Category: Aviation

Challenge One

Introduction

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) focuses on emerging challenges that might affect aviation activities and processes. Most of the targeted problems are associated with new technologies and changes in the world today. Such issues can be administrative, technical, geopolitical, or non-technical in nature. The first security and safety challenges targeted by the GCAA is the presence of consumer drones around airports. This issue has emerged because many companies and individuals are using drones than ever before.

Priority

Airports across the world have been keen to protect their airspaces. Unfortunately, rogue drones have continued to affect operations in different regions or countries. Statistics indicate that the number of cases involving consumer drones near airports has been increased by over 15 per cent every year (Clarke 2016). There are several reasons why this problem has become a priority. To begin with, drones are capable of causing accidents if they collide with planes or get stuck on runways (Clarke 2016). Experts in aviation acknowledge that collisions with drones can be catastrophic.

Secondly, several cases have been reported involving drones. For instance, in April 2015, a drone was reported to have struck an aeroplane before landing at Heathrow Airport, London. In the United States, different authorities report incidences of drones near airports or close to aeroplanes (Wild, Murray & Baxter 2016). Thirdly, drones are capable of causing numerous losses. For instance, a drone brought air traffic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to a standstill for over 55 minutes (Clarke 2016). The occurrence resulted in losses of over 55 million US dollars.

Urgency

As drones continue to increase in number, more problems will be reported in different regions and near airports. This means that they will continue to pose security and safety threats while at the same time causing losses (Clarke 2016). These facts or attributes explain why there is a need for CAAs to address the concern. This is in accordance with the current policies that prohibit unauthorized activities near airports that can endanger aircraft, passengers, and facilities.

Responses

The GCAA and other CAAs across the globe have been responding to this problem using various strategies or approaches. In April 2018, the DCAA implemented and unveiled Exponent Portal software (Clarke 2016). The purpose of this application is to allow officials across the nation to track the speed, location, and size of every drone near airports. The software is also capable of recording the kind of information being collected by every drones camera (Wallace & Loffi 2015). The strategy is also considered or implemented by different CAAs across the world. Airports and departments that have embraced the power of this technology continue to record positive results.

The second initiative is the use of powerful laws and policies. These are considered to regulate the activities undertaken within the aviation industry (Clarke 2016). The ultimate objective has been to ensure that airspaces are protected against any unauthorized activity. The use of real-time tracking software is being used to control and monitor every operation involving flying objectives and drones in controlled airspaces.

Recommendations

The use of the above initiatives to deal with the targeted security predicament has delivered positive results. Towards the future, the GCAA should consider superior technologies and software systems to monitor even the smallest drones (Villasenor 2014). New laws should also be implemented to hold those who fly drones in protected zones or airspaces accountable and prosecute them. Drone ownership and usage should also be controlled using licenses and increased fees. The move will reduce the number of drones recorded near airports.

Challenge Two

Introduction

The illegal operation of laser near airports has been identified as another major safety concern being taken seriously by the GCAA. Although experts in aviation acknowledge that laser is not hazardous, they agree that it can result in distraction. This issue can affect the effectiveness of pilots during critical phases such as emergency manoeuvres, landing, or takeoff.

Priority

This safety concern has been prioritized because the operation of the laser in many countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom is on the rise. The GCAA is focusing on this issue since it poses a major threat to aeroplanes. When pilots are exposed to sharp laser light, they can suffer from temporary blindness and affect their efficiency. It can also result in disruption. Such occurrences can result in accidents. Studies have indicated that the number of incidents associated with laser at airports has been increasing by over 100 per cent annually (Ruane, Watnik & Swartzlander 2015). Professionals also indicate that illegal laser users will continue to pose numerous challenges in airports.

Urgency

This concern has been prioritized by the GCAA and other CAAs because of the safety issues that might arise. With many accidents being reported during critical phases of flight, experts in the field have indicated that illegal laser light might be one of the potential causes. Ruane, Watnik and Swartzlander (2015) indicate that laser incidents near airports have increased over 24 times within the past three years. Illegal laser has also been reported on commercial airlines, police helicopters, and air ambulances. The emergence of modern technologies will result in hazardous laser light (Salamin et al., 2015). This is the case. Such light will become dangerous and bright. Pulsed lasers are also capable of posing greater risks, thereby resulting in crashes, collisions, or accidents during landing or takeoff.

Responses

The GCAA and other CAA have been responding to this problem using various measures. The first one is that of police enforcement to monitor individuals who might be using lasers or bright light to disrupt aviation operations (Salamin et al., 2015). Existing laws on outdoor laser use or operation have also been considered to address the problem. Dang et al. (2016) indicate that smart goggles are being used to block laser light or reduce its intensity. New laws have been implemented to prosecute those who operate laser near airports or restricted airspaces. Those who are caught are charged for shining laser on aircraft. Unfortunately, most of the laws and initiatives put in place are yet to deliver meaningful results.

Recommendations

The number of illegal laser operators is on the rise (Dang et al., 2016). This problem requires evidence-based solutions in an attempt to reduce the problems associated with bright light in the aviation industry. The first recommendation is to embrace the power of community-based monitoring whereby citizens can report every identified illegal laser user. The second one is improving the level of collaboration to bring together aviation experts, police departments, and technologists to deal with illegal operators. The third approach is promoting new studies and software systems that can reduce the strength of the laser (Salamin et al., 2015). This initiative will ensure that more aircraft and pilots are supported with the new technology or software to prevent accidents. Existing policies should also be implemented efficiently in order to deal with this safety challenge.

Reference List

Clarke, K 2016, Drone brings Dubai airport to a halt for an hour, Khaleej Times, Web.

Dang, QK, Chee, Y, Pham, DD & Suh, YS 2016, A virtual blind cane using a line laser-based vision system and an intertial measurement unit, Sensors, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 95-112.

Ruane, GJ, Watnik, AT & Swartzlander, GA 2015, Reducing the risk of laser damage in a focal plane array using linear pupil-plane phase elements, Applied Optics, vol. 54, no. 2, pp. 210-218.

Salamin, YI, Li, J, Hatsagortsyan, KZ, Tamburini, M, Di Piazza, A & Keitel, CH 2015, Particle beams in ultrastrong laser fields: direct laser acceleration and radiation reaction effects, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, vol. 594, no. 1, pp. 1-13.

Villasenor, J 2014, Drones and the future of domestic aviation, Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 102, no. 3, pp. 235-238.

Wallace, RJ & Loffi, JM 2015, Examining unmanned aerial system threats & defenses: A conceptual analysis, International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 1-33.

Wild, G, Murray, J & Baxter, G 2016, Exploring civil drone accidents and incidents to help prevent potential air disasters, Aerospace, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 22-32.

For the current research project, the longitudinal study seems like an appropriate design. Longitudinal studies are mainly used to assess the processes that take considerable amounts of time to have an effect. They measure certain variables through multiple surveying. A longitudinal study is one of the best designs to use when change is under research. The present study is aimed at implementing change management. Revealing possible benefits and drawbacks of this management model in the paperless environment project in General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) could take time. Change often has short-term and long-term effects, so there is a need to conduct several assessments in the course of the study (Bryman & Bell 2015). Longitudinal study design will allow tracking all changes that happen after the implementation of the chosen intervention. The project will focus on the three main areas: employees printing behaviors, automation of business processes and introducing new tools and technologies.

In all those areas longitudinal study will allow to thoroughly assess the results of the planned interventions. Printing behaviors may change with time. There is also a risk that after the implementation of change management techniques the positive result will be observed, but after a certain time, the effect of the intervention may be minimized due to lack of belief in the chosen course of change. Longitudinal research design could help address this problem. Business process automation is not a trivial task and requires plenty of preparations and adjustments (Cichocki et al. 2012). Along the way, there can be some hindrances that can undermine the implementation process. The chosen study design will allow timely noticing and recording those obstructions. The same issues may occur with the implementation of new tools and technologies. It may be hard to assess the effects of change at once so multiple inquiries could help gather all-around information about the intervention. Therefore, longitudinal study design seems to be best suited for the tasks of the current research project.

Experimental study design cannot be used for the current research. It involves a researcher being able to control the process of implementation and manipulate the variables in order to conduct a scientifically viable experiment (Montgomery 2017). In the environment chosen for the current study, it is deemed hard for a researcher to control anything, as it requires certain authority. This design is better suited for laboratory setting rather than for a budgetary institution. A cross-sectional design could be used for the current study, but there is also a reason for not implementing it. Similarly to the longitudinal design, it uses multiple assessment occasions but unlike it, does not necessarily imply surveying the same people. In the current research project, it is viable to get the feedback from the same sample more than once (Christensen, Johnson & Turner 2013).

A case study allows to have an in-depth research of an event or organization, but it also does not seem to be a suitable choice for the current study. It provides a static research experience while the present project focuses more on the changes and needs to assess short-term and long-term effects. A comparative study also appears to be inappropriate because the research is organization-specific and it may be hard to find a matching material for comparison.

There is a need to use a quantitative approach for the current study to best determine the correlation between the intervention and the effects it produces. Quantitative methods are mostly used when there is a need to establish a connection between certain concepts, events or interventions. Applicable to the current study, they can be used to ensure the sample is affected by the change. It also provides an opportunity to gather data from a larger group of participants. A bigger sample benefits the research due to the better validity (Ceptureanu 2015). When preoccupations are concerned, the quantitative approach focuses on measurement, causality, generalization, and replication. Without measurement, there seems to be no point in the research as there will be no information on whether the implemented adjustments change anything in the way the organization or its employees operate. Causality helps establish the theoretical basis of the study. Generalization may be useful for other researchers when they want to focus on similar topics. Replication allows obtaining one more proof that the current research results are viable. Qualitative methods will be used to assess the participants opinions on whether positive changes took place in the organization.

