This report analyzes the Airline Industry Analysis case study, with a specific focus on Comair. It explores both traditional and evolving strategies within the industry and investigates the reasons behind the failure of Comair's Crew Scheduling System. Additionally, it suggests measures that should be taken by the manager, Delta executive, and IT crew management to avoid similar problems in the future. The case study centers around Comair, an airline company that is owned by Delta Air Lines.
The crash of the Comair network system resulted in significant losses. This occurred because the managers were hesitant to replace the crew management application, preferring to stick with the current system. They also depended on data from the old system, including pilot contracts. Moreover, there were frequent changes in IT management and Delta's acquisition of Comair further complicat
...ed matters. Consequently, the IT management team was left waiting for assistance.
In summary, the outdated system had to be replaced but the management team was unable to do so due to pressing business matters. Moreover, the decision to replace the crew management system came too late. As a result, when the old system failed, the management team had to deal with the consequences and explain why it happened. The misalignment between business strategy and information systems was not an immediate occurrence but rather a procedural one. The initial issue at Comair stemmed from problems with their information system.
Eric Bardes joined the Comair IT department in 1997 and immediately sought to replace the outdated legacy system used to manage flight crews. However, the transition to Maestro was unsuccessful due to resistance from one flight crew supervisor. Despite a meeting
it was decided to wait for a more satisfactory substitute rather than invest in immediate replacement. This discussion continued over the years, resulting in slow and inefficient management.
In the year 2000, Delta acquired Comair, but the transition was delayed. Unfortunately, during the holiday season, the legacy system at Comair failed. This exposed a misalignment between the business strategy and information system, resulting in a slow decision-making process and an outdated information system. The workers and managers were reluctant to embrace change and preferred the old system, despite its inefficiencies in helping Comair.
Considering the information crew not being replaced promptly and the challenges posed by Delta's takeoover, Comair's business strategy faces difficulties. Additionally, their task of replacing crew members coincided with an upcoming holiday, resulting in significant losses due to legacy failures. As the manager of flight operations, what measures could you have taken to ensure that your system was adequately prepared to support your organization? Why do you think these precautions were not taken in this instance? Having studied the Comair case, I have learned from the mistakes made by the Comair crew.
In order to consistently update and enhance the information system, I will ensure that my system is always up to date. To begin with, I will encourage all employees, including managers and staff from different departments, to be innovative and embrace challenges. A lesson learned from the case study of Comair is that their workers were hesitant to take risks and relied on others for problem-solving. It is important to take risks and think outside the box. Had the management team been willing to replace the information system sooner,
they could have prevented the tragedy.
In order to ensure the effectiveness and compatibility of my organization's system, I will continuously upgrade it whenever new systems become available. To facilitate this process, I will establish a dedicated department responsible for testing and training a team to manage the new systems. For instance, in the case of Comair, they may need to replace their outdated system, but currently lack personnel with knowledge or experience in the new system. Additionally, Comair must also ensure that the old system continues to function properly during this transition. This approach helps minimize risk by safeguarding the operation of the old system in case the new system encounters any issues.
During this stage, the replacement can proceed without any issues. The case study highlights that the staff at Comair failed to fulfill their responsibilities. They neglected to verify whether their competitors were already utilizing the new system. In my opinion, it is important to always check with competitors regarding their current information systems. This does not imply copying them, but rather understanding the changes and finding ways to enhance our own system. Could Delta executives have taken any measures during the merger to prevent this kind of vulnerability arising from their new acquisition?
There were certain tasks that Delta executives should have undertaken during the merger to prevent this kind of vulnerability from their newly acquired company. The exposure could have been avoided if Delta had conducted a thorough analysis of the risk associated with the new system and taken steps to test or mitigate it. Unfortunately, both Delta and Comair executives failed to give sufficient attention to the replacement system,
while the IT department made minimal efforts to disrupt this complacency.
Lack of urgency prevailed in Delta, and it could have been avoided if they had managed to improve in this area of failure. Former employees blamed the IT executive for not conducting a comprehensive management analysis that would have convinced them to invest in a replacement system. Instead, Delta kept the capital for expenses at Comair, resulting in unfortunate consequences. Did the failure of the old system burden Delta with the responsibility of providing better customer service and funding, as well as prioritizing the upgrade of this legacy system?
In order for the general managers to respond appropriately, they would have needed to hear about the analysis and study conducted by Comair IT executives regarding the risk that the legacy system posed to the airline's daily operations. The executives should have also taken measures to mitigate that risk and thoroughly examined how the system operated and its management. However, an examination of Comair indicates that senior executives did not view the replacement system as an urgent priority, and the IT department did not significantly disrupt this sense of complacency.
The general manager should take his own responsibilities. If the IT department did not do any work or analysis of the system, the manager should force them to take action. The manager should take serious action towards implementing the replacement system. If the manager is able to do this effectively and prioritize the replacement system, any exposure would be avoided. In conclusion, after studying the case study, it can be seen that each department and level did not fulfill their roles. If every individual
takes the replacement system seriously, the exposure would not occur.
The manager did not consider the replacement system to be a serious matter. The IT department provided an inadequate analysis report on the system. Delta did not prioritize attention and investment in it, choosing instead to maintain the capital. In my opinion, the issue of failure does not depend on whether the system is legacy or old but on software hygiene. There are many older systems that still work well, while some new and modern technologies fail. The essential point is understanding the limits of your own system.
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