Question: 01

Name at least two things that Southwest is doing efficiently.

Name at least two things that Southwest is doing effectively.
In what ways do efficiency and effectiveness support each other at Southwest?
In what ways do they contradict each other?

Ans. Southwest Airlines is one of the important Airline of USA. Southwest Airlines
may only rank 317 on the Fortune 500 List but the company ranks highly on most
publications’ Most Admired Companies lists.
Efficiency means using resources wisely and in a cost effective way. The Southwest
Airline exists point on behalf of the case.
 Southwest didn’t adopt the hub-and-spoke system
 It preferring a short-haul
 Point to point schedule
 Carrier operates out of small
 Use less expensive airports in many major markets
Effectively means making the right decisions and successfully implementing them. At
first we say that present CEO and President of Southwest act as a leader not manager. A
manager thinks incrementally, while a leader think radically. A leader leads the
employee in better ways rather than managers. The effective manner as-
i) Southwest use the low cost air carrier and successfully implementing
them
ii) The company flies only one type of jet, and it adopt successfully and
maintenance a better way
iii) Southwest took right decision when they use of long Island’s Islip
iv) The President and COO Colleen Barrett of Southwest Airlines say
“We aren’t in the Airline Business, we are in the Customer Service
Business” It is very effective in case of Southwest.
v) Remember that Southwest has no labor union. They are unionized; it
has never experienced a labor strike. That means Southwest use
human resources effectively.

In the Southwest Airlines the top level managers use resources cost effective way and
efficiently that already discuses above. It has a proper management division and
maintains all human resources in a better way.

The biggest complaint in the industry is that management doesn’t listen to employees. It
would be contradict position if the Southwest can’t use the resources in a cost
effectively and efficiently. For example it has better human resources but it can’t use it
properly or it exist labor strike.

A Case on Southwest Still Flies High

Question: 02
Based on information in the case, describe the managerial skills that Colleen Barrett
and Jim Parker use in their jobs at Southwest?

Ans.
Managerial Skills:
Every Corporation exists some managerial skills. Without it- a Corporation can’t reach
a better position. Read the case carefully find the following managerial skills:

Technical Skills: Colleen Barrett and Jim Parker had no formal education to hold their
post. But both has better leadership manner though they are not a First Line Manager.

Interpersonal Skills: The top manager needs the ability to communicate with
understand and motivate both individuals and groups. The Southwest employees are
highly motivated because they enjoy a profit sharing and also stock ownership.

Conceptual Skills: It is needed for the top level manager- as Jim Parker and Colleen
Barrett must have such type of skills. A manager must the mental capacity to
understand the overall work environment. It is a plan to success the work.

Diagnostic Skills: The managers’ ability to visualize the most appropriate response to a
situation. In the Southwest- when other airlines are reducing wages, but Southwest is
giving pay hike.

Communication Skills: These skills enable a manager to transmit ideas to subordinates

so that they know is expected, to coordinate work with peers and colleagues. Firm’s
management sites personally negotiate every union contract.

Decision-making Skills: It is very important for any Airlines like Southwest. The top
level manager takes proper decision and proper way they implement that. Colleen
Barrett and Jim Parker takes different type decision e.g. when other airline wage cut but
they give pay hike. Like the most managers, Barrett has a primarily decision-making
role.

A Case on Southwest Still Flies High

Question: 03
Neither Colleen Barrett nor Jim Parker has a formal education in management. Explain
then how they can be effective managers. Would formal education help them to be
better managers? Why or why not?

Ans. Though neither Colleen Barrett nor Jim Parker has a formal education in
management but both have a good manager. It would be possible when they have a
management practices. Remember that both can’t hold the position at the beginning of
Southwest. The business environment help the both managers to their perfectly. If we
see the hierarchy of the Southwest Airlines it has different line managers (Corporate
Service, Customers, Operations, Finance, Schedule Planning etc.) to run the airlines
properly.

Formal education is needed to understand the problem theoretically but practical life is
different. A formal education is needed the case properly such as motivation theory,
leadership manner, decision making and planning rules, proper use information
technology etc.

A Case on Southwest Still Flies High