Qualitative data will allow building theories and researching the peculiarities of change management in a budgetary institution setting. Qualitative methods provide an opportunity to obtain a well-rounded view of the issues connected to the organizations performance. As to the main preoccupations relative to this study, they include data-oriented theory and context priority. It appears to be meaningless to predict how change management works in the chosen setting without real data. In assessing the responses gathered from the sample, there will be a need to base the observations on the understanding of the organizations and employees personal backgrounds. There is a certain degree of subjectivity in the interpretation of qualitative data, as the researcher can sometimes be biased. Quantitative data offers a more reliable source of information regarding the outcomes of change management implementation (Myers 2013). The first evaluation will use quantitative tools only, while both qualitative and quantitative will be utilized in the second. The reason for such an approach is that an in-depth reflection provided by an interview, for example, seems to be suitable after a considerable time has passed since the intervention. Change assessment through survey, however, appears to provide valuable data on performance even in the short run.

Ensuring quality and Reliability

The reliability of the gathered data will be ensured by the research design that implies several assessment sessions. This will allow determining if the trends and concepts that emerged during the first survey are confirmed to be stable. Face and concurrent validity will be established through the use of scholarly sources for designing a proper survey tool and comparing its effectiveness to those previously used in a similar setting. The predictive validity of the data gathered quantitatively will be tested by the qualitative survey conducted in the future. The study will analyze the qualitative and quantitative data after it is collected to hypothesize on the implications of change management in the GCAA setting. The findings will include recommendations on introducing the same practices in similar environments. Convergent validity will probably be tested by measuring the perceived success levels using the Likert scale and assessing the relation of different items from the answers to the concept of successful change management. The subjects answers will be tested using correlation coefficients. Similarly, to establish discriminant validity for this research, the utilization of the same coefficients appears to be a valid choice (Voorhees et al. 2015). Problems and successes in the establishment of change management according to the calculations should show low correlations. If that is successfully proved, then the studys results should have the two concepts discriminated.

Explaining Concepts

The first concept that the research will try to explain is changes management. It stands for the actions and reactions a leader together with his or her team should perform to be able to adequately embrace changes in the organization and successfully implement them with beneficial outcomes (Hayes 2014). The concept will be measured through the variable level of success. If the level is low, then the errors in the implementation of this concept will dictate the need for examination. If otherwise, the key elements of success should be possible to define. Measuring this change management variable should allow to generalize the results and provide the basis for further research (Van der Voet 2014). The employee involvement concept will also be under analysis. It represents the engagement of the team members in various tasks. The number of hours appears to be the appropriate variable to measure employees involvement. It will allow assessing the exact time a team member is involved with a project and making observations about the effect of this on the cost, overall time, and performance of the project. The last concept is process automation. It stands for making machines perform human tasks to save resources. Several variables will be used to assess and explain this concept, including average time saving, average cost-effectiveness, and impact on performance. Such design will help build correlations between the success of the project and the said concept.

Explanation of Applicable Samples

The population selected for the current research consists of senior staff employed at GCAA. Sample-based on the population is narrowed down to project managers. Random sampling is not applicable due to the fact that the selected managers will be asked to apply change management strategies and then evaluate their efforts. Phase two will once again survey the same project team leaders to reflect on the positive and negative sides of the intervention after some time. Therefore, probability sampling seems like a valid option. To prevent possible sampling bias, the research will include team leaders with different levels of experience and a number of team members. Possible non-response bias may occur in the second stage of the sample surveying, as the same participants may not be available. Stratified sampling seems like an adequate technique to use for the tasks set out in the current research.

To assess change management in all its complexity and to uncover solid theoretical and practical implications concerning its applicability in the public sector and GCAA specifically, there is a need to test it on different teams. Other sampling techniques like most of the non-probability sampling types also seem to apply to the research design, as there is a limited population of managers in GCAA that may agree to participate. Given that fact, convenience sampling can be used to form the sample only from those managers who are easily accessible and willing to participate (Bryman & Bell 2015). In this case, there is a risk of not having a sufficient number of people to conduct research. Snowball sampling can also theoretically be used as managers often communicate and if the most senior of them are approached, they could invite others. The problem here is a low probability of this scenario as managers are usually busy and do not have the time for additional tasks.

Reference List

Bryman, A & Bell, E 2015 Business research methods, Oxford University Press, USA.

Ceptureanu, EG 2015, Research regarding change management tools on EU SMEs, Business Excellence and Management Review, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 28-32.

Christensen, L, Johnson, B & Turner, L, 2013, Research methods, design, and analysis, Pearson, London.

Cichocki, A, Ansari, H, Rusinkiewicz, M & Woelk, D, 2012, Workflow and process automation: concepts and technology, vol. 432, Springer Science & Business Media, Berlin.

Hayes, J 2014, The theory and practice of change management, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.

Montgomery, C 2017, Design and analysis of experiments, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Myers, MD 2013, Qualitative research in business and management, Sage, London.

Van der Voet, J 2014, The effectiveness and specificity of change management in a public organization: transformational leadership and a bureaucratic organizational structure, European Management Journal, vol. 32, pp. 373382.

Voorhees, M, Brady, K, Calantone, R & Ramirez, E 2015, Discriminant validity testing in marketing: an analysis, causes for concern, and proposed remedies, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 119-134.

Of late, the world is concerned about environmental conservation and management; domestic and international legislations have been enacted to control operations in different industries in the efforts of attaining sustainable development agendas. The aviation industry has had its share of controls that have affected its operations negatively and positively.

National Air Transport Association applauds the efforts made by environment conservation movements, but it is quick to point out that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policies have limited growth in the industry (Aviation Today, 2008). This paper discusses the impact of environmental issues and laws in the aviation industry.

Negative effects of environmental laws and legislations on aviation industry

Limited growth

Although the industry appreciates, the efforts of environmental movements like Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Friends of the Earth, the industry feel that the requirements of the set policies limit its growth.

The legislations generally wish to reduce emission from aircrafts; however, they have not developed the machines and engines that are environmentally friendly, they leave the burden to aviation companies. When a company is planning on its developments, it sets the base on the available base of operation; however, the same operation level is challenged by environmental conservation movements. The industry thus lacks a constant source of income necessary for development.

To initiate programs requested by the legislations, it requires massive capital investments; this diverts the need for resources. Aviation companies are left at cross roads whether they should initiate recommended environmental programs or they should consider normal development policies. When aviation companies produce environmentally unfriendly products, legislations in some countries charges them pollution taxes that is not an allowable when computing corporation taxes. The taxes are an additional expense to the company reducing resources available for services expansion.

To be compliant, some machinery and aircrafts have been regarded useless since they cannot life to the standards of the legislations; this is an additional cost of disposal to the industry. In some companies, they have received negative publicity from the conservation groups as they advocate for efficiency and environmental conservation, this has directly affected such businesses (Linda, 2007).

Expensive equipments

The standards set by environment laws and legislations have forced aviation companies to use expensive equipments that are green compliant, the cost of such equipments is passed down to the consumer making the services offered more expensive. According to the low of demand, when prices of a service has increased, then the demand for the commodity increases; with the expensive equipments and operating materials, then the demand for aviation services reduces.

Some of the commodities that the laws want used include disposable bags in airplanes, fuel-efficient aircrafts, and aircrafts that do not produce noise.

Kyoto protocol that was ratified in Japan, on 11 December 1997 and aimed to be fully implemented by 16 February 2005, aimed at reducing green house emission . It was a project of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and ratified by 37 industrialized countries and European community.

The main aim of the protocol was to ensure that emission of green house gasses was reduced by 5% below their level in 1990 by the end of 2010. The protocol targeted the major greenhouse emitters; the aviation industry was one of the considered industries. When fulfilling the needs of such conventions, the aviation industry has lost some business at least for the short run (Ernesto & Zedillo, 2008).

Positive side of environmental laws and legislations to the aviation industry

In the long-term, it is expected that environmental laws and legislations are likely to benefits the aviation industry, the benefits are:

Invention and innovativeness

As aviation, industry tries to cope with the set laws and legislations; there has been an increased innovation of environmental friendly equipments and machinery. The machinery that has been developed includes those, which are fuel-efficient, and those that emit minimal noise. The fuel-efficient machinery has reduced operating cost of doing business in the industry. Although the equipments are slightly expensive, in the end they will be of great benefit to the company. The continued innovation is a cost management policy in the industry.

Tourism and the effects its has on aviation

One area that laws and legislation on environmental conservation is likely to benefit is tourism; advocators for sustainable developments are keen o conservation of natural environmental and wild animals. Natural environments and wild animals create the differences that exist in different parts of the world. On its part, the differences are the main tourist attractions. As tourist move from one country to another, they need the services of the aviation industry, thus the laws are seen to create a continued business to the industry (EPA, 2011).

Conclusion

Environmental conservation laws and legislations have negative effect on the aviation industry; however, in the long-run, the industry is likely to benefits from the legislations. In the short run, operations and investments costs of the industry have increased as the industry enacts policies and acquires equipments that are compliant with the environmental conservation legislations.

References

Aviation Today. (2008). NATA Outlines Its Environmental Issues. Retrieved from https://www.aviationtoday.com/

EPA. (2011). Laws and Regulations. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations

Ernesto, Z., & Zedillo, E. (2008). Global Warming: Looking Beyond Kyoto. Washington: Brookings Institution Press.

Linda Luther. (2007). Environmental Impacts of Airport Operations, Maintenance, and Expansion. CRS Report for Congress, 1 (1), 1-13.

Introduction

The aviation industry comprises of a complex system that aims at delivering safe and efficient air transport. The industry has various organizational elements that ensure that service provision in the industry is up to standard. Among the important elements of ensuring this are the selection and training of aircrew. It is very important to have a competent aircrew that will ensure safety and minimal errors in the aviation industry.

