideas and strategies, in front of the other employees, so as to analyse their beliefs and suggestions, prior implementation. Due to which, each and every employee of Qantas obeyed and preferred him but as he failed to present the information and ideas of such a strategic change in front of them, all of them resisted it. As a result of worse leadership techniques and pessimistic communication, the brand image and prosperity of the brand of Qantas declined significantly in the market (Lundberg, 1993). Analysis Assess the process of institutionalisation and degree of its success In order to retain the dominance and competitive advantage in the market, Mr. Alan Joyce acted tactfully and plan-fully, that proved quite effective for the organization as well as the employees of Qantas and Emirates (Ford & et. al, 2008). As the market share and brand value of the organization of Qantas is falling rapidly and on the other hand, the profit margin of Virgin Blue is enhancing, a sense of urgency aroused within the members of Qantas, as stated in Kotter’s 8 step model. At that time, the CEO, Mr. Alan Joyce tackled the entire disputed situation with the help of sheer intelligence and optimistic outlook. He evaluated the up-coming opportunities for the organization that might enhance its dominance and market value (Erkama, 2010). However, it might be possible only if all the employees, stakeholders and shareholders might accept the strategic change as well as coordinate and communicate evenly and harmoniously to make it effective. Along with this, due to his high involvement nature, all sort of communication barriers and obstacles reduced, that enhanced the profit margin by $ 211 million in the end of June 2013 as compared to June 2012. This became possible only due to constant inventive changes and ideas such as better customer services, competitive air fares and many others, by the management of Qantas (Bussell & Farrow, 2011). Moreover, the ideas and strategies of strategic alliance are totally implemented within the corporate culture of the organization of Qantas that improved its market share by 65 percent as compared to Virgin Blue. Thus, the institutionalisation of the change offered extremely beneficial for the organization and the employees of Qantas and Emirates among others (Calabrese, 2003). Other than this, as per Prosci’s ADKAR model, both the leaders, Tim Clark and Alan Joyce, decided to offer varied types of training and coaching sessions in order to enhance the inner knowledge and skills of the employees (Ford & Ford, 2009). This is extremely essential in order to understand the importance and effectiveness of changes in this age of competitiveness. Along with this, with the help of varied types of training programs, the level of awareness of the employees might also get enhanced thereby reducing the rate of disputes. Therefore, after understanding the significance of change, the desire to adapt the ideas and policies of changes might arouse within the employees (Bruckman, 2008). As a result of which, the employees might try to enhance their performance y amplifying their talents and abilities through proper coordination and cooperation of all the members. Such type of coordination might enhance the level of preference of the employees through the implementation of the changes that might amplify the portfolio in future era. Thus, such type of coordinated support and coordination might help the employees to retain the change effective for years that might amplify its profitability to a certain extent among others. Therefore, due to such coordination and dexterity, the strategic alliance became a success for the organization of Qantas (Buchanan & et al, 2005). Hence, it might be stated that the financial or economic factors affected positively over the implementation of strategic alliance in Qantas and made it a success. Findings After analysing and evaluating all the above mentioned paragraphs, it might be stated that the pre-tax profit by $ 211 million in the year 2013 enhanced the level of performance and productivity of the employees of the organization of Qantas. Along with this, improvement in the total customer base of the organization by 30 percent also enhanced the desire of the employees to accept the policies and strategies of change significantly as compared to others (Briody & et.al, 2012). Only then, the brand image and supremacy of the organization of Qantas might get enhanced thereby handling its losses effectively in long run. Along with this, the level of loyalty and reliability of the customers might also get enhanced that might prove extremely profitable for the brand among others (Thomas & Hardy, 2011). Therefore, due to these underlined reasons, the change is uniformly accepted by the members of the organization of Qantas. Conclusion Conclusively, it might be stated that due to the implementation of varied types of training programs, the awareness level of the employees enhanced that proved effective for the organization of Qantas. This enhanced the level of knowledge, skills and talents thereby amplifying the motivation and inspiration to accept the change. So that, the loyalty and brand value of the organization of Qantas might be retained in the market for long run among other contenders. So, the change is successfully implemented and offered profitable results for the organization of Qantas. References Briody, E & et.al. (2012). A story’s impact on organizational culture change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 25(1), 67-87. Bruckman, J.C. (2008). Overcoming resistance to change: causal factors, interventions, and critical values. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, Vol. 11, 211-219. Buchanan, F & et al. (2005). 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