Boeing Dreamliner Analysis

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner Debacle

Problem Statement: Time to Market

Hypothesis: The failure to bring the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to market was due to:

1. Ineffective Decision Making and Problem-solving

2. Ineffective Autocratic Leadership Style

3. Ineffective Communications

Introduction

The Boeing Dreamliner 787 is innovative because it is the first jet to have an airframe made of a carbon fiber composite. The benefits of the design are that it:

1. Reduces the jet's total weight

2. Reduces fuel consumption

3. Reduces maintenance cost over the life of the aircraft

To successfully develop and bring this aircraft to market, Boeing utilized an innovative approach that mandated a transition from a Business-2-Business (B-2-B) model to an integrated model of global partnerships and collaborative business partners. This effective leadership decision required that the company adopt an integrated model, or globally distributed supply chain, which is a very innovative, timely and correct decision for a project of this magnitude. This change was initially widely embraced; however, it has not been successful for Boeing. The reason being is that the company has been plagued with ongoing difficulties with the design, testing, and Supply Chain Management (SCM) incongruities with their supplier's ability to meet capacity production quantities. These major problems have ultimately caused the company to miss key developmental milestones.

In order for innovative solutions to be successful, global partnerships and collaborative business models need to be implemented primarily