Introduction of a Successful Company Milestone 2 PDF

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Milestone 2: Southwest Airlines

Introduction of a Successful Company: Southwest Airlines Jamie Bryant Southern New Hampshire University 01/28/2021

Milestone 2: Southwest Airlines

Mission & Vision When the CEO Herbert Kelleher began this company along with his partner Rollin King they started with a simple idea: If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline.(Southwest Airlines, N.D.) The CEO’s made this idea their main focus for this airline and it worked, just by keeping it simple and making your customers and employees the focus. Southwest Airlines has a vision that they have lived up to. Their vision is: “To become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline.” [ CITATION Sou19 \l 1033 ] “The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.” (Airlines, 2019) Strategic Management Plan Southwest worked very hard to cultivate a management plan that was accessible and attainable on all levels. The management team makes it a priority to have open communication with their employees in order to create a welcoming workplace culture. In their continual efforts the employees are also regularly recognized for their accomplishments. “Southwest highlights positive behaviors through a variety of recognition programs and awards.” (Gallo, 2014) Southwest airlines also strives to be open with their shareholders and inclusive in their strategic planning for the future. Organizational Culture 1. Southwest Airlines organizational culture promotes employee well-being, pointing to the underlying principle that employees who are properly taken care of are the ones who provide the highest quality of output.(Brown, 2019) and by putting employees first Southwest became a desirable workplace and popular among employees and

Milestone 2: Southwest Airlines

customers alike. The company’s organizational culture supports employee involvement, satisfaction, morale, and motivation to aim for high performance that relates to the mission and vision. As one of the leading airlines, Southwest takes pride in its organizational culture, as other firms attempt to emulate this cultural approach. (Brown, 2019) Decision Making As I have continued my research into Southwest Airlines I have found that the company focuses and makes decisions based off their mission and vision statement. They truly make decisions with the shareholders and customers in mind but also with their employees in mind. Incorporating the long and short term effects of employees and consumers allows Southwest to grow with the changing trends. The idea is to give lower level managers the ability to enact change and make decisions for their department as they are on the “front lines” of that department. For instance, when the airline wanted to refurbish its employee’s uniform, instead of hiring someone outside the company, the airline invited all employees who had suggestions about the new uniform to apply. The employees who were selected for this process met every two weeks to discuss the design of the new uniforms (Airlines, 2019) Principles of Ethics Southwest Airlines understands the purpose and need to make money and keep the business profitable however they have chosen to do without wavering on their code of ethics. The basis of their Code of Ethics is that they place a high value on honesty, integrity, and personal responsibility. This Code applies to all Southwest Employees and its Board of Directors. In addition, other entities and individuals who perform services for Southwest (“business associates”) may be subject to this Code by contract or agreement. (SW CO’s, 2008)

Milestone 2: Southwest Airlines

Human Resources When hiring employees Southwest’s HR team is looking for employees who are engaged from the start and carry the qualities and attributes that will withstand with quality over quantity. The amount of resources and responsibilities given to each employee make the HR process with Southwest much more critical. The overall goal is to match the right personality/attributes with the right department to save money from the beginning with training and high retention. What I have found with Southwest Airlines is they believe in the following and move accordingly as time has progressed: 1. Employee-centered appreciation, recognition, celebration 2. For employees: Living the Southwest Way 3. For customers and other business stakeholders: Working the Southwest Way

Milestone 2: Southwest Airlines

References:

Airlines, S. (2019). Investor Relations. Purpose, Vision, Values, and Mission. Retrieved from Southwest Airlines: http://investors.southwest.com/our-company/purpose-visionvalues-and-mission

Gallo, C. (2014, January 21). Southwest Airlines Motivates Its Employees With A Purpose Bigger Than A Paycheck. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2014/01/21/southwest-airlines-motivatesits-employees-with-a-purpose-bigger-than-a-paycheck/#e5e63c353769

Brown, L (2019) Retrieved from: Southwest Airlines Co.’s Organizational Culture & Its Characteristics: An Analysis - Panmore Institute

Southwest code of Ethics Handbook, 2008 Retrieved from: code-of-ethics-final-approved-byboard-9-18-08-clean-employee-handbook-version.pdf (southwest.com)...