What are the micro and macro environmental factors that have contributed to the early success of airasia?
moderately high due to almost no switching cost for customers to
switch from
one LCC to another. In addition, the access to the internet
allows customers to
have close to full information on prices charged by the LCCs.
Threat of
substitutes is moderately low; there are several substitutes
such as cruises, rail,
bus, and car. However, the archipelago geographical structure of
Asia has made
air travel the viable, efficient, and convenient mode of
transportation. Threat of
new entry is moderate; high capital requirement and government
barrier such as
air service agreement can act as barriers to entry. However, the
deregulation of
aviation industry in Asia Pacific region has resulted in more
competitors entering
the market. Furthermore, many full service airlines enter the
LCC industry by
launching their LCC version. For example, Nok Air set up by Thai
Airways is a
part of LCC industry in Thailand. Finally, industry rivalry is
moderately high due
to price as the basis of competition and high exit cost.
However, market
participants tend to realize that price war is destructive for
them thus they avoid
direct price competition and they turn into 'friendly'
competitors. Appendix 3
summarises Porter's five forces specific to LCC industry.
Based on the environmental scanning performed, the demand for
LCC is
expanding thus LCC industry will keep growing rapidly. The LCC
industry
attractiveness and profitability will attract many full service
airlines to launch its
LCC version adding the degree of rivalry in this industry. As
the implication,
AirAsia, current market leader of LCC in Malaysia, Thailand, and
Indonesia, will
face competition from both existing and new players. In order to
sustain its
competitive advantage, AirAsia needs to leverage its competency
in creating cost
advantages across multiple value chains.