Leadership in an Ever Changing and Successful Airline

Project Research Proposal

Leadership in an Ever Changing and Successful Airline

Research Question

What are the Impacts our Leaders on board have in providing a continued successful in-flight experience in an ever changing environment?

Introduction

On the 25th of October 1985 Emirates flew its first routes out of Dubai with just two aircraft, a leased Boeing 737 and Airbus 300 B4, in just over twenty years it now has a fleet of 137aircraft, it currently fly's to over 100 destinations in 60 countries around the world, and its network is expanding constantly, nearly 700 Emirates flights depart each week on their way to destinations on six continents. A strong and stable leadership team, ambitious yet calculated decision making and ground breaking ideas all contributes to the creation of this great company. To build an airline empire at such staggering speed would not have been possible but for the collective talents of a group of men who have each proven to be leaders in their field of expertise.

I believe the key to sustaining a successful organization is Leadership, not only at the top of the hierarchy, but also in a more modest sense throughout the company. The objective of this project is to investigate the crucial characteristics of leadership behavior and to identify the ways in which certain leadership behaviors enhances a successful airline, we are all products of our environment, view points and expectations differ simply because of our life experience, cultural differences, then toss in nationality and being trapped in a metal container at 32 000ft and these differences and challenges escalate, yet when understood they can become an excellent opportunity for personal growth and increased business potential.

Objectives

 To identify how Pursers and SFS's view and recognize the organizational learning processes described by our leadership team.

 To identify the challenges Pursers and SFS's have in surviving a global recession and faced with new tasks such as reducing on board costs, improving the quality of products and service, and maximizing new opportunities for growth and increase productivity.

 To explore how junior crew members perceive leadership, the crucial characteristics and behaviors in on board performance and motivation by crew at 32'000ft.

Aims

This project will also aim to review the challenges our leaders face when surviving a global recession. This will be done through a comprehensive analysis of the current situation and the threats and issues that may arise to the company, following this, an in-depth search on the current leadership training guidelines being implemented by our own Leadership department.

Such analysis will include looking at:

 The development plans for staff in their leadership roles

 How leadership is defined on board by both junior and senior members of staff

 Resent Business meetings reflecting the performance of the airline as it will provide the information for tasks and goals which are expected by our leaders.

The project will conclude with recommendations for the best leadership strategy to adopt in on board success and how it can be implemented.

Methodology

Data resources

Primary Information

- Questionnaire on both Senior and junior crew members

- Interviews with on board Pursers

- Interviews with Cabin Crew managers

- Interviews with leadership department

Secondary Information

- Emirates airline staff portal

- The Emirates Group.com

- Leadership related publications "Harvard Business Review on Leadership"

- Sfs and Purser leadership development workbooks

- Business Magazines and Books "The Effective Leader" by Rupert Eales - White

" Leading Change" by Kotter

"Not Bosses but Leaders" by John Adair

- Business Magazines "Owner Manager" Irelands online bussiness news service

Code of Ethics

* Consent from my cabin crew manager to conduct on board surveys and questionnaires.

* Ensuring I conduct any interviews with the highest degree of professionalism

* Approach possible questionnaire candidates with respect and opportunity to refuse.

* Thanking individuals for their assistance with my research

* I will approach all areas of my project with an unbiased attitude and gather evidence fairly and accurately

* I will be sensitive to avoid personal conflicts of interest when performing research

* Assured confidentiality and anonymity to those who complete questionnaires

* Record any finding correctly without personal judgment

* Ensure any information received is interpreted in the way it was originally meant

* Presentation of findings to those who are involved.

* I will exercise reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of data gathered is of quality

* I will ensure the safe keeping of any information gathered.

Possible Problems

* During time frame of collecting my Primary Data, will I be able to circulate enough questionnaires to senior crew to be able to gather correct and valid information.

* There may be time delay in receiving completed