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Southwest Airlines Strategic Analysis

Southwest Airlines Culture, Values And Operating Practices
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Case Study
Southwest Airlines: Culture, Values and Operating Practices (in Thompson, A. A., Strickland. A. J. and Gamble, J. (2005) Crafting and Executing Strategy (Fourteenth Edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, pages C-636– C-664).

Tasks
The case study, prepared by Arthur A. Thompson, University of Alabama, and John E. Gamble, University of South Alabama, focuses on the rise to business prominence of Southwest Airlines, a regional airline with a low-cost no-frills approach.

Based on the case study, and on online and offline research into Southwest Airline’s current state, complete the following Tasks:

Task 1 - 20 Marks
Provide an analysis of the company’s:
• Potential resource strengths and competitive capabilities
• Potential resource weaknesses and competitive deficiencies
• Potential market opportunities
• Potential market threats
at the time this assignment is undertaken.
Select suitable analytical tools from the text-book/course to help you structure your findings.

Task 2 - 20 Marks
On the basis of the critical factors identified in Task 1.
a) Draw conclusions concerning the company’s overall situation.
b) Suggest actions for improving the company’s strategy.

Task 3 - 30 Marks
Answer (in essay form) the following:
It has been said that “talented people in possession of superior intellectual capacity are not only a resource that enable proficient strategy execution but also a prime source of competitive advantage”.
Identify the various Human Resource practices of Southwest Airlines that collectively show the company’s focus on its employees.
State whether or not these practices have contributed to proficient execution of the company’s business strategy, right up to the present day. (Note: you will have to do some research to find out the company’s latest state of affairs).
Do you consider the staff and...