Case Study: Qantas

Is change going to keep Qantas in the air, or force them to the ground?
No matter how a business operates, change is inevitable and affects all businesses. CAMERON SMITH investigates the changes Qantas have had to undergo in order to keep up with their competitors, whilst navigating the challenges of low cost of fares. B arack Obama has quoted, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” This quote perfectly encapsulates that change is something a business owner must strive to do, and not to wait for change to occur.
Change can be defined as, “the continuous adoption of business strategies and structures in response to internal pressures

Step 3: Create a vision for change
Jetstar was the vision for change for Qantas. It was the introduction of a low-cost airline that would prove to be beneficial for the company. Qantas saw that Virgin Blue was successful, so introduced their own.
Step 4: Communicate the vision
Currently within Qantas, Long-Haul Pilots gather every Tuesday to discuss the advancement of implementing expansion within the company (Qantas, 2017).
Step 5: Remove obstacles
There are systems which run workshops for staff at Qantas, so that these staff can receive a better understanding of what is expected of them and so they improve (Qantas, 2017).

Step 6: Create short-term wins
Over the past couple of months, Qantas have received an increase of 2% in share prices. The company should strive to celebrate upon these achievements by offering bonuses to employees. This is crucial as this will keep employees motivated in the workplace (Rundell, 2014).
Step 7: Consolidate Improvements
Qantas ensure that the old systems are disregarded and the new systems are continuously

According to the International Air Transport Association, 2001 was only the second year in the history of civil aviation in which international traffic declined. Overall, it is believed that the IATA membership of airlines collectively lost more than US$12 billion during this time (Dixon, 2002).
Change is always going to occur within a business, however it is crucial a business prepares and improves upon change. Qantas are a prime example of how to manage change effectively.
John Kotter’s 8-step theory, is a theory all businesses should strive to follow, as it clearly is essential in a business’s improvements. This theory gives businesses an insight into how to handle change and not let change overcome your business. It is recommended that this theory is used in all aspects of a business when come face to face with change.
It is important that if you are ever running a business, you change before the change comes to you. Change can have either a positive or negative effect on a business and it is extremely important to strive to make it a positive