Mission Statement Analysis
Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have been direct competitors in the airline business for a number of years. As time has passed, we have seen Southwest take a more Servant Leadership minded approach, while United decided upon a more traditional style of Leadership. From their mission statements, along with reviews from flyers and profitability, to the overall culture of the companies, we look to see how these two airlines compete, and which one comes out on top.
Mission Statements
The mission statement is often publically stated and used by almost every organization today. It helps provide basic guidelines, essentially the core values of a company, and what they aim for. A mission statement gives customers
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Not only was the mission statement or core values difficult to find, but the page had a vague title called “It’s how we fly”. The page seemed to assume that the reader should just know what United was about and what they believed. The core values seem placed there simply because it is required, not because they are values followed by the actual organization. Both Airlines include words about customer service and treating them well, but Southwest put it simply and concisely. United seemed more focused on impressing readers with their core values. I believe that the Southwest mission statement impacts the culture of the organization by being a definition of what it should look like. Comparatively, I believe that United’s core values impact the culture very little if not at all.
Principles
Southwest Airlines is dedicated to incorporating all servant leadership principles throughout their organization. Accordingly, their mission statement is clear and concise it evidently exemplifies all principles and acknowledges a servant-led organization. Their mission statement embraces their commitment to serve the highest quality of customer service through a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit (Southwest, 2014). Therefore, through Southwest’s’ mission statement it makes it explicitly apparent that they seek to listen and commit to the growth of their people. Southwest empathizes with their employees because they are dedicated to providing
Southwest Airlines is based in Dallas and founded in 1971. They are known for their higher airfares and good customer services. (Elliot) The employees are known to be social with the travelers. They often times make changes and waive airline requirements. (Elliot) For example: “Robert Siegel and his wife scheduled a
People – One of the many things good about Southwest Airlines is that the kinds of people who are heroes of the organization are people who care and go out of their way to help the customers. They’re the ones who are celebrated and held up as shining examples. Additionally, high levels of satisfaction among employees can be attributed to Southwest employee policy. Happy employees can provide high quality service and bring more customers back. To reinforce the culture of hard work, high-energy, fun, local autonomy, and creativity, the company provided continuous education program to employees. If you can help someone out or brighten someone’s day, be it a co-worker or a passenger, you’re doing your job well.
Two of the largest competing airlines in America may seem to have a lot in common to a consumer’s eye: big commercial planes, friendly staff, one free carry-on bag, complimentary snacks. Maybe the biggest comparison of them all is how much of the airline market these two companies take up. But for every similarity, there must be a difference. Beyond contrasting ticket prices, there are many fronts on which to compare Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. To begin when the companies began, American Airlines was established approximately 40 years sooner than Southwest Airlines as a result of a merger. In terms of people, Southwest Airlines currently has just about half the number of employees that American does. However, to truly compare the two companies, the organization itself must be researched and analyzed. Southwest Airlines and American Airlines appear to be very different to this day in terms of organizational culture, team dynamics, and conflict and negotiation.
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.
Southwest Airlines ' felt as if the workers who actually went out of their way to aid customers, did in fact, deserve a public praise or hand shake. So each and every month Southwest 's magazine Spirit would printout a story or article of one special worker who went out of their way to deliver the best/exceptional customer satisfaction.
Southwest Airlines is globalizing their company in order to reach a bigger market, and become competition for other companies. Southwest Airlines has already conquered the domestic market beating American Airlines, United, and Delta according to Fortune. Access to a new market is what motivated Southwest to globalize, they are expanding to the south of North America, with their new assets found in their acquired airline AirTran Airways (LeBeau, 4) . Southwest Airlines has brought low rates and a great experience to the domestic market, which was warmly received, they now plan to dip into global market to bring better service to all.
On October 1st, 1994 when United Airlines introduced their “Shuttle By United” high-frequency, low-fare, minimal amenity, short-haul flight operation, Southwest Airlines was already the industry leader in this market segment. Southwest was the eighth largest airline in the United States based on the number of passenger miles flown
The mission of Southwest Airlines is loyalty promise to the most amazing nature of Customer Service brought across with a feeling of warmth, friendliness, amazing surprising or single pride and Company Spirit. Their vision is to become the world 's most loved, most flown, and most money-making airline.
Southwest is a company with a strong reputation for valuing its employees and it is also gaining recognition as a conscientious steward of the environment. Its heightened awareness of social responsibility is evident in their continued domination of the airlines industry. According to Hughen, Lulseged, & Upton (2014), “Corporate Social Responsibility is a term used to describe an organization’s awareness of its operations’ impact on economic, social, environmental, and governance concerns, as well as the steps it takes to address them” (p. 57). Southwest achieves corporate social responsibility by focusing
As the low-cost leader, Southwest spends an inordinate amount of time focusing on its mission, vision, culture, and goals. This concentration allows Southwest to rank as one of the 100 Best Companies to work for in America. The employee’s attitudes and efforts lead to fewer customer complaints and more on-time arrivals and departures.
Southwest Airlines' strong organizational culture is reflected in its mission statement "dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit" (Southwest, 2012). Southwest serves not only as a prime example of a company that excels in customer service and profitability, but as one that has utilized employee development as a means to meet these ends. Southwest makes a strong commitment to foster ongoing relationships with human resources. They demand that their employees are responsible members, however
Southwest Airlines is known as one of the most caring and considerate companies. Since 1971, Southwest Airlines has prided itself in their exemplary customer satisfaction and family like approach to customers. American Airlines excels in many areas, but the ones that will be discussed are emotional intelligence, and cultural organization. More often than not, developing these areas are easier said than done.
Southwest Airlines: Culture, Values and Operating Practices (in Thompson, A. A., Strickland. A. J. and Gamble, J. (2005) Crafting and Executing Strategy (Fourteenth Edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, pages C-636– C-664).
Southwest Airlines managers live the vision of the company by incorporating the vision into their everyday lives. Community, environment and caring are the
Southwest Airlines provides short haul, high frequency, point-to-point, low-fare services to and from 58 cities across the United States. The company is known for its low-cost fares and superior customer service in the airline industry. The company was started in 1971 with a motto still lived by today, "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." This motto has been effective for the company because they recently reported their 58th straight quarterly profit.