Strategic management - Essay Example

outstanding business performance on the part of the company considering that Cathay Pacific earned only HK$812 million during the first and second quarter of 2009 (ibid). It is a common knowledge that the economic and financial performance of each country could somehow significantly affect the supply and demand for airline services. Basically, economic recession associated with stock market crashes, currency crises, real estate crises, and financial bubbles among the long list of other financial and banking problems such as the case of the Lehman Brothers could adversely affect the business performance of airline companies.

In some cases, the rise and fall of oil prices in the world market, the presences of SARS outbreak, and the post September 11-crises could also affect the profitability of airline companies. Considering the past and present global economic crisis and the actual business performance of Cathay Pacific in the global markets, this study aims to identify and discuss the prevailing strategies used by the company to enable the business remain strong despite the challenges faced by the airline companies.

Basically, analyzing the strategies used by Cathay Pacific will enable the readers to have a better understanding behind the secret of the company’s successful endeavour. Today, Cathay Pacific is considered as one of the best and most competitive “Asian Airline Business” within the global airline industry. As part of determining the competitive advantages of Cathay Pacific against its close competitors like the Singapore Airlines Limited, major factors that made the company successful in implementing its business strategies will be mentioned and critically analyzed.

In line with going through the main discussion, the company’s superiorities and inferiorities could significantly affect the decision-making process of its top management will be tackled in details. Airways, the company managed to effectively surpass the declining demand for