...Assignment #5. Corporate Culture/Leadership Actions Corporate Culture/Leadership Actions for Strategy Implementation Veronica M. Peterson Strayer University Strategic Management - Bus 599 Dr. Donny Bagwell June 14, 2010 Southwest Airlines Discuss the corporate culture at Southwest Airlines and how it leverages its culture to achieve a competitive advantage. Southwest Airlines culture has set them apart from other airlines and companies. Their culture is living the Southwest Way, which means one must have a warrior spirit, a servant’s heart and a fun-LUVing attitude. Another important company value is getting excellent results, which includes: focusing on safety, low cost, and high customer service delivery. Also, demonstrating integrity in all actions: being honest, ethical and trustworthy. They define their culture as the development, improvement, and refinement of the originality, individuality, identity, and personality of a given people. (Southwest) They operative principle is that the “employees come firs and customers come second.” The culture that Southwest Airlines have is the basis for their labor relations, customer service and organizational flexibility. One excerpt from Southwest's "The Book on Service: What Positively Outrageous Service Looks Like at Southwest Airlines" is rather instructive: "'attitude breeds attitude...' If we want our customers to have fun, we must create a fun-loving environment. That means we have to be self-confident...
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...Running head: Corporate Culture/Leadership Actions for Strategy Implementation Corporate Culture/Leadership Actions for Strategy Implementation Assignment #5 Southwest Airlines Strayer University BUS599016VA016-1116-001 Strategic Management September 4, 2011 Abstract This paper examines the corporate culture at Southwest Airlines. The paper will also evaluate the company’s financial performance. Strategic decisions Southwest management should take in order to sustain their cultural strength will also be discussed. Corporate Culture/Leadership Actions for Strategy Implementation Assignment #5 Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines is a major domestic airline. They provide short-haul, high-frequency, point-to-point, and low-fare service. Southwest has one of the best overall customer service records and they are among the lowest cost structures in the domestic airline industry. Discuss the corporate culture at Southwest Airlines and how it leverages its culture to achieve a competitive advantage. Corporate culture is defined as being created by corporate vision, values, principles, and rules (p. 92). The corporate culture at Southwest Airlines believes their employees are the company’s greatest asset. Most companies say customers come first, but at Southwest Airlines their operative principle is , “employees come first and customers come second.” They believe happy employees will keep customers happy (C-419). Southwest employees come first...
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...Societal Norms on Leadership, Corporate Culture and Ethical Business Practices Media is consistently reporting scandals, acts of dishonesty, and other unethical behaviors by organizations within the United States and abroad; many factors can be attributed to this issue. The primary reason is a corporate culture that lacks emphasis on ethical decision-making (Chen, Sawyers & Williams, 1997). Leadership often feels pressured to sellout their personal ethics to achieve organizational goals at any cost. The behaviors and actions of a workforce within an organization can be influenced by many factors. The culture within an organization consists of the behaviors and actions of the employees, management, stakeholders, creditors, customers, and society (Chan & Cheung, 2012). Corporate culture is defined as “the shared beliefs top managers in a company have about how they should manage themselves and other employees, and how they should conduct their business (es) (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013 p. 181). How does this culture affect the business practices within the organization? If unethical behavior is the practice of the leadership within the organization then the employees within the organization will be negatively affected and therefore also exhibit unethical practices. If the leadership has significant influence over the workforce what may influence the leadership within the organization? Societal norms may negatively or positively impact the culture and the behaviors...
