Can Customer-Centric E-Business System Achieve Competitive Advantage for Airline Industry?

Hongwei Jiang, PhD Candidate, School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Manufacture Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001. Email: george.jiang@rmit.edu.au

Louis Doukas, Associate Professor, School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Manufacture Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001. Email: ldoukas@rmit.edu.au

Keywords

e-Business model, e-Commerce model, Airline Systems Engineering, Airline e-Business, Airline e-Commerce, Airline Competitive Advantage.

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to provide significant new insights into the development and implementation of e-business strategies that will lead airlines to a competitive advantage.

The success of application of e-business strategy to airline industry depends on the value added of e-business to airlines. Currently, many airlines are looking at e-business to protect their assets and to secure customer's loyalty, and to be successful in today's competitive environment. In view of the new features of Internet, the core question of this paper is:

Can an e-business system utilising Internet technology to achieve competitive advantages for airlines?

To provide an answer to this question, the researchers conducted an online survey and develop a Customer Centric E-Business (CCEB) System Model, using China ShenZhen Airlines as a case study.

The work in this paper is organised as follows: Introduction; Section 1: Research Goals, Literature Review, Research Methods, Original Contribution, and Research Outcomes; Section 2: Research Flow Chart; Section 3: Findings and Results; and Section 4: Other Considerations. Furthermore, the work presents some pertinent strategies for airlines based on Michael Porter's Five Competitive Force Model.

With respect to the typology suggested by Porter, the results indicate that Porter's model was essential in evaluating the airline industry under both descriptive and elucidative aspects.