Analysis of the British Airways Swipe Card Debacle Case Study

This report examines the British Airways swipe card debacle, focusing on the unauthorized strike at Heathrow Airport due to a change initiative by management. The report analyzes best practices for implementing change strategies, emphasizing the importance of considering employee perspectives. It highlights the main problem, which was the direct implementation of an electronic clocking system without prior communication with employees. The report compares the perspectives of management, who aimed to improve efficiency, and union employees, who viewed the change as a radical shake-up. It discusses the problems and implications of management's actions, including operational disruptions and strikes. The report concludes by suggesting how this type of change could have been handled differently, emphasizing the need for communication and collaboration between management and employees. The report references various academic sources to support its analysis.

The British Airways swipe
card debacle
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Best practices for implementing change strategies in organizations...........................................3
Main problem in the case study...................................................................................................3
Comparing management and union employees perspective on the change.................................3
Problems and implications associated with management's actions.............................................4
How this type of change could have been handled differently from both the perspective..........4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
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INTRODUCTION
In order to manage the change effectively and efficiently within organization it is
essential for management to focus on different perspective of employees and staff within the
organization (Millar, Hind and Magala, 2012). Presently, the report focuses on the case study of
Heathrow Airport where staff engage in unauthorized strike due to change initiative taken by the
management of BA. Further, report will also measures the future practices to handle the change
effectively.
Best practices for implementing change strategies in organizations
For implementing successful change strategies in the organization there are different
practices that need to be focused so that they manage change properly. According to Palmer,
Dunford and Akin (2009) the best practices for implementing change strategies within the
organization is to measure their urgency, prevailing condition under which change has been
managed and attitude of staff or employees towards managing the change (Palmer, Dunford and
Akin, 2006). Thus, considering all the three elements is likely to influence the management of
change within the organization. From the view point of Werkman (2010) the effective practice
for implementing the successful change within the organization ensure focusing on
organizational development that support in managing the change (Werkman, 2010).
Main problem in the case study
The case study describe the 24 hour spontaneous and unauthorized strike by British
Airways staff on the London's busy Heathrow Airport. The key reason for the unauthorized
strike was change initiative that has been taken by the management. The case also describe that
management was in the favor for improving the efficiency of BA through implementing an
electronic clocking system. But the staff member was against the change as they viewed the
change initiative as radical shake-up that influence the shifts of staff and their working activities.
The main problem in the case study is that manager has directly implement the electronic
clocking system without any prior communicating to their employees.
Comparing management and union employees perspective on the change
From the above study the perspective of management differs from the perspective of
union employees on the change. The perspective of management on the change is to modernize
the system of BA and also to improve the efficiency by implementing the electronic clocking
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systems. On the other hand, perspective of union employees on the change was totally different
as they have reviewed the change as radical shake up. As they believe that through implementing
the change manager need to influence the staff hours and working practices that results in loss of
pay.
Problems and implications associated with management's actions
According to the case study of British Airways, management has implemented their
actions through implementing electronic clocking system within the organization to improve the
efficiency (Alvesson and Sveningsson, 2015). The problem that arises with the management
action is that it results in situation of dispute among the staff and management as well as it also
lead to disruption in operations that eventually loss over 100,000 customers. In addition to this,
implication associated with management action was unofficial strike at the airport.
How this type of change could have been handled differently from both the perspective
In the future this type of change must be handled effectively from both the perspective
that is on the part of management they can take suggestions regarding the employees to improve
the overall efficiency (Cameron and Green, 2012). On the other hand, to successfully implement
this type of change union of employees must focus on discussion and reviewing the suggestions
so that they can take effective decisions regarding the change.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been summarizes that it is essential to focus on different
perspective of management as well as employees while taking effective decision regarding
managing the change.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alvesson, M. and Sveningsson, S., 2015. Changing organizational culture: Cultural change
work in progress. Routledge.
Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2012. Making sense of change management: a complete guide to the
models tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers
Millar, C., Hind, P. and Magala, S., 2012. Sustainability and the need for change: organisational
change and transformational vision. Journal of Organizational Change Management. 25(4). pp.
489
-500.
Palmer, I., Dunford R. and Akin, D., 2006. Organizational Change and the Importance of
Embedded Assumptions. British Journal of Management. 19(2). pp. 20-32.
Werkman, R., 2010. Reinventing Organization Development: How a Sensemaking Perspective
Can Enrich OD Theories and Interventions. Journal of Change Management. 10(4). pp.
421-432.
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