Final answer:
The statement by Southwest Airlines' CEO illustrates Human Resource Management by recognizing employees as vital assets, aligning with a strengths-based management approach. This approach focuses on employee strengths and fosters a supportive manager/employee partnership, a shift from traditional managerial roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The managerial function illustrated by Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, when he credits the success of the company to the employees, could be seen as part of Human Resource Management (HRM). This function involves recognizing employees as valuable assets and potentially a competitive advantage, illustrating a management style that favors a strengths-based management approach.
This approach, as researched by Donald Clifton, emphasizes the enhancement of individual's strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses.
Consistently providing exceptional customer service to your internal customers, such as your managers, not only can result in positive feedback but also in career growth opportunities and increased job satisfaction.
Once a firm is established, the importance of knowing individual managers in the company decreases, especially to external investors like bondholders and shareholders, as they base their financial decisions on available data regarding the company's performance metrics. This reflects a change in managerial function from personal relationships to data-driven decisions.
The shift in the manager/employee relationship to a more equal partnership where both contribute to the organization's broader goals represents a modern trend in managerial roles. This trend acknowledges the value of employees and supports their contributions to achieve mutual goals, in contrast to the traditional hierarchical structure.