Amazon.com
What do you do if you're running the worst airline in the country,one that customers hate and that's been through Chapter 11 twice in the last 10 years? If you're lucky, you'll call Gordon Bethune. Before Bethune arrived, Continental had been ravaged by the likes of Frank Lorenzo and airline deregulation--it was considered the laughingstock of the airline industry in the United States. Under Bethune's leadership, Continental turned itself around to become one of the most respected and reliable airlines in the industry. From Worst to First describes how Bethune, with a lot of luck and the right combination of people, was able to transform Continental from an also-ran into an award-winning company. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
The numerous anecdotes alone are worth the price of the book . . . most readers will find themselves asking why everyone doesn't run a business as preached by the chief executive of Continental Airlines.-The Washington Post Book World
. . . in an age where managing seems increasingly complicated, some of Bethune's prescriptions are refreshingly straightforward.-Business Week
From Worst to First outlines Gordon Bethune's triumphs . . . about the turnaround he's led at Continental, a perennial basket case that's become an industry darling.-The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
From Worst to First is [Gordon Bethune's] story of Continental Airlines' turnaround under his command . . . The blueprint has worked . . . Fortune magazine named Continental the company that has 'raised its overall marks more than any other in the 1990s.'-The Seattle Post-Intelligencer
All of Gordon Bethune's proceeds from this book will be donated to the We Care Trust, a nonprofit organization that assists Continental Airlines' employees and their families in times of need.
Customer Reviews:
Top Notch.......2007-05-19
I had the pleasure of doing media relations for Continental in the early 2000s, including the years after 9/11. The Gordon Bethune in the book is the Gordon Bethune you meet in person: incredibly smart, driven, concerned about the people whose paychecks he signed, and satisfied with nothing less than the best. Great read. (I sound like a PR guy... But I mean it sincerely...)
Remarkable Turnaround.......2007-01-22
This is an enlightening book on how CEO Gordon Bethune, together with his team, engineered a remarkable turnaround of Continental Airlines in the mid-1990s and then steered Continental to be a very successful airline. With literary assistance from journalist Scott Huler, Continental Airlines Bethune describes how he transformed the near-bankrupt airline into one of the best companies in the industry. He outlined his four-part "Go Forward" plan for turning Continental airlines around, and offers critical advice to all business professionals. He uses numerous examples, as well as stories and anecdotes; to make his simple, yet profound points.T he challenges faced by Continental Airlines in 1994 are somewhat similar to those faced by many airlines worldwide in the past six years or so, when the industry was going through a rough patch. Many of these airlines need visionary and decisive leadership of Bethune's mould to turn the familiar red ink at the bottom line to black.
The book is well written in an easy to follow and understand manner which enables it to benefit anyone in any industry to gain insights into how to turnaround a loss making business with dysfunctional structures and demotivated people. I learnt a lot from the various examples provided which helped me to get his message across. I also enjoyed the various humorous stories which illustrates how badly Continental used to be mismanaged and how the situation was straightened out.
Although there was a fair amount of repetition which may annoy some people, I had no problem with it as it helped to reinforce the author's message. This book is absolutely invaluable for any manager or leader in any organization undergoing a turnaround process, regardless of size.
light on the details but interesting.......2006-12-18
Continental airlines was a major disaster in 1994. Gordon Bethune did a major turnaround of that company and unfortunately he does not tell us how he did it with the exception of cutting costs. He was so busy talking about how wonderful he was that he forgot to tell us how to turn the company around and not just the end results. It is still an interesting book for those who are interested in the airline industry but don't expect to get much out of it if you are looking for the story of continentals turnaround.
Great read for business people.......2005-12-16
I have been a loyal frequent flyer at Continental since the late 90's, and I have no idea the airlines was that terrible at the early 90's. As a frequent flyer, I admire Continental's plane is always cleaner than other airlines, and the flight attendant attitude is always friendly than others. After reading the book, I understand the reasons.
If you work at a company need to be turned around, this book is almost a top read. For management, there are some good ideas worth considering from reading this book.
This book can be condensed to 2/3. The last one third of the book is somewhat repeating what has been said at the beginning. Otherwise I will give it a 5 stars rating.
Great book, Even for Non-Aviation hobbiest~.......2005-12-12
This is a great book on how Continental emerged from bankruptcy twice. Bethunes punes run throughout the book which make for easy and enjoyable reading. Even for a college student such as myself.
Amazon.com
In this autobiography, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson says one of his prime business criteria is "fun." Fun made Branson a billionaire, and few business memoirs are one-billionth as fun as Branson's, nor as niftily written. Not only does it relate his side of near-death corporate experiences, it tells how the chairman literally cheated death by gun, shipwreck, and balloon crash.
Branson's empire--now encompassing interests in an airline, pop music, soda pop, e-commerce, and financial services--began when the dyslexic 16-year-old dropped out of school in 1968 to found the British magazine Student. His headmaster said, "I predict that you will either go to prison or become a millionaire." Briefly imprisoned for dodging customs selling records, Branson got his first million by releasing Tubular Bells, a maverick recording all the stuffy executives rejected. (1998's Tubular Bells III puts the series' sales over 20 million.)
