In aviation, safety is paramount. It requires proven pilots, capable maintenance, efficient logistics, quality spare parts, and administrative policies that promote the right attitudes. Management must have a solid moral conviction to not take shortcuts while making every effort to improve operational safety for the company, its employees, and its clients. Every decision counts. Choosing a cheaper but unproven component supplier may amount to an ethical challenge because without proper evaluation it can compromise the whole operation. Unhappy mechanics or distraught pilots are a risk no aviation company can afford. The unstable economic and regulatory environment in Latin America combined with the unfair competition from the armed forces in the past drove many private aviation companies out of business. The survivors had to adapt and take shortcuts that probably contributed to the region’s mediocre safety record.

When I arrived at my first job, the situation was no different. Local companies paid their flight crews by the hour flown or day worked. Lack of civil aviation schools meant that new hires came from the armed forces, where extremely low wages made recruits very eager to accept employment in the private sector. As a newcomer to the industry, I perceived that this compensation model created a perverse incentive for pilots to take unnecessary risks to earn the extra hour. It was a choice between a cost-saving practice and our vision of safe operations for which the practice was a liability. Convinced that our resource allocation had to follow our vision, I developed and implemented a performance-based compensation system, ensuring a stable monthly income with full benefits for our pilots. I supported the initiative that significantly increased our labor costs because it contributed to improved safety, the critical factor for our operations.

In aviation, compensation policies, working conditions, supplier choices, and investments in optional equipment or nonessential training all have strong ethical implications because of their potential side effects. To succeed I will have to invariably keep people and safety first, stay true to my vision, and exhaustively study every optimization initiative or cost-saving measure to ensure full understanding of its impact. The HBS case method with its multiple perspectives and conflicting priorities, combined with exposure to challenging decision-making scenarios and business leaders and organizations that succeeded in comparable situations, will help me strengthen my ability to focus on vital priorities and make optimal decisions based on a comprehensive evaluation of their impact on my venture’s critical success factors.

Analysis

The author of this essay addresses the difficulty of staying true to his values in a region where competitive dynamics and an uncertain regulatory environment have led the industry to adopt certain practices that are inconsistent with the applicant’s beliefs. He paints a vivid picture of the dilemma, providing specific details that make the story plausible and shows his thought process as it applies to the complex ethical challenge.

As the applicant clearly explains to the reader, adopting stringent safety measures—something the author views as a basic duty of industry managers—is not an explicit requirement in the market where his company operates. Following the industry norm, despite its negative impact on safety, would not merit criticism or blame. Nevertheless, the applicant explains that not taking action would violate his “vision” or deeply held belief that his company has an ethical responsibility to take action. In many business situations, industry norms may not be consistent with a manager’s personal principles, and difficult decisions must be made. By adopting a high safety standard when industry standards dictate otherwise, this applicant demonstrates that his deep conviction and integrity guide him effectively when facing such dilemmas. The applicant’s careful analysis also demonstrates his maturity and objectivity by exploring the trade-offs his actions might entail between the company’s competitiveness/performance and collateral stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and employees.

One mild criticism of this essay is the unnecessarily long and convoluted final sentence. Tying HBS into a development plan can be effective but is certainly not necessary. Here, the author’s development plan becomes unclear and distracts from an otherwise strong essay.

From 65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays edited by the Staff of the Harvard Crimson. Copyright (c) 2009 by the authors and reprinted by permission of St. Martin's Publishing Group