Wth the advent of low-cost airlines, the domestic air transport industry has been facing more intensive competition than ever before in the air transport markets and the range of customers' choices of airlines are becoming increasingly diverse. In ord...
Wth the advent of low-cost airlines, the domestic air transport industry has been facing more intensive competition than ever before in the air transport markets and the range of customers' choices of airlines are becoming increasingly diverse. In order to have a competitive advantage in this competitive system, each airline is devising a variety of strategies. To gain a competitive advantage, they are trying to attract excellent human resources in terms of recruiting employees as internal customers by enhancing their flight attendants' images that are in charge of personal services as a part of these efforts. Thus, for air services, which are highly dependent on personal services, it's very important to employ excellent human assets who are good at providing services.
This study aimed at understanding flight attendants' images perceived by students preparing for employment in the field of flight attendants of airlines and it investigated whether the flight attendants' images have an effect on them choosing their job and deciding their employment.
In this study, the survey was conducted with students preparing for employment to be employed by airlines as flight attendants, who are learning in four-year-course universities and technical colleges in Daegu, Gyeongbuk region and in flight attendants' training academies located in the center of Daegu. The period of the survey was for 7 days from May 3, 2012 to May 9, 2012 and a total of 350 questionnaires were distributed and 331 were collected. Out of the questionnaires collected, 39, which had unfaithful responses or omitted responses were excluded and finally, a total of 292 questionnaires were used for analysis. For analysis of the collected data, frequency analysis, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were conducted employing the SPSS 18.0 statistical program.
The results of an empirical analysis can be summarized as follows in relation to research hypotheses proposed by the current study.
First, it was found that external, personality and performance factors of the flight attendants' images of the airlines have significant effects on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of occupational choice motives of the students preparing for employment.
Second, it was found that external and personality factors of the flight attendants' images of the airlines have significant effects on personal and organizational characteristic factors, important factors in deciding employment of the students preparing for employment.
Third, it was found that external, personality and performance factors of the flight attendants' images of the airlines have significant effects on employment, an important stability factor in deciding employment of the students preparing for employment.
Fourth, it was found that intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of occupational choice motives of the students preparing for employment have significant effects on personal and organizational characteristic factors and are an employment stability factor when deciding employment.
Indications of these findings are as follows:
First, by investigating the effects of flight attendants' images of airlines on the occupational choice and decision of employment by the students preparing for employment, it's possible to let them know about the importance of the flight attendants' images and to provide the airlines with basic data necessary to establish the flight attendants' images.
Second, an empirical analysis indicates that the students preparing to be employed as flight attendants by airlines select their job and decide to be employed thinking highly of internal images including service mind-set, character, manners and foreign language skills etc., as well as external images of flight attendants' pleasing physical appearances, uniforms, makeup, physical strength, and correct postures etc. Therefore, it is considered that it's necessary for the airlines to maintain positive images of their flight attendants through establishing their own flight attendants' external images and constant service training, mind-set and manners education etc., including their image making and uniform development etc.
Third, it is considered that if the airlines employ their flight attendants preparing appropriate evaluation procedures rather than formal personality tests in employment methods focused on their external images or performance factors in the recruitment process, it will be helpful to attract better talent.
Finally, it is thought that if the airlines are constantly interested in the above details which have effects on occupational choice and decision of employment by students preparing to be employed as flight attendants and invest in them in order to enhance the flight attendants' images, human service will be improved still more through attracting better talent by increasing preferences of the airlines, building positive images of flight attendants. In addition, it is thought that if the students preparing to be employed as flight attendants also make preparations for their employment based on the factors of the flight attendants' images, their pass rate will go up in the employment exams as well.
As mentioned above, hopefully, the analytical results of the effects of flight attendants' images of the airlines on occupational choice motivations and employment decision factors of the students preparing for employment will be able to provide direction for their preparation for employment, building positive images of airlines as well as improving the flight attendants' images of the airlines.