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...Corporate Culture Models Paper Corporate Culture Models Paper Corporate culture is the shared morals, ethics and meanings that employee’s hold in common and that are use by an organization’s leaders. Corporate culture is an influential force that affects individual employees in a very real way. Moneypenny's corporate culture model and those proposed by Schein (2009) and Senge (2006) look as if to have a common theme, they all see that corporations have a culture all their own. Schein’s corporate culture consists of three levels, behavior/Artifacts, Values, and assumptions/beliefs. “The most visible level is behavior and artifacts. This is the observable level of culture, and consists of behavior patterns and outward manifestations of culture: perquisites provided to executives, dress codes, level of technology utilized (and where it is utilized), and the physical layout of work spaces” (“Strategic Leadership and Decision Making ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE“, 2010). “At the next level of culture are values. Values underlie and to a large extent determine behavior, but they are not directly observable, as behaviors are. There may be a difference between stated and operating values. People will attribute their behavior to stated values”(“Strategic Leadership and Decision Making ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE“, 2010). “To really understand culture, we have to get to the deepest level, the level of assumptions and beliefs. Schein contends that underlying assumptions grow out of values...
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...business ethics and their relation to leadership, managerial decision making, corporate social responsibility and overall corporate structure. Increased corporate scandals and the discovery of a rise in unethical business practices have thrown the topic of business ethics into the spotlight. Organizations are expected by their stakeholders to implement strong ethics within their corporate structure and culture. This expectation could be accomplished through strong ethical leadership, formal structures and regulations that place emphasis on ethics, and by making a commitment to corporate social responsibility. Using these guidelines will help organizations overcome the various challenges allowing the business to build a strong ethical foundation that will ultimately benefit the company through increased customer and employee satisfaction, which could result in increased profits, organizational sustainability and social status. The review of the literature reveals that there is still plenty of room for exploration on the topic of business ethics and particularly with the topic of ethical leadership. It is recommended that more focus be placed on understanding the influence of strong ethical leadership within an organization and how this influence flows down the organizational structure. Once this flow of influence is understood, exploration is necessary to identify the best procedures for developing and sustaining strong influential leadership ethics within the organizational...
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...Leadership and Corporate Culture What is Leadership? What is Leadership? Ability to persuade others to do things for the good of the organization make difficult decisions make unpopular decisions deliver results create long-term commitments Why is the Leader Important to An Organization? Why is the Leader Important? Establishes vision Develops and implements strategies Allocates and controls resources Chooses key employees Shapes culture Affects organizational performance Projects image to the public Levels of Leadership (Jim Collins, HBR, Jan. 2001) Highly capable individual Contributing team member Competent manager Effective leader – catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear & compelling vision, stimulate high performance Executive – builds enduring greatness through humility and professional wills What are the Leadership Traits of Highly Productive Organizations? Leadership Traits of Highly Productive Organizations Attention to details Highly ethical and moral Embracing simplicity & disdain for waste Long-term focus Humility Coaching leadership style Trust and believe in others Management Practices That Work (Nohria, et al., HBR, 2003) Primary Strategy, Execution, Culture, Structure Secondary (Two of Four) Talent, Leadership, Innovation...
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...Ethics Influences on leadership and management Tom Raes Subject: Leadership Professor: Alasdair White Date: 21/02/2013 Introduction Ethics in leadership and management is something that was something that existed in corporate culture, but pushed to one side. This gradually changed during the last few years where we have experienced multiple scandals. Even today we feel the effect of several decades of unethical behaviour in cultures, corporations and even sports. The world news is filled with stories of unethical behaviour. Acknowledging the growing importance of ethics I want to research it more in the essay below. I want to find an appropriate definition of ethics in Belgian culture. What is the impact of ethics on leadership and management? Last I want to consider if the study of management needs to emphasize more on ethics. The Belgian identity First I want to give a personal insight on the Belgian identity. What makes Belgians, Belgians? Many contacts with various cultures make Belgians tolerant and flexible. The many rules, the scepticism towards government and authority, the internal linguistic split between Flanders (Dutch speaking) and Wallonia (French speaking), and the fact that my country is too small to engage in internationally ambitious enterprises, have led to a relative lack of national pride and self-confidence. Belgium may be one of the least nationalistic cultures in the world. Belgians may be one of the few nationals who...