Despite wild tales of Branson's wife-swapping and Keith Richards fleeing naked from Branson's studio at gunpoint with another man's woman, the most shocking parts of the memoir concern British Airways' James Bond-like "dirty tricks" campaign against Virgin Atlantic, resulting in the biggest award for damages in English history.
Though it's filled with famous names, witty quotes, and pulse-pounding accounts of lunatic balloon adventures, it is as a business thriller that the book really scores. His instinctive bet-the-ranch tactics could cost him all, or earn another billion. Either way, Branson will likely remain the most entertaining entrepreneur in Europe. --Tim Appelo
Book Description
"Oh, screw it, let's do it."
That's the philosophy that has allowed Richard Branson, in slightly more than twenty-five years, to spawn so many successful ventures. From the airline business (Virgin Atlantic Airways), to music (Virgin Records and V2), to cola (Virgin Cola), to retail (Virgin Megastores), and nearly a hundred others, ranging from financial services to bridal wear, Branson has a track record second to none.
Losing My Virginity is the unusual, frequently outrageous autobiography of one of the great business geniuses of our time. When Richard Branson started his first business, he and his friends decided that "since we're complete virgins at business, let's call it just that: Virgin." Since then, Branson has written his own "rules" for success, creating a group of companies with a global presence, but no central headquarters, no management hierarchy, and minimal bureaucracy.
Many of Richard Branson's companies--airlines, retailing, and cola are good examples--were started in the face of entrenched competition. The experts said, "Don't do it." But Branson found golden opportunities in markets in which customers have been ripped off or underserved, where confusion reigns, and the competition is complacent.
And in this stressed-out, overworked age, Richard Branson gives us a new model: a dynamic, hardworking, successful entrepreneur who lives life to the fullest. Family, friends, fun, and adventure are equally important as business in Branson's life. Losing My Virginity is a portrait of a productive, sane, balanced life, filled with rich and colorful stories:
Crash-landing his hot-air balloon in the Algerian desert, yet remaining determined to have another go at being the first to circle the globe
Signing the Sex Pistols, Janet Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Boy George, and Phil Collins
Fighting back when British Airways took on Virgin Atlantic and successfully suing this pillar of the British business establishment
Swimming two miles to safety during a violent storm off the coast of Mexico
Selling Virgin Records to save Virgin Atlantic
Staging a rescue flight into Baghdad before the start of the Gulf War . . .
And much more. Losing My Virginity is the ultimate tale of personal and business survival from a man who combines the business prowess of Bill Gates and the promotional instincts of P. T. Barnum.
Also available in the UK from Virgin Publishing, and in Canada from General Publishing,
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-10-01
I have read this book three times. Branson does business the way we should all aspire to do business. He has built businesses that he is passionate about. He enjoys his life and has been exceptionally successful. I find it to be an inspiring and enjoyable read. Probably why I have returned to it multiple times.
The best book I've read!.......2007-09-24
This is probably the best book I've ever read so far. Its not a business book, so read it as you would "literature" over a weekend... but its filled with great entertaining stories and helps you see how this guy's life has been. And you definitely learn some lessons.
If you are an entrepreneur, you MUST read Losing my Virginity!
Enjoyable read. Buy it!.......2007-09-14
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
I'm not big on reading autobiographies, but this one I really enjoyed, couldn't put it down!
Good Book, Easy Read.......2007-08-13
Very enjoyable read. He does not give you any great business insight, but it is an uplifting and encouraging story.
Amusing, Inspiring, Educational and Brilliant!.......2007-07-25
This is a sensational book. Most autobiographies are boring and so full of only positive stuff about the person that you just know you are not getting the full picture. In this book Branson openly admits mistakes and bad business decisions. He gives credit to others acknowledging Virgin's success would not have happened without them. He also included instances when he has been brought back down to earth for example when two tourists asked for a picture he thought that he was being nice and started posing for them until he saw their confused faces and realised they wanted him to take a picture of them.
This book tells the reader everything about the Virgin empire from the first issue of Student magazine in 1968 to approval for their trains thirty years later in 1998. Obviously a lot more has happened since 98 such as Virginblue in Australia but we will have to wait for the sequel for that. This is a brilliant book which is as enjoyable as the great financial fictional thrillers like Harry Bingham's classic the Money Makers. This is so mush more inspiring when you realise Branson is not a fictional character and these achievements are real. This book will inspire you to get out there and make money. Buy it!
Note - There is an updated version of this book to be released soon which will have the post 98 stuff in it.
Product Description
Without a doubt, Southwest Airlines phenomenal culture has become the envy of most of American CEOs. The Dallas-based airlines unprecedented success, its ability to survive where others fail and its continued tradition of service excellence has garnered awards from every possible corner of a highly-competitive industry. The question is, how did it happen? After her retirement, Lorraine Grubbs-West -- a former Southwest Airlines VP -- took a look back at her 15-year tenure with Southwest Airlines. In her book, Lessons in Loyalty, she highlights some of the unique and successful business strategies that moved the company from an upstart start-up in a well-established field to more than 30 years of profitability and the recognized leader in todays passenger aviation industry. In view of the challenges that continue to confront American business today, this book may be as they say -- just what the doctor ordered. Its brevity, easy-to-read format and straight-forward approach makes Lessons in Loyalty a primer for any firm wanting to build a loyal workforce capable of making the right things happen. But Grubbs-West makes her book an interesting journey of indelible wisdom, as well, designed especially for the busy business leader.
