week 1
1) Steven Kamer
I’m sure everyone here orders or has ordered from Amazon before and knows the struggles of packages being delivered when you’re not home. I ordered a gift for my wife for our anniversary I got a notification that my package was delivered as I got home nothing was there. After speaking customer service, they said that I would not be refunded because there was photo proof of my package being delivered. This problem has been occurring more often with the thefts being captured on camera but once it’s delivered the package no longer belongs to Amazon. Now Amazon has been trying to find solutions to tis problem by implementing new ways to deliver packages such allowing the driver to open your garage and place the package inside securely. I think the best solution would be for the package to be picked up at a facility such as an Amazon warehouse or the post office. Amazon created the “Amazon Locker” if you’re a prime member you safely pick up your Amazon purchases at a nearby location (like a convenience store or Whole Foods) when you're ready to take them home (Edwards, 2022). Online shopping will be a lot less stressful knowing your package will not be stolen.
Reference
by, W., & Edwards, R. (2022, November 1). How to prevent Amazon package theft: 8 security moves. SafeWise. Retrieved January 7, 2023, from
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2) Kwesi Hackette
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the manufacturing sector, leading to disruption in supply chains and other operational challenges (IndustryWeek, 2021). One of the significant issues faced by manufacturers since the pandemic began is the disruption of supply chains. This disruption has caused delays, shortages of raw materials, and an overall lack of visibility in the supply chain. (ManufacturingDigital, 2021). Companies have had to adjust their supply chains to mitigate the effects of the pandemic and make them more resilient (SME, 2021). Companies have leveraged digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation (LogisticsMgmt, 2021). Additionally, manufacturers have had to focus on collaboration and communication across their supply chain partners to manage disruptions and ensure that all stakeholders are aware of any changes.
To overcome the disruption caused by the pandemic, manufacturers have had to focus on building more resilient and collaborative supply chains. By leveraging digital technologies, collaborating with partners, and responding to changing customer needs, companies have overcome the disruption caused by the pandemic and remain competitive in the market.
References:
IndustryWeek. (2021). Operations Managers Rising to the Challenges of 2021. Retrieved from
LogisticsMgmt. (2021). Manufacturing Ends 2021 with Sequential Decline but Still. Retrieved from
ManufacturingDigital. (2021). What Lies Ahead for Manufacturing and Supply Chain Sectors. Retrieved from
SME. (2021). Manufacturing CEOs Focusing on Supply Chains. Retrieved from
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3) Trelawney Kelly
Delta Airlines Inc. is one of the largest and most successful air carriers in the United States. Delta was originally founded as a crop-dusting service in 1924 and was led by an agricultural scientist and pilot named Collot Everman Woolman for 40 years until his death in 1966 (Reference for Business 2023). As a Strategic Management expert, one key thing to consider is that Delta Airlines is in the business of passenger transportation and mass production. We dedicate ourselves to the mission of serving our community with excellent customer service by providing a safe, reliable, ethical service that can be trusted by customers and employees, as well as aid in “improving economic and financial growth (Barchiesi, 2014).” We believe in our mission here at delta and maintain core values that promote sustainable development within our company and the economy. Our mission could not be fulfilled properly without having core values which consist of the acronym CIRCLE:
C – Commitment
I – Integrity
R – Respect
C – Compassion
L – Loyalty
E – Endurance
Delta is an airline that is internally and externally focused. There are internal focuses such as high revenue per employee of which we have employed 186,000 from 2017 to 2022 (2022, IBISWorld). There are also external drivers such as high competition and high capital requirements (2022, IBISWorld). Research has shown evidence that companies “with ethical managerial lapses” lack not only responsible conduct but also in poor condition “in terms of financial returns (Gustafson, 2013; Frooman,1997).” Therefore, we at Deta Airlines dedicate ourselves to performing with consistency within CIRCLE and what it represents. Through this economic vision, the success of the company will prosper, and the possibilities are endless.
References
Barchiesi, M. (2014 JUL). An analysis of the Organizational Core Values of the World's Most Admired Companies. Volume 21 #3 pg 159-166. Retrieved from Trident Online Library.
