Abstract

The case discusses the changes that occurred in Southwest’s culture in the early-2000s and to what extent these changes were related to leadership. It also talks about the problems faced by Southwest, some of which were cultural and others external. The case concludes with an analysis of the reasons for the changes that occurred at Southwest and whether the new CEO Gary Kelly would be able to change the culture for the better and replace Herb Kelleher at the airline.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• The relationship between leadership and culture and how charismatic leaders can influence the elements of culture at organizations.

Keywords

Case, Southwest Airlines, Gary Kelly, James Parker, Herb Kelleher, Low-cost Airlines, Organizational Culture, Colleen Barrett, Customer Relations, JetBlue, Succession Planning, Cultural Transformation, Leadership, Change Management, AirTran, Southwest Culture