Customer Reviews:
Lessons in Loyatly: How Southwest Airlines Does It.......2007-03-10
This book gives an entertaining background on SouthWest Airlines culture, and how Southwest uses interview and hiring practices to protect that culture. In addition, it describes some of the unique actions Southwest takes to be loyal to it's own employees. Loyalty is the net result.
A quick read.
A BUSINESS ANIMAL'S BOOK.......2005-11-19
THE AUTHOR TELLS THE STORIES WITH SUCH A MATTER OF FACT VOICE THAT IS EASY TO FOLLOW AND FUN TO KNOW HOW FROLICKY THE AIRLINE IS. WHEN ONE IS READING IT, S/HE THINKS THAT SOUTHWEST IS THE BEST PLACE TO WORK. I HAVE NOT HEARD MANY SAY SUCH NICE THINGS ABOUT THEIR OCCUPATION OR COMPANY.
GRUBBS-WEST RELATES TO HER READERS IN A WAY THAT IS COMFORTABLE AND APPEALING. CHAPTER 5 IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE - EVEN THOUGH THE WISDOM SPRINKLED LIKE NUGGETS THROUGHOUT THE BOOK IS GOOD FODDER FOR ALL BUSINESS ENDEAVORS - WITH ALL OF THE STORIES IN IT. I LAUGHED OUT LOUD AND LOVED THE ASPHALT STORY. ALSO, SHE IS BRAVE TO TELL ON HERSELF MAKING MISTAKES; YET IN DOING SO, SHE REVEALS THAT THIS IS THE CHARACTER OF THE EMPLOYEE THAT SOUTHWEST IS LOOKING FOR. I HAVE TO SAY IT IS IRONIC THAT THE AUTHOR'S NAME ENDS IN WEST LIKE THE COMPANY SHE LOVED WORKING FOR FOR SO LONG - MAYBE SUBCONCIOUSLY SHE'S MORE LOYAL THAN SHE KNOWS! IN THE BOOK, SHE TALKS ABOUT ONE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT'S MIMICING THE "OSCAR MAYER" JINGLE AS "MY COMPANY HAS A FIRST NAME, IT'S S-O-U-T-H, MY COMPANY HAS A SECOND NAME, IT'S W-E-S-T..."
THIS BOOK IS A GOOD ONE FOR LEARNING ABOUT LOYALTY OF EMPLOYEES AND FOR TEACHING A COMPANY'S MANAGERS HOW TO MAKE THE WORKPLACE FUN AND PRODUCTIVE.
weLEAD Book Review from the Editor of leadingtoday.org.......2005-11-14
Lessons in Loyalty is a fascinating book to read. For years, Southwest Airlines has become a legendary example of the power of servant leadership principles. Its achievements are impressive considering the competitive, cut-throat airline industry in which it thrives. Southwest Airlines has been named "one of the "Top Five Best Companies to Work for in America" by Fortune Magazine, It also has had the fewest customer complaints 18 years in a row as reported by the DOT Air Travel Consumer Report. The Southwest Airlines has been profitable for 31 consecutive years, named the "2nd Most Admired Company in America by Fortune Magazine, and has an average employee turnover rate of less than 10%. If you made a $10,000 investment in Southwest Airlines in 1972, it would be worth more than $10 million today. Are you impressed yet? How they did this is a captivating read and the author tells gives us the real reasons.
Lorraine Grubbs-West was a senior executive for Southwest Airlines for over 15 years. Lessons in Loyalty is an "insider's" view of work and life at the successful airlines. She discloses that what makes Southwest Airlines exceptional is "the strong employee and customer loyalty it has developed - a feeling of devotion, duty and attachment to Southwest". Most organizations would like to achieve this exceptional level of loyalty, yet they consistently perform actions that alienate people rather than foster loyalty. The author provides 9 Loyalty Lessons (Chapters) that outline the positive principles that have made the airline a winner. Some of the lessons include thought-provoking titles like "Hire Attitude - Train Skills", "People Give as Good as they Get", "Luv "Em in Tough Times", "Do What's Right", and "Nurture the Corporate Family".
Lessons in Loyalty is written with the same enthusiastic spirit and confidence that has made the airlines a phenomenon. There have been a number of fine books written to explain how and why Southwest Airlines has risen to the top tier of corporations. This excellent book, from the perspective of a former employee, is easy to read and reveals some exceptional principles not discussed in other books on the subject.
Book Description
Although introductions to courses in finance exist for a variety of fields, Robert W. Kaps provides the first text to address the subject from an aviation viewpoint. Relying on his vast experience—twenty-plus years in the airline industry and more than thirty years in aviation—Kaps seeks not only to prepare students for careers in the aviation field but also to evoke in these students an excitement about the business. Specifically, he shows students how airlines, airports, and aviation are financed. Each chapter contains examples and illustrations and ends with suggested readings and references.
Following his discussion of financial management and accounting procedures, Kaps turns to financial management and sources of financial information. Here he discusses types of business organizations, corporate goals, business ethics, maximizing share price, and sources of financial information.
