All for one: Factors for alignment of inter-dependent business processes at KLM and Schiphol

All for one: Factors for alignment of inter-dependent business processes at KLM and Schiphol

Perié, R.P.

Santema, S.C. (promotor)

Aerospace Engineering

2008-12-15

As airline and hub competition becomes fiercer, airline-airport co-operation becomes a necessary option for both main carrier airlines and hub airports to face this competition together. The inter-dependency between airlines and airports in producing air-transport services is tight, i.e. their destinies are inter-twined. Their existence as viable economic entities depends upon market performance of each other. This leads to the assumption that the relation of airlines' airports serves as an example case for dyadic alignment. Although research has been carried out regarding many forms of co-operation, little is known about specifically alignment at the business process level. By alignment of their inter-dependent dyadic business processes competitive advantage can be obtained; both KLM and AAS have acknowledged this. The aim of this research is to determine Factors for Alignment for specific inter-dependent business processes at KLM and AAS. For research purposes the research question is formulated as follows: Which are the factors for alignment of dyadic business processes at KLM and AAS? Answers to this research question are to increase the understanding of the effect of different factors upon alignment. This research has a theoretical as well as a practical value. It develops a theoretical Delft Factors for Alignment (DFA) model. This enables subsequent development of analysis tools that quantitatively and qualitatively measure the performance of Factors for Alignment. For practical purposes, it identifies issues and maps differences and similarities present between KLM and AAS within their specific dyadic business processes. These dyadic processes are Environmental Capacity, Network Planning, Infrastructure Planning and Aircraft Stand Allocation. This research is based upon the assumption that alignment of the dyadic business processes of KLM and AAS is achieved by addressing the issues affecting alignment regarding various subjects within each business process, as indicated by employees of these firms. By making use of interviews and questionnaires within both firms it is found that the issues present within four dyadic business processes of these firms, at three different levels of decision making, can be modeled by the developed DFA model. The model identifies the most potential of Factors for Alignment of their dyadic business processes. It is proven that the DFA model is a diagnostic tool in finding the Factors for Alignment of dyadic business processes of KLM and AAS by creating a structured ordering of the issues by interviews and questionnaires. The research question, as formulated above, is answered by primary and secondary Factors for Alignment per business process. This also implies that the DFA model is effective for analysis of dyadic business processes. The research methodology has proven to be viable. This would encourage application for research of other dyadic business processes at KLM and AAS, which could also strengthen their competitive advantage.

factors
alignment
business processes
dyads
inter-dependency
airline-airport relationship

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:65e09cf9-573f-4839-a671-8edcba31eda4

978-90-9023713-8

Institutional Repository

doctoral thesis

(c) 2008 Perié, R.P.