In addition to performing some functions, all organizations also have some incentive for their existence and their operations. The goals of an organization are the reason for existence. The activities of the organization are directed to the attainment of its goals. A goal is potential anticipation, some desired future state. It is something the business is determined to achieve. The importance of a goal is though subject to a number of explanations. It can be used in a wide sense to mean the general intention of a company. It can also be more specifically anticipated accomplishments. The concept of organizational goals is more specific than that of the function of an organization. The goals of an organization will determine the nature of its inputs and outputs, the series of activities through which the inputs are achieved, and interactions with its external environment (Mullins, 2004). Therefore, in this section we look at the effectiveness of goals, describing American Airways and its goals, and how it can achieve its goals.
For goals to be effective, they need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Realistic, Time-bound). According to Germain (2009), the three of these characteristics are.
- Specific – a particular goal should describe its basic need, in a clearly specified manner.
- Measurable and Time-bound – goals should be quantified within a specific time period in order to measure the organization’s progress.
- Realistic – the goals can be achieved with the available resources.
Therefore, looking at American Airlines (AA) with its set of customer-specific goals, we can be able to elaborate on the characteristics of effective goals. American Airlines (AA) offers products and services that are mostly flight-specific to its passengers. Even though the AA is the global largest airline in passenger fleet size and transportation, it is constantly looking for ways to serve its passengers and reviewing many new ideas to cater to its customers. Therefore, the AA products and services are mainly depicted in its airline destinations, onboard services, service line (AA Cargo), products and gifts, and new ideas for quality improvement.
The AA operates in four continents. Dallas and Miami hubs act as entries to the Americas, while for Europe, the Chicago hub acts as the gateway. On the other hand, the main entry for the Americas and Europe is the NY Kennedy, while St. Lous and La Guardia are local hubs. Thus AA is deemed as the largest airline with the highest number of destinations, preceded by Continental Airlines. Among the planned flights which the airline operates in international locations include Bolivia, Saint Vincent, Anguilla, and Uruguay. According to the American Airlines (2009) website, non-stop airline services include the operation from Chicago to Shangai, Chicago to Beijing, Miami to Salvador and Horizonte, Dallas to San Salvador, and Fort Worth to Madrid. All these flight destinations are accompanied by well-trained flight attendants who ensure that customers’ requirements are met; the company views the flight attendants as an important part of its quality product. Therefore concerning customer behavior and satisfaction, the company seeks to treat each customer with much respect and dignity. In light of this, the goals of AA are customer satisfaction in booking flights, on-time performance, providing a comfortable and relaxing experience for passengers, providing better baggage handling, and connectivity goals (electronic messaging).
To achieve the goals of customer satisfaction and electronic messaging, AA has to focus on SMART principles. In this regard, one of such ways is through its dynamic website, in which customers can book flights, buy products such as membership cards and gifts; they can acquire information about flight destinations, and place orders for cargo shipment. Another approach is to supply a power plugin first class so that the business person could work on the computer longer than two hours normally provided by a battery.
In conclusion, the goals of the organization may be persuaded in accordance with an underlying ideology, or philosophy, based on beliefs, values and attitudes. This ideology determines the ‘culture’ of the organization and provides a set of principles that govern the overall conduct of the organization’s operations. In essence, goals must be SMART so as to meet the expectations of the organization.
References
American Airlines (2009). Customer Service Plan. Web.
Germain, P. (2009). Characteristics of Effective Goals. Web.
Mullins, L. (2004). Management and Organisational Behavior. London: Pitman Publishing.