Southwest Airlines and Control Mechanisms
Southwest Airlines and Control Mechanisms
August 20, 2010
MGT330
Southwest Airlines and Control Mechanisms
Southwest Airlines is a vigorous business commonly admired, whether it is positive or negative, by many for countless reasons. Southwest Airlines has withheld a positive social responsibility for many years. Southwest is an organization promoting people to be innovated leaders focused on promoting the success of the company. Establishing and maintaining the function of control is crucial in a company of this size. The appropriate protocols must be in place to ensure performance, organizational and ethical goals are being met. Currently, several control mechanisms are used by many companies around the world. Some control mechanisms used by Southwest Airlines are budgetary, bureaucratic, clan and financial management.
Control Mechanisms
The bureaucratic control mechanism is important to a company the magnitude of Southwest Airlines. The organization uses this method to verify organizational goals, measure opportunity for improvement and progress, and applying corrective measure in place to ensure performance. One way that they increase efficiency while keeping cost at the management level low, is by giving their middle management more control over their employees to negotiate solutions to unforeseen problems. Another successful control mechanism is done through their cooperation and maneuvering with workers’ unions. The airline industry operates under the Department of Transportation, which is heavily unionized. While most pilots working for other airlines operate within a national union, Southwest pilots operate under a separate independent union. This allows them to fly more hours, and get paid per trip, increasing their motivation to work more (D'Aurizio, 2008). One of the more interesting bureaucratic controls that Southwest has put into effect is giving their lower level employees more direct control in the screening and interviewing process for
August 20, 2010
MGT330
Southwest Airlines and Control Mechanisms
Southwest Airlines is a vigorous business commonly admired, whether it is positive or negative, by many for countless reasons. Southwest Airlines has withheld a positive social responsibility for many years. Southwest is an organization promoting people to be innovated leaders focused on promoting the success of the company. Establishing and maintaining the function of control is crucial in a company of this size. The appropriate protocols must be in place to ensure performance, organizational and ethical goals are being met. Currently, several control mechanisms are used by many companies around the world. Some control mechanisms used by Southwest Airlines are budgetary, bureaucratic, clan and financial management.
Control Mechanisms
The bureaucratic control mechanism is important to a company the magnitude of Southwest Airlines. The organization uses this method to verify organizational goals, measure opportunity for improvement and progress, and applying corrective measure in place to ensure performance. One way that they increase efficiency while keeping cost at the management level low, is by giving their middle management more control over their employees to negotiate solutions to unforeseen problems. Another successful control mechanism is done through their cooperation and maneuvering with workers’ unions. The airline industry operates under the Department of Transportation, which is heavily unionized. While most pilots working for other airlines operate within a national union, Southwest pilots operate under a separate independent union. This allows them to fly more hours, and get paid per trip, increasing their motivation to work more (D'Aurizio, 2008). One of the more interesting bureaucratic controls that Southwest has put into effect is giving their lower level employees more direct control in the screening and interviewing process for
References: Bond, D. (07/18/2005). Big Mo at Southwest. Aviation Week & Space Technology, 163(3), p36. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=17739259&site=ehost-live D 'Aurizio, P. (Nov-Dec 2008). Southwest Airlines: Lessons in loyalty.. Nursing Economics, 26(6), p389-392. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2010146005&site=ehost-live Hallowell, R. (Winter 1996). Southwest Airlines: a case study linking employee needs satisfaction and organizational capabilities to competitive advantage.. Human Resource Management, 35(4), p513-534. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=1998028036&site=ehost-live