The following case study report is based on my personal experiences during a 6 month internship within the HRDepartment of Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT). I worked in central personnel development, whose job is to provide systems and processes for succession, rotary and career planning and assist the managers in their role as the “first personnel developer” for their employees.
Two personnel developers and I formed a project team to address the problematic issue of increasing employee turnover in the past years. All the information and data provided by the company has been translated from German into English and was gathered in 2013.
The purpose of this report is to make recommendations to optimize the existing potential analysis tools of LHT. Executives were questioned about their beliefs and experiences using indepth interviews. Their opinions are integrated in the optimization process in order to produce a practical reference guide for identifying potential. I also use a SWOTanalysis to develop appropriate strategies by determining strengths and weaknesses and examining organisational behaviour (OB) factors. In addition, the statements of managers are analysed with regard to aspects of transformational leadership.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Organizational Background
3. Problem Identification
4. Expert-interviews
4.1 The Interview Guide
4.2 Corporate-Management-Grading
4.3 Critical Incident Technique (CIT)
5. SWOT-analysis
5.1 SWOT-analysis based on Expert-Interviews
5.1.1 Strengths
5.1.2 Weaknesses
5.1.3 Opportunities
5.1.4 Threats
6. Implications of the SWOT-analysis for organisational behaviour
6.1 Role Model
6.2 Individual Development
6.3 Communication
6.4 Emotions
7. Recommendations
8. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
The primary objective of this report is to provide actionable recommendations for optimizing the existing potential analysis tools at Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT) to mitigate high employee turnover. The central research aim is to identify necessary adjustments to management assessment processes by analyzing leadership styles and organizational behavior factors through expert insights and strategic evaluation.
- Analysis of existing potential analysis tools (Corporate-Management-Grading)
- Investigation of leadership competencies and missing management skills
- Evaluation of organizational behavior factors (job satisfaction, commitment)
- Application of SWOT-analysis to assess internal and external strategic drivers
- Implementation of transformational leadership concepts to enhance management performance
Excerpt from the Book
Corporate-Management-Grading
The CMG (introduced in 2003) is a group-wide instrument of Deutsche Lufthansa AG used for the assessment of potential and performance of managers and their successors (beneath Management Level C). It is used in a standardised form, and serves as the basis for individual career planning as well as strategic succession planning within the company. It identifies and supports talent within the organization. The CMG is applied in the so called “potential conversation” that takes place once a year between supervisors and employees and is partially supported by a personnel developer. The long-term goal is to guarantee high performing executives in the senior management positions at Lufthansa. The CMG can be adjusted in order to promote a new leadership style better suited to the needs of the employees and the company.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the scope of the internship and the motivation behind investigating increasing employee turnover at LHT.
Organizational Background: Describes the structure, scale, and importance of Lufthansa Technik AG within the aviation industry.
Problem Identification: Analyzes the root causes of employee turnover, highlighting issues like lack of appreciation and insufficient professional development.
Expert-interviews: Details the methodology of gathering insights from management experts to understand leadership requirements.
SWOT-analysis: Evaluates internal strengths and weaknesses alongside external market threats to provide a strategic overview.
Implications of the SWOT-analysis for organisational behaviour: Connects leadership gaps to organizational behavior concepts like motivation and commitment.
Recommendations: Proposes the integration of transformational leadership traits into the existing appraisal systems.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings and reinforces the necessity of adapting management styles to improve talent retention.
Keywords
Lufthansa Technik, Employee Turnover, HR Management, Corporate-Management-Grading, SWOT-analysis, Transformational Leadership, Expert Interviews, Organizational Behavior, Potential Analysis, Management Development, Job Satisfaction, Commitment, Leadership Competencies, Personnel Development, Succession Planning
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this case study report?
The report focuses on addressing high employee turnover at Lufthansa Technik AG by evaluating and optimizing existing internal management assessment tools.
Which specific HR tool is primarily analyzed?
The report centers on the Corporate-Management-Grading (CMG), which is the standard instrument used for assessing manager performance and potential.
What is the main objective of the research?
The goal is to provide recommendations for adjusting the CMG to better capture leadership competencies, thereby improving career planning and employee retention.
What scientific methods were employed in this study?
The author conducted semi-structured expert interviews with Level C managers and performed a comprehensive SWOT-analysis of the organization.
What are the key themes addressed in the main body?
The body chapters cover the identification of turnover causes, the evaluation of management skills, the impact of leadership on organizational behavior, and the implementation of transformational leadership concepts.
Which factors are considered essential for organizational behavior?
The study highlights job satisfaction, employee commitment, and work motivation as the most critical factors influencing organizational behavior and retention.
How does the author define the role of a leader in this context?
The report suggests that leaders should be charismatic, authentic, and motivating role models who foster open communication and support individual development.
What is the role of the "four I's" in the proposed recommendations?
The "four I's" of transformational leadership are recommended as a framework to refine the CMG, ensuring that leaders are evaluated not just on technical performance but on inspirational and developmental capabilities.
What are the main organizational barriers to the proposed changes?
The author notes that implementation is challenged by technological barriers regarding the potential database and the need for a shift in leadership attitude at the board level.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2014, Individual Case Study Report. A Change of Leadership Style within the "Lufthansa Technik" Using Expert Interviews and SWOT-Analysis, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/301904
