Understanding E-Business Success in Diverse Industries: Common Success Factors at Southwest Airlines and Micron Technology

摘要

A successful electronic business model requires the proper combination of value proposition, target market, resources, and financial return, all within a technologically sound implementation. In this time of failing dotcoms, successes are rare and deserve serious analysis. This paper analyzes the robust and successful e-business approaches of two organizations from distinctly different industries-Southwest Airlines, a major U.S. airline, and Micron Technology, a global manufacturer of semiconductor products. Our investigation of these two organizations reveals that in spite of the diverse nature of their industries, a common set of factors contributed to their success. These common factors include an emphasis on an experimental and improvisational approach to all actions taken, empowered project teams possessing unique skills sets, a design philosophy of satisficing (just enough, when it is needed), all balanced with a strong customer focus.