Using fuzzy cognitive map for the relationship management in airline service

This paper proposes the usage of fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) for the management of relationships among organizational members in airline service. The main task of relationship management demands consideration of the complex causal relationship among conflict, communication, balanced power, shared values, trust, and cooperation. It is difficult even for experts in organizational behavior to cognitively predict the causal effect of one factor on the others. FCM is used to describe the inference process for the relationship management in airline set-vice. Initially, structural equation models are used for identifying relevant relationships among the factors and indicating their direction and strength. A standardized causal coefficient is then used to create a cognitive map illustrating the effect of the status of one component on the status of another component. The cognitive map provides preliminary insights into the direction of relationship management toward maximizing effectiveness of airline service. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.