Southwest airlines business case study analysis

Spirit Flight companies, Business Case, Industry Evaluation, Aviation Management

Excerpt by Case Study:

Southwest Airlines has been an innovator in the airline market. The company has steadily integrated one of the most interesting operational approaches since the company was founded. As a result, Southwest Flight companies has earned countless awards rated against factors including employee fulfillment, customer satisfaction, and profitability. Furthermore, Southwest was able to claim these kinds of awards while being able to as well claim a number of the lowest working costs in the marketplace. Despite the business long track record of success, it will eventually face brand new set of issues and dangers in the arriving years since the airline market seems to be changing. The evolution of the airline industry will probably be driven simply by rising gasoline costs, gradual demand, and a lot of environmental concerns. Therefore South west will have to be capable to further improve its strategy to meet the difficulties in the new continually changing external environment.

External/Internal Market Analysis

Danger of New Entrants – Low

The global economic depression has created a place in which there is certainly little business available for any kind of new rival to try to utilize. Furthermore, considering that the market size has stagnated, the sector is generally acknowledging a reduced margin on their companies. Furthermore, there are many layers of industry rules that must be regarded before fresh competitor is to enter the market. However , competition can also enter into through obtain or keep through liquidation which likewise provides a few volatility towards the industry and opportunities to get a new surroundings.

Supplier Power – Large

There are essentially two suppliers in the plane industry; Boeing and Airbus (Mustoe, 2010). Not only is definitely the number of suppliers exceptionally low, but these suppliers actually organize their operations to some extent. For instance , the two primary companies likewise share most of the same suppliers and have proved helpful together to pressure a selection of their own suppliers for their proper advantage.

Purchaser Power – High

Inside the airline industry, only a small portion of consumers have any significant loyalty to any one airline brand. Generally consumers perspective different aircarrier services because relatively similar and as replacement products. When there is ever a level playing discipline in terms of selling price and availability then buyers may have a preference of one brand over the various other however this is generally a subsidiary decision. Therefore the buyer power with this industry is relatively high.

Risk of Substitute Products – Low

When travelers may possibly consider distinct airlines because close substitutes, there really isn’t a great alternative to flights. In some case consumers can decide to drive themselves, take a bus, or perhaps in some cases a train. However , for longer outings or outings in which convenience is important generally there really isn’t much of a substitute for air travel.

Competition – Excessive

There are several additional players in the market that make for a rather advanced of competition. There are a range of different operational models and strategies for customers to choose from that generally function in the same locations that Southwest flys.

Strengths

Most importantly other factors, the best strength that Southwest has created is its organizational traditions. The company’s organizational culture can be summarized concisely by it is mission assertion “dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service provided with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual satisfaction, and Organization Spirit” (Southwest, 2012). This kind of culture, together with their fairly simplistic operating model, provides their employees a significant volume freedom by which to make individual decisions. South west demands