Resources: Southwest Airlines has always managed its resources well, including financial resources. In 2012, Southwest returned $422 million to shareholders by repurchasing $400 million of common stock (about 46 million shares) and distributing $22 million in dividends. It was profitable every year and earned a return on invested capital (ROIC) of 5.8%. Even in 2008, a terrible year for the airline industry, it turned a profit and earned a 4% ROIC. By October 2013, Southwest Airlines has a large standardized fleet of 550 Boeing 737 aircraft. Implementation of a new reservation system as part of In its commitment to technological resources, Southwest Airlines introduced the e-ticketing service a few years ago which today generates 46% of its revenues. Hiring at the Rate of Only For 3% of candidates surveyed, Southwest Airlines has the most thorough recruiting process providing it with the most competent workforce. In addition to this, the corporate culture of teamwork affects the efficient management of operations. The profit-sharing plan, which invests at least 25% of the employee's plan share in Southwest Airlines stock, serves as an important motivating factor for the workforce that makes it more flexible and productive. Southwest Airlines excludes meals and provides light snacks as inflight refreshments, in order to minimize overhead costs and save resources. Capacity: Southwest Airlines focuses primarily on point-to-point service, rather than the hub-and-spoke service provided by major U.S. airlines. Point-to-point service allows a direct route without stops, minimizing connections, delays and total travel time. As a result, approximately 71% of Southwest Airlines customers... half the paper...; and the transition from the latter to the former is not recommendable in this fragile state of the aviation industry. Southwest Airlines has a unique, thorough and highly selective hiring process that ensures its workforce has the necessary motivation at par with the airline spirit. Now, this cannot be applied so easily by its rivals who are mostly very hierarchical and formal. Southwest Airlines has long innovated the fuel hedging strategy, something its rival can't initiate and reap short-term benefits. With its unique way of communicating to both prospective and incumbent passengers, whether through silly humor or entertaining flight attendants, Southwest Airlines has been able to sustain differentiation leadership. Virtually no other carrier can think of relying too much on its cabin crew in the absence of any type of in-flight entertainment.