Safety is one of the most critical factors in the aviation sector. It plays a major beneficial role in the prevention of accidents as well as in the enhancement of the financial performance of the aviation sector. It is important for the players in the aviation sector to take measures to ensure flight safety at all times.

One of the measures that should be taken by the aviation association is the implementation of safety management systems whereby, the different stakeholders in the aviation industry such as pilots, engineers and the rest of the cabin crew are facilitated with skills to ensure safe operations (Harold & Andrews 2000). The safety management systems should also apply expertise in the handling of accidents cases and investigation processes.

It has been indicated that most accidents in the aviation sectors are as a result of human errors. It is, therefore, important for workers within the air travel sector to be professionally trained on ways of improving the safety of their day to day operations.

The use of advanced technology also requires that the aviation workers get facilitated with technological skills to enhance safety while handling the equipment. As the technologies used in the equipment continue to evolve, staff members need more and more training to ensure that they are at par with the changing technologies (Orlady, and Lauber 2009).

Effective error management is also essential in the reduction of common accidents in the air travel industry. Failure to follow the required procedures in flight operations is likely to result into accidents. It is, therefore, important for the cabin crew to be trained on how to effectively handle such errors when they occur.

It is important that necessary measures are taken to understand the reasons why various errors occur, and suggest on ways the air transport system can be improved to avoid such errors. Some of the areas that the air travel employees should be trained on include first aid and use of the automated systems.

Training of air crew

After the recruitment of the new air travel officers, they are allowed to familiarize themselves with their new workplace and responsibilities, and to ensure that they are able to promote safety and efficiency in their work. The training comprises of various stages all of which build on the skills and knowledge required to perform their various roles.

The initial training to be conducted involves familiarizing the recruits with the process of flying in order to dispel any anxiety and fear that they might have prior their first flying experience. The other training to be conducted is High-G training, which is done in a virtual tactical environment.

This aims at giving pilots a training experience that is realistic, and that is similar to the actual flying of an aircraft. The trainees are also taken through hypoxia training, pressure breathing, hyperventilation and mechanical expansion of gases (Harold & Andrews 2000).The trainees may also be taken through water survival training to assist them in cases of emergencies that occur over water.

Conclusion

The selection and training of the aircrew is very important as the safety of the people in the aircraft depends on the efficiency and operation of the crew. Therefore, the selection process should be conducted effectively and in a way that promotes efficient air transport at all times. The aircrew should also be given adequate training that enables them to carry out their duties appropriately, and without any compromises on the safety of the passengers and all on board.

References

Harold, F & Andrews, H 2000, Aircrew training and assessment, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, N.J.

Orlady, W, Orlady, L and Lauber, J 2009, Human factors in multi-crew flight operations, Ashgate, Aldershot, England.

Statement of the Project

The report based on this project is going to analyze the use of safety management systems (herein referred to as SMSs) in the aviation industry both among the military as well as the civilian airlines. The two bodies work together to enhance daily activities without compromising each other. The report found out that the project exhibits a mutual relationshipbetween the two parties. For instance, players in the aviation industry are most likely to use the same facilities in the surrounding.

For this paper to be effective and achieve the purpose intended, the author is going to first outline the plans and procedures that the aviation industry is intending to put in place for the sake of safety in the field. This will be followed by a deeper analysis of the plans and procedures put in place so that the credibility of the operations is maintained.

The safety systems plans and procedures are to be in accordance with regulations put in place by the two bodies formulated to oversee the safety management practices in the aviation field. These are the Federal Aviation Administration (also known as FAA) and the International Civil Organization (also known as ICAO).

The author of this paper will compare the two bodies (FAA and ICAO) and analyze the requirements of the two organizations when one wishes to engage in the aviation industry. The two agencies will also be analyzed in terms of similarities and differences in their efforts to control the choking aviation industry. Their duties as well as strengths and weaknesses will also be put into perspective.

The author will also analyze other related organizations that work hand in hand with the agencies. This is for example the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (also known as OSHA) and the various stipulations it provides for the aviation industry. Following the regulations that are put in place by these organizations goes a long way in harmonizing operations between civilian and military aviation (Federal Aviation Administration [FAA], 2010).

Program Outcomes Addressed

FAA description of the SMSs

Safety management systems provide an integrated and systematic way to manage air traffic control safety. Elements of the FAA safety management systems include policy, architecture, assurance and safety promotion.

System

SMS is the functional framework that is used for safety management. It is the combination of the interrelated and interacting elements in an organization which function to achieve identified objectives. It can also be viewed as a system that can modify its operations for the achievement of anti-entropic ends. In designing the system, it is essential to focus on context, process, and function perspectives in order to comprehend the whole.

At first, the approach focused on structure but later the emphasis shifted to functions and objectives. Afterwards, this was followed by total quality management that focused more on process and control. The three perspectives together with the environment are collectively exhaustive, mutually exclusive and interdependent. Classification, method and model are therefore related. These notions are taken into account when designing SMSs for both civilian and military aviation (FAA, 2011).

Management

In safety management endeavors, how safety is defined determines the means and objectives of management. Management is concerned with the control of the systems functions towards the achievement of the safety goals. It is a process that requires resources, actionable data, means and goals.

The FAA point out that safety is the managerial process that is shared between government regulators and service providers or aviation operators. The implication is that the management of safety is about organizations that control safety through the handling of risk and performance and not about a human operator.

Peterson (2008) is of the view that safety management in the aviation industry is successful when it is independent, involved, informed, and informative. The results of the four aspects should undergo constant evaluation to find out how they affect the processes, functions and structure of the SMS.

Safety

Safety operationalisation should provide ways of measuring and controlling safety. On the basis of manageability, regulatory organizations such as FAA and ICAO transform safety into a risk that is acceptable. Factors that are likely to cause accidents and severity of outcomes can be analyzed. In this regard, safety management is actually risk management. Much of the emphasis for FAA and ICAO, while defining safety, is on risk management.

The FAA further introduces the aspect of safety assurance in order to apply an approach of quality management. Generally, safety can be regarded as the absence of undesired outcomes. This definition is wide enough to create room for more perspectives on the issues that affect safety. But it has to be specified to meet the needs of safety management in the aviation industry. The general definition supports a safety perspective in various departments of an organization such as the health and safety office and aircraft maintenance.

Bos & Caldwell (2007) posit that safety should be considered as a dynamic non-event. It is more of a culmination of sophisticated processes than a function of fixed parts. Accidents are the results of disharmony or dysfunctional interactions and disturbances between components of the system.

Thus, safety can be regarded as a problem that emanates from control deficiencies. The objective of safety management is therefore to control the process performance of systems and sub-systems. When safety is considered as a problem with control, a control theory perspective is used for safety management and in formulating safety and accident models.

The Airspace Conflict

In the recent past, military aviation activities have endangered air routes and greatly inconvenienced civil aviation. One of the most notable events that highly affected the operations of civil aviation was the firing of nuclear missiles in Korea on the 5^th of July 2006 by the military.

The missiles crossed international air routes and close extrapolation found that the firings had crossed air routes over the Pacific Ocean and Japan. Annex 11 of the Chicago Convention outlines the manner in which military activities in the airspace should be managed to ensure they do not conflict with civil aviation (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

The second chapter of the Annex explains the relationship between ATS and the military. The two are supposed to cooperate and take responsibility for any occurrences that may interfere with civil aviation. Because of the importance of both military and civil aviation, there should be SMSs that manage the airspace as a whole. Because the airspace is very essential for both parties, there should be minimal restrictions on access and usage.

Cooperation between the military and civilian aviation authorities is made more urgent because of the fact that airspace resources are subjected to a lot of strain due to the growth in international air travel. This cooperation is not only about sharing airspace but also efficient airspace allocation especially in the case of military flights that operate under special-use airspace. This implies that there is supposed to be cooperation between authorities in the military and those in the air navigation service.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is currently calling for the establishment of a cooperation that is similar to that of the Single European Sky legislation. The SES applies to all European Union countries and other states that surround the EU. This legislation is complimented by a program that runs the infrastructures modernization program in EU air traffic control.

ICAO Initiatives

The ICAO has put several measures in place to ensure the harmonious coexistence between military and civil aviation. One of the most recent initiatives is the Global ATM (air traffic management) Operational Concept. This concept portrays a harmonized, integrated global ATM system.

ICAO has also provided guidelines on coordination of activities between ATS and military authorities. The guidelines point out that when there is a sudden armed hostility outbreak, the ATS and State authorities, pilot in-command and other aircraft operators should assess the scenario on the basis of available information. Their actions should be planned in a manner that does not jeopardize safety (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

These guidelines outline that when a civil aircraft is approaching a region that the military has designated as a dangerous area, restricted, or prohibited or any other area that may be considered potentially hazardous, the ATS unit that is responsible should issue a warning to the civil aircraft. This warning should include information on how to head away from the area.

In the event that it is not possible to communicate with the ATS unit, the military unit should transmit a warning to the aircraft through VHF emergency channel 121.5 MHz. The warning given to the civil aircraft should emphasize on the appropriate change of path. The reason is that uncoordinated warnings may culminate in more risk to the aircraft, especially collision with another plane (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

Prevailing Trends in the Aviation Industry

The current situation in the aviation industry is characterized by increased flight operations on a daily basis. The reported trends include:

• Incidents and accidents
• Complying with the regulations
• More barriers due to the increased number of players in the aviation industry
• New hazards
• Improving the current safety management system

Figure 1: Types of Incidents that Involves SMSs Interventions

Source: FAA (2011)

Figure 2: Negligence of SMSs and the Consequences

Source: FAA (2011)

For these issues to be addressed effectively, the military and the civilian operators ought to work together for effective implementation of the identified strategies.

