Prepared for:
Professor Nicolas Kuzm
Topic Paper 3:
Boeing Aircraft Company vs. Airbus
Managerial Economics
Fall 1, 2012
Section OB
September 2, 2012
Introduction:
For decades, Boeing and Airbus have struggled for dominance in the large commercial aircraft market. In 2010 and 2011, the World Trade Organization ruled that each firm has received illegal subsidies from the governments of the United States and the European Union, which have enhanced their competitive positions. This paper considers the nature of these rulings and the future competitive environment in the global jetliner industry. This paper will also demonstrate how Boeing and Airbus approach the aircraft marketplace, how they are alike and different
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General Comparison
Boeing and Airbus have been at loggerheads for a very long time. Both companies fight intense battles for every major order of commercial aircrafts and have actually bet on different strategies as to how the aviation market is going to develop. There are various avenues along which we can differentiate the two companies. Let us start with the first one: products. Airbus spent more than $15 billion on the development of the "Superjumbo" Airbus A380. They bet on the concept that people would fly from one hub to the next in the big plane, and take a smaller plane to their final destination. So if one had to fly from Columbus, OH to Edinburgh, Scotland people would take a small plane like the Airbus A320 to New York City, fly on the A380 to London, and then take another smaller plane from London to Edinburgh. Boeing thought that this idea was flawed and people would rather fly directly from Columbus to Edinburgh and therefore, they went for a slightly smaller plane, but a plane that had a longer range, and lower operating costs. They named it the Dreamliner, the B787, and it is expected to get in service sometime over the next 3-4 years if things go as planned (something that has not happened with the 787 project). How this will pan out is anyone's guess today.
The next difference is the
With only a few large companies across the globe (Boeing, MD, and Airbus), the commercial aircraft industry essentially exhibits the qualities of an oligopolistic competition with intense rivalry. Here is an analysis of competition in the commercial aircraft business using Porter’s Five Forces.
As the two largest producers in the commercial aircraft industry, Boeing and Airbus have been in a long rivalry for over two decades. Because of its huge research and development cost and a volatile market demand situation, the large commercial aircraft industry has only a few viable producers that can successfully operate in this industry. At the end of 1996, there were three competitors in the industry – Airbus, Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas (MDC). When Boeing announced in December 1996 the merger between Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, the dispute has again started between Boeing and Airbus. The merger was expected to go under
The Airline industry is a large and constantly growing industry. It facilitates economic growth, international investment and world trade and is therefore central to other industries as well for globalisation. There are various forces which lead to globalisation in airline industry. Key drivers of change are forces likely to affect the structure of an industry; sector or market. (1).
This is an analysis of the Airline Industry in Europe. The paper will cover the current market situation, including financials and market volume. Following this will be a Five Forces analysis on the factors that affect industry competition. The paper will conclude with key insights into the profitability of the industry and a SWOT analysis of one of the industry’s best performers and what rivals and possible future entrants can learn from their success.
Given the competitive dynamics in the commercial aircraft industry, it is not likely that Airbus could have become a viable competitor without subsidies. These dynamics include investment costs in the billions for research and development of a new airliner, long break-even times, significant experience curve on the manufacturing side, and the highly volatile demand for aircraft. Due to a lack of market share, if Airbus entered the market without this support they would have suffered many years of losses resulting in a possible bankruptcy. However, Airbus credits its success to a good product and a good strategy instead of
Boeing’s faces these marketing risks. The marketing manager brought it to the airlines, who reviewed, among other things, its flight characteristics, range, cursing speed, interior, systems and operating costs the feedback to designers the airplanes to meet the best the requirements of customers is a difficult process. Airline bit difficult to design. Therefore, the configuration changes constantly.
In the market for large aircraft demand the emerging niche for very large aircraft (VLCT aircraft seating more than 400 passengers) saw only two competitors: Boeing and Airbus. Even though both competitors’ moves were clearly marked by technology enhancements, and different target markets but both exhibited strategic interdependence.
In 2000, Airbus Industrie’s Supervisory Board was making the biggest decision in the company history: whether Airbus should commit to develop world’s largest jumbo jet. At that time, there are only two major commercial jets manufactory companies: the younger Airbus and the bigger Boeing. Boeing had been at the forefront of civil aviation for over half century. Airbus was founded in 1970as a consortium and merged into a new company known as European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company. Airbus developed “fly-by-wire” technology and “cross crew qualification” technology to compete with Boeing in large jets (those with 70 or more seats) market. While Airbus was booked more than
In its published Current Market Outlook (CMO), Boeing forecast a much smaller VLA market despite general agreement on overall growth with GMF. Boeing predicts the total market demand for VLA aircraft is 330 over the next 20 years. In addition, the most of the demand for the lager planes would not materialize for at least ten years. If the predicted market demand is true, there is no way for Airbus to reach the breakeven point. It is most likely Airbus will run out of the business if it commits build A3XX. In this case, Boeing could ignore the A3XX and concentrate on its existing product line. That is to say, Boeing had an opportunity to enhance profitability on its existing products while Airbus was tied up developing the A3XX.
Dominating the commercial aircraft market for decades, Boeing is considered to be the most highly competitive U.S aerospace industry. “U.S. firms manufacture a wide variety of products for civil and defense purposes and, in 2010, the value of aerospace industry shipments was estimated at $171 billion, of which civil aircraft and aircraft parts accounted for over half of all U.S. aerospace shipments. The U.S. aerospace industry exported nearly $78 billion in products in 2010, of which $67 billion (or 86% of total exports) were civil aircraft, engines, equipment, and parts” (Harrison, 2011). However, its position of influence has lessened in recent years. This is due to its main competitor, Airbus, who in recent years has made significant
The following analysis identifies the major strategic issues of Airbus and its industry, provides alternatives and a recommendation of the most optimal solution, and details a plan of implementation for the company.
The Boeing corporation had been a very successful company in the mid-1990s. At the time, it dominanted the market in commercial aviation with an additional thriving sideline in the military and space contracts market. Boeing faced and then overcame a huge number of challenges but also took advantage of many opportunities that were offered up by the aerospace market in the late 1990s. The company faced a number of challenges. In wake of he the first Gulf War, the incumbent economic slowdown severely decreased the market demand. Also, the Boeing encountered stiff competition from the company Airbus which many experts have attributed to heavy subsidies by European government that gave the company an unfair advantage market advantage. For instance, in 1999, Airbus outsold Boeing for the first time in the company's history and delivered to the market more airplanes than the Boeing company did in
This paper analyzes the goals and actions of Boeing by analyzing its critical success factors as well as its strategic roadmap.
Air travel has drastically changed the way of life for many individuals that depend on air travel to take care of business. One of the top leaders in the air travel industry, The Boeing Company realizes in order to stay competitive in their chosen industry, an effective strategic plan should be implemented. There are several approaches that can be utilized, such as focusing on the external and internal objectives that could beneficial. Boeing strives to be the best aerospace-based manufacture in the world.
Aircraft industry is deeply related to the government sector. As case says, both companies Bombardier and Embraer S.A, were the originally in government sector. Since this industry generally have a historical relationship with the military, each state has tendency to protect it.