Essay - Hr Mgt509 Mod 1 Case and Session Long Project Introduction...

HR

***** Mod 1

Case and Session Long Project

Introduction

This report is about Southwest Airlines ***** their recruitment needs. Prior to delving in***** Southwest as an organization, one must first get a picture of the airl*****e industry. Major airlines such ***** American Airlines, Delta, and United have all been hemorrhaging cash and have all had to consider or are already under bankruptcy protection. The media would ***** us believe that the reason is solely related to the September *****1th terror*****t attacks. However, over ***** last four decades, the ***** problems have stemmed from the combination of ageing fleets, fuel prices, human resource costs, globalization, reduced ticket prices and convenience which entails frequent flights requiring fewer connections.

***** problems seem organizationally universal. "While globalization should continue to boost traffic, the o*****r two drivers-cost cutting and *****-***** reaching their limits within the traditional model. In the past, major ***** could achieve significant profit improvement by increasing load factors; ***** moving ***** three- to two-engine aircraft, thereby saving on fuel; and by reducing the size of cockpit crews, ***** labor *****. Furthermore, convenience has been declining ***** late; congestion and flight delays reached record levels before September 11, and the additional security measures now in place have added further difficulties for travelers." (Costa, Harned, & Lundquist, 2002) So, *****day's troubles were present long before September *****th. "The seeds of this disaster at United were sown long before September 11, and no amount of denial or obfuscating will change that." (Unavailable, The Washington Times, "United Gets A Bum Rap," 2003)

Southwest ***** and its company culture

***** that being said, Southwest Airlines ***** other small discount airlines have beaten the odds and have been consistently profitable. "While the majors lose billions of dollars (American Airlines lost $3.5 billion in 2001 and 2002 comb*****ed), low-cost carriers continue to earn profits. US low-cost ***** AirTran Airways, JetBlue Airways ***** *****, and Canada's WestJet all made money in 2002. Southwest, while still consistently profitable, ***** faded ***** the background as start-ups such as JetBlue fly passengers across the USA in new Airbus A320s with satellite television at every seat." (Karp, 2003) At a time when the industry was failing, southwest somehow continued to excel - but how did they do it?

********** business model may be the sole reason that they ***** been continuously achieving success while all the other business ********** of the major airlines have been failing. Southwest has built its ***** on the culture that has bound and motivated its employees. "By offering a generous profit-sharing and stock- option plan, ***** creating a "we're ***** f*****mily" culture with office parties and advancement opportunities, ***** has spurred its employees to continually ***** productivity ***** prof*****. And it ***** engendered a fiercely loy*****l and competitive work force a***** ***** way." (Trottman, 2003)

***** Airlines Co. is a domestic airline that specializes in low-fare services. "During the year ended December 31, 2004, the *****mpany operated 417 Boeing 737 ***** and provided service ***** 60 airports in