Introduction
As the CEO of JetBlue airline admits, several Strategic issues arose at the beginning of the airline’s operation. This paper explores the strategic issues at JetBlue airline, the need for an Organization Development intervention, and why the change was highly needed at this time.
Strategic issues are things that should be corrected for an organization to perform better; an issue is something that should be solved amicably and must be clarified for a better operation of a business enterprise. Strategy is a plan that an organization has in place and strives towards achieving. The strategy of an organization tells it all; what the organization deals in, its mission, the objectives, how to walk the talk, and how to operate. When it reaches a time that an organization is indifferent and not operating as was planned, there needs to be an Organization Development intervention.
To remain competitive in the ever turbulent marketplace, an organization needs to update its operations. The staff of the organization should be motivated and ready to work in the best way possible, there must be a good procedure that the organization takes to manage change. Organizational development is a way of influencing the staff to be open with one another during work time and bring their views together on how they think the organizational operations influence them. The importance of Organizational development is that as people work towards a goal, they will realize how well to perform different job functions resulting in organized work (Neilsen PP.2-3).
Issues at the Airline
There was a high competition during the establishment period of the airline. At the launch of JetBlue, there were airlines like Southwest which was highly competitive at the time and were real competitors. For JetBlue to remain competitive in the industry, it had to analyze several issues, the airports were designed in places that they cannot be expanded, and the plan of expansion will bring problems as these airports will reach their maximum capacity.
There were high costs of oil prices. In the world, the cost of oil has a trend of going up; these costs would be passed to customers. The customers constantly demand luxury on the planes i.e. entertainment. JetBlue does not serve meals in its daily operations. Employees were denied to form trade unions and could not express their desires. The employees were on the contract of five years after which they were to be laid off. There were threats of substitutes like cycling, boat, and train travel (Dicarlo 3).
Due to these issues, there was a team of professionals who were hired to bring on board Organization Development intervention, so that JetBlue operates in an efficient, reliable, and effective manner. The techniques they used to amicably solve the issues were:
Survey Feedback
As put by Porter, through Survey feedback, information about employee concerns would be known by the management. Through unions, management gets to know the desired wage that the employees need, hours of work, and working conditions. After knowing all the aforementioned factors, the top management would analyze the problem and find the best way to correct the situation. Through the Survey Feedback, management would know what the customer needs and what employees need (245).
Process Consultation
The management observes different happenings in the organization. The problems, skills needed for a job, and the best procedure for solving problems. At JetBlue, this could be done by allowing top managers to pursue the process so that they tell their teams the best forward, counseling them, and hence a good operation environment would be in place.
Team building
Through these criteria, employees are set to work together as a team. With this, the entire management of JetBlue airline can strive and remain competitive in the ever-changing business environment
Sensitivity Training
Also known as laboratory, it is done by creating an experimental laboratory situation. Employees are brought together and share ideas that can improve the organization. Employees at JetBlue airline should be well trained and the issue of laying off after five years should not be in place as it just adds the extra cost of training new employees.
Job enrichment
Through this, employees are motivated hence work in good spirit. Jobs that employees perform need to have with them avenues for recognition, responsibility, achievement, advancement, and growth. Through a well-structured job enrichment program, employees are highly motivated. At JetBlue, this can come out by allowing employees to have unions where they can fairly express their concerns.
Inter-group Problem Solving
This entails working with two groups separately before bringing them together. It enables the organization to establish common goals and negotiate on changes necessary to bring good interaction to the entire company. Through them, there are good ideas that are generated that were previously not known by management.
Setting up measurement systems
Measurement of the performance of different players in organizations is a great phenomenon to be undertaken. Through it, organizations learn on the parts to improve, how to do things the best way, and the mistakes that should be completely avoided. Some tools and techniques assist leaders to monitor the success of the organization. This will perfectly help JetBlue Airlines to know areas of improvement.
Importance for Change to JetBlue
There are some important things that JetBlue would realize once it follows the above outlined Organization Development interventions. The airline would realize that: serving meals would boost its revenues; there should be lifelong maintenance of good services to the customers, and low traveling costs so that it remains competitive in the market. Expansion of many terminals in some areas would be of great importance to JetBlue; this would make it to be a world-class flight. The infrastructure should be increased to match the ever-increasing expansion of customers who travels.
Job Redesign
This is the changing and restructuring of job operations hence, making the job more motivating to be performed by the employees. Core job functions are altered, training is well done. There is job rotation and job enrichment. Through a well-organized job redesign, organizations would improve their effectiveness, efficiencies and would be more reliable (Knights, Willmott & Collinson 234).
Methods of Organization Development interventions used in Job Redesign
Management/ Leadership Training
Training of employees and managers is done to improve their performance. Without well-trained leaders and employees, organizations cannot do better. There should be an emphasis on the current situation, practical and continuous learning of both employees and management. With good training at JetBlue, there is set to be an improvement in the operations of employees and managers.
Job enrichment
Every organization wants productive members and satisfied employees. Through job enrichment, employees are motivated and hence work in good spirit. A job that employees perform needs to have with it avenues for recognition, responsibility, achievement, advancement, and growth. Through a well-structured job enrichment program, employees are highly motivated. At JetBlue, this can come out by allowing employees to have unions where they can fairly express their concern
Inter-group Problem Solving
Different people in organizations have different ways of performing their work. Inter-group solving criteria entails working with two groups separately before bringing them together. It enables the organization to establish common goals and negotiate on changes necessary to bring good interaction to the entire company. Through groups, there are good ideas that would be generated that were previously not known by management and when realized, management would strive towards achieving them.
Setting up measurement systems
Performance Measurement is of essence to organizations. In the ever turbulent business environment, a system of measurement is of great importance. Through it, organizations learn on which part to improve on, how to do things the best way, and the mistakes that should be completely avoided. Some tools and techniques assist leaders to monitor the success of the organization. This will perfectly help JetBlue Airlines to know areas of improvement.
Works Cited
DiCarlo, Leonard. JetBlue skies. Forbes.com. 2001. Web.
Knights, David, Willmott Hugh & Collinson, David. Critical Perspectives on the Labor Process. Publisher Gower: University of California, 1985
Neilsen. “Becoming an OD Practitioner”, Englewood Cliffs, CA: Prentice-Hall, 1984, pp. 2-3.
Porter, Michael. Competitive strategy: Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. New York: The Free Press, 1980.