Write A Unit Response Paper On The Critical Think ✓ Solved

Write a unit response paper that addresses the Critical Thin

Write a unit response paper that addresses the Critical Thinking Case: The Leadership Challenge at United. Answer the following questions from the case: 1. How have other airlines handled similar situations? 2. How much was in United Airlines's control and how much was outside their control? What social or company factors caused a seemingly common practice to escalate to this level? 3. How did other airlines or the industry respond to the United Airlines incident? Provide a clear linkage to concepts from the reading and the learning objective: Identify rhetorical tools in writing and speech (LO2). Cite sources in APA format.

Paper For Above Instructions

Introduction

The April 2017 incident in which a passenger was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight sparked global attention and became a case study in organizational behavior, crisis communication, and leadership failure (BBC, 2017). This paper analyzes how other airlines have handled similar situations, distinguishes what United Airlines could control versus what was outside its control, examines social and company factors that escalated a routine operational decision into a major public crisis, and summarizes industry responses. The analysis links to organizational behavior concepts and the learning objective LO2—Identify rhetorical tools in writing and speech—by applying rhetoric (ethos, pathos, logos), image repair theory, and crisis-communication best practices (Aristotle, 2004; Benoit, 1995; Coombs, 2015).

How other airlines have handled similar situations

Airlines routinely face overbooking, denied boarding, and passenger conflicts. Common alternative practices include offering substantial voluntary bumping incentives, transparent pre-boarding communication, and rapid managerial presence to de-escalate conflicts (Airlines for America, 2018). For example, several carriers such as JetBlue and Southwest have emphasized customer-first policies, often resolving disputes with on-the-spot upgrades, vouchers, or rebooking and avoiding the use of law enforcement for routine seat-removal situations (Robbins & Judge, 2019). In contrast, carriers under pressure to maintain schedule integrity sometimes rely on firm enforcement of crew seating or security interventions; however, best-practice carriers train gate agents and crew in de-escalation and prioritize voluntary solutions (Ulmer, Sellnow, & Seeger, 2017).

Extent of United’s control versus external factors

Many elements of the incident were squarely within United’s control. Company policies on overbooking, crew seat allocation, gate staffing, employee training in conflict resolution, and escalation protocols are internal choices (Robbins & Judge, 2019). United controlled the decision-making cascade: requesting volunteers, issuing boarding passes, enforcing crew-seat assignments, and ultimately calling airport security. The tone and content of public statements were also fully controllable and represented managerial choices in rhetorical framing (Coombs, 2015).

External factors included federal and local law enforcement procedures, airport police discretion, and the legal framework of the airline contract of carriage that informs passenger removal authority. Additionally, the viral power of smartphones and social media—outside the company’s immediate control—amplified the incident once video footage circulated (BBC, 2017). While United could not control bystanders’ recordings, it could control policies that made such a confrontation likely and its initial public response (Ulmer et al., 2017).

Social and company factors that escalated the situation

Several convergent factors transformed a common operational practice into a reputational crisis. First, organizational culture and incentives that prioritize schedule adherence and revenue protection over customer goodwill can produce rigid enforcement mindsets (Robbins & Judge, 2019). Second, inadequate employee training in de-escalation and poor empowerment of frontline staff led to escalation rather than negotiation (Ulmer et al., 2017). Third, social media and normative shifts in consumer expectations meant that physical removal of a paying passenger violated emergent customer norms for respect and dignity; the public’s emotional reaction was amplified by dramatic video evidence (BBC, 2017).

Rhetorically, United’s initial communication lacked effective use of ethos, pathos, and logos. The first statements used passive constructions and corporate-legal language that diminished perceived responsibility (Benoit, 1995). This mismatch—between the company’s voice and public expectations for personal accountability—intensified backlash (Coombs, 2015).

Industry and airline responses to the United incident

Following the incident, many airlines and industry groups moved quickly to distance themselves and demonstrate different approaches. Airlines publicly reiterated passenger-first policies, reviewed overbooking and crew-reassignment practices, and in some cases increased upfront compensation offers for volunteers (Airlines for America, 2018). The industry emphasized training in conflict de-escalation and adjusted guidance for interaction with law enforcement on routine matters (Ulmer et al., 2017).

United itself revised policies regarding involuntary removal, increased incentives for voluntary rebooking, and updated employee training; however, the initial damage illustrates that policy change after a crisis cannot fully repair trust unless accompanied by rhetorical strategies that restore credibility (Benoit, 1995; Coombs, 2015).

Rhetorical analysis and linkage to LO2

Applying LO2, this case demonstrates how rhetorical tools influence organizational outcomes. Effective crisis rhetoric should combine ethos (demonstrated responsibility and competence), pathos (empathy for affected individuals), and logos (clear explanation of facts and corrective action) (Aristotle, 2004). Initial United statements failed on ethos by appearing evasive, failed on pathos by lacking sincere apology, and offered limited logos—no clear corrective plan—thereby triggering image-repair demands (Benoit, 1995).

A constructive rhetorical approach includes: (1) immediate acknowledgment of the event and responsibility where appropriate (ethos), (2) empathetic language addressing harmed parties (pathos), (3) specific corrective measures with timelines (logos), and (4) repetition of consistent messaging across channels to rebuild trust (Coombs, 2015; Ulmer et al., 2017). Executing such rhetoric aligns leadership behavior with organizational values and reduces escalation risk (Robbins & Judge, 2019).

Recommendations

To prevent recurrence, airlines should revise policies to favor voluntary solutions, increase compensation transparency, empower frontline staff to negotiate, and embed de-escalation training into standard operating procedures (Airlines for America, 2018; Ulmer et al., 2017). For communication, leaders must deploy rhetorical tools deliberately: a timely, responsibility-taking message combining ethos, pathos, and logos; visible corrective action; and ongoing updates to demonstrate follow-through (Benoit, 1995; Coombs, 2015).

Conclusion

The United incident reveals how common operational practices can escalate when organizational choices collide with social norms and the accelerating force of social media. Other airlines demonstrate that prioritizing customer relations, training, and rhetorical clarity reduces crisis likelihood and mitigates fallout when problems occur. Linking organizational behavior concepts with rhetorical tools (LO2) clarifies that both policy and messaging—what an organization does and how it explains itself—are critical to leadership effectiveness in crises.

References

  • Airlines for America. (2018). Airline customer service and policies: Best practices and guidance. Airlines for America.
  • Aristotle. (2004). Rhetoric (W. Rhys Roberts, Trans.). Dover Publications.
  • Benoit, W. L. (1995). Accounts, excuses, and apologies: A theory of image restoration strategies. SUNY Press.
  • BBC News. (2017, April 11). United Airlines passenger dragged off plane sparks outrage. BBC. https://www.bbc.com
  • Coombs, W. T. (2015). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
  • New York Times. (2017, April 11). Video shows passenger being dragged off United flight. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com
  • Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational behavior (18th ed.). Pearson.
  • Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2017). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
  • Washington Post. (2017, April 11). United passenger pulled from flight: reaction and fallout. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com
  • Harvard Business Review. (2017). How brands should respond to a PR crisis: Lessons from United. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org

Related Assignments