Organizational Behavior and Communication

Southwest Airlines Organizational Behavior and Communication
Justina Kabanuk
University of Phoenix
COM/530 Communications for Accountants
Gina Owens-Ricks
July 26, 2010










Southwest Airlines Organizational Behavior and Communication
Within recent years the economy of the United States has been unstable and in many was harmful to many organizations. For an organization to excel in a poor economic environment, it must separate itself from the competition and find ways to appeal to its customers. One particular company that excelled and remained profitable even during an economic depression is Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines has excelled regardless of the poor economy.   Southwest Airlines values, culture, communication within the company, and approach to handling conflict has helped the company remain profitable even during the hardest economic times.
Southwest Airlines Mission and Values
Southwest Airlines’ mission statement acknowledges the customer and how the customer will be treated.
“The mission of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit,” (The mission statement of Southwest Airlines, 2010)
The company has many espoused values that have been passed down from upper management to all employees. Southwest Airlines former chairman, Herb Kelleher, led by example and he treated his employees as family and expected the employees to treat each other and their customers as family as well. This philosophy has been carried on by Colleen Barrett, president emeritus of Southwest Airlines. Barrett attributes Southwest Airlines...