Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Question
1 Approved Answer
SECHON A: CASE STUlill'r'r {5 U MARKS} Instruction: Read the following case carefully and answer the questions which follow. Air Canada Employee Morale Flies Low
SECHON A: CASE STUlill'r'r {5 U MARKS} Instruction: Read the following case carefully and answer the questions which follow. Air Canada Employee Morale Flies Low Air Canada, Canada's national airline, has cut costs extensively in recent years while fighting possible bankruptcy. However, the difficulties faced by Air Canada have taken a toll on employee morale to the extent that staff could derail the company's current course of action. Much of employee anger is directed toward CEO Robert Milton. Employees were particularly upset when Milton negotiated a $20 million bonus for himself from proposed new investor Victor Li of Li investments, on the condition that Milton remain in the top leadership position for four years. Meanwhile, Milton asked his employees to take over $1 billion in cuts to their pay and benefits. Despite severe financial trouble in the airline industry in recent years, some airlines have been a success. For example, Southwest Airlines of Texas has been listed among the 100 best companies to work for in America. The company uses a no-layoff policy as a positive motivator. Southwest is a profitable airline known for recruiting the best and brightest people it can find and has a reputation for providing its staff with excellent compensation packages, opportunities for rapid advancement and professional growth, and challenging and interesting assignments. Management uses special interviewing and screening methods to hire people who can have fun on the job and demonstrate outgoing personality traits that create a high-spirited, fun-loving in-flight atmosphere for passengers. The hiring process is so selective that only 3 percent of people who apply at Southwest are offered jobs. While Air Canada employees may question Milton's style, the CEO does have supporters. Karl Moore, a leadership and aviation expert, claims that Milton is one of the top airline CEOs in the world. Sunny Gordon of Li Investments believes that leaders should have a stake in their companies to produce expected results. He also believes Milton deserves a bonus if results are appropriate and Milton is able to repair relationships with employees. Canadian-born Don Carty provides an example of what happens when airline employees feel they have not been treated fairly. Carty joined American Airlines (AA) as CEO in 1998. His employees agreed to almost $2 billion in concessions in 2003. To try to save the company from bankruptcy before discovering that the year before, Carty and other senior executives were quietly offered big bonuses ($1.6 million just for Carty) to encourage them to keep their jobs. Outraged employees threatened to back out of their agreements and Carty resigned. For Carty, the mistake was not just in accepting the bonus but in hiding it as well. Carty's message to Milton: "If you take a bonus while your employees take cuts, your credibility is shot." Questions: 1. Discuss Needs Theories of motivation applied by Southwest Airlines to motivate its employees. (10 Marks)2. By using expectancy and equity theory, explain the outrage employees at American Airlines felt when they found out about Don Carty's hidden executive bonus? (10 Marks) 3. Air Canada employee stated, "Milton treats us all the same-complete disregard and hatred." Discuss FIVE (5) methods that CEO Robert Milton can apply to rebuild employee's morale and improve motivation by using the lessons and examples from Southwest Airlines and American Airlines? (20 Marks) 4 . Explain source of power that CEO Robert Milton received during his tenure at Air Canada that influence his leadership style? (10 Marks)SECTION B: ESSAY QUESTIONS (5 0 MARKS) Instruction: Answer ALL the Questions 1 . Elaborate the relationship between personality, attitudes, and behavior of employees at the workplace. (20 Marks) 2. Discuss the relationship between performance norms, cohesiveness, and group productivity? (12 Marks) 3. In today's digital era, the changing work style from physical workplace to online offers challenges to managers in demonstrating their leadership style. Discuss the connection between substitutes, trust, and online leadership? (18 Marks) -END OF QUESTION PAPER
Step by Step Solution
There are 3 Steps involved in it
Step: 1
Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions
See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success
Step: 2
Step: 3
Ace Your Homework with AI
Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance
Get Started