The Emirates-SAA codeshare partnership involves strategic decisions at various levels of both organizations. Using Angelopulo and Barker's five levels of strategy, here's how each applies:
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1. Societal Strategy: This level addresses the organization's role in society, its ethical conduct, and sustainability.
- Application: The partnership's societal strategy might involve promoting tourism to South Africa, thereby contributing to economic growth and job creation. It could also include joint initiatives for environmental sustainability, such as reducing carbon emissions on shared routes or supporting local communities.
- Example: Emirates and SAA could jointly sponsor a tourism campaign highlighting South Africa's natural heritage, emphasizing responsible travel practices.
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2. Corporate Strategy: This defines the overall scope of the organization, its business portfolio, and how it creates value across different businesses.
- Application: For both Emirates and SAA, the codeshare is a high-level corporate decision to expand their global network and market reach without significant capital investment in new aircraft or routes. It's about leveraging each other's existing assets to achieve broader strategic objectives.
- Example: Emirates' corporate strategy is to be a global connector, and this partnership allows it to deepen its penetration into the African continent. SAA's corporate strategy might be to enhance its international connectivity and offer its passengers access to a wider global network.
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3. Business Strategy: This level focuses on how a specific business unit or partnership competes in its market.
- Application: The business strategy for the codeshare is about how the combined offering of Emirates and SAA differentiates itself from competitors. It defines the unique value proposition for passengers.
- Example: The partnership's business strategy could be to offer seamless, single-ticket travel from various South African cities to Emirates' extensive global network via Dubai, providing convenience and integrated loyalty benefits that other airlines might not match.
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4. Functional Strategy: This details how each functional department (e.g., marketing, operations, IT) supports the overall business strategy.
- Application: Various departments within both airlines must align their strategies to make the codeshare work effectively.
- Example:
- Marketing: Developing joint advertising campaigns to promote the codeshare routes and benefits.
- Operations: Coordinating flight schedules to ensure smooth connections and efficient baggage transfers at hub airports.
- IT: Integrating booking and check-in systems to provide a unified customer experience.
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5. Operational Strategy: This concerns the day-to-day activities and processes required to implement functional strategies efficiently.
- Application: This is the practical execution of the partnership on the ground and in the air.
- Example:
- Ground Staff: Training ground staff at airports like Johannesburg and Dubai to handle codeshare passengers, including check-in, boarding, and baggage handling procedures for both airlines.
- Customer Service: Establishing clear protocols for handling customer inquiries or issues related to codeshare flights, ensuring consistent service standards.
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