If I recall correctly, in the late 1970s (or early 80s) the Volvo motor company changed their production line.
Instead of having small groups repeating one section of manufacture, they trained the small groups to
make a motor car. Each group started with (effectively) a box of bits and worked with the car all the way through until it drove off the end of the line. Then they started again.
As a result, staff morale hit the roof and the quality of the vehicles improved greatly. The cost increased. As I understand it, when the company was bought (by Ford, I think) that all changed.
I sit to be corrected on any of the above as i could not find any online reference to it.
Whether true or not - you instinctively know it makes sense. People want to feel part of something, not just part of a production line.
One of the biggest problems that I saw from the late 1980s onward (still present) was the idea of making the departments of a large company more autonomous. On paper - it sounds like a good idea:
- Be responsible for your own budget
- Be responsible within your team
- Make sure your team does 'the best'
But what I saw developing was:
- Save money and penny pinch so as to get a bonus, even if the department suffers
- Be responsible ONLY within your team. Don't worry about the team who handle the process before you - or those that take it on from you. Just do your thing and if the other departments don't like it? Try to ensure that it's their problem.
- Compete with everyone to show the MD that you are best and forget what the rest of the company is doing.
Subsequently, the company breaks up and departments forget about their neighbours. Profits fall and it's all the fault of the staff NOT the honcho who introduced the scheme, or those that implemented it.
With an airline (as in any large company) the folks who took the original booking felt as much a part of the company as those who put the bags on the carousel at the destination. Everyone inbetween wanted to make the complete system work.
Today?