Kaps also covers debt markets, financial statements, air transport sector revenue generation, and air transport operating cost management, including cost administration and labor costs, fuel, and landing fees and rentals. He describes in depth air transport yield management systems and airport financing, including revenues, ownership, operations, revenue generation, funding, allocation of Air Improvement Program funds, bonds, and passenger facility charges.
Kaps concludes with a discussion of the preparation of a business plan, which includes advice about starting and running a business. He also provides two typical business plan outlines. While the elements of fiscal management in aviation follow generally accepted accounting principles, many nuances are germane only to the airline industry. Kaps provides a basic understanding of the principles that are applicable throughout the airline industry.
Book Description
Twenty-five years ago, Herb Kelleher reinvented air travel when he founded Southwest Airlines, where the planes are painted like killer whales, a typical company maxim is "Hire people with a sense of humor," and in-flight meals are never served--just sixty million bags of peanuts a year. By sidestepping "reengineering," "total quality management," and other management philosophies and employing its own brand of business success, Kelleher's airline has turned a profit for twenty-four consecutive years and seen its stock soar 300 percent since 1990.
Today, Southwest is the safest airline in the world and ranks number one in the industry for service, on-time performance, and lowest employee turnover rate; and Fortune magazine has twice ranked Southwest one of the ten best companies to work for in America. How do they do it?
With unlimited access to the people and inside documents of Southwest Airlines, authors Kevin and Jackie Freiberg share the secrets behind the greatest success story in commercial aviation. Read it and discover how to transfer the Southwest inspiration to your own business and personal life.
Customer Reviews:
Such a great story, everyone should read it. Especially anyone interested in business........2007-09-21
Yeah, this is a business book, but it is a lot more of value and is a lot more fun than most of them. Get it, read it, think about it, and enjoy it. The title has multiple meanings. It refers to Southwest's policy of giving its short haul passengers a bag of peanuts instead of meals (they give out tens of millions of bags each year). Those bags of nuts also stand for Southwest's healthy obsession with keeping their costs down so they can keep their fares low. And "Nuts!" also refers to the founders of the company starting a low cost airline in Texas in the age of regulated airlines (do you remember that time) and their radical approach to carrying passengers. Basically, outside of safety and maintenance, whatever the big airlines did, Southwest did it just about the opposite way.
Where the big airlines used the hub and spoke to fly more full flights, Southwest chose point-to-point and a 10-15 minutes turn around time to keep the planes in the air. Where the big airlines encouraged uniforms and professionalism, Southwest went with hotpants and outrageous behavior (now they use khaki shorts, but the personality of the flight attendants is more like a stand up routine). Instead of meals, peanuts. Instead of assigned seats, you pick it on board. Instead of the multi-part printed ticket, you get a paper receipt with the words "THIS IS A TICKET" printed on it. There is a LOT more just like this.
Learning from Herb Kelleher's approach to business and his actually being able to make money in the airline business is fascinating stuff. A great read because Kevin & Jackie Freiberg not only write well, they know how to organize the material to make it especially valuable to us. Just terrific. Strongly recommended to everyone because it is such an interesting story.
Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
NUTS!.......2007-07-30
This book is a must read for anyone in the business world. Herb's theories and ideas should be mirrored by anyone in or out of the airline industry.
Employees come first.......2007-07-08
This book has now been in print for 11 years but is still a valuable read. As most people spend more waking hours at work and the field to find highly qualified people becomes more competitive, a successful company will create an environment that is flat, allows the employees to grow, challenge and enjoy coming to work.
I did find the book a little long and verbose on praises. If you do find the beginning a little long and are lacking the time, do not miss out on the last 3 chapters. Although commonsense it lays out how it is within SWA
Leaders leading Leaders
1. Walk your talk
2. Focus on things you can control
3. Be prepared
4. Sharpen your political skills
5. Love people into action
6. Listen for more than you hear
Leadership from the inside out
1. Leadership inspires motivation
2. Make a commitment
3. Honor People's efforts
4. Believe in people
Go Nuts
1. Find a purpose you're crazy about
2. Make your life and work an adventure
3. Believe in people and they will believe in themselves
4. Don't take yourself too seriously
5. Dare to Dream
6. Be Yourself
7. Dare to be different
8. Pursue love before techniques
9. Choose service over self-interest
It will be interesting to see how the story plays out from 2007 with even greater pressure on oil prices, and with potential changes relating to Herbert D. Kelleher as Chairman of the Board at the age of 75; and, also Colleen C. Barrett as President, Secretary, Director at the age of 62.
In the end, you have to give credit to the company that keeps the employees as priority #1 and still manages to take its stock from about US$9 in 1998 to about US$ 15 in 2007. It seems the shareholders are not overly concerned. And as the book notes itself, there is no lone ranger at SWA. Leadership is fostered within the organization.
"Nuts" but then it expains the real success. Worth reading.......2007-02-04
You probably don't have to be a Southwest fan to enjoy this book but it helps. It just adds insight and confirms what you already now. Try to change a reservation or cancel one and you quickly find out this company is different. Chapters 19, Customers Come Second, and Chapter 20 Employees come first may as much as anything go to the heart of their message.
