MNGT 5000 MANAGEMENT RESEARCH PROJECT REQUIREMENTS TOPIC - Each student will submit a research project that selects a current management problem and applies one or more principles of management discussed in the class to the problem. For example, one might select the problem of how the recording and film industries ought to respond to the problem of unauthorized electronic distribution of content over the Internet from the perspective of strategic planning and control. Another approach might be to discuss how General Motors ought to organize its decision process to minimize the risk of major design flaws that lead to massive recalls and driver deaths from the perspective of organization design and decision making. The preceding examples are for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed as a requirement for students to explore these problems. To encourage students to conduct extensive research, as well as to enhance their learning from this project, students may not choose to analyze a problem in their own company or organization. Students must submit a proposed one to two paragraph problem statement under the appropriate link in the \"Assignments\" tab by the date shown in that link. FORMAT - Your research project must conform to the requirements set forth in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition (2nd printing, October 2009), also known as the APA Publications Manual. The paper should be double-spaced, 12-point font (Times New Roman), with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, left, and right of each page. From a content standpoint, all that is required for this course is a title page, Abstract, the body of the paper (15-18 pages), and references page(s). If the student chooses to include appendices or tables of information, these should also conform to the APA Publications Manual. Points will be deducted if these requirements are not met. APA requires that papers be written in third-person perspective. The format of the research project should be as follows: Title Page; Abstract; Introduction of the Problem; Statement of Major Relevant Principles to be Applied; Analysis and Application of Principles; Recommendation; and, References Page It is expected that the statement of the problem will be drawn from newspapers or newsmagazines, or similar accounts. There should be citations of materials consulted to develop the statement of the problem. At least three sources should be used for the problem statement. With the statement of major management principles or management conceptual ideas to apply to the problem, there should be an articulation of these principles or conceptual ideas with citation of materials consulted. At least nine sources should be cited here. While the textbook material may be a starting point for the development of this section, the student is expected to go beyond the textbook to do additional research in the literature in the development of these principles or conceptual ideas; thus, the textbook should not appear on your references page or be cited in the paper. In addition, students may utilize no more than three of the articles assigned as course readings as references. In the analysis section, the student will systematically apply the principles or conceptual ideas to the problem. This is the analysis part of the paper, and it is not expected that new principles or different problems would be introduced here. This is an application section. At least three sources should be cited in this section The recommendation is expected to be a short section in which the student draws final conclusions from the analysis. The recommendation section might differ from the analysis section in that the analysis should yield more than one option, and the conclusion settles on a preferred option. It is expected that each paper will follow the general format specified above. For example, a 15page paper might be divided: introduction (3 pages); statement of principles (3 pages), analysis (8 pages), and recommendation (one page). GRAMMAR, SPELLING, AND PUNCTUATION - While this is not an English course, students are expected to ensure that their work is free of spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Therefore, students should carefully proofread their papers before turning them in for a grade. It is always helpful in this regard to ask someone else to read the paper for you. A fresh pair of eyes will often catch errors you have overlooked. Points will be deducted on papers that have obviously not been carefully proofread. Also, to make your paper easier to read, be sure that sentences are not too long. Complex-compound sentences tend to make it difficult for the reader to follow your discussion. One point will be deducted for every six spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors in your paper. Spelling and word usage will be verified using the current edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary (standard spelling reference of the APA [see paragraph 4.12]). Grammar and punctuation will be verified using the guidelines contained in Chapter Four of the APA Manual. ATTRIBUTION TO SOURCE - It is essential that in any research paper each piece of information presented be properly attributed to its source. If the information you are presenting in the paper is not your original thought, or is not common knowledge, it should be attributed to its source. Material should not be directly quoted or taken in a substantial way from another source without citation or quotation marks. No more than 10% of the paper should be in the form of direct quotes and any such quotes must be indicated and properly cited. Any paper turned in without a single attribution to source (parenthetical references within the text in proper APA format) will automatically lose 100 points. REFERENCES - Your list of references should include, at a minimum, fifteen secondary sources you have consulted in your research. While the textbook material may be a starting point for the development of this paper, the student is expected to go beyond the text to do additional research in the literature in the development of human resources management principles or conceptual ideas; thus, the textbook should not appear on your references page. Instead, go to the original source cited in the textbook as it will often contain additional information that may prove