JetBlue: Internal Environment and Cooperative Stratagems - Essay Example

JetBlue: Internal Environment and Cooperative Stratagems JetBlue has been paving the way for a progressive work environment since 1999. David Neeleman, the founder of JetBlue (then called “New Air”), had a vision for an airline that functioned much like other airlines but with an emphasis on customer relations, an interconnectedness in advertising and partnerships, and a goal for a diverse infrastructure. JetBlue, in the short years of its existence, seems to have accomplished many of these things and has become a leading airline in the commercial aviation sector. The internal environment of JetBlue is based on the promotion and expansion of diversity, partnerships and progressive rights. The resources are many in the JetBlue atmosphere, including the opportunities brought on by the shareholders invested in JetBlue, JP Morgan or LiveTv, the wholly owned JetBlue Subsidiary. It seems as though JetBlue has access to many perks based on affiliated companies and partnerships, and work hard to make new partnerships available to learn about and for those who own a company, to participate in. This directly reflects the internal environment of JetBlue, which is based on the strengths of the business being interconnected and in touch with the consumer and corporate strata. At the same time, the website isn’t wholly specific about what resources are directly used in forming the company or its core values, but JetBlue places a lot of emphasis on confidentiality, so it isn’t a huge surprise that this information isn’t readily volunteered. The Capabilities of JetBlue seem staggering, as the company has only been around ten years and already they’ve become a leading provider of commercial aviation services. Along with being capable of making more corporate alliances and to grow as a business, JetBlue also has the capability to serve as an example of a progressive company environment, as shown in the company’s “Code of Ethics,” community relations and “Code of Business Conduct.” These points of reference on the website emphasize diversity, company loyalty and a charitableness to the human condition that goes far beyond expectation. For example, there is a specific page on the JetBlue website where you can apply to be a part of the “we care” program, an opportunity for charities to submit to be on the website and to have customers donate to their causes, if the causes are in alignment with JetBlue’s core values. The core competencies of JetBlue seem to be in order, as well. The JetBlue Airways “Customer Bill of Rights” outlines the expectations that customers should have when dealing with JetBlue, and how JetBlue responds to these needs and expectations. JetBlue seems to go out of its way to provide superior service to the customer as well as the shareholders in the company, and as an example of this JetBlue has made an incredibly extensive “Customer Bill of Rights” that goes far and beyond what one would expect from a large company, both in points in the Bill of Rights but also even addressing these issues at all. One can also see the core competency in the way JetBlue recruits and treats its employees. An employee of JetBlue, according to the website, includes medical, dental and vision insurance for the employee and their dependents. It also gives employees access to legal counsel and qualified attorneys, voluntary discount programs (for example, pet insurance, discount insurance for one’s home and automobile), life insurance, a wellness program, a 401k and other accounts that help the employee plan for the future. There is also much information on the website geared toward the shareholder, and as a shareholder one can access recent news, the NASDAQ stock quote for JetBlue and the Proxy Statement for the 2008 Annual Shareholder Meeting. Along with this, the shareholder can get annual reports, stock information, analyst coverage, audio archives and all sorts of information that seems to go above and beyond what one would expect a company would provide to its shareholders via their website. Though JetBlue seems open about some elements of their business but confidential about others, it is their cooperative strategy that seems the clearest and most impressive on their website. Along with their major networks and initial corporate affiliations, including JP Morgan, LiveTV LLC, Dunkin’ Donuts, The New York Times and DirecTV, JetBlue has struck affiliations with companies that are incredibly diverse. Some of these companies, for example, range from the Buffalo Bills to the Washington DC Wine and Food Festival to the Prudential Center. JetBlue has other networks of note, including the Blue Betty program, a mobile marketing RV that is designed to “take the JetBlue experience to the streets.” Blue Betty helps people who don’t fly regularly get a taste of some of the perks that JetBlue has to offer, including DirecTV, XM Satellite Radio, and how the JetBlue seats feel. JetBlue has made many allegiances with organizations to provide opportunities for low-income children and to generally enrich less fortunate communities. In 2009 JetBlue partnered with KaBoom, a playground building organization that builds safe places for kids to play all around America. JetBlue has also partnered with Blue’s Clues, Nickelodeon, The American Cancer Society and First Book to promote charity and awareness in JetBlue’s major cities. The JetBlue challenge is a program set up by JetBlue and Colana Sports Group to create golf tournaments for companies to generate revenue while promoting JetBlue. It’s a self-proclaimed “one-Stop shop” for companies looking to promote through golf tournaments. But it doesn’t stop there: the website outlines A cooperative strategy that seems incredibly diverse and also includes a CEO outreach program, a “Jetting to Green” program that creates a JetBlue and Carbonfund.org partnership, a “JetPaws” program that offers a pet travel awarness program affiliated with pet supply stores and attractions that are pet-friendly in JetBlue’s most popular destinations. All in all, if one could say JetBlue was incredibly successful in one element of their business plan, it would be their alliances and networks, and the successful promotion of these alliances and networks. JetBlue seems to have vague diversification strategies, but emphasize diversity in their business plan. In the employment section of the website, JetBlue places emphasis on diversity through hiring “crewmembers based on the quality of their experience, skills, work record, education, training, motivation, attitude and character, without regard for their identification, or perceived identification, with any group or classification of people.” They extend this commitment to diversity to the communities in which the company operates, but there aren’t any specific examples as to how JetBlue is specifically committed to bringing awareness to diversity or hiring statistics that would indicate the diverse nature of JetBlue’s employee pool. Overall, JetBlue tries hard to be perceived as a company that has it all, both inside and out. In the ten short years of its existence, JetBlue has accomplished a lot, and the true success of JetBlue Airways lies in its affiliations and general capacity to cross-promote and give the aura of being a “one stop shop” airline. JetBlue will continue to thrive as the years go on, but perhaps JetBlue needs to work on its commitment to showing concrete signs of diversity and its capabilities while on the journey of corporate expansion. Resources JetBlue. 2009. JetBlue Airways. 16 March 2009 [http://www.jetblue.com/]. Read More