I think I could run an airline

[Asher]

The real problem is people who only know how to "manage" don't know what they are managing.

I've no problems if somebody in a tech company has an MBA, provided they also have some kind of real, substantive background in that field.

Take a look at the management of Motorola now, or HP under Carly Fiorina if you want a case study.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by snoopy369
None of that analysis should be done by the CEO of a major airline. It should be done by people hired well down the line from the CEO.

"Running the airline" doesn't necessarily mean CEO. It could just as easily mean COO.

[Asher]

Re: Re: I think I could run an airline

Originally posted by Kidicious


And you are idiot?

No, but apparently you are.

[Wiglaf]

"Airline service gets worse and worse, delays get worse and worse, and yet people are still flying in record numbers," said Alan Bender, professor of airline economics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The airline industry is not in trouble. This current situation is more like a flee annoying an elephant ... you would not say the elephant must be killed and replaced with another one, like Asher is doing here.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by snoopy369


Managerial skills involve being able to get other people to do what they are supposed to be doing, and want to do it.

Getting people to do what they are suppose to do isn't that hard. The hard part is deciding what they should do.

[UnOrthOdOx]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Other than me, how many other people on these boards have been an actual manager, anyway?

Not that I count here in the off-topic area or anything.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Wiglaf


The airline industry is not in trouble. This current situation is more like a flee annoying an elephant ... you would not say the elephant must be killed and replaced with another one, like Asher is doing here.

Flea could kill an elephant.

[Asher]

Originally posted by UnOrthOdOx




Not that I count here in the off-topic area or anything.

Depends to what degree we're talking about anyway. I've got half a dozen people reporting to me right now. And not McDonalds-style reporting, university-degree in a real field people.

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by snoopy369


Managerial skills involve being able to get other people to do what they are supposed to be doing, and want to do it. They are actual skills... and quite often technical people are terrible managers and vice versa. It's why many technical people change jobs after they hit the management level...

If you've never been a real manager (not just managing a couple of lab techs or a small project team, but actually managing a large amonut of people in all aspects of their jobs, over a long period of time) this is self evident.

Other than me, how many other people on these boards have been an actual manager, anyway? I doubt it's very many...

Being a manager

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by snoopy369


Managerial skills involve being able to get other people to do what they are supposed to be doing, and want to do it.

This assumes that you actually know what other people are supposed to be doing. I find it extremely amusing that people accept that hierarchical structures are bad when run by the government but are good when run by private companies.

If you've never been a real manager (not just managing a couple of lab techs or a small project team, but actually managing a large amonut of people in all aspects of their jobs, over a long period of time) this is self evident.

Anybody who attempts to manage a large amount of people in all aspects of their jobs will fail miserably. Knowledge and experience are distributed, not concentrated in the hands of managers.

Other than me, how many other people on these boards have been an actual manager, anyway? I doubt it's very many...

Why would I attempt to accomplish something which I don't believe is truly possible? I have never been "managed" by anybody in such a way as to increase my productivity except insofar as my manager had more experience doing my job than I did OR insofar as he was there to keep alive the threat of my being fired based on easily measured traits of productivity.

Managerialism is perhaps the saddest religion of them all.

[asleepathewheel]

Originally posted by Asher
Airline profitability is more about route analysis than anything else. There's a lot of analysis involved here that is actually right up the ally of anyone in the maths areas.

Partly. It doesn't help when legacy carriers have to pay 2-3x the salaries the low-cost carriers have to due to the unions.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Getting people to do what they are suppose to do isn't that hard. The hard part is deciding what they should do.

Do I really have to agree with Kid here?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


Do I really have to agree with Kid here?

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by snoopy369
Other than me, how many other people on these boards have been an actual manager, anyway? I doubt it's very many...

My business card says "Executive". Does that make me a manager?

[Arrian]

I have "executive" in my title as well (I don't even get business cards, though!). Hurray! Um, no. I execute NOTHING! ME CRIMINAL! WHERE'S YOUR CHOPPER?

-Arrian