Frooman, J. (1997). Socially irresponsible and illegal behavior and shareholder wealth: a meta-analysis of event studies. Business and Society 36(3): 221-249.
Gustafson A. 2013. In defense of a utilitarian business ethic. Business and Society Review 118(3): 325–360
Lang, C. (2022 JUN). International Airlines in the US. IBISWorld: Industry. Retrieved from Trident Online Tools.
Reference for Business (2023). Delta Air Lines, Inc. – Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Delta Air Lines, Inc. Retrieved from
4) Frederick Russell
Southwest Airlines, a Dallas, Texas, based company, was incorporated in 1071 and began operations out of Love Field with three Boeing 737s serving Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. From serving “Love Bites” (peanuts) to being recognized as LUV by Wall Street, Southwest has used it’s love of serving it’s customers as if they were their own family to become an industry leader 50 years later. The commitment displayed to employee and customer care, outstanding service and environmental responsibility is proven with a track record littered with awards for outperforming its airline peers over the decades.
Admittedly, creating a new Mission Statement and Vision Statement was very difficult, because the current statements in use are near perfect. They are concise and precise, and align with the values posted and spoken by their leadership.
Previous mission statement: To connect People to what's important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.
New mission statement: Get every passenger, pet, and parcel to where they need to be, whenever, wherever, with a smile, because flying is all about LUV.
Values Statement:
1. Specify at least five specific core values of the airline.
a. Integrity First! Taking my experience and training from my previous military profession, this should be applied to any setting, period. Once a business loses the trust of the consumer base, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to recover it.
b. Be transparent! Accept that mistakes happen, both within and outside our control, but never shift the blame. Work with each other, whether it be with customers, subordinates, or superiors, to find a solution to ensure a resolution is found.
c. We embrace differences! Simply put, discrimination against anyone, employee, customer, visitor, or vendor, is unacceptable. As the one nation that is truly a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and religious beliefs, we cannot offer a friendly visit home or abroad to our guests without being friendly and welcoming ourselves.
d. Do not optimize for short term gains! Too often, new managers, CEOs/COOs, or accountants will step over a dollar to pick up a dime, so to speak. Think of how a decision today will affect you, your team, your community, and the company 1, 5, 10, and 20 years down the line. This extra time to take a step back can help one see the bigger picture and help make better decisions for the company, the community, and the environment.
e. Strive to be global stewards! There is no way a rational individual can ignore that we live in a world with limited resources. However, we still have a duty to provide a service, and therefore must explore any feasible avenue to provide said service while reducing our impact on the environment. There are times when this can appear to be costly, but one must not seek to save a dollar today by harming the clients of tomorrow.
2. Use the Mission Statement as a reference point.
a. Become the most loved airline ever, by customers, employees, and Mother Earth, because love is literally where we began.
3. State whether the airline is internally focused, externally focused, or both. An internal focus would be oriented toward employee needs or company profits, while an external focus would be oriented towards the needs of the community (e.g., philanthropy).
a. Both!
i. On the external side, there is readily accessible information about the various charities it donates to. These include nationally and locally, workforce development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, environmental sustainability programs, disaster & crisis response programs, human trafficking awareness, various educational scholarships, and the Medical Transportation Grant Program (MTGP), which itself has distributed over $42M in free transportation to more than 110 hospitals and medical facilities since 2007 ( 2023).
ii. On the internal side, it is also evident, though almost shrouded in a veil of external focus. At Southwest, we believe that “Happy employees make for happy customers. And happy customers make for happy shareholders.” Therefore, we meticulously sift through thousands of applications to find the best individuals to hire so that we do not simply give them a job but offer them a career. We provide additional educational and training opportunities to our employees, but because of the high hurdle for employment coupled with the positive work atmosphere, we have a low employee turnover ( LinkedIn, 2016). This is why we’ve been on the Forbes list of top 100 large employers to work for the 7th time now.
Anonymous. (2023). Community Outreach. Southwest. Retrieved from .
Anonymous. (2016). Purpose Case Study: Southwest Airlines. Retrieved from .