Backing their employees, empowering them, and a real loyalty to them is demonstrated in example after example. The lessons the pilots learned working as ramp agents would apply to any industry and even though what they did isn't unique it fits so well into the overall story that it is exciting to revisit the method of bringing a team together.
The book reminds me of Jim Collins book, "Good to Great" and "Built to Last". Those books seem to show ways to change a company and to make them into great ones. "Nuts" is about a company that has been great right from the beginning. Rather than concentrating on fixing things is shows how the company created itself.
This book was given to me. I hadn't read a business book in a while. I wasn't looking for a rally to success and was a little hesitant. People who believe in what they are doing and want to do the right things for the right reasons have a good message and this is worth reading just for the example it presents and it's message.
The official story behind a great airline.......2006-12-20
Southwest is the darling of the airline industry. This is the story of how three people formed an airline from an idea on a cocktail napkin. This covers the legal aspects of flying as well as the success of southwest by empowering their employees. It has the great Herb Keller stories along the way. If you are interested in studying the airline industry this is a must read to gain a perspective of one of the most profitable and successful airlines that has truly carved a niche for itself.
Book Description
"If you look at Southwest Airlines, and I admire what they do, they've been the most successful airline in the industry."
--Gerard Arpey, CEO, American Airlines
"Through extensive research Jody Hoffer Gittell gets to the bottom of what has sustained Southwest Airlines' positive employee relations and high performance through good and bad times."
--Thomas A. Kochan, professor, MIT Sloan School of Management, MIT Global Airline Industry Program
In an industry with losses in the billions, Southwest Airlines has an unbroken string of 31 consecutive years of profitability. The Southwest Airlines Way examines how the company uses high-performance relationships to create enormous competitive advantage in motivation, teamwork, and coordination among employees. It then goes further to show how any company can foster these powerful cooperative relationships and explains how to:
- Lead with credibility and caring
- Invest in frontline leaders
- Hire and train for relational competence
- Use conflicts to build relationships
- Make unions its partners, not its adversaries
- Build relationships with its suppliers
Download Description
Drawing on extensive research and interviews with frontline Southwest employees, managers, and senior executivesB-B-The Southwest Airlines Way explains how Southwest's relationship-based performance principles can be adopted by managers in any industry, with dramatic results.
Customer Reviews:
Useful for IO Psyc class.......2007-09-22
Got the book for my Industrial Organizational Psychology class. It's a pretty interesting read. I recommend it to anyone looking to study IO Psyc.
Over The Top View of Supposed Perfection.......2007-04-27
I got about halfway through this book and couldn't stand the back slapping tummy rubbing view of perfection portrayed by the author. I lent the book to a colleague who has worked at Southwest and they agreed. Perhaps if you hadn't worked in the game it would be a better book. problem is Southwest probably deserves a better book because they are a great success story - just don't have an author crow so hard about it and detract from the true story. I rate the book three stars (possible generous) simply because I couldn't bear to read it all. For the money I recommend 'Hard Landing' by Petzinger as far more worthwhile ('From Worst to First' is also better).
A little heavy on the chest beating.......2007-01-30
The first part of the Audio CD was a turn-off. The title begins by trumpeting the virtues of Southwest. Not only was that not necessary, it gets old very quickly. Once that is over, the discussion is quite a bit more interesting. The philosophy that Southwest operates under is presented in a "top ten list" format. In addition, the author discusses how each of the ten items is necessary for the formula to work, and thus why many companies have failed to improve when trying to use only some of Southwest's techniques.
I would recommend this title only after reading other business titles. Two in particular are "From Good to Great" by Jim Collins and "First, Break all the Rules" / "Now, Discover your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham. I feel this book doesn't stand well by itself; rather it is a case study of these two works, and probably a few others I haven't read yet.
I recommend the former because Jim Collins notes long term successful businesses all figure out their key performance metric and subordinate all business processes to it. The first part of "The Southwest Airlines Way" speaks right to this point. Aircraft turn around is Southwest Airline's key metric, they do it better than their competitors, and all of the 10 points support minimizing the metric.
The latter references by Buckingham theorize that people's talents are fixed, not learned. Thus, Buckingham recommends hire for the talents you need, as it is a waste of resources to try and train the untalented. This goes hand-in-hand with Southwest Airlines interviewing for, and only accepting, applicants with natural aptitude in people skills. Southwest Airlines ten points to success follow many of Buckingham's observations (recommendations) on how to successfully manage employee talent.
The Southwest Airlines Way.......2006-11-10
This is a great book on the study of Organizational Behavior. It provides great examples and keys elements to running a successful company. As a college student, this book has been invaluable as a source of information for various classes. I highly recommend this book to any student of Human Resource Management or Organizational Behavior.
High performance relationships - the key to Southwests success.......2006-04-02
The book is about how although Leadership, culture, strategy and co-ordination have been critical for SW's amazing performance uptill now the hidden factor is the high performance relationships that permeate the organisation. One person working in isolation does not deliver customer satisfaction. Only a group of people working as a single unit with no friction, hidden agendas or dysfucntional incentives can do that. Above all a group of people with outstanding relationships.