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... Page 2 of 5 I. Synthesis Locked in an inward looking, closed culture that was proven effective for quite some time, Apple operated in a double agent corporate environment that eventually turned catastrophic to the organization. The founders, Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak, relied on their guiding principles: “Do your own thing, defy the pessimists and ignore the Establishment.” Such custom gave birth to what would be Apple’s “insanely great” Mac, largely patronized and loved by users. When the shortcomings of the existing renegade corporate culture started to surface, Apple’s doomsday was inevitable causing changes in the leadership for a few times. At the time of the case, one of America’s celebrated CEOs, Gilbert Amelio, was invited to take the helm of the organization and was tasked to steer the company away from the imminent crisis it was then facing. Tasked with such great responsibilities of turning the sour crisis into sweet profitability, Amelio had to stand for what he believes would be beneficial to Apple even if he had to breakdown an existing grand old corporate system. Will his successful “chartreuse strategy” for the National Semiconductor Corporation be a duplicable victory story in the case of Apple? II. Point of View Gilbert Amelio, Apple’s New Chief III. Statement of the Problem How would Amelio change the pitch of Apple’s existing corporate culture while laying out a robust corporate operational structure that would enable the company to last for long...
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...organization effective leadership is one of the most important factors that help to guarantee successful work of the organization, its development, and stability. It is a skill that helps managers to organize all of the processes within a company and maintain constant control over the employees. It requires great skills and a strong character and a level of charisma to influence others. While many of the world’s great leaders were not born to be leaders, several after starting with nothing went on to become great leaders because they desired it. Leadership can defined in many ways, but most commonly a leader is person who influences the thoughts and behaviors of others and a leader is one who establishes the direction for others to willingly follow. Leaders come in many styles; from the hard-nosed, strictly discipline oriented person, to the soft-spoken easygoing man, the product always seems to be a person that all subordinates can emulate. It appears as if a good leader is a person that is comprised of many principles and traits. Leaders play a vital role in standardizing performance. Leaders can influence other to perform beyond even their own expectations. Developing a sense of responsibility in your subordinates seems to play a very important role in a leader's actions. Leaders set vision, strategies, goals, and values in order to guide their followers and to set desired action and behavior. As a whole, any organization must have strong leadership as the basis for its...
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...Leadership and ethics Name Professor Course Date Some of the ethical issues that management may need to address include corporate social responsibility. This refers to the operation of a business or organization in a manner that takes into consideration the environmental and social aspects created by enterprise. It implies the commitment to create policies that include responsible practices in the undertakings of the entity. Corporate social responsibility policies serve as self-regulatory measures for the organization in monitoring and ensuring that it complies with ethical standards, regulations and societal norms. This practice takes responsibility of the organizations actions to facilitate a positive impact of the organizations...
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...TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 2 ETHICAL LEADERSHIP 2 CORPORATE CULTURE 3 CULTURE LEARNING 4 CULTURE CHANGE 5 CONCLUSION 6 RECOMMENDATIONS 7 REFERENCES 9 APPENDIX 13 INTRODUCTION Ethical leaders should act ethically all the time, not just in situations where it is expected. Ciulla and Forsyth (as cited in Olivier, 2012, p. 70) suggests that “[t]he good leader, . . . is challenged to be both technically good, i.e. effective at getting the job-at-hand-done and morally good, i.e. responsible for what he or she has done.” Leadership and corporate culture dictate the acceptable ethical standards of an organisation to their followers. Where leaders are identified as “ethical role models”, followers are more likely to imitate this behaviour and conform to similar values and beliefs explicitly delineated by their leaders and organisations (Shin, 2012). However the major challenge encountered by organisational leaders is about gaining the trust and commitment of followers to conform to the ethical standards required to achieve strategic objectives of their organisation (Caldwell, Hayes & Long, 2010). In this report, we define ethical leadership by looking at business ethics and leadership simultaneously. We analyse ethical leadership in the context of culture learning and culture change in ensuring ethical behaviour and Corporate Social Responsibility in organisations. We conclude this report by summarising the findings identified...