useful. All of your sources must be obtained through the Webster University online library resource. PLEASE NOTE: Google is not an adequate research tool for academic research. In fact, internet searches will often take you to non-academic information resources such as Wikipedia.com, Ask.com, Encarta.msn.com, Infoplease.com, etc. You should not use such sources in your academic research because they do not come under a formal oversight or peer-review process. To the extent possible, your research should rely on scholarly publication such as books and peer-reviewed academic journals. Further, remember that you are responsible for the accuracy of any facts you present in your assignments and, therefore, should confirm the veracity of information you find on non-academic sources through further research. PLAGIARISM - You will be required to submit your research project to Turnitin, which is now integrated into the WorldClassRoom and is available for each assignment. You should ensure that your project receives a minimum of \"green\" (less than 23% of the paper verbatim from sources). Contact me if you are having difficulty with getting your paper to turn \"green\". Research Project Scoring Rubric Content The author demonstrates an understanding of the subject matter by: Clearly stating the objective of the paper; Linking theories to practical experience; and, Focusing on a specific management process or problem and applying one or more management principles using current research. The research project comes from a minimum of 15 sources (not including the textbook) and does not rely too heavily on one or a few sources. Information presented is properly cited to source. The author does not rely too heavily on direct quotes. The research project is written in third person perspective. The research project was submitted properly to Turnitin.com and received a minimum of a \"green\" on the Originality Report. Organization / Development Points Earned XX/40 Additional Comments: The research project contains a clearly defined introduction which includes a statement of the issue or problem identified. The writer focuses ideas/concepts within paragraphs, and sentences are well connected and meaningful. Each topic logically follows such that the objective is satisfied. The research project is a minimum of 18 pages in length, including title page, abstract and references pages. The research project contains a conclusion/summary which presents the writer's recommendation for addressing the issue or problem identified. Mechanics Points Earned XX/135 Additional Comments: The research project is correctly formatted (e.g., margins, spacing, pagination, headings, headers, citations, references, etc.) according to the APA manual. Points Earned XX/40 Additional Comments: Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation (as outlined in Chapters 3 & 4 in the APA Manual) are followed. There is variation in sentence length and structure which promotes readability. Sentences are complete, concise and varied. Spelling is correct (as shown in the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary). Total Overall Comments: Points Earned XXX/215 Running Headerhead: PROJECT PROBLEM STATEMENT 1. Research Topic: Effects of Operational Problems on the Motivational Levels of Employees: A Case Study of Alaska Airline Company. {This title is too long. The title must fit on a single line (no more than 12 words in length.] Problem Statement The effectiveness of operational processes in an organization plays a crucial role in the establishment of a shared goal and the aspiration towards meeting organizational goals. Operational processes have an intricate linkage to the efficiency levels of an organization because it impactsthey impact heavily on motivational employeeemployee motivation levels. Alaska Airline Company has in the recent past experienced serious operational challenges, especially and more specifically in its primary herb hub in the south. Consequently,ially the production and general efficiency levels of the company recorded a steady decline during this period. The operational problems resulted in an array of issues negatively impacted onimpacting employee production. In analyzing the concept of employee organizational motivation, William notes that the success of operational processes enhances organizational motivation, and that organizations should strive to increase employee motivation if they are to utilize effectively the human resource in improving productivity (william19981998). In the light of this statement, understanding the effects of operational problems that have rocked Alaska Airline Company on general motivation levels of employees will provide a framework that can be used to enhance the productivity standards of the company. We are not discussing employee motivation in this course (this topic is covered extensively in MNGT 5590, Organizational Behavior). I recommend that you consider another approach to Alaska Airlines' operational problems and their effects on its competitive position 1 Running Headerhead: PROJECT PROBLEM STATEMENT 2. and profitability. Keep in mind that you must apply concepts and principles related to planning, organizing, or controlling to develop at least two alternatives to address the problem you identify. 2 Running Header: ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES Joel Flores Webster University ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 2 Abstract The purpose of this research project is to explore effective strategies that the management of Alaska Airlines could have undertaken in a bid to minimize or find sustainable solutions to the deficiencies experienced in the period stretching 2013-2014. The project paper explores strategic planning and leadership as the necessary principles that can guide in the process of addressing the organizational crisis occasioned by operational deficiencies. Introduction of the Problem Alaska Airline is a US based company, which has achieved its heights in diversification. The company has for over years remained a significant competitor in the airline industry outdoing rivalry presented by major contenders in the field. The company, however, recorded a string of unprecedented adverse occurrences in the year stretching 2013-2014. These happenings were mainly caused by planning, controlling as well as organizational shortcomings. For