Data Collection

The aviation industry has several advantages over other modes of transportation in the world. For example, it is regarded to be one of the safest as compared to the others. However, accidents still happens and there is need to address the problem in attempts to reduce the number of casualties and avert accidents as a whole. Proactive measures that are in place have to be scrutinized and their effectiveness analyzed to determine whether they are fit for the operations. The information and data for this report was obtained from reports that recorded the various accidents in the aviation industry and the trends of flights in the market (Peterson, 2008).

The reliability of information is ensured as it was derived directly from aviation literature and reports that were compiled after catastrophic events occurred in the sector. The figure below explains the trends of the incidents reported in the past few years:

Figure 5: Some of the Incidents that have Taken Place Due to Lose Safety Measures

Source: FAA (2011)

Findings of the Report

The research was carried out to confirm the many incidences experienced in the aviations industry involving stakeholders from both the civilian as well as the military sectors. The findings are overwhelming and depict the fact that the aircraft is considered to be the most efficient mode of transport. In spite of this, incidents that pose a threat to the safety of the sector have been reported in the past (Wetmore & Przetak, 2006).

It is noted that as the aircrafts takeoff and even land, the SMSs have been ignored and the situation has resulted to hazardous incidents. Such incidents have even led to fatal accidents in the aviation industry. Surface areas around the airport have been left unattended and wrought with confusions as the pilots and the control tower operators disregard the importance of ensuring the safety provisions are followed to the letter (FAA, 2011).

At the beginning of this report, the author indicated the plans that are underway and which have been initiated by both the FAA and ICAO. Some of them include;

• The most recent strategies that FAA has implemented to make sure that the safety measures in the terminal area are efficient
• Recent trends in the terminal area (either surface or airborne) that contribute to the hazardous threats
• Further actions that the two urgencies opt to undertake following the recent incidents

The current problems are different from what happened several decades ago. The findings of this report will first address the nature of the safety challenges encountered in the past and in recent times.

Proposed Structures and Policies

The overall gain of employing safety mechanisms in the aviation industry is enhanced and efficient service delivery. This incorporates systematic, proactive as well as properly defined SMS strategies to address the increased threats in the aviation industry.

Forecast reports indicate there will be increased air transport hence the importance of new measures to respond to the frequent incidences emanating from the operations of the aviation industry (Bos & Caldwell, 2007). Rule making is one of the structures initiated by FAA and ICAO to ensure that all airports- including military facilities- operate within the stipulated safety measures.

Safety Management System Proposal for the Military and Civilian Aviation Industries

The SMSs are vital requirements for the efficient operation of the aviation industry and it encompasses policies and procedural approaches to oversee the safety measures. One major objective of this move is to come up with a structured management system to look into risk management procedures. All these take into account the organizational level and the nature of all stakeholders involved in undertaking the safety processes (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

For the process to be effective, SMSs needs to be planned, organized, communicated, and finally used in providing direction when responding to safety issues. The safety measures are initiated by putting in place the governing policy to which the military and civilian operators are expected to adhere (Bos & Caldwell, 2007). Several simple proposals are put in place to make sure the safety measures are easily achieved. These are;

• Safety policy
• Safety assurance
• Safety improvement
• Safety culture

Recommendations on the SMSs and their Impacts on Human Life

For personal growth, quality of life needs to be given priority over anything else. Different incidents that happened in the past can be analyzed so that the current and future occurrences are controlled. New flights that are coming into the market should be capable of adapting to the challenges that flights experienced in the past (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

The agencies that are involved in flight dispatch have the challenge of reviewing the policies constantly with the increased usage of the aviation industry. Civilian aviation is constantly evolving with personal crafts operated by private pilots and which are choking the airspace. As such, there is a need to go back to the drawing board and review the aviation regulations to meet the current scenario in the market (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

Aeronautical Science

This is the general science that is involved with the designing and construction of aircrafts. It also stretches to include the nature and use of aircrafts such as rockets, spacecraft, and so on. There are flights that stay in the earths atmosphere and there are those that fly outside the atmosphere. Generally, the discipline transcends aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics manufacturing and many other different fields which come together to establish a common ground for safety measures (Wetmore & Przetak, 2006).

The field is well acquainted with SMSs and there is demand to produce flights that strike a balance between performance based on the technology at their disposal and the cost of manufacture. Costing means that the cheaply manufactured planes may not adapt effectively to the environmental changes and maneuvering capabilities. As such they may impact negatively on SMSs practices (Wetmore & Przetak, 2006). Aeronautical scientists develop new ways to be used in the aviation industry for both civilian and military systems.

Aviation Legislation and Law

The main difference between the operations of civil and military aviation is that they utilize the same airspace in diverse ways. The difference is what led to the adoption of the Assembly Resolution A10-19 which focused much on the mandate of ICAO to manage safety in the skies while recognizing that the airspace and other services and resources are shared between the military and civil aviation (FAA, 2011).

Another important legislation is the Assembly Resolution A36-13 which was adopted during the thirty sixth ICAO Assembly. This particular legislation recognizes that many resources and facilities including the airspace should be used commonly by military and civil aviation. It adds that the management of the skies should be flexible.

This common usage is to be arranged to ensure efficiency, regularity, and safety of international air traffic. The activities of member states are thus not supposed to interfere with the efficiency, regularity and safety of international air traffic and should conform to the stipulations of Chicago Conventions Annex 2. The resolution also pointed out that the ICAO council would guide and advice member states who wished to formulate military-civil agreements (FAA, 2011).

Air Safety

Air safety comprises of a number of issues that pertains to flight failure and controlling such failures in the future. The prevention of such failures is achieved through training and educating of the public on how to behave in case of such incidences. There are a number of factors that threaten the air safety for both the military and civilian aircrafts. These include;

• Foreign objects and debris
• Misleading information as well as insufficient information both on the surface and on air
• Military action in the event of criminal acts such as terrorism
• Weather conditions like lightening, ice, snow and so forth
• Fire outbreak during a flight
• Structural failure during a flight
• Accident survivability

The above threats have been addressed by different agencies across the globe to make sure that necessary actions are undertaken in case of such events. The partnership brings together the operators, regulators, manufactures, agencies and other concerned stakeholders who contribute to the formulation of air safety strategies (Stringer, 2006).

Some major contributors to air safety (such as Commercial Aviation Safety Team [CAST] and European Strategic Safety Initiative [ESSI]) have been created to reduce air fatalities in the world by 80%. With the contribution of aviation regulatory bodies like the FAA and ICAO, air safety is expected to take a new form by 2013 (Bos & Caldwell, 2007).

Conclusion

As indicated above, there are safety management systems that have been put in place to ensure harmony between military and civil aviation. Nonetheless, there are still some loop holes such as the lack of clarity in some regulations. This is for example the Chicago Conventions Article 89 which lacks effect and certainty.

The other area that has been a cause of many debates among different stakeholders is testing of missiles like in the Korean 2006 case. This particular case led to outcry from many nations and organizations such as the ICAO and the UN Security Council which had to organize an urgent meeting.

However, in spite of the Resolution 1695 that was formulated after the incident, the country went on to fire another missile in May 2009. Although Chicago Conventions Article 1 recognizes the airspace of a nation as a sovereignty entity belonging to that nation, some regulations have to be put in place to protect the civilians of many nations who are passing over the skies of such nations.

This is given the fact that it is not only the nation under the airspace which makes use of the same. Other countries around the world use the airspace to access other regions of the world. As such, it is important to ensure that the airspace in such a case is safe for military and civilian aviation originating from the nation and other parts of the world.

References

Bos, P., & Caldwell, W. (2007). System safety application: Constructing a comprehensive aviation system safety management model (ASSMM). International Journal of Applied Aviation Studies, 7(1), 28-45.

Federal Aviation Administration. (2010). Advisory circular 120-92 (AC120-92): Introduction to safety management systems for air operators. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Federal Aviation Administration. (2011). Advisory circular 150/5200-37: Introduction to safety management systems (SMS) for airport operators. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Peterson, D. (2008). Safety management: A human approach. Goshen, New York: Aloray Inc.

Stringer, T. (2006). Action research: A handbook for practitioners. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

Vincoli, J. (2008). Basic guide to system safety. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Wetmore, M., & Przetak, R. (2006). A new approach to enhance airline safety: Using system safety techniques. Journal of Air Transportation, 11(2), 113-139.

Impacts of Information Systems on the Organization

Implementation of advanced information systems in the organization will help generate significant changes relevant to the transformation process. One of the impacts resulting from information systems includes efficiency in employees performance, as the systems contribute to the coordinated responses and communication across all departments. The information systems will replace the time consuming paper work, and hence transform operations by reducing operational time, confusion and instead enhance the real-time delivery of information across all departments. There will be enhanced access to information across the departments, without compromising on the safety and security of information, hitherto exposed by paperwork systems.

Inter-departmental coordination will be enhanced through networking by use of WAN and LAN, thereby ensuring that information flow is smooth, unrestricted and accessible by customers and employees to increase efficiency. According to Chaffey and Wood (2005), information systems enhance connectivity by creating a multidimensional framework across all relevant organizational departments. Integration of services in the aircraft business and the ability to provide security for all customers, are among other issues being enhanced by advanced information systems.

In addition, the information systems will affect the efficiency of employees in service delivery process. Through enhanced technology, the employees will serve the customers more efficiently while minimizing time wastage and incompetence. In addition, E-commerce strategy will be enhanced through interconnectivity among business partners, G4 maintenance and other corporate partners through the Wide Area Networks established. Similarly, communication will be simplified since the Apps and communication equipments installed will incorporate the participation of all personnel, hence enhancing performance. With enhanced performance, the organization will increase its competitive advantage, leading to an advanced competitive edge over its competitors and hence increase its profit (Olugbode, Elbeltagi, Simmons, & Biss, 2008). The information systems will enhance service delivery, performance and competitive advantage, eventually leading to increased profits.

