AIRBUS

Airbus And Its Activities Within The Civil Aircraft Manufacturing Industry

Airbus And Its Activities Within The Civil Aircraft Manufacturing Industry

(1) To what extent has Airbus met the critical success factors for the sector in the last five years?

In the last five years, it would seem that Airbus' strategy is driven by both its customers, the airlines, and has met the critical success factors:

Evidence Airbus' strategy is customer driven:

*They tried to form an alliance with Boeing to provide the customer with a larger aircraft. This would suggest that they are more interested in the customer's needs than competing directly with Boeing. (Johnston, 2009)

*Additionally, they wish to carry forward this idea for a new generation of aircraft by themselves, to satisfy the customer needs in this segment (super jumbo).

*Airbus reacted to the needs of the customers; for the aircraft to be more modern and technologically advanced

Evidence Airbus' strategy is driven by competitive rivalry:

*Airbus has been judging its performance as a company, not by customer satisfaction, but by the amount of orders that it has received compared with Boeing. Even as far as questioning they way in which Boeing calculates its orders statistics.

*Airbus has been trying to compete with Boeing head-to-head in all of the aircraft segments

*Although Airbus are creating the new super jumbo for a new customer need, it could also be argued that this is in order to get a competitive advantage over Boeing

(2) Using Bowman's Strategic Clock or Porters Generic Strategies, identify the range of "generic" strategy choices that Airbus appears to have made.

From the start, Airbus' philosophy has been to listen and respond to customers' needs. New ideas, new techniques and new materials have enabled Airbus to constantly gain market-share by building more comfortable, more efficient aircraft that meet passengers' expectations and airlines' business requirements. Our ability to find creative solutions is reflected throughout our organization, in all our aircraft, as well as in the services we provide to customers and operators. Just one example is Airbus' unique concept of aircraft families which translates into increased flexibility and cost-efficiency for airlines. Success has not changed this policy. Airbus continues to operate on the principles of thinking ahead and listening - to customers, passengers and employees. These principles remain fundamental to our success as we look to the future. We never take anything for granted. (Johnston, 2007)

Airbus has a long and successful record of technological "firsts" which have all ensured better aircraft performance, lower operating costs, greater environmental friendliness and greater comfort.

Since the very first A300B, every new Airbus model has introduced elements of innovative design which have set industry standards.

Some of the Airbus innovations have been truly ground-breaking. Others are incremental but their sum has given a significant competitive edge. One of the best examples is the introduction of the first fly-by-wire system in the A320 in 1988. This resulted not only in greater ergonomics, easier operation and enhanced safety but also in commonality across the entire fly-by-wire aircraft family. Fly-by-wire has since become an industry ...