Some of the key practices at SW expanded in the book are:
1. Lead with credibility and caring
2. Invest in frontline leadership (high supervisory staffing levels)
3. Hire and train for relational competence
4. Use conflicts to build relationships
5. Bridge the work/family divide by bringing family into the organisation
6. Create boundary spanners (people at the edges of two divisions who help co-ordinate between them)
7. Avoid finger pointing - measure performance broadly
8. Keep jobs flexible at the boundaries
9. Make unions your partners, not adversaries
10. Build relationships with your suppliers
One interesting similarity between the Toyota way principles and the South West way I noted was that they both believe in long term consistent profit growth (organic if possible) and they believe in not laying off people during hard times. I think this contrasted a little bit with Jack Welch's approach of faster growth through acquisition where appropriate and his belief that you should regularly ask the bottom performers to leave the company to get rid of the deadwood. The other similarity between Toyota and SW was their willingness to get in bed with their suppliers and their belief that culture was everything.
Book Description
The president and CEO of Scandinavia Airlines (SAS) shows how to adapt to the new customer–driven economy.
Customer Reviews:
Moments of Truth.......2006-07-25
In this new millenium it's funny to think how things used to be only 20 years ago. A lot of the principles of this book would be second nature now but it definitely highlights how you can develop a struggling business by focussing on what the customer wants - gee radical thinking!!
I'm of the opinion that it's good to read about the past lest we forget and make the same mistakes - in life and in business.
A good simple read but perhaps a little rose tinted. Left me wanting to know what happened in the late 80's (i.e. part 2).
A great leadership lesson for corporate leaders.......2006-06-01
If you are a business leader, you should read this book. It is a fascinating story of a corporate turnaround.
Moments of truth occur when your company touches a stakeholder and proceeds to deliver products or services that satisfy or disatisfy. It is that simple and yet very difficult to execute consistently.
If you have heard of "Service Maps" or touchpoints where customer contact occurs, my hunch is that the consultant or leader proposing the concept has read this book or been instructed by someone who has.
The book is a good read and provides deep business insights that you can you use to motivate and lead people and organizations.
IF you work for government or non-profit entities you too can learn from this book because its messages and concepts are applicable to all leaders and organizations.
Recommand an EXCELLENT publication from IATA!!!.......2005-07-14
Please go to http://www.iata.org/ps/publications/9057.htm
to get a comprehensive analysis of airline financial performance,by type of services and route areas!!
Turning SAS back to the profit zone during the 80s.......2005-03-14
Loyalty to vision, not details of execution is a must.
Middle management must be ignited and dedicated towards serving the market.
In a customer driven company the organization is decentralized with responsibility to make decisions that serve the customer at the front line. Middle level manager must learn that their roles are supportive and not declarative. The Middle level manager is to provide the resources and means allowing his front line to serve the customer.
Initiation of changes must originate from the executive suite. The executive's role is to communicate with employees, impart the company's vision and listen to what the employees need to make the vision a reality. A leader role is to be a visionary, strategist, informer, teacher, and inspirer.
At age 39, Jan Carlzon became President of Vigresor a subsidiary of Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS). Carlzon became president over 1,400 employees and immediately started acting out the role he thought he was given. Some of the employees started calling him "ego boy" behind his back characterized by his brash and dictator like commands until Carlzon realized the company was not asking him to make all the decisions on his own, only to create an environment or atmosphere with the right conditions for other to get their job done. Carlzon realized his role was to set the company tone and communicate the big picture with the employees. Vigresor's main function was to contract the flights and get the hotels and package them together for the customer and in the early 70s the company had 210,000 customers and 40,000 tourist package purchases that were unprofitable. The traditional model suggested the company should drive down costs and try to survive with 170,000 customers. Carlzon did not chop costs, instead restructured the organization, making it more flexible and able to handle more should the market bounce back. The market recovered and Vigresor was ready for the increased load and after four years Carlzon was offered the Presidency of Linejeflyg.
In 1978, Linejeflyg had $3 million in loses, passenger load was at 50 percent, 95 percent of the travelers were businessmen, fare rates were determined by airline expenses rather than customer demand levels and customer preferences of the market. Linejeflyg business model catered to business executives who want to fly into Stockholm in the morning and return home in the evening. Carlzon's first conclusion was that it was difficult to make money with an airplane was on the ground. Linejeflyg costs were fixed and the problem was how to increase revenues. Carlzon asks the company's employees to help solve the problem and be a part of the solution to turn the company around. The employees believe in Carlzon and begin participating actively in shaping the companies future. Carlzon believes he must make air travel attractive and increase counts by cutting air fares and getting the planes up in the air more frequently increasing the total hours in the air. Advertising is important and a new slogan is created, "The World's Best Airlines", a bold statement contrary to the norm against bring attention to ones self. Carlzon believes that times have changed and competition is good for the customer. Carlzon moves away from production oriented scheduling to letting the market define what Linejeflyg should produce and sell. Carlzon knows that to fill planes flying during off-peak fares had to be low, so a new campaign is conceived called "Hundred Note" - 100 Swedish kroner designed to attract 5,000 passengers and unexpected it attracted 125,000 passengers; the plan was simple, every knew the meaning a hundred note, and a new types of passengers started flying. Profits were realized when Linejeflyg started selling a $2 breakfast with a 50 cent profit and $1 coffee and bun; revenues increased from $84 million to $105 million with passenger volume increasing 44 percent. Carlzon says, "I succeeded because I reoriented each company towards the needs of the market it servers".
