Preview

Corporate Culture Southwest Airlines

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1276 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Corporate Culture Southwest Airlines
Discuss the corporate culture at Southwest Airlines and how it leverages its culture to achieve a competitive advantage.

The corporate culture at Southwest Airlines can be defined within three areas including, core value, management style, and compensation. Southwest Airlines organization structure incorporated several areas but I was impressed with these three the most.
Southwest Airlines had two core values, which emphasized on LUV and fun. Not only was LUV the company’s signature symbol or recruiting theme, but eventually this core value grew into Southwest’s core word for treating individuals, including customers and employees. Both customer and employees were expected to be treated with respect and dignity. This would soon be incorporated with red hearts on banners and posters as reminders of compassion that was expectant toward employees and customers. Fun was also incorporated into the company’s core value as a form of behavior that employees exhibited while performing their jobs. The company’s day-to-day operations included jokes and pranks, as well as frequent company-sponsored party to boost employee moral. The management team within Southwest Airlines were given roles to ensure that employees were proud of the company that they worked for. Managers were expected to spend at least one-third of their time amongst there workers, observing and ensuring that demands were met and also listening to employees concerns and suggestions. Managers and company executives were very approachable, enforcing an open-door policy, and actively listening to employee concerns. Compensation is a very important to employees regardless of the company that they work for. Employees are expected to be compensated for performance. Southwest Airlines pay scales have been known to be above industry average, offering employees good wages and benefit packages. The organization offers profit-sharing plans for senior employees, along with stock option programs, and 401 (k)

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Q1: As a high – contact service provider, how does Southwest Airlines ensure that its employees satisfy the customer?…

    • 1202 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The main reasons for the success of Southwest Airlines are three fold, with CEO Gary Kelly, co-founder and board chairman Herbert D. Kelleher, and president Colleen Barrett, core competencies, and corporate culture as its base. This includes their company values; concern, respect, and caring for their employees and customers - to define it. (BCLC SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, 2006)…

    • 1462 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Mkt 500 Assignment 1

    • 1860 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Southwest Airlines’ corporate culture differs significantly from the other airlines in many ways, as we shall see herein below. The unique difference between the corporate culture of Southwest Airlines and the other airlines is one of the major factors responsible for the prosperous survival of Southwest Airlines. There is a fierce competition in the airline industry. Perhaps because of this competition, companies that are established in…

    • 1860 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    As a result of our research of Southwest Airlines methods for developing leaders in their respective industry we were able to prepare a profile of several different types of training and techniques. All of Southwest Airlines training is conducted in accordance with the appropriate and respective federal agencies that outline and govern each aspect of the training (southwest one report/training 2011).…

    • 534 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Southwest Airlines

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Southwest uses an unorthodox leadership style created by Herb Kelleher. The basic idea is that the organization works like an upside down pyramid. The upper management is at the bottom and supports the front line employees, who are the experts. This strategy works for Southwest Airlines because management decisions are made by everyone in the organization, not just the head executives. The company’s emphasis on creativity and innovation bodes well for a company that stresses free will over structure and titles (About Southwest Airlines Co, 2013).…

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This internal business analysis is on Southwest Airlines, which was founded in 1967 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. The main focus for Southwest Airlines was to provide low cost flights for their customers, and also have exceptional customer satisfaction. Southwest is a leading airline company that continues to do well in an industry that has been historically challenging. For instance, in the span of two years (2005-2007) five major airlines have filed for bankruptcy. The challenges are great in the airline industry, because competitors are trying to imitate the “low-cost” offering of Southwest. Many companies have tried to do what Southwest has done, and many have failed to stay in business. Surprisingly, many of those companies were started by ex-employees of Southwest. Southwest currently has a profitability record for the past thirty six years, which is spectacular in such a challenging industry. Herb Kelleher has been replaced by Gary C. Kelly, as the president when he resigned in May of 2008. Southwest is in the process of expanding the locations they serve so that they can increase market share, and also find ways to cut costs without losing their quality. In order for southwest to continue their consecutive financial success there is a necessity for excellence in the execution process of their strategy.…