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...Chapter 04 The Corporate Culture -Impact and Implications True / False Questions 1.Due to diverse employee groups and management styles, the work culture of a large global firm in one country will differ significantly from the work culture of the same firm halfway around the world. FALSE Despite the fact that corporations have many locations, with diverse employee groups and management styles, an individual working for a large global firm in one country will share various aspects of her or his working culture with someone working for the same firm halfway around the world. 2. Corporate culture shapes, and is shaped, by the people who are members of the organization. TRUE While culture shapes the people who are members of the organization, it is also shaped by the people who comprise it. 3. Differing individual perception of culture makes it easier to define the specific culture within an organization. FALSE Defining the specific culture within an organization is not an easy task since it is partially based on each participant's perception of the culture. 4. In situations where an organization lacks strong leadership for ethical decision making despite the clarity of law, the business culture is likely to be the determining factor in the decision. FALSE In situations where the law provides an incomplete answer for ethical decision making, the business culture is likely to be the determining factor in the decision. 5. Organizations with similar missions...
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...STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Managers provide leadership to an organisation. Organisational leaders influence the behaviour of subordinates so that they willingly and enthusiastically work towards the achievement of organisational objectives. Strategic leaders manage the strategic management process that is designed to help the organisation achieve its objectives. Strategic leadership is the ability to lead an organisation towards the achievement of its objectives. The tasks involved in exercising strategic leadership are typically to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and empower others to create strategic change as and when necessary. Strategic leaders are the lynchpin in the strategic management process. Among the strategic leaders, we have managers operating at different levels of an organisation: corporate-level, business-level, functional-level and operational-level. • Corporate-level managers include the chief executive officer (CEO), senior executives and the corporate staff. The corporate-level managers manage the strategic management process for the whole organisation. These managers may carry designations such as CEO, managing director, executive director or president. • Business-level managers are the strategic leaders at the business, division or SBU levels. These managers manage the strategic management process at the business-level. These may carry designations such as the general manager or vice-president. • Functional-level managers are the strategic leaders...
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...The Importance Of Corporate Ethics and Values: Building a Sustainable Strategy Model for Effective Implementation of Good Corporate Governance within a State-Owned Enterprise in South Africa. A Research Study Presented to the Graduate school of Business Leadership University of South Africa In Fulfillment of the Requirements for the MASTERS DEGREE IN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA Prepared by Lazarus Docter Mokoena (called Bonga) [Student No: 0555-418-7] Tel: 011-217 1187 (Work); 011-679 5486 (Home) Cell: 082 466 6896 SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR M.H. CROSBIE FINAL RESEARCH REPORT November 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................. 4 CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................... 8 1. 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 INTRODUCTION................................................................................. 8 ESKOM’s COMPANY BACKGROUND ................................................ 8 ESKOM’s BUSINESS CONDUCT POLICY .......................................10 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH .......................................................12 PROBLEM STATEMENT .................................................................14 IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF STUDY .....................................17 RESEARCH PROPOSITIONS AND HYPOTHESIS ...........................18 1.6.1 Propositions ...................................
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...Running head: LEADERSHIP STYLES 1 Leadership Styles Student Name LET1 (Task 2) WGU August 21, 2013 Course Mentor Name LEADERSHIP STYLES 2 Abstract Leadership is a series of actions by which an individual inspires others to achieve a task and leads the corporation to make it more coherent and cohesive. Leadership means the willingness and ability to lead and influence others. A leader can be the CEO of a corporation, or a leader who leads his or her team to success behind the scenes. The ability to lead effectively is based on a number of key skills (Xaxx, n.d.). Three styles of leadership will be discussed, identified, and evaluated to understand these styles better and to decide which style would best replace a retiring CEO of a corporation. LEADERSHIP STYLES 3 Leadership Styles Leadership styles have substantial effects on the corporate world. These styles can affect every person from higher management to the most recent employee. They generate the culture of a corporation that can influence the corporation’s operations. The culture of a corporation is normally an effect of the leaders’ personalities. Corporations need to be aware of the type of leadership they are presenting if they desire to manage the types of activity and communication they produce in their corporations. Leadership styles have strong influences on corporate culture because employees seem to mirror their leaders in their actions. The expression "the way we do things"...
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