Summary

G4 Maintenance is striving to remain competitive despite the presence of major companies in the sector. Its major goal is to transform aircraft maintenance and provide value for its customers through competence and efficiency. However, increased competitiveness in the sector has led to the implementation of proactive measures, the main one being to transformed service delivery process through implementation of advanced technology. Based on the analysis presented above, the company has demonstrated that effective implementation of information systems can transform performance and productivity, and hence create a competitive advantage over other players in the sector. Among the issues targeted, there is improved access and enhanced custom information across all personnel in order to reduce time wastage and increase productivity. With enhanced information systems, it is evident that employees become more proactive in terms of capacity to handle more customers and process organizational data. In addition, information systems enhance access to real-time information, thereby eliminating the delays in the access and processing of information. In addition, information systems have been targeted as the solution to adaptability problems through training its workforce for increased competence.

In order to facilitate business processes, the business would require interactive devices in order to enhance connectivity and efficiency. PDAs and Smartphone are some of the required organizational resources for enhanced efficiency. The information system will connect human resource, finance, operational and management information systems in order to have a dynamic representation and interconnected flow of information across all departments. If well implemented, the information system will enhance efficiency, integration, E-commerce and communication, leading to enhanced performance and increase in profits.

References

Chaffey, D. & Wood, S. (2005). Business information management: Improving performance using information systems. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.

Olugbode, M. Elbeltagi, I. Simmons, M. & Biss, T. (2008). The Effect of Information Systems on Firm Performance and Profitability Using a Case-Study Approach. The Electronic Journal Information Systems Evaluation, 11 (1), 11-16.

Introduction

The acquisition and retention of the best talent are essential to the success of corporations in todays business world. The job market continues to be more competitive due to a number of factors, such as globalisation and technological innovations. In addition, the available skills are becoming more diverse (Dessler 2012). As a result, recruiters need to be more effective and selective to acquire employees who will have long-term positive impacts and ensure organisational success. Poor recruitment and selection of staff negatively impact the performance of the company, leading to a loss in competitive advantage.

Over the years, the recruitment and selection concepts have been defined by different scholars in a number of ways. However, all the definitions mean the same thing. The intellectuals concur that staffing is a procedure used to legally acquire a sufficient number of qualified personnel for new and vacant posts in an organisation. The corporation can be commercial, volunteer-based, or a community group. Bach and Edwards (2013) note that successful recruitment starts with proper planning and forecasting. The human resource management teams are expected to develop plans to fill and eradicate future job openings based on the evaluation of a number of factors. The facets include the available talents both inside and outside the company, future necessities, and the current and expected resources needed to attract and retain talent.

In this paper, the author will focus on the recruitment and selection of graduates. To this end, the paper will focus on the aviation industry. As a group, graduates account for a large section of the new talent that has the capability to support the growth of businesses and sustain economic prosperity. According to Hackett et al. (2009), graduates are some of the essential assets required to meet both short and long term needs in a firm. The reason is that they provide organisations with high quality and skilled labour needed in the business. However, selecting and recruiting graduates can be a complex, demanding, and resource-intensive procedure for many corporations. In addition, different firms use a variety of approaches to attract the group. As a result, companies must employ strategies that suit them.

The primary aim of this study is to examine the challenges faced by employees in the aviation sector during the selection and recruitment of graduates. The author will provide a literature review of the issues associated with the procedure, as well as recommendations on how to overcome the identified problems.

Literature Review

Scope of the Literature Review

The current study is limited to the review of the selection and recruitment of graduates in the aviation industry. Competition in the employment market continues to increase at a tremendous rate. There are several factors linked to this rise in competitiveness. One of them is the fact that organisations lack the capacity to accommodate the rising number of graduates. Hager and Holland (2006) are of the opinion that the process of selecting and recruiting graduates is one of the biggest challenges facing employers in different sectors, such as aviation. Competitiveness in this industry has increased over the past few decades and the demand for quality graduates is high. As a result, human resource management departments in this sector need to have strong recruitment policies to attract the best talent in the market (Dessler 2012).

Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the issue of graduate recruitment. Some of the aspects analysed include the attitudes of the graduates and the employers, as well as the expectations of the former in the employment sector. Employers in the aviation sector adopt a number of strategies to select and recruit graduates. According to Bach and Edwards (2013), these strategies continue to evolve to reflect developments in the industry. There are also various graduate staffing tools and aspects that are of interest to employers undertaking recruitment and selection procedures. In the aviation and other industries, the term graduate is used to refer to all applicants with Bachelors or Masters Degrees from recognised institutions.

Graduate Selection and Recruitment

During the selection and recruitment process, human resource managers carry out a number of activities. Such undertakings include, among others, acquisition, training, development, and remuneration of talent (Kaps, Hamilton & Bliss 2012). As a result, selection and staffing procedures form a primary part of the responsibilities of human resource practitioners. Different employers use varying selection and recruitment methods. The variation is caused by such factors as the needs of the firm, its size, and the nature of its operations. However, the process of selecting and recruiting is formulated in a way that takes into account all rational activities.

Effective graduate recruitment in the aviation industry shapes the performance and efficiency of businesses operating in the sector. According to Dessler (2012), proper staffing helps companies in the aviation industry to avoid undesirable expenses, such as employee turnover costs, dissatisfied clients, and poor performance among workers. In addition, effective recruitment helps in the creation of beneficial relationships between graduate workers and employers.

Selection and Recruitment of Graduates in the Aviation Industry

There are various challenges faced by employers as they select and recruit graduates in the aviation industry. Garrouste and Rodrigues (2012) are of the opinion that the number of graduates entering the job market increases each year. However, employers in the aviation industry still find it difficult to hire the right employees to cover new and vacant posts. The list of desirable qualities among graduates has become more complex. As a result, human resource teams find it challenging to find applicants who meet the required qualifications.

According to Hackett et al. (2009), some of the attributes taken into consideration include work experience and the ability of the graduate to add value to the organisation. In addition, employers recruit applicants who can be trained and developed to utilise their skills and knowledge with the goal of enhancing the success of the company. Another problem associated with the complexities identified in the process of selecting and recruiting graduates includes technological advancements. Political and socio-economic factors also have an impact on the process.

The Resourcing Cycle of Graduate Selection and Recruitment Process

The most common selection and recruitment process in the aviation industry follows the resourcing cycle procedure. The method entails following specific distinct and inter-linked steps. The first stage of the cycle is characterised by graduates identifying and applying for available job posts (Lohia 2013). The final phase entails the selection of applicants who meet the required qualifications. Dessler (2012) notes that many of the graduates are rejected during the selection process in the resourcing cycle. Some of the strategies used in this step include face-to-face interviews and meeting with the applicants for advertised posts, as well as psychometric testing.

Face-to-face interviews and meetings are characterised by graduates appearing before a panel for assessment. Some of the aspects evaluated include the reasons and interests behind the application for the post and knowledge about the organisation and the entire aviation industry. Truss, Mankin, and Kelliher (2012) are of the opinion that most graduates are eliminated during interviews because they fail to show employers the value they will bring to the firm.

Other qualities that make it a challenge to pick the right graduates for advertised posts in the aviation industry include the verbal abilities and general intelligence of the applicants. According to studies conducted by Vaghela and Rughani (2012) and Truss, Mankin, and Kelliher (2012), the traits are evaluated by recruiters through psychometric testing. In the aviation industry, most employers focus on the ability of the applicant to perform given tasks to perfection. Some employers have come up with strategies to deal with doubts regarding the competencies of the selected graduates. For example, the graduates may be put on probation to prove their skills. The aim is to assess and evaluate the graduates performance.

Variations in Graduate Selection and Recruitment Techniques

According to a survey conducted by Lohia (2013), most employers and graduates in the aviation industry prefer the use of career literature and internet as recruitment methods. On the other hand, the means of selection favoured by most recruiters include the review of curriculum vitae (CV) and cover letters, as well as the shortlisting of applicants before inviting them for interviews. Another method used is a combination of single and panel interviewers to pick the best graduates for the available posts. Other common methods identified in research studies conducted by Schmitt (2014) and Hackett et al. (2009) include employee referrals, job databases, employment agencies, and internal recruitment.

Employee referrals provide insights into potential graduate recruits. Kaps, Hamilton, and Bliss (2012) claim that some people hold important information about candidates with skills and knowledge that match the available vacancies. The use of databases by companies in the aviation industry entails the establishment of a job filling platform. The platform is managed using CVs and applications sent by candidates. The letters are acquired through manual deliveries by applicants, mails, as well as career seminars and conferences. Out of the various methods identified, Lumley and Wilkinson (2014) note that internal recruitment is the most preferred technique of getting suitable employees for certain posts. The individuals selected for internal staffing can be graduates working on an internship in the organisation (Billsberry 2007).

Analysis and Discussion

Overview

It is evident that employers in the aviation industry are faced with numerous challenges during the process of selecting and recruiting graduates. In addition, many organisations have transformed their staffing methods due to such factors as economic and technological advancements (Billsberry 2007). The primary problems identified by recruiters in the aviation industry include the attraction of the right candidates, competition among graduates, and lack of applicants with the required skills.

Finding the Right Candidates

Finding the right applicants for vacant and new posts is a big challenge for most employers in the aviation sector. Recruiters in the industry look for skilled and focused employees. However, such people are not easy to find. According to Garrouste and Rodrigues (2012), hiring the best talent to manage and lead an airline company into success in the future is a problem for many employers in the business. In the past, managers in the field worked their way up the ranks by following a straightforward career path. Lohia (2013) claims that it is difficult to find an executive who has worked up to the top management level in one airline. The reason is that most new employees move from one airline to another due to different factors, such as pay and rewards. As a result, it becomes a challenge during recruitment to figure out which graduates will stick with the company when hired and trained. Most firms in the sector invest a lot in training and developing graduates. However, some of the recruits are taken up by competitors in the industry.

