Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing is not only the largest aircraft manufacture in the world, they are also a top aerospace corporation that has different abilities in manufacturing of electronics, defense and satellites systems, launch vehicles, and air defense missiles. They have huge technical and tactical experience in the people that they employ and in the field. Planning at Boeing is a very difficult task because it influences their internal and external factors. There biggest project is the development and delivery of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft, upon this date Boeing has an order that exceeds 980 aircraft and the list keeps growing.

"Not long ago, aircraft manufacturer Boeing was in turmoil. The industry was in a deep slump after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, turnover in its executive ranks brought uncertainty, and its chief rival, European-based Airbus, surpassed it in annual airplane sales" (Bateman & Snell, 2009, p. 323). Boeing aircraft manufacturer needed to get back on their feet and show the world that they are the largest aircraft manufacture in the aviation industry; but to get there they had to count on a new leader with new ideas, and new ways airplanes will be design, construct, and deliver to the customers. In 2005 James McNerney took the huge responsibility by becoming the Boeing new CEO, in charge of getting Boeing back to be the lead of airplane sales. Boeing was going to manufacture 500 state of the art 787 Dreamliner commercial aircraft that would be fuel-efficient, made of carbon-fiber and that could seat 300 passengers at a cost of $180 million each. McNerney will have to count on all of his staff members leadership, from top-level managers to lower-level supervisor, and employees to ensure everything runs in time and without delays. More that $8 billion was already invested into the new aircraft development, and major airlines had place enormous orders before the plane was even manufacture.

Boeing has been receiving purchase orders from different airliners such as Virgin Atlantic and Japan Air Lines (JAL). Japan had order 30 aircraft to be deliver in time. Boeing need to ensure that everything goes as planned because delays in the delivery can cause legal issues between Boeing Manufacturing, investors, shareholder, and clients who order the 787 Dreamliner. But it seems that a project of this magnitude will not avoid a lawsuit, "An institutional investor is suing Boeing, claiming company executives misled investor about the state of the much-delayed 787 Dreamliner program, Dow Jones reports" ("Boeing faces investor lawsuit over 787 program," 2009, para. 1). For example, Postponing flights of the 787 Dreamliner can cause Boeing legal issues. Example, first set back: "The Boeing Company said Tuesday that its new long-range airplane, the 787, would not make its first test flight this year because of delays caused by a machinists' strike" (Maynard, 2008, para. 1). Second set back in postponing flight because of technical issues. Boeing make an ethical decision by; "Boeing revealed that 3 percent of the unique fasteners that was holding the first five 787 together were incorrectly installed and had to be replaced" (Demerjian, 2008, para. 2). For example, Boeing made a good decision by going public in these issues, trying to hide something so important can cause legal and ethical issues, loss of trust of shareholders, investors, and the public. On the corporate social responsibility Boeing is doing their job, example designing a fuel efficient aircraft that will reduce 20% fuel consumption rate, saving money, and maintaining a cleaner environment; by building the aircraft fuselage out of carbon-fiber stronger than metal, this material will also help the air quality inside the cabin, making passengers breath and fill better by using an air filter system that keeps the cabin air cleaner that normal aircrafts, "Actually, the air onboard will be cleaner than the outside air," says Tom Cogan, chief project engineer" (Bateman & Snell, 2009, p. 338).

Boeing strategic plan was to manufacture a 787 Dreamliner aircraft that could seat 300 passengers, at a cost of $180 million, this new aircraft could strengthen Boeing manufacture in to the leading aircraft manufacture once again. The plane is suppose to be the best of best, it should save 20% fuel efficient, lighter in weight make out of carbon fiber not aluminum, windows were 30% bigger giving everybody a better outside view, etc. All these features would make the 787 Dreamliner an aircraft that the aviation industries would want. There strategy work, at this moment there are more that 980 aircraft order by different countries around the world with Japan Air Liner (JAL) leading with an order of 30 each 787 Dreamliner.

Tactical planning has taken place in the Boeings Everett construction plant in Seattle;