CASE STUDY

FLIGHT PLANS

1. Immediate issue :
 Branson, Missouri, is in a location not easily accessible by air service.

2. Associated Issue:
 Branson city officials now say that the contract between the city and the airport regarding the
arriving passenger fee may not even be constitutional.

3. Issue analysis:
 The city, best known for its country music and music variety shows and family-style attractions, also
has the kinds of outdoor activities that attracted more than 8 million visitors last year, “earning it
the unofficial nickname ‘Vegas without the gambling.’” About 95 percent of those visitors come by
car or bus. But now there’s a new show in town—the Branson Airport.

The airport is generating interest from city governments and the travel industry because it’s the
nation’s first commercial airport built and operated as a private, for-profit business with absolutely
no government funding.

It could turn what now is a mostly regional tourist spot into a national destination for tourists.”
Steve Peet, the airport’s chief executive, admits that he had no idea where Branson was in 2000. But
by 2004, he was convinced there was money to be made flying tourists there.

Initially, the airport’s owners offered exclusive contracts to AirTran and Sun Country on certain
routes to Branson. Also, the airport owners kept the airlines’ operating costs low since airport
employees do much of the work usually done by an airline’s ground staff

To reach Peet’s goal of 250,000 passengers a year, the airport needs only 685 passengers a day. The
airport earns money from landing fees, aircraft fuel sales, a percentage of every sale at the airport’s
facility, and a $8.24 fee paid by the city of Branson for each arriving passenger.

Airport officials respond that, “We have a legal document and we expect to be paid.” And Bourk
maintains that Branson benefits from every tourist that goes through the airport.

Discussion Questions

1. Using the four functions as your guide, what challenges would Jeff Bourk face in managing the
Branson Airport?

 Planning:
1) Deal with too much excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules.
2) To attract the airlines to use their airport.
3) In providing services in low cost.
4) In planning of how to keep Competitors away.

1
Rahul Banyal
 CASE STUDY
 Organizing:
1) It will be a large organization in which many of the people works.
2) It would be difficult to identify tasks.
3) Also deciding who will perform which task will be difficult.
4) How small groups will coordinate to each other for an output.
5) How will reporting procedure done and how it will come to me.

 Leading:
1) It’s a little bit tough to lead a big organization.
2) The major challenge in leading will be to build a strategy for strong intercommunication.
3) In handling the personal conflicts in organization.
4) Working with different kind of people.

 Controlling:
1) Resolving issues for achieving a milestone.
2) In monitoring the performance there would be a greater challenge.
3) There will be challenge to make sure that the work is going for output wanted.

2. Again, using the four functions as your guide, do you think the managerial challenges Jeff Bourk faced
when getting the airport up and running are different from what he faces now in actually overseeing the
airport’s operation? Explain.

 Currently Jeff Bourk is running an organization he needs only managing skills for a built organization.
But when he will build an airport he needs to be more practically included with many things. He will
face different kind of challenges.

Problems in Managerial roles:

Achieving the liaison.
 Attracting more airline groups and cooperation of Branson city officials.
Getting actual information.
 As most of the duties are performed by airport empolyees so it would be difficult to get
more accurate information.

3. What management roles would Jeff Bourk be playing as he

(a) negotiates new contracts with potential airlines.
 He will play the role of negotiator under the role of Decisional role.
(b) works with the airport employees in providing a high level of customer service to
arriving and departing passengers.
 He will play the role of negotiator under the role of Decisional role.
(c) resolves the contractual issues with the city of Branson? Be specific and explain your
choices.
 Role of leadership from Interpersonal role, Negotiator role from Decisional
roles.

2
Rahul Banyal
 CASE STUDY
4. What skills would be most important to a manager like Jeff Bourk? Explain your choices.

 Human skill which involve the ability to work well with other people both individually and in
a group. Because all managers deal with people.
 Conceptual Skills are the skills managers use to think and to conceptualize about abstract
and complex situations.

3
Rahul Banyal