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Southwest Airlines: Case Study

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Southwest Airlines: Case Study
Mission Statement:
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. (source: Southwest.com website)
Vision statement:
Our vision is to expand our locations both domestic and overseas by being the largest and most profitable airline company to achieve both short and long-haul carriers efficiently and with low cost. Also to be an airline carrier that has the most productive workforce to guarantee the best flight possible for each and every passenger. (source:samples-help.org.uk)
Values are people’s deep “sacred” convictions about how they must behave themselves – values are behavior guidelines.

The SWA set of values are not wishful thinking – on the contrary, this company’s values determine the behavior of all employees at all levels in the organization – not only front line workers must behave according to these values, but especially top management as well, who maintains credibility by walking its talk and keeping 100% its integrity – the values’ discipline is strictly enforced across the company. In SWA, values are mandatory behavior guidelines.
Why are values important for Southwest Airlines employee motivation? For the following reason: The top three SWA values are – in this order of appearance:
Employees
Customers
Stockholders
Translation: The SWA organization exists first and foremost, to exceed its employees’ expectations; in a close second, to exceed its customers’ expectations, and in a close third, to exceed its stockholders expectations. (source: skills2lead.com)

Southwest 's unique culture, called "goofiness" by some individuals, keeps the morale of its employees high
• Southwest is very serious about keeping its costs down
• Southwest 's employees have never gone out on strike
• Southwest leads the industry in on-time performance
• Through 2002, Southwest 's stock price increased 29 per cent per annum for

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