The problem of poaching of talent is apparent in both developed and emerging countries. Airlines are considered prestigious employers as they offer hefty salaries to their workers. To attract the best graduates, companies in the industry compete to provide the best payment plan and work policies for their employees (Kaps, Hamilton & Bliss 2012).

Expensive Graduate Programs

Graduate schemes are established approaches for acquiring fresh talents from institutions of higher learning. However, the combination of this method with outdated recruitment processes can lead to huge expenses and overruns. Grad schemes provide graduates with a unique opportunity to gain vital job experience and build a career (Hager & Holland 2006). Studies conducted in this field conclude that the method has various drawbacks for employers. The challenges make the recruitment process a complex task for most companies in the aviation sector.

Graduates dream of acquiring jobs immediately after getting out of college. However, most employers are not confident that fresh graduates can fill some of the positions in their companies. As a result, some firms develop schemes aimed at recruiting the best talent in a timely and efficient way. Bach and Edwards (2013) note that most of the grad programs turn out to be counterproductive. The reason is that they consume a lot of the available financial and time resources.

According to a research conducted by Lumley and Wilkinson (2014), grad schemes begin a year before the student clears college. The timeframe provides learners with enough time to submit their candidacies. Most scholars are often interested in different jobs in the aviation industry and the number of applications becomes overwhelming. As a result, recruiters find it difficult to go through all the applications to pick the best talents. In addition, employers spend a lot of time in universities scouting for potential candidates to take up jobs in their companies. The recruiters are also faced with the challenge of attracting the attention of the best talents during scouting and convincing them to apply for the posts.

Lack of Experienced Graduates

The aviation industry has experienced extensive growth over the past few decades. In spite of this, companies still struggle to recruit the best talent due to lack of experience among graduates. Some of the areas where most graduates lack expertise in include maintenance and avionics. Lohia (2013) claims that more than 95% of the aviation companies are focused on growing their employees. However, it is difficult to expand the staff base with fresh graduates. The lack of experience has prompted airlines to hire active and retired military personnel. The veterans possess a strong work ethic, positive attitude, and experience, attributes that not found among most graduates.

Shortage of Talent

The selection and recruitment process is also affected by the problem of shortage of talent. The reason is that in some nations, only a few bright students are interested in a career in the cockpit. The numbers continue to decline despite the promise of ready jobs for the graduates (Kaps, Hamilton & Bliss 2012). As a result, some airlines are forced to park their planes due to lack of pilots. Due to the shortage of talent, employers and recruiters are forced to pick candidates with less flight time hours. The reason is that executives are left with no choice since they have to keep their companies running. Vaghela and Rughani (2012) claim that some graduates receive licenses and are recruited with several hundred hours of flight time below the recommended minimum of 1,000hrs.

Location of Graduates and Companies

Location of companies is a major problem affecting the selection and recruitment processes. Truss, Mankin, and Kelliher (2012) note the fact that many students attend local universities. As a result, many employers who wish to hire fresh graduates struggle to relocate potential candidates. In addition, the recruiters are faced with the challenge of designing lucrative remuneration and benefit programs to attract and relocate graduates to new geographical regions.

Nepotism and Favouritism

Billsberry (2007) provides a working conceptualisation of nepotism and favouritism in the job market. It occurs when the best positions are availed to family members and friends of those in charge of the recruitment process (Billsberry 2007). In some companies in the aviation sector, the chief executives leave the staffing duties to human resource management teams. However, the managers, in some cases, influence the selection and recruitment practice. The company heads take advantage of their positions to secure jobs for friends and relatives, locking out qualified graduates (Schmitt 2014). In most cases, the favoured candidates do not go through the recruitment process. The issue of qualification becomes an unimportant issue during the hiring procedures.

Political Interference

Government controlled airlines face a number of challenges during the selection and recruitment process. According to Dessler (2012), some politicians influence the staffing process by referring candidates for appointment to the advertised posts. In most scenarios, the referred applicants are selected, while the graduates who applied for similar posts are left out. When there is political interference, human resource teams must comply to avoid such consequences as losing their jobs. Appointing referrals from government principals, just like favouritism and nepotism, can lead to appointment of under-qualified and inexperienced personnel.

Labour Market Conditions

The strength of the economy and the conditions prevailing in the labour market affect the selection and recruitment processes of companies in the aviation industry in a number of ways. Bach and Edwards (2013) claim that when the economy is strong, stable, and with low levels of unemployment, airlines have to compete with each other to acquire the limited number of qualified graduates. On the other hand, when the economy is poor, rate of unemployment is high. As a result, recruiters are faced with the problem of managing the big number of applications submitted by graduates to find the best candidates. In such cases, shortage of qualified graduates is not a problem.

Recommendations and Conclusion

Recommendations

Dealing with counteroffers

There are number of measures that can be put in place to manage the challenges faced by employers when selecting and recruiting graduates. One of them involves learning how to combat counteroffers. Some airlines suffer from a shortage of talents because most graduates opt to work for carriers with more lucrative deals (Lohia 2013). To attract such candidates and compete at the same level with the rivals, recruiters and employers should be more persuasive when negotiating for salary packages.

Developing a global search database

Lack of experience is one of the major problems for recruiters and employers. The challenge of getting the few available skilled graduates can be managed by developing a global search database. The platform will allow aviation companies to source for readily available talents from other markets (Schmitt 2014).

Collaboration with learning institutions

Airline companies can work closely with learning institutions to ensure that graduates get the required experience to start their careers in the aviation. Human resource teams can review existing academic programs and advice colleges on the courses that are relevant to the industry (Schmitt 2014).

Adoption of video technology

Some companies use grad schemes as recruitment methods for graduates. The approach has proved to be a challenging process for employers. The problem can be managed by utilising video technology. The innovation will allow recruiters to establish contact with potential graduates without making too many visits to the learning institutions (Vaghela & Rughani 2012). The method will save on resources spent in travelling. In addition, the technology will allow aviation companies to recruit qualified graduates quickly and effectively.

Adhering to labour laws

Nepotism, favouritism, and political interference are other challenges affecting the selection and recruitment of graduates. The problems can be managed by ensuring that staffing procedures conform to legal requirements in labour acts. In addition, recruiters and managers should be transparent and observe equal opportunity. When recruitment and selection processes are fair and meet legal requirements, qualified and skilled graduates will not be locked out of employment (Lumley & Wilkinson 2014). In addition, employers will not face the risk of working with under-qualified personnel.

Conclusion

Graduates form the largest part of fresh talent in the aviation industry. Hiring the best candidates from the lot helps companies to prosper. In addition, graduates come with new ideas and ensure that firms maintain a competitive advantage in the corporate world. The aviation industry continues to grow and a decline in this growth is not projected. To meet customers demands and needs, airlines are hiring more staff. Employers and recruiters in the sector are faced with the challenge of attracting and recruiting graduates. The staffing procedures are demanding, complex, and consume a lot of resources. Some of the challenges facing employers include lack of experienced graduates, shortage of talent, favouritism, and nepotism. Other challenges entail the geographical locations of airline companies, political influence, and prevailing conditions in the labour market.

During selection and recruitment, firms use a number of methods to review applications and attract graduates. The approaches used to acquire the candidates include scouting in universities, referrals, job databases, advertisements, and internal recruitment. Others are career and recruitment fairs, as well as the use of employment agencies. The selection of potential graduates for advertised posts in the aviation sector is carried out using such methods as face-to-face interviews and psychometric testing.

Reference List

Bach, S & Edwards, M 2013, Managing human resources: human resource management in transition, 5th edn, Wiley, Hoboken.

Billsberry, J 2007, Experiencing recruitment and selection, Wiley, New York.

Dessler, G 2012, Human resource management, 13th edn, Prentice Hall, Boston.

Garrouste, C & Rodrigues, M 2012, The employability of young graduates in Europe: analysis of the ET2020 benchmark, Publications Office, Luxembourg.

Hackett, R, Catano, V, Wiesner, W, Methot, L & Fitzgerald, C 2009, Recruitment and selection in Canada, 4th edn, Nelson College Indigenous, New York.

Hager, P & Holland, S 2006, Graduate attributes, learning and employability, Springer, Dordrecht.

Kaps, R, Hamilton, J & Bliss, T 2012, Labour relations in the aviation and aerospace industries, Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.

Lohia, R 2013, Aviation industry, Summit Enterprises, New Delhi.

Lumley, M & Wilkinson, J 2014, Developing employability for business, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Schmitt, N 2014, The Oxford handbook of personnel assessment and selection, Oxford University Press, New York.

Truss, C, Mankin, D & Kelliher, C 2012, Strategic human resource management, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Vaghela, A & Rughani, D 2012, Recruitment and selection: on fisheries industry, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, London.

In my academic pursuit, I have desired to pursue aviation management as my life-time career. To achieve my dreams I have studied academic courses that are relevant in the career and I have interacted with several professionals to make myself acquainted with all the activities and requirements. Aviation management deals with running the activities in the aviation industry such as hiring workers to perform various activities in the airports, ensuring that security regulations imposed by the government are met, and other general management activities. Legal studies are required when pursuing aviation management because the career involves dealing with different legal entities. International legal studies are among the course learned in the course¹.

The knowledge skills and abilities (KSA) necessary to do aviation management

To work as an aviation manager a person is required to know general management skills. Hands-on-experience is required to provide people in this career with a blend of theory and practical experience in aviation management. Students in this course are required to join a students association to acquire skills as well as become linked to other professionals in the industry. It is also encouraged that students should have internship courses with major aviation companies to know about working in the industry. Aviation management professionals are required to have the ability to work on a tight schedule with minimum supervision².