    • 1766 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    This paper will discuss the corporate culture of Delta Air Lines, Inc. The team agreed that assessing Delta's corporate culture would definitely be a learning experience. Delta Air Lines, Inc. provides air transportation for passengers and freight throughout the United States and around the world. As of February 1, 2006, Delta (including its wholly owned subsidiaries, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. and Comair, Inc.) serves 244 domestic cities in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as 70 international cities in 40 countries. Delta mainline, domestic, and international service, Song, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection, Delta Sky Team, and Worldwide…

    • 3186 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    1. Southwest culture entails the company focusing on every individual at the firm not only concerning their work but also about them personally. Its corporate culture has an obsession with putting its individuals first. It is pegged on the belief that the only way to deliver remarkable service consistently more so on the front line is treating persons in a way that reflects how the external clients should be treated. The company considers its workers as its internal customers. It has a culture where the employees can enjoy their work, the individuals they work for, as well as, those that they work with (Nisen, 2013). Herb Keller, while he was the CEO of the company, had put a lot of emphasis on both culture and customer experience, and this persisted even after he had stepped down. He realized that since the business entailed more interaction, he created a pro-client culture that provides the firm with the leverage of getting information on how to…

    • 666 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    From 1972 to 2002, Southwest Airlines stock returned more for their shareholders than any other stock in the same time period (Collins, 2006, Hospital Strategy IV: Southwest Airlines and thinking outside the box). Many companies have begun to take notice of the Southwest model; a model that allows Southwest to thrive while many of its contemporaries are faced with financial difficulties. The success of Southwest Airlines can be attributed to their structure. This structure has made it possible for Southwest Airlines founders Rollin King and Herb Kelleher to create a culture that was unique and ahead of its time: a people first culture. This culture is supported by Southwest 's human resource practices. Every aspect is dependant upon each other.…

    • 2390 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Southwest feels as though their purpose is to “connect people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, low-cost air travel” (Southwest Culture). On Southwest’s website they show that their culture is built around ‘Living the Southwest Way,’ by a warrior spirit, servant’s heart, fun-LUVing attitude, and working the Southwest way (Southwest Culture). Southwest founder, Herb Kelleher, is one of the main reasons Southwest cultures as admirable as it is. He placed emphasis on Southwest’s culture, and not only that as the leader he lead the organizations in carrying out their strategies and vision. “According to Kelleher, really focusing on every person at the company, not just their work but them personally requires a huge…

    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Southwest Airlines

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages

    We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Southwest Airlines Union

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The mission of Southwest Airlines to their employees is that they are committed to provide their employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of the airlines. Above all, employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Airlines customer (Southwest, 1988).…

    • 568 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Employee Satisfaction

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Southwest Airlines with its simple philosophy that it would fly people directly to where they wanted to go, and when they wanted has become a leader in a very turbulent industry. Herb Keller founder and other industry analysts have said the reason for the success is its culture of the firm and its dedicated employees. Aspects of its people oriented culture include employees considerable freedom and responsibility and high level of employment involvement in decision making, Southwest also does a good job of hiring the right people, it also places an emphasis on training and flexibility in using of employee skills.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One key component that gives a company an elusive, sustainable competitive advantage is culture. What is culture? In essence, it’s vital element that deals with people, trust, leadership and passion (dictionary.com). Why is culture important? Because our competitor can duplicate everything we do, for example, our prices, but they can't duplicate our culture. Proof of the importance of a positive culture is Southwest Airlines. Southwest flies the same routes as other airlines, uses similar equipment and the same airports, but the airline's culture of fun and personal responsibility sets the tone for everything the company does (Smith 2004). Hence, culture is the system of shared actions, values, and beliefs that develops within an organization and guides the behavior of its members. The following paragraph will discuss how my organization can achieve a comparable organizational culture of fun and personal responsibility.…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Southwest Airline case study

    • 2348 Words
    • 10 Pages

    For the purpose of this study we shall be taking southwest airline as a case study, Southwest Airline is a major U.S. airline that primarily provides short haul, high frequency, point- to point, low fare service. Southwest was incorporated in Texas and commenced operations on June 18, 1971 with three Boeing 737 aircraft…

    • 2348 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays