| Public general aviation airports and their associated operations function in an unstable and unpredictable environment. In part, this situation is caused by the effects of federalism and government regulation. To further complicate matters, the environment is influenced by external factors, such as weather, public safety threats, and other impacts beyond the control of the airport or individual managers. The academic or professional literature largely fails to address this critical gap in knowledge. This study sought to explore strategies deployed by public airport managers particularly related to organizational change and effects of federalism in dynamic and changing work environments. Accordingly, this study's theoretical framework is largely drawn from Beer & Nohria's Theory E and Theory O conceptualization of organizational change management. Data were collected and analyzed through the phenomenological research tenets of epoche, phenomenological reduction, and imaginative variation. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, surveys, and recursive interactions with 10 airport managers. The data were then separated, sorted, and coded into invariant constituent elements reflecting the common essence of the experiences of the managers. The findings indicate the managers are principally concerned with facilitating federalism and participating in intergovernmental relations, but may be inhibited from full organizational change that would be proactive in nature because of the myriad of regulatory bodies that guide aviation policymaking. The implications for positive social change stemming from this study include providing guidance on how airport managers can better manage change within their organizations thereby promoting a more enlightened aviation profession and the development of policies that encourage safety and security of the flying public. |
