Abstract

British Airways is one of the leading airlines in the world. This case traces the airline’s history and discusses the process of turnaround during the 1980s under the leadership of Lord King and Colin Marshall. The case also discusses the subsequent turbulent period under CEO Bob Ayling and the challenges faced, including recession, competition, terrorism and the Gulf war. The case closes with an outline of the tasks ahead of the incumbent CEO Rod Eddington. The case can be used to illustrate the importance of leadership in bringing about cultural change.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

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Keywords

British Airways, BA, Rod Eddington, Leadership and change, Human resource management, Colin Marshall, Lord King, Bob Ayling, Aviation industry, Change management, Putting people first, Managing people first, Airways