instance the company's main herb in Seattle experienced high mismanagement issues such as lack of timely information on departure and arrival times, mishandling of customer luggage, violent strikes by employees, underperforming employees as well as an overall decrease in productivity. The effectiveness of operational processes in an organization plays a crucial role in the establishment of a shared goal and the aspiration towards meeting organizational goals. Business processes have an intricate linkage to the efficiency levels of an organization because they impact heavily on employee motivation. Alaska Airline Company has in the recent past experienced serious operational challenges, especially in its primary hub in the south. Consequently, the production and general efficiency levels of the company recorded a steady 2 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 3 decline during this period. The operational problems resulted in an array of issues negatively impacting employee production. Statement of Major Relevant Principles to be Applied The two major significant principles that should be applied in analyzing of the issue at hand include strategic planning as well as leadership because the two have an intricate relationship to the process of managing the crisis. The strategic planning is the process that involves organizations defining their strategy and crafting decisions that enhance the presence of resources needed in a bid to achieve the strategy. The process includes making decisions on the goals of the organization basing on their relationship with the value, growth and overall sustainability of the organization. Strategic plans for forces from outside therefore various analytical tools profoundly impact organizations on exist and which can be employed in the evaluation of differing strategic approaches. The plan adopted by a particular organization highly indicates its corporate values as well as the ethical climate. Regardless of the fact that the process of strategic planning is an exclusive reserve for top level management, the need to strike a collaborative relationship with the tactical as well as the operational managers in developing the strategic plan must be prioritized. While tactical planning entails breaking the strategic goals into specified action plans for various organizational departments, operational planning entails breaking the action plans further to come up with short-term procedures and the processes to be done on daily basis.(Bateman-Snell, 2009). For the organization to remain efficient in its strategic approach, the strategic, the tactical as well as its operational goals and the defined plans must be consistent, supportive as well as focused on the achievement of the common objective of the organization (Bateman-Snell, 2009 p. 134) 3 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 4 Effective Leadership is an essential requirement in the process of enhancing a change strategy. Leaders have a greater influence on others and are the primary catalysts for change. . A leader is a member of the team and must not distance himself from poor performance. He or she must be awake in a bid to notice areas of faults and mobilize efforts towards enhancing success. Concentration has to be made on the characteristics of a leader deemed as effective basing on the ability to effectively manage existing crisis. An effective leader must, therefore, integrate elements of charismatic leadership, lateral direction and servant leadership, transactional leaders while at the same time pursuing a transformative agenda for the organization (Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. 2009). \"Strategic crisis leadership\" entails a high level of skills, which are of immense significance in promoting corporate salvage from a disaster (Blythe, 2010). These skills enable the leader to define the current crisis in a detailed and much broader way as well as valuable guide focusing of the intended as well as the unintended impacts of decisions. The skills also position leaders in a better shape to evaluate how the crisis affects core assets, and enable them to effectively follow those values and the organization's guiding principles. Leaders are also better placed to enhance self-evaluation of their ethical standards about how the crisis impacts on them. Analysis and Application of Principles The strategic planning process will involve identification of external threats, performing risk assessments as well as integrating risk mitigation efforts in the contingency plans of the organization. Tools for assessing and mitigating risks should be employed in the process of developing the emergency plan. Risk assessment involves the determination of quantitative and 4 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 5 the qualitative impacts of the danger about potential threats. Assessment of quantitative risk is obtained by computing magnitude of potential loss as well as the probable chances of the occurring hazards. Assessment risk reporting communicates the vulnerability of the organization as well as the estimated recovery cost in case the threat is experienced. The report also describes those steps that the organization should take in a bid to shield it from threats and associated costs that are based on the risk level that the organization can assume. Risk mitigation details steps that should be taken that are aimed at minimizing the rate at which the organization is vulnerable to a given threat. In earlier years Alaska Airline downplayed the likelihood of experiencing an operational crutch. The organization maintained that operational challenges were unlikely given the entity's high diversification and the existence of policies that have the potency to offer guidance. This guidance was believed to expose and promote the planning of a strategic approach aimed at crushing possible operational risks. While consideration was given to the need for supporting the diversification approach advanced by the C.E.O, it remained understandable that less was being done to address the risks associated with implementing a diversification agenda. No foreseeing was utilized to pinpoint what deserved modification and betterment in a bid to enhance successful operations. Had Alaska Airline promoted investments in risk evaluation and mitigation, the operational crisis experienced