My current knowledge skills and abilities

Aviation management requires that students should have excellent computer skills and this is a major challenge because I have acquired a few computer courses³. Therefore, I require a lot of training in the areas of computing so that I can perform well in the job. Leadership skills are required in the career because aviation management deals with working with and through people to achieve goals. In my life, I have had many leadership positions and this will not be a major challenge to me. There is a need to interact with senior management people in the industry to learn the managerial skills and share their experiences in the career. I have not been able to know somebody at a senior managerial position in the industry to share my ideas with. To bridge this gap I will establish a friendship with people who can link me to senior managers in the industry and am perfectly sure that this will be a good opportunity to sell my ideas. There is a great need for these professionals to be good managers of time so that they can get things done within the scheduled time. Self-discipline is an important skill that people working in this industry are supposed to have and I will endeavor to learn to keep time and meet deadlines⁴.

How to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are needed

To acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required to work in the industry I will register for part-time classes while working so that I can achieve all the knowledge required working as an aviation manager. This strategy will improve my skills because I will have both theoretical and practical skills⁵. Also, I have planned to interact with successful people in the career so that we can interact and get new ideas, share challenges, and acquaint myself with any professional requirements. There are online schools offering management courses and I will register to acquire more knowledge. This is a flexible method of learning and I will be able to work more easily while learning. Since knowledge about international legal studies is a basic requirement, I will attend law classes and share opinions with people in this career to obtain adequate information about the career.

Bibliography

Flouris, Triant G., and Sharon L. Oswald. Designing and executing strategy in aviation management. Hampshire, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2006. p. 102-128.

Khurana, K. C. Aviation Management: Global Perspectives. New Delhi, Global India Publications, 2009. p. 11-19.

Skogan, Wesley G. and Kathleen Frydl. Fairness and effectiveness in policing: the evidence. Washington, DC. National Academies Press, 2004. p. 137.

Sheehan, John J. Business and corporate aviation management: on demand air transportation. New York: NY, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003.

Rodwell, Julie F., Adam K. Coulby, Thomas Q. Carney, John H. Mott. Essentials of Aviation Management: A Guide for Aviation Service Businesses. New Jersy: NJ, Kendall Hunt Pub Co, 2010. p. 50-60.

Footnotes

1. Khurana, K. C. Aviation Management: Global Perspectives. New Delhi, Global India Publications, 2009. p. 11-19.
2. Rodwell, Julie F., Adam K. Coulby, Thomas Q. Carney, John H. Mott. Essentials of Aviation Management: A Guide for Aviation Service Businesses. New Jersy: NJ, Kendall Hunt Pub Co, 2010, p. 50-60.
3. Sheehan, John J. Business, and corporate aviation management: on-demand air transportation. New York: NY, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003. p. 57.
4. Flouris, Triant G. and Sharon L. Oswald. Designing and executing strategy in aviation management. Hampshire, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2006. p. 102-128.
5. Skogan, Wesley G. and Kathleen Frydl. Fairness and effectiveness in policing: the evidence. Washington, DC. National Academies Press, 2004. p. 137.

The aviation sector plays a pivotal role in fostering the development of the economies of different countries. In the United States, the aviation industry accounts for the transportation of almost a billion passengers annually. According to Chang, Park, Jeong, and Lee (2014), the industry is also responsible for triggering economic activities with a value of $1.5 trillion yearly. Besides accounting for the creation of at least 12 million jobs in the U.S. on a yearly basis, the sector contributes to a considerable 5% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) (Chang et al., 2014).

However, various contemporary issues have the potential of influencing the U.S. aviation industry significantly. Such issues affect the positive effect of the industry on the economy. As the paper reveals, the current issues that are affecting the aviation industry include transportation congestion and delays, workforce matters, global environmental and energy concerns, and fluctuations in the prices of fuel.

Transportation Congestion and Delays

The growing number of passengers who use air transportation has raised concerns over the years, owing to the inability of the industry players to accommodate the travel demand. The problem is manifested in the frequency of transportation delays in the U.S. aviation sector today. Important to note, transportation congestion and delays cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars yearly (Baumgarten, Malina, & Lange, 2014). The negative economic impact necessitates the implementation of systematic interventions in the aviation sector to foster the capacity of accommodation to meet the growing population of passengers using the mode of transport.

Surprisingly, the 30 busiest airport facilities in the U.S. account for a significant 72% of the passengers (Lonzius & Lange, 2017). The situation denotes that the increasing travel demand is exerting pressure on the busy airports in the country. The case triggers delays that frustrate passengers, owing to the need for changing schedules. Such experiences undermine customers satisfaction in the industry, thus affecting the competitiveness of players in the sector. Since the need for maintaining customer loyalty and fostering the growth of an airlines market share contribute to the success of a player in the industry, managing the transportation congestion and delays issue is crucial.

Airports continue to implement strategies that foster their preparedness to meet the increasing travel demand. However, according to Baumgarten et al. (2014), some aviation facilities experience capacity constraints that require fixing to enhance the sustainability of the sector. Amid the need for improvement, the modernization of the airport control systems is still slow in most of the airport facilities in the U.S. Since the 1980s, the U.S. aviation agencies have been underlining the need for the integration of contemporary technologies to advance and bolster the effectiveness of airport control systems (Baumgarten et al., 2014). However, the errors encountered in air traffic control still prompt the need for integrating systematic interventions that can ease transportation congestion in the U.S. aviation industry.

The failure of air traffic management software in some notable instances also contributes to the prevalence of delays in the aviation sector. Recently, a network issue that triggered the malfunctioning of Altea, an air traffic management system used by at least 189 airlines, led to delays amid no cancellations (Lonzius & Lange, 2017). This scenario points to need for addressing the issue of delays caused by the failure of software, which supports customer reservations. By so doing, the issue of transportation congestions and delays will enhance the efficiency of the sector in the U.S., as well as other countries. Furthermore, passengers will benefit from positive travel experiences with the airlines operating in the U.S.

The Aviation Workforce Issue

The human resources aspect of aviation industry operations is very critical since it plays an important role in influencing the competitive edge of the respective rivals. In the U.S. economy, concerns usually emerge over the sustainability of the workforce in the aviation sector, owing to the growing number of aging employees who are headed for retirement. Notably, the scarcity of pilots, maintenance technicians, and air traffic controllers is creating considerable worries among airline companies and airports in the U.S., thus necessitating the development of strategies that can help to manage the looming wave of mass retirements.

The difficulty of attracting employees in the aviation sector is also a considerable issue that undermines the sustainability of the workforce. According to Zilman (2014), the low wages offered to the U.S. professionals in the sector discourage many people from pursuing careers in aviation. For instance, the wages and salary packages for new pilots usually fail to meet their remuneration expectations, thus undermining their motivation while at the same time discouraging potential pilots from pursuing such specialized paths.

Specifically, Zilman (2014) reveals, average starting salary is even lower than that  $22,500 per year, which for a 40-hour work week equals an hourly rate of $10.75 (para. 2). Additionally, such professionals undergo extensive and costly training to acquire the relevant knowledge and skills required to execute their duties and responsibilities successfully. Consequently, the workforce shortage issue continues to prevail in the U.S. aviation sector, thereby calling for the integration of effective human resource management strategies to facilitate the realization of a sustainable workforce.

Global Environmental Issues and Energy Use

Important to note, aircraft contributes to environmental degradation through the release of greenhouse gases, as well as particulate substances in the air. The emission of poisonous gases and the release of particles in the atmosphere alter the balance of earths radiation besides damaging the ozone layer due to the accumulation of particles in the stratosphere (Peeters, Higham, Kutzner, Cohen, & Gössling, 2016). In this concern, the continued emission of damaging gases such as carbon dioxide because of aircraft flight has the potential of undermining the realization of a sustainable environment.

Surprisingly, the U.S. lacks standards that regulate aircraft exhaust emissions at some given cruising heights, a situation that raises concerns over the damages caused by air transportation facilities on the environment. The lack of scientific information regarding the appropriate altitudes for cruising aircraft without harming the environment from greenhouse emissions is a contributing factor to the absence of aviation standards that seek to manage the issue.

In this light, aviation communities in the U.S. need to carry out extensive research on the development of aircraft that emit fewer greenhouse gases in the environment (Chang et al., 2014). Scientific studies may also identify the altitudes that withstand aircraft emissions. For instance, developing airplanes that travel in the upper troposphere or the lower stratosphere would go a long way in fostering the reduction of the negative effects of aircraft emissions in the atmosphere.

The need for energy efficiency is also crucial in the U.S. aviation sector. Notably, the combustion of fossil fuels used to power aircraft has the potential of triggering significant environmental outcomes (Higham et al., 2016). In this light, energy efficiency is a contemporary issue in the aviation sector, owing to the increased advocacy of the efficient use of energy to boost sustainable development. Besides reducing the detrimental effects of energy inefficiency on the environment, using fossil fuels efficiently in the airline industry is crucial towards cutting operational costs.

Amid the high labor costs incurred by players in the aviation sector, energy use also accounts for a considerable part of the operational costs incurred by carriers. In this respect, there is a need to abandon old aircraft models such as the DC-9 and Boeing 727 to newer fuel-efficient models, for instance, Boeing 737 (Chang et al., 2014). Through the adoption of such models, airline companies in the U.S. will have made considerable strides towards fostering the efficiency of energy consumption. As a result, since 1970, fuel consumption per passenger has seen a 50% reduction, thereby underlining the need for embracing fuel-efficient aircraft models to foster profitability.

The Fluctuation of Fuel Prices

The fluctuation of fuel prices in the U.S. affects the operational costs of various players in the countrys aviation sector. In the recent past, customers have raised concerns over the increasing costs of travel using air transportation provided by different airliners in the U.S. The additional charges emanate from the increase in fuel prices globally (Treanor, Rogers, Carter, & Simkins, 2014). For this reason, fuel costs account for a considerable proportion of the operational costs incurred by aviation players in the U.S. Furthermore, crude oil prices affect the aircraft stock, thereby influencing the decisions of investors in the sector.