In the early 80s, Carlzon is offered the presidency of SAS. SAS for 17 years has earned a profit and suddenly takes a $20 million dollar loss. The board wants Carlzon to stop the slide into losses and turn the company around into a profit zone. Carlzon realizes that cutting costs is not the answer; the market is in stagnation with zero growth; the cheese slicer approach would cut cost from all departments equally and reduce or eliminate services that the customer wants and is willing to pay for and the cheese slicer approach retains little interest in the customer. Carlzon knows he must bring the best SAS services to market and this is the only solution to increase revenue. Carlzon want to be 100 percent better at one thing and requests $45 millions to improve competitiveness, increase operating costs, and expense $12 million for 147 projects. The board accepts the plan and wisely realizes $25 million in the first year, $40 million in the second year, and $50 million in the third year during a time when the rest of the airline industry was experiencing a $2 billion loss. Also, Carlzon drops the first class and replaces it with Euroclass and does not promote heavily the discount fares. As a part of Euroclass implements moveable partitions, adds telephone and telefax services at hubs, and convenience of their own check in counter and more comfortable seats with better food. Revenues were at $80 million during the first year with a 23% increase in full fare and 7% increase in discount fares.
In 1981, SAS purchases four Airbuses because to used for short flights because of their size and efficiency. The Airbus is large and has bright spacious interiors. The order was for 8 and the cost for the 4 was $120 million. This was not unusual because SAS often replaced aircraft with more technologically advanced models that could fly passengers at a lower cost per seat. The Airbus operate 6 percent cheaper than the DC-9 the work horse for SAS; it also had 240 seats verses 110. Carlzon looked at what the business man who flew SAS wanted. They wanted a non-stop flight from Stockholm to Continential Europe as a service. The Airbus was too expensive to fly this non-stop route. Carlzon switches back to the DC-9 away from the airbus to remain competitive to attract a limited market of Scandinavian business men who want a frequent non-stop flight with convenient schedules that best suite their timetables.
What an Airline CEO Should Be!.......2004-04-23
In this short book, Jan Carlzon relates how he righted three travel companies as CEO by listening to the knowledge accumulated by frontline employees and helping them do their jobs, rather than the other way around. Mr. Carlzon was spectacular in turning around the fortunes of Vingresor, Linjeflyg, and finally SAS. As head of SAS he was able to dispense with business as usual by listening more to the frontline employees, and scrupulously insisting on removing 'yes-men' from his inner circle, a policy that has also served Southwest amazingly well over the years. Although his tenure was not totally without controversy, Carlzon talks frankly about unions (he looks on them as partners and long-term stakeholders), and tough decisions, such as sticking with the trusted DC-9 when other airlines were buying newer planes merely for the sake of having newer planes, despite negative balance sheet implications.
This is a book that should be read by every business major, MBA, and airline employee about what is possible by working together. Sadly in recent US history most airline executives have been self-centered boors who don't care about the airline business, and have no long term stake in the company. Largely they have stayed around a couple of years, raked in millions (in some cases hundreds of millions) of dollars and then left a bankrupt or weak carrier in the lurch. Carlzon makes it clear that he is a capitalist, but a capitalist that realizes that if management and employees work together, solutions can be reached that will benefit all over the long term.
To the Boards of Directors of any airline anywhere I say this: read this book, learn how it should be done, and go out and get a Carlzon-school thinker for every executive position in your company. The long term results will amaze you. I could not recommend this book any more highly.
Product Description
About the Book--
Since deregulation in 1978, airlines have undergone profound changes. And, much has changed since the first edition of this book was published in 1997. In the first decade of the New Millennium, the airlines are in dire straits and stuggling to recover from the worst economic crisis in their entire history. The trauma was brought on by a series of setbacks that began with airline deregulation, followed by a rash of consumer complaints and safety concers, constrained airport capacity resulting in inordinate traffic delays, economic recessions and spikes in oil prices, two wars in the Middle East, and topped off by acts of terrorism around the world and a system now constrained by heightened alert and enhanced security procedures.
Legacy airlines are facing the possibility of extinction unless they can successfully reorganize to combat a proliferation of low-cost carreirs. Yet the new, low-cost point-to-point model is only a partial answer. As described in this book, the emerging air transportation system is evolving into six principal market niches. Airports, too, are evolving to conform to the carriers that use them. Likewise, the countervailing forces driving the production of aircraft into the future are frequency versus capacity, speed versus efficiency and safety, customer service and cost. Which of these alternatives to pursue is at the heart of the strategic struggle for dominance between Airbus and Boeing.
This book is a companion volume in an Air Transport Series, comprised of Air Transportation: Foundations for the 21st Centruy, 2nd ed. and Airline Management: Stategies for the 21st Century, 2nd ed. It is the purpose of this series to acquaint the reader with the principal elements of air transportation hsitory, airline economics, business, finance, marketing, regulation, and management--to bring all the essential elements of commercial aviation within the two-volume series.
Average customer rating:
- Selling Corporate Aviation!!!