in 2013-2014 would have easily been overcome. The planning could have strategically placed the entity in a better position to adequately address the operational crisis. The decision against the provision of enough resources to enhance the latter was to a high extend a strategic decision. The firm's short-term focus on diversification in a bid 5 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 6 to increase productivity ended up resulting in adverse impacts. Some of those areas that were impacted on include cleanup expenses, the future earnings, the market value as well as the corporate reputation. Contingency Plans refers to action change steps aimed at addressing unanticipated changes in the original plan of the organization. The plans offer valuable guidance to decision maker which help them understand the short term as well as long-term consequences of decisions facing them. This is of vital importance to decisions made in the course of a crisis inform future viability of the organization's existence. The plans need to be accurately developed as well as rehearsed to ensure everyone's awareness of his or her tasks given the emergency period. Alaska Airline Contingency plan has a critical analysis discovered that the plan had various was false assumptions, miscalculations, and errors. The plan apart from overlooking the chances of an operational crutch, the plan was full of strategies, which had less regard for the satisfaction of the customers and swift operation of the Airline services. For instance, the plan listed diversification as one of the fundamental approaches that could be used to overcome operational failures. The validity and practicality of this strategy in addressing the notable change remain debatable. While it stood out clearly that the primary herb in the south lacked adequate management, the plan had suggested the employment of new workers as a way of handling new risks within the herb. The endless list of inaccurate strategies that were to be relied on in managing risks within the airline operator company is evidence enough that Alaska Airlines did not on constant basis re-evaluate and re-assess their contingency plans in order to ensure they would effectively combat risks as well as they would have an easy access to relevant resources needed for the 6 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 7 implementation of the proposed action plans. This observation, therefore, can be employed in explaining the operational crisis that the company experienced in the period 2013-2014. The tragic accident that the Company experienced which claimed the lives of employees back then was a possible risk that could easily be overcome by the use of appropriate strategies. When putting profits before the organization the chief executive of Alaska Airline Company, while addressing the board echoed out that the company had adopted some measures to enhance productivity. Some of the proposed measures included the hiring of cheap workers to replace the powerful human resource, and the selling one of the company's airplanes in a bid to enhance more advancement were only but communicating the desire of the company to attract more profits at the expense of enhancing the sustainability of the organization. The weakness in the communicated strategies lies in the fact that they do not address ways of developing and retaining the experienced workforce of the organization. In the event organization's workers are fired due to remuneration concern it follows that the new group of employees who may seemingly be lacking in experience will have to expose the company to high risks while partaking their tasks. The decision of the CEO, therefore, was lacking the necessary wisdom that should be the guiding pillar of enhancing effective corporate governance. The CEO should have prioritized restructuring the administration structure of the company in a way that the primary herb in the south was going to receive a manager who is well equipped to offer transformational leadership and promote the success of operations in the herb. Other areas that deserved mitigation include provision of employees with their compensation packages on a timely basis evaluating the performance of workers and implementation of an appraisal strategy that would enable employees to gain more experience and recognition. There 7 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 8 was also the need for the CEO to focus on mitigating other major problems experienced in the herb and which play a big role in hindering efficient operations. Such measures to consider would have been ensuring timely departure and arrival of flights as well as the need to ensure the security of customer luggage. Crisis management is a function enhanced by strategic planning as well as leadership. Crisis management helps organizations to handle major issues that may negatively impact on the company, stakeholders, or the public (Johnson & Cox, 2005). The process entails anticipating, enhancing preparations as well as responding to adverse events. The process aims at minimizing the impact and preventing the escalation of challenges. Organizations need to choose on an effective leader who can promote crisis management. Enhancing effective management during crisis times is a significant challenge. How a leader responds to risks facing an organization heavily influences the perception of public regarding the situation at hand and the entire organization. This has a role in determining whether a given organization can overcome a given crisis (Sackett, 2002). The factuality of the above statement is that a leader should ensure timely response to organizational challenges. However, it is a factual truth that for a leader actually to deliver his or her roles, he or she must effectively master and adapt to the needs of the followers (Anton and Camarota, 2004) No individual is born in possession of skills that enhance his or her effectiveness as a leader. One must interact with the environment to enrich his or her leadership skills to be an effective leader. For one to be active as a leader, he or she has to take the responsibility of seeking selfimprovement. One, therefore, has to acquire leadership training programs, which promote his or 8 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 9 her leadership competencies (Bruce, 2008). A leader who does not strive to