Struggling with Case Study Presentation? Tips for Tackling Airline Strategy Challenges

Hi CiteHR, I am an HRM student at Annamalai University, pursuing an MBA in HRM through distance learning. I completely don't understand how to present a case study. I have taken an example case study from my previous year question paper. Can you please help me with how to approach this case?

Case Study

Assume that you are the CEO of a commercial airline. The airline has a longstanding history in the airline industry, but now it has to compete with the low-cost strategy of competing airlines. From your experience, determine how you would formulate and implement an effective strategy to improve its performance.

Dear Priya, Please provide more information about your study. Is this an example of a case study in the Strategic Management module? Please do not react to posts that do not address your query or that are not helpful.

Understanding Your Case Study

Yours is not really a case study where background information about a situation is given. Hence, you have to search the web and find out the main differences between the two types of airlines and then, using Porter's Five Forces Model, formulate your strategy.

Regards

CASE STUDY: 4

Bitter it may taste, shrill it may sound, and sleepless nights it may cause, but it is true. In a major shake-up, Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, has thrown a big shock to its employees. Before coming to the details of the shock, let's take a look at the company's profile.

Company Profile

- **Name:** Airbus
- **Created:** 1970
- **President/CEO:** Vijay M.
- **Employees:** 57,000
- **Turnover:** €26 Billion
- **Total Aircraft Sold (Feb 2007):** 7,187
- **Delivered:** 4,598
- **Headquarters:** Paris, France
- **Facilities:** 16
- **Rival:** Boeing

Airbus announced on February 27, 2007, that it would shed 10,000 jobs across four European countries and sell six of its units. On the same day, the helpless workers did what was expected of them – they downed tools and staged protests. The protesting workers at Airbus's factory in Meaulte, northern France, were seen picketing outside the factory gate after holding up production a day earlier. To be fair to Airbus, its management entered talks with unions before the job loss and sale were formally announced. However, the talks did not mollify the agitated workers.

Job shedding and the sale of units are part of the Power and restructuring plan unleashed by Airbus to save itself from increasing loss of ground to its arch-rival, Boeing Co.

Airbus Power & Strategy

Airbus Power & Strategy was first mooted in October 2006 but sparked a split between France and Germany over the distribution of job losses and the placement of future ones. Later, the two countries agreed to share both job losses and new technology.

The power and plan, if finalized, would mean a 3 percent reduction in Airbus's 55,000 employee strength.

Discussion Questions

1. Why should Power focus on shedding jobs to save on costs?
2. Are there no alternative strategies?
3. Will the proposed shedding of jobs and sale of six units help Airbus survive the intense competition from Boeing?
4. Comment on the whole issue.

Please help me with this case. It's my MBA first semester question, and it's a 20-mark question.

CASE STUDY: 4

Bitter it may taste, shrill it may sound, and sleepless nights it may cause, but it is true. In a major shake-up, Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, has thrown a big shock to its employees. Before coming to the details of the shock, let's take a look at the company's resume.

Name: Airbus

Created: 1970

President & CEO: Vijay M.

Employees: 57,000

Turnover: 26 Bn (Euro)

Total Aircraft Sold (Feb 2007): 7,187

Delivered: 4,598

Headquarters: Paris (France)

Facilities: 16

Rival: Boeing

Airbus announced on February 27, 2007, that it would shed 10,000 jobs across four European countries and sell six of its units. On the same day, the helpless workers did what was expected of them – downed tools and staged protests. The protesting workers at Airbus's factory in Meaulte, northern France, were seen picketing outside the factory gate after holding up production a day earlier. To be fair to Airbus, its management entered talks with unions before the job loss and sale were formally announced. But the talks did not mollify the agitated workers.

Job shedding and the sale of units are part of the Power and restructuring plan unleashed by Airbus to save itself from increasing loss of ground to its arch-rival, Boeing Co.

Airbus Power & Strategy was first mooted in October 2006 but sparked a split between France & Germany over the distribution of job losses and the placement of future ones. Later, the two countries agreed to share both job losses and new technology.

The power and plan, if finalized, would mean a 3 percent reduction in Airbus's 55,000 employee strength.

Q1) Why should Power focus on shedding jobs to save on cost?

Q2) Are there no alternative strategies?

Q3) Will the proposed shedding of jobs and sale of six units help Airbus survive the intense competition from Boeing?

Q4) Comment on the whole issue.

Help me with this case study.

My advice to students is not to seek solutions to case studies but to give their responses and then ask for help to improve the structure and content. Suppose a member gives the solution, will a student be disclosing that his/her submission is the work of someone else, etc?

Hi Simhan, I am not asking for the complete case study solution, but just a hint on how to approach this case. A hint is more than enough; I don't need the complete solution.

As a student, you should clearly state what help you are seeking. The best way to go about it is to give your response to a question and ask whether you are on the right track.