- NBAA Guide Expansion
- Excellent Reference
- Outstanding Resource
- Selling It Now
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Business & Corporate Aviation Management : On Demand Air Travel
John J Sheehan
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Wheels Up: Airline Business Plan Development
ASIN: 0071412271 |
Book Description
Here is a comprehensive and practical guide to choosing a business aviation model, setting it up, and making it work. The author, who has more than four decades in the aviation industry, skillfully blends business and aviation issues to provide solid decision-making strategies and smart operating practices for the establishment and management of business aircraft.
* Explains methods of evaluating air transportation needs and choosing appropriate means to meeting them
* Provides detailed how-to information for aviation personnel on running a flight department
* Ties all facets of business aviation operation together: business, operations, administration, and financial
* Covers regulatory requirements, policies, scheduling, planning, security, safety, training, and more
* Includes extensive compilation of forms and checklists
Customer Reviews:
Selling Corporate Aviation!!!.......2006-02-25
I read the first half of the book and during the entire course of the book, all the author does is "See Corporate Aviation". I would not recommend this book to anyone seriously wanting to get insights into the working and economics of corporate aviation. I guess the author wrote the book to popularise corporate aviaiton.
NBAA Guide Expansion.......2005-10-15
There are a very few books covering the Corporate Aviation Management topic.I had been waiting for some corporate aviation material for a while, because the existent texts were not updated with the new facts and changes of the business aviation since the 9/11 events.
I think the author has done a great and serious job putting this information all together.I purchased the book with very high expectations and I must say that I was not disappointed. The contents are well organized and elaborated.
The book is written from a realistic perspective with many references to official sources (FAA, NBAA, etc) and other text books.Although not in deep detail, the book covers all the aspects of a corporate flight department, from planning to operation to maintenance to legal issues, making it, I believe, an excellent guide for starters or experienced professionals.
I like the book format except for its size and fonts.For this type of book I'd prefer a "letter" size with bigger fonts.
For each important matter there are side bars inserted with checklists, which I think are great.
As the author states, this book is a reference guide and should be considered supplementary reading because not all the basics are covered.
Excellent Reference.......2005-09-08
This book was the best reference I had while preparing for the NBAA Certified Aviation Manager's exam in 2004.
It is also a very useful read for the business executive who must deal with an aviation department but has little experience in that particular field.
Outstanding Resource.......2005-09-03
I had recently moved into the position of Aviation Manager/Chief Pilot of a mid-size, midwestern corporate flight department when I purchased this book. I was looking for a one stop shop to cover the basics of corporate aviation and a resource for studying for the NBAA's Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Exam.
Though I had a solid foundation as a corporate pilot for 15 years, I was very impressed at the content of this book. This book covered very well the administration and operations side of a flight department as well as the technical and facilities side. Also included were great chapters on personnel and leadership components of managing a flight department. Though I did study other sources as well, I credit Business and Corporate Aviation and Management by John J. Sheehan as the primary reason I passed the CAM exam on the first try.
This book brings many resources together. As I went through this book, I developed a checklist of things I needed to get working on in my department.
Business and Corporate Aviation and Management was surprisingly easy and enjoyable reading, though a little larger print would have been appreciated.
All in all, this is an outstanding resource for anyone in corporate or business aviation including charter. And if you aspire to manage a flight department or take the CAM Exam, it's a must read and a must keep on your shelf.
Selling It Now.......2005-06-11
I am in management for a major airline, among the most profitable in the world and consistently rated the best. Opened this book, browsed through and decided to sell it. It certainly covers a lot of ground in terms of opening your eyes to managing in aviation, but alas, only for non-aviation experienced personnel. There is mostly only mentions of what is there to run but nothing on how to run something. A long list of LISTS practically on what you need to run and then nothing that puts them together. Readability is not too pretty either. Dry style and lack of visuals will surely make this look like your college engineering textbooks, the ones you dreaded reading.
Book Description
Learn the fundamentals of strategic business planning as they apply to the airline industry with WHEELS UP: AIRLINE BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT. Focusing on issues of particular concern to airline professionals, this timely book covers such topics as flexibility in the current competitive environment, the importance of understanding the structural organization of an airline, and the considerations necessary when making any strategic decision. In addition, you are encouraged to consider current trends (post-9/11) and topics of special interest (cost-cutting, aircraft fleet management, and corporate structure) while learning the process of creating a successful business plan.
Customer Reviews:
Unique and Enlightening.......2007-05-11
I work in the airline business and was delighted to find a book that focuses on the fundamentals of airline strategic business plan development. The book captures the unique elements of airline business including the airline business environment, schedule, network and fleet planning, cost management and reduction and airline business models.
The book is well written in an easy to follow and understand format that should make it accessible to the various stakeholders of the air transport business. This is a must read book for all managers in airlines.
First book ever written on this subject and well needed.......2004-03-14
This is the world's first book ever written on airline business pland development. The author outlines the true "elements" of an airline business plan versus the generic business plan. Anyone interested in starting a big or small company, airline or otherwise, must have this book. Every airline, airport, air cargo operator, consultant, entrepreneur, investor, and enthusiast must have this reference on hand. Excellent work!
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- Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism (3rd Edition)
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