Diagnosis: Critical review and application of Qantas



Diagnosis: Critical review and application of Qantas

Introduction

Qantas is one of the world's oldest airlines having been founded in 1920. The airline is the largest domestic and international airline in the Australian region and has been recognized as one of the long distance carriers all over the world. The company operates in over 44 countries in the different continents in the world.

Discussion

Change Management models

There are many theories guiding the organizational development change process. The first theory is Kurt Lewin's Three-Step Model of Organizational Change Process. The model involves three steps, which are “Unfreezing?Transformation?Refreezing. There is another theoretical model, also attributed to Kurt Lewin, is called the Action Research Model, it involves a four-step process that involves the following steps: problem, identification, development of hypothesis, hypothesis testing, and data interpretation that is “characterized as a continuing cyclical process of hypothesis generation, data collection, data evaluation, and, ultimately, intervention” (Jex & Britt, 2008, p.481). The third theory, developed by Karl Ludwig von Bartalanffy, is the General Systems theory. The majority of organizational development rests on the General Systems Theory.

One of the first planned change management models was presented by Lewin,, the three-step model. This model has set the standard for change theories for 50 years and has been argued as the one best way for change (Burnes 1996). The model has a three step approach to change - the first being the present level (unfreezing), then movement to the new level (moving), followed by the new level (refreezing) (Cummings & Worley 2009). This theory, however, is not without criticism. Burnes (2004) summarises these criticisms into three basic groups. The first being the model is too simplistic and mechanical for continuous change. Secondly that the model is only relevant to incremental and isolated change projects and is not able to incorporate radical, transformational change. The third criticism is the model is seen as advocating a top-down, management-driven approach to change and ignoring situations requiring bottom-up change (Burnes 2004). Because this model can be seen as simplistic, much research has gone into expanding these three stages (Cummings & Worley 2009), therefore this model can hardly be seen as the one right way.

The Six Sigma methodology uses a five phase model for the implementation of its tools. Each project selected for Six Sigma will be processed through the five phases are called Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC). A key factor to each of these phases is management's commitment to allocate the time and resources to the Six Sigma personnel facilitating each phase. Another key factor that will successfully drive the Six Sigma DMAIC model is the involvement of everyone in the company. The information group needs to provide the necessary data. The financial group needs to provide the necessary cost-of-quality data analysis. Lastly, Operators and supervisors, as well as the rest of the shop operation, will be asked to get involved with the Six Sigma model and look for continual improvement opportunities in work areas (Munro, 2002, ...