Case Study: Singapore International Airlines: Strategy with a Smile (Ramaswamy, 2001)

Case Study Review

Access and read the following Harvard Business Review case study: 

• Singapore International Airlines: Strategy With A Smile(Links to an external site.)(Ramaswamy, 2001) (HTML webpage file/Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

This business strategy case will help you to develop a framework for conceptualizing differentiation-based competitive advantage. Specifically, it illustrates how an organization implementing a strategy of differentiation needs to design its entire value chain with the intent to be outstanding in every value activity that it performs. Thus, it identifies the critical resource commitments that a differentiation strategy would require. This discussion is closely intertwined with an examination of country-specific (Singapore, in this case) sources of competitive advantage.

Case Study Analysis

Prepare your response, addressing the following items:

1. Why is the airline industry considered a global industry? What are the forces driving globalization?

2. How important to a company's success is its country of origin and why does this matter?

3. How do you explain the success of Singapore Airlines (SIA) over an extended period of time? 

4. What are the key competencies of SIA? How are they created and sustained? How durable are they?

5. What developments in the industry are threatening? What opportunities have emerged? Do these threats and opportunities necessitate any changes in strategic direction at SIA? What changes would you recommend?

6. Evaluate the pros and cons of SIA's alliance strategy and the suitability of Virgin Atlantic as a partner. Explore the impact on the Star Alliance.