expand the horizons of his or her leadership skills ends up failing in his role. Leaders must seek opportunities for growth if they are to become active in service delivery (Robert, 2008). Learning, therefore, becomes a leader's lifelong activity without which he or she fails to maintain his authority as a leader. Leaders must therefore continually fish for opportunities which enable them to acquire new skills. They must be active in projects that enhance the growth of their qualifications and must be visible to individuals who make decisions, assignments as well as promotions. Careful consideration should be put on the individual to be tasked as the spokesperson for Alaska Airline Company in times of crisis (Blythe, 2010). Crisis leadership concerns more of who a person is as opposed to what an individual knows. An integration of character, individual's culture, as well as integrity, are critical in enhancing crisis leadership. The leader must be deliberate in his actions, must act timely as well as effectively while practicing a greater sense of honesty, ethical standards as well as excellent moral values. Failure for an organization to select a correct spokesman laid grounds for the crisis experienced in the 2014-2015 year. The first CEO lacked the backing of many. He failed to effectively connect with the public emotionally and as such inspire trust as well as the confidence of Alaska Airline to settle the crisis efficiently. The ability to control emotions by a leader. That the role of emotional intelligence in the leadership process is central to performance. One undisputed fact communicated was that leaders must develop self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and must be able to manage their relationships if they are to remain emotionally intelligent. In developing self-awareness, leaders must ensure they understand patterns that direct their emotions, they must enhance constructive 9 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 10 self-evaluation and should practice self-confidence (Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. 2009). Selfawareness places leaders in a better opportunity to discover self-strengths and weaknesses hence providing room for improvement. Self-management, on the other hand, entails a leader being able to establish mechanisms for controlling his or her emotions, maintaining a high sense of integrity, being highly flexible to the changing organizational needs, and having an inherent desire to achieve. Leaders must also be optimistic with their employees and should be highly innovative in finding solutions to organizational challenges. To demonstrate social awareness leaders must understand their employees by exercising empathy and not sympathy. Leaders must, therefore, ensure they provide adequate services to all without biases, and this can be enhanced if the leader has a firm understanding of his or her organization. Leaders should remain inspirational, influential, must establish collaborative networks and organizational spirit of teamwork. They must help employees in managing their conflicts and should be seen as agents of change; exploring a transformative agenda. Idealized influence can be realized by the leader promoting decisions that are aimed at the benefit of the organization (Bingham & Mitchell, 2010). The leader needs to be an embodiment of best practices. He or she should be at the forefront of implementing the policies of the organization. The senior management of Alaska Airline Company have the responsibility to create an organizational or corporate culture which gives the necessary impetus to challenge status quo, take note of potential risks as well as take charge of responsibility when the organization experiences difficulties. The leader should promote a stronger moral as well as ethical culture in the organization that will influence individuals to take the right course of action. Organization's formal statements on values establish a conducive environment for the development of the 10 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 11 desired image as well as an ethical culture (Bingham & Mitchell, 2010). In the case of Alaska Airlines, there is a discrepancy between the stated missions, the values and those actions displayed by leaders. In the process of managing the crisis, leaders must focus their decisions and their actions on the principles of honesty. Alaska Airline Company must be consistent in reinforcing the above principles across the entire organization. Recommendation Alaska Airline should have reduced the impacts of operational deficiencies and enhanced proper management of the crisis by increasing good preparations. The strategic planning process of Alaska Airline was highly focused on the implementation of short-term goals, which inconsequentially minimized the achievement of long-term returns. The Company needs to invest enormous resources in enhancing risk management efforts. A more detailed and elaborate contingency plans will increase a limiting impact on the effects of operational deficiencies (Bingham & Mitchell, 2010). There should be a greater focus on planning, the training as well as on simulations centered on crisis leadership. The careful attention should also have been made in identifying and appointing effective corporate spokesperson as well as providing them with adequate response guidelines. Promoting the implementation of these observations would have seen the company salvage its reputation as well as increase the probability of overcoming the crisis. 11 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES 12 Reference Anton G., Camarota. (2004). Finding the Leader in You: A Practical Guide to Expanding Your Leadership Skills Authenticity Consulting, LLC. (2010). Organizational Culture. 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International Journal of Selection and Assessment 10(1), 5-11. Schroeder, P. J. (2010, March). Changing Team Culture: The Perspectives of Ten Successful Head Coaches. Journal of Sport Behavior, pp. 63-89. Umphress, E., Bingham, J., & Mitchell, M. (2010). Unethical behavior in the name of the company: The moderating effect of organizational identification and positive reciprocity 12 ALASKA AIRLINES OPERATIONAL DEFICIENCIES beliefs on unethical pro-organizational behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology 95(4), 769-780. 13 13