DISCUSSION BOARD FORUM 4 1
Discussion Board Forum 4 - Singapore Air: Changing to Stay Ahead
Odalys Perez
Liberty University
Dr. Ken Dr. Brumfield
BMAL 504-B04 LUO – Fall 2020
SINGAPORE AIR: 2
Singapore Air: Changing to Stay Ahead
Introduction
Singapore Airlines (SIA) is known as one of the leading international airlines in relation
to customer service. Year after year, the airline has received many awards during the 80’s and
90’s as well as the new millennium which are testimonial to their premiere service (Jick &
Peiprel, 2011, 525). Consequently “Conde Nast Traveler” magazine’s Reader’s Choice Wards
was presented to the airline in 2014 naming it the “best airline”in the world. They have received
said award about seventeen times over sixteen years (Jick et al., 2011, pp. 535-536). Despite
terroisim and SARS, the airline managed to maintain their status of excellence receiving a
ranking of “World’s Most Admired Company’s survey in 2004 (Jick et al, 2011, p. 536). The
company has developed three main principals “Show You Care, trough body language, Dare to
Care, and Be Service Entrepreneurs, meaning to display creativity” (Jick et al., 2011, pp. 536-
537).
What have been SIA’s main ingredients of success?
SIA’s success is made up of three main ingredients which are a strong corporate
culture based on solid recruitment, a long-term vision of continuous growth, and development of
its leaders (Jick et al., 2011. ). Building the right team, is a very important ingredient in the
recipe of success (Moghaddam, Kaveh, 2015, p. 162). The management of Singapore Airlines
understand that concept when they were quoted saying, “we are a cohesive group and we work
together as a team with the same culture, attitudes, and motivation.” Singaporeans made up the
majority SIA’s employees and therefore, vested as a team regarding shared values and feeling the
same concerns towards the success of top airline of their region. This was crucial for SIA
management to recognize during recruitment of and building the right team as it has been part of
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their success so far (Jick et al., 2011, 541-542). Strategic vision and the manner in which
management can effectively communicate that vision is key to eliciting higher goal commitment
among followers (Godwin, Houghton, Neck, & Mohan, 2011, p. 23). Simply defined, “vision is a
clear focus upon a future end state that propels self and others forward with expectation and
perseverance” (Godwin et al., 2011, p. 32). Because of SIA’s long-term vision, the airline did not
let the fears of business cycles disrupt focus of its investment plans (Jick et al., 2011, p. 541).
Successful organizations recognize that they must continually develop their subordinate leaders
by maximizing operational, institutional, and self-development opportunities in the
acknowledgment that it is those subordinate leaders that will guide the organization through
tomorrow’s challenges (Wezel, Col. Frank, 2015, p. 34). SIA also shared in this belief and
facilitated the handing down of its distinctive culture to a new generation of staff (Jick et al.,
2011, p. 543).
How has their success become vulnerable? Why is it difficult to maintain a
leadership position of a company like SIA and continuously improve?
Because of all the success SIA had, it became vulnerable in the areas competing
with other airlines who had low-cost, hospitality, and the climate of terrorism which had
increased (Jick et al., 2011 p, 549). Though, competing low-cost airlines and terrorism may be a
factor, the traditional eastern Confucian approach which is more aligned to hospitality may be its
ultimate vulnerability. Unlike western business thinking which is dominated by immediate
decision-making, short-term profit taking, and frequent change of employment, the Singaporean
approach which is closely related to the traditional Chinese practice of Guanxi that emphasizes
mutual trust and relationship among interacting parties is considered to be a key factor in doing
business (Weidenbaum, Jerry, 2006, p. 576).
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This idea would account for SIA’s most distinctive competitive advantage in service.
However, this distinctive competitive advantage makes it difficult to maintain a leadership
position in a company like SIA and continuously improve because this traditional eastern way of
doing business takes time. It can take months or years to establish long-term business
relationships based on friendship and trust which normally involve a courtship process of hosting
meals, doing favors, providing gifts, and being attentive to private concerns [CITATION
Wei06 \p 576-577 \l 1033 ].
What do world-class organizations need to do to improve and change continuously?
Change often brings progress, new ideas, and innovation. Change cannot be avoided,
however it is something that is needed and is the only want companies can accept the constant
changes in the world of business. The great improvement recommended to world-class
organizations – they need to accept and be willing to change in order to improve as well as
remain competitive in their respective industries. Because most of us hate change. It disrupts our
comfort levels, even in business, leaving us insecure and afraid. It challenges our expectations,
our routines, our understanding of the world and how we live in it. But here’s what doesn’t
change: God – he never changes nor does his love for us. “I am the L , and I do not change. ᴏʀᴅ
And so, you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost” (Malachi 3:6, GNTD).
References
Godwin, Jeffrey L, Houghton, Jeffrey D, Neck, Christopher P & Mohan, Eric C (2011). Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech as a Tool for Teaching
Transformational Leadership and Vision. Journal of Organiztional Behavior Education,
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4, 23-41. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/1015268644?accountid=12085
Jick, Todd D & Peiperl, Maury A (2011). Managaing Change - Cases and Concepts. New
York: McGraw-Hill .
Moghaddam, Kaveh (2015, August 3). The ingredients of a success recipe: An exploratory
study of diaspora opportunity entrepreneurship. South Asian Journal of Global Business
Research, 4(2), 162-189. Retrieved from https://www-emerald-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SAJGBR-08-2014-0058/full/html
Weidenbaum, Jerry (2006, August). China's Progress in Developing Modern Business
Practices. Vital Speeches of the Day, 72(20/21), 576-578. Retrieved from https://search-
proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/221477895?pq-origsite=summon
Wezel, Col. Frank (2015, July-August). Developing Leaders. Military Review, 33-41.
Retrieved October 5, 2020, from https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/military-
review/Archives/English/MilitaryReview_20150831_art010.pdf
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