Case Assignment: Southwest Airlines

1. Describe and evaluate corporate culture at Southwest Airlines. What performance indicators does this culture target? (i.e. where would you expect Southwest to excel based on your evaluation of its culture?)

2. Evaluate Southwest Airlines' top management and corporate governance. What goals are targeted? What behaviors are rewarded in top management and middle management? Do you see any problems with top management or governance at Southwest? Based on this analysis, where would you expect Southwest to excel (on what performance indicators)?

3. How does Southwest's performance compare to that of its main rivals: Spirit Airlines, Delta, and United Continental Holdings? Perform the frontier analysis for 2015 and compare the performance of these four companies. Are your predictions in #1 and #2 regarding Southwest's areas of performance excellence supported? Why/why not?

Note: Using theories, concepts, and tools from the textbook is mandatory when you write your case analyses. Just writing what you think or believe without using the analytical tools is a recipe for a bad grade. Your textbook offers you a wealth of analytical tools. If you are not sure if a specific tool is applicable or important, please ask. Your analyses do not have to be too long or complicated. Saying things and citing a specific tool as evidence is often sufficient.