From Publishers Weekly Southwest Airlines began operating in 1971 with four planes serving three cities and with revenues of $2 million. In 1995， the company had 224 planes serving 45 cities and revenues of almost $3 billion. Moreover， the company has made a profit every year since 1973， one of the few airlines that can make that claim. The authors， a husband and wife who are partners in a San Diego consulting firm， attribute much of Southwest's success to the willingness of its management， led by chairman Herb Kelleher， to be innovative. Southwest's primary operating philosophy is low fares and lots of flights. To make this formula work， Southwest management has created a culture where employees are treated as the company's number one asset. The Freibergs list a number of things the airline management does to benefit its employees， including such programs as profit-sharing and empowering employees to make decisions. Southwest also mixes in New Age management techniques， such as celebrating different milestones， and letting love play a part in running the airline (the company's stock ticker symbol is LUV). The Freibergs state up front that their work is not an expose and make no apologies for presenting a very positive and optimistic view. While the success the airline has achieved is worthy of study， some critical analysis would have made for a more worthwhile presentation. Photos. 150，000 first printing; $300，000 ad/promo. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information， Inc. From Library Journal Business trainers and principals of their own consulting company， the Freibergs draw from personal interviews， surveys， and extensive research in telling the story of Southwest Airlines， which has been profitable for over 23 years at a time when the airline industry has been troubled with fare wars， layoffs， and soaring operating costs. The authors discuss Southwest's philosophy under the leadership of its dynamic and charismatic CEO， Herb Kelleher， who attributes the company's success to its outstanding customer service; low fares and maintenance (no meals are served， only nuts); short-haul， high-frequency， point-to-point service; and a belief that employees come first. "LUV，" Southwest's New York Stock Exchange ticker symbol and past advertising theme， represents the caring character of the company， which the authors emphasize to the point of sounding corny. Several chapters conclude with brief summaries entitled "Success in a nutshell，" which cover the eccentric elements of Southwest's corporate culture. Recommended for readers who like that style.?Bellinda Wise， Nassau Community Coll. Lib.， Garden City， N.Y.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information， Inc. See all Editorial Reviews