According to Sothwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly, the secret sauce to the company's competitiveness is its culture. "Our people are fantastic, it really is what sets us apart competitively in the industry and they are the ones that have made Southwest so successful," Kelly told "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer. Southwest began operating in 1972, and during the span of its 45-year history, the company has never had a single layoff or pay cut for any employee. It has also been profitable every year since its first full year of operation. "There is a lot to a culture, and it's easier to have a strong culture if you feel like you're a champion. And that's the way our employees feel," Kelly said.
Or rather a lesson for Otsuka management to learn? Management certainly isn't in a position to school anyone.