On the other hand, the reduction of fuel prices in the recent years has created a level of uncertainty in the aviation sector. In 2015, airline companies around the globe saved at least $70 billion compared to the case in the previous year (Kristjanpoller & Concha, 2016). The savings allowed companies in the sector to realize significant profits since 2014. In a bid to motivate the workforce, airline companies have entered into agreements that seek to hike the pay offered to employees.

As such, fuel has become the second highest contributor of operating costs among the various aviation companies in the U.S., after labor costs (Kristjanpoller & Concha, 2016). However, the volatility of fuel prices creates uncertainties regarding the sustainability of the labor remuneration packages offered by airline companies. In this regard, an increase in fuel prices in the future is perceived to affect the operations of airliners in the U.S.

The fuel price fluctuation issue in the aviation sector affects the future planning aspect of strategic planning. The upsurge of fuel prices in the future may expose airline operators in the U.S. to financial constraints, owing to the resultant increase in operating costs. The increase in operating costs implies that the contracts sealed during the period of low fuel prices may face constraints that require further financial injections (Kristjanpoller & Concha, 2016). Therefore, the financial burden is a considerable factor that affects the strategic plans of players in the aviation sector.

Conclusion

The area of aviation in the U.S. experiences a range of contemporary issues that affect its sustainability. Transportation congestion and recurrent delays in the sector are major issues that affect the quality of services delivered to customers. Additionally, the adverse effects of aircraft on the environment, as well as energy inefficiency, raise concerns about the efficiency of the sector. Moreover, the volatility of fuel prices creates a level of uncertainty in the aviation industry.

References

Baumgarten, P., Malina, R., & Lange, A. (2014). The impact of hubbing concentration on flight delays within airline networks: An empirical analysis of the U.S. domestic market. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 66, 103-114.

Chang, Y. T., Park, H. S., Jeong, J. B., & Lee, J. W. (2014). Evaluating economic and environmental efficiency of global airlines: A SBM-DEA approach. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 27, 46-50.

Kristjanpoller, W. D., & Concha, D. (2016). Impact of fuel price fluctuations on airline stock returns. Applied Energy, 178, 496-504.

Lonzius, M. C., & Lange, A. (2017). Robust scheduling: An empirical study of its impact on air traffic delays. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 100, 98-114.

Peeters, P., Higham, J., Kutzner, D., Cohen, S., & Gössling, S. (2016). Are technology myths stalling aviation climate policy? Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 44, 30-42.

Treanor, S. D., Rogers, D. A., Carter, D. A., & Simkins, B. J. (2014). Exposure, hedging, and value: New evidence from the U.S. airline industry. International Review of Financial Analysis, 34, 200-211.

Zilman, C. (2014). Why airlines are running out of pilots. Fortune. Web.

Information systems enable organizations conduct and streamline operations, engage with consumers and vendors, and compete in the industry. An information system is a collection of interrelated systems that collects, processes, and analyzes data while also delivering insights, perspectives, and digital resources (Pozdniakoy et al., 2018). To manage coordinated supply chains and digital markets, information systems are deployed. Corporate information systems, for example, are used to handle financial data, manage employees, and market the business to new clients via the internet (Pozdniakoy et al., 2018). Such management information systems offer several advantages to organizations including competitive advantage, increased operation efficiency, and organizational performance. This essay aims to discuss two management information systems for a medium-to-large aviation-related business arguing how these systems will be of benefit to the organization.

One of these solutions is the provision of a Digital Dashboard with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This will help monitor real-time updates to provide a quick and comprehensive snapshot of the companys performance. It assists businesses in achieving their desired outcomes by ensuring that they are always reaching for their target (Lavrador & Laureano, 2019). It gathers data, organizes and groups it, and then visualizes it on a digital dashboard with important indicators of corporate performance and projected growth (Lavrador & Laureano, 2019). Businesses can see what they want to see and provide a more condensed perspective. Digital dashboards provide graphs and indicators that are more evident because data or statistics cannot adequately inform of the measurement of their performance. Given the correct dashboard, using a KPI dashboard may create a competitive advantage for the company. It lays out a clear route for the companys future growth and how it can outperform its competitors (Lavrador & Laureano, 2019). It assists firms in evaluating their current situation and enables the managerial team to make long-term strategic decisions. As a result, it may serve as a strong reminder about where the business is in terms of income, as well as vital and timely data that can provide necessary solutions at critical times, ensuring the organization makes the best judgments possible to further its future growth (Leblanc, 2018).

In this case, Klipfolio is the vendor being considered. Klipfolio is a solution that helps businesses discover the metrics that are important to their business or operations. It uses their own BI system to automate the process of monitoring and acting on metrics (Bhingarde & Vora, 2018). With single-click filtering and data visualizations, PowerMetrics, their most recent innovation, provides a new way to get started and visualize data. The strength of Kilpfolio is that it gives templates for users to customize their dashboards (Bhingarde & Vora, 2018). Its easy to link to other gear, and the companys customer support is quick to reply and assist in the design of IT solutions. However, this approach has a flaw in that it lacks a database to store all data from many sources, and users without a technical experience will struggle to use the application.

In addition to this, the use of a digital dashboard for KPIs is required since it allows the organization to continuously evaluate itself. It can provide a visual representation of where they are in the industry and how their competitors are faring (Leblanc, 2018). Aside from that, it enables organizations to spot trends and patterns that can aid in the improvement of the firm, as well as to uncover vital data or insight that can lead to a better solution for the companys future growth. Since they keep business goals at the frontline of decision-making, KPIs are important to attaining them (Leblanc, 2018). Business objectives must be made clear all throughout business; whenever staff are informed of and responsible for their specific KPIs, the companys wider goals are not forgotten.

The second IS-solution for the company is Supply chain management (SCM). This encompasses the process of designing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and analyzing supply chain processes with the purpose of generating relative profit, building a competitive organization, employing global logistics, coordinating supply and demand, and gauging worldwide performance (Pal,2019). It requires controlling a set of interrelated smaller business divisions, as well as systems of networks that help produce a commodity or service bundle for end users or consumers. Effective supply chain management is crucial for corporate success and can give a number of benefits, including improved customer satisfaction and a more streamlined flow of goods and services (Pal,2019). Running an efficient supply chain that is built on strong supplier relationships, adheres to tight quality and stock management, and keeps a close eye on costs and pricing can significantly improve a companys liquidity.

SCM could be achieved through the use of mobile phone apps, conferencing systems, and shared dashboards. This will enable business managers to stay in touch with suppliers at all times (Barletta, 2019). Software solutions can also aid in the effective management of stock levels, the tracking of distribution channels, and the monitoring of business performance. Businesses will be able to put in place contingency measures to help them weather the storm if they have real-time data metrics at their fingertips (Barletta, 2019).

An example of SCM software solutions is E2Open, which is commonly used supply chain management program. It is a B2B internet based, on-demand software application for computers, telecommunication, and electronic systems that provide supply chain management services (Pal,2019). It offers real-time analytical technologies for managing product and information movement throughout the supply chain. E2open enhances efficiency, decreases mechanical re-keying inaccuracies, enhancing information integrity, and improves supply chain performance by automating numerous labor-intensive, manual activities and simplifies decision-making at varying stages in the supply chain. For example, when transactions are in jeopardy of being stalled or producing challenges, computerized side-by-side preliminary pricing is employed, and alerts are sent out (Pal, 2019). E2open has united the sourcing and logistics teams. As a result, firms may benefit from a more interconnected, intelligent supply chain that helps them boost efficiency, lower risk, and increase supply chain agility.

Moreover, data-driven supply chain management gives insight from purchasing to manufacture and supply to the end customer by tracking the movement of data, products, and commodities (Barletta, 2019). Strong client and supplier relations, efficient cost control, identifying the right operational partners, and implementing innovative supply chain solutions are all components that contribute to effective supply chain management (Barletta, 2019). Businesses can use real-time data on raw material availability and manufacturing delays to develop contingency plans, like procuring materials from an alternative supplier, to avoid future delays. Without real-time data, businesses may not have enough resources to implement plan B, leading to problems such as running out-of-stock and delivery delays to end customers.

However, supply chain management can be a source of sustainable competitive advantage because it helps in cost reduction and efficiencies across the supply chain, resulting in higher revenue for businesses (Barletta, 2019). Supply chains can be utilized as strategic tools during great recession because firms can be adjusted to perform better than competitors, thus increase profit levels, and reduce expenses (Barletta, 2019). The streamlining of the supply chain via just in time stock levels procedures, as well as an emphasis on decreasing the cost of goods sold through supply chain component expense minimization, all lead to a condition that can be incredibly beneficial to businesses.

References

Barletta, K. A. (2019). Supply Chain Management Software for Textile Networks at ITMA 2019. Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management.

Bhingarde, A., & Vora, D. (2018). Visualization tools and techniques in big data. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET), 5(11), 1659-1664.

Lavrador, A. M. S., & Laureano, R. M. (2019, June). Dashboard to monitor performance of an hotel in the financial perspective. In 2019 14th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI) (pp. 206-211). IEEE.

Leblanc, D. (2018). Use Key Performance Indicators to Improve Results. Opflow, 44(2), 8-9.

Pal, K. (2019). Quality Assurance Issues for Big Data Applications in Supply Chain Management. In Predictive Intelligence Using Big Data and the Internet of Things (pp. 51-76). IGI Global.

Pozdniakov, S., Kuzmin, O., Kiiko, V., & Korenets, Y. (2018). Definition of the role of business modelling in the building of a management information system.