Abstract
The growth of any company is largely dependent on how it is viewed by different categories of people in the society. However, an important consideration is to safeguard the image of an organization.
This looks at Emirates Airline and how the company has managed to succeed in its operations despite operating in a very competitive business environment. A number of strategies employed by the airline to excel have been examined.
Introduction
According to Cornelissen (2011), the future of any corporate organization in the present day society largely depends on how it is regarded by stakeholders such as investors, customers, employees, shareholders, and members of the community in which the organization operates.
This paper will look at different the aspects of corporate communication as applied at Emirates Airline Company.
Emirates Airline’s Overview
Based on the study by Reference for Business (2016), Emirates Airline Company is part of the Emirates Group that also offers other services. The company was established in 1985 with the approval of Dubai’s royal family and as noted by EG (2016), it is fully owned by the Government of Dubai. The airline has its base at Dubai International airport and works in six continents. On a weekly basis, it operates more than 3,500 flights.
Emirates Airline’s Reputation
It is important for every company to create and maintain a good reputation in order to survive in a very competitive environment (UN, 2010). Without a doubt, a company’s market share is determined by the way it is viewed by stakeholders and the general public. While a good company image will help to move it to a higher level, a negative one can easily bring it down. It is thus imperative for the management team in an organization to work toward maintaining a good standing.
Among other things, Emirates Airline Company is well-known for its reputation of delighting customers with luxurious flight services (Reference for Business, 2016). According to Verger, Lubienski, and Steiner-Khamsi (2016), the company has continued to experience the highest rate of growth than competitors around the world.
To stakeholders, Emirates Airline is regarded as a profitable organization that is focused on continuous growth (Abeyratne, 2015). The company’s profitability keeps growing and this is a great motivation for stakeholders. This is unlike some of its competitors that keep making loses whenever the economy worsens.
Emirates Airlines Corporate Communication Functions
This section examines different corporate communication functions that are employed by Emirates Airline Company. Specifically, a number of corporate communication sub-functions are discussed.
One of the sub-functions is media relations. The company uses a powerful marketing strategy through its website to appeal to customers. By placing pictures of celebrities on the website, the airline is portrayed as the best choice for celebrities and all others as well. In the society we live in, such a strategy can have a great impact on consumers. In the end, the airline benefits by acquiring additional customers. Through an effective internal communication system, the company ensures that the different sections within the organization are kept aware of any new developments. All employees and other stakeholders are made fully aware of the company’s vision and values through its website. The company values the contribution of its employees and treats them with respect. Consequently, the management team is devoted to the welfare of every single employee. As far as corporate responsibility is concerned, the company is among the champions of environmental conservation.
Through a report by the EG (2012), it is obvious that the company is heavily involved in taking care of the environment. The company is happy to be involved in conservation efforts alongside other bodies such as Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. Any company that desires to grow must cultivate healthy relations with investors. As is evident from the company’s website, Emirates Airline is committed to building productive relations with investors. Information about the company’s growth is made publicly available for all stakeholders to see and this helps to build the confidence of investors. There is no company that operates without regard for the community around it. With this is mind, Emirates Airline endeavors to nurture great relations with the surrounding community. Community initiatives by the company include Emirates Airline Foundation, Emirates Friendship Hospital Ship, and Emirates-CHES Home, to name but a few. To effectively deal with any crisis that may arise, the company has an elaborate structure to ensure communication concerning any crisis is properly disseminated to the relevant people.
Clearly, the efforts made by the company in each of the areas mentioned above have been bearing fruit over the years. The company has been able to grow from one level to another, enjoying healthy relations with both investors and the community.
Recommendations
Despite being very successful, Emirates Airline Company can go further by benchmarking its operations against competitors. While the company has done well in a number of areas, there is always room for improvement. Its research and development wing should therefore be used to understand the operations of other airlines and adopt some of their best practices. Emirates Airline should also continue to improve the quality of their planes in order to attract new customers and retain existing ones (Dillingham, 2007).
Conclusion
As discussed in this paper, Emirates Airline Company is one of the most successful companies in the world today. Using effective corporate communication strategies, the company has continued to improve its reputation.
References
Abeyratne, R. (2015). Competition and investment in air transport: Legal and economic issues. New York, NY: Springer.
Cornelissen, J. (2011). Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
Dillingham, G. (2007). Commercial aviation: Potential safety and capacity issues associated with the introduction of the new A380 aircraft. Washington, DC, WA: DIANE Publishing.
Emirates Group (EG). (2012). Balancing our performance: The Emirates Group 2011 – 2012 environmental report. Web.
Emirates Group (EG). (2016). Emirates airline. Web.
Reference for Business. (2016). The Emirates group – Company profile, information, business description, history, background information on the emirates group. Web.
United Nations (UN). (2010). Global compact international yearbook 2010. New York, NY: United Nations Publications.
Verger, A, Lubienski, C., & Steiner-Khamsi, G. (2016). World yearbook of education 2016: The global education industry. New York, NY: Routledge.