Competition is a key drive r of change in any given industry. As companies compete to become more effective in meeting the needs and expectations of their customers, they are forced to seek better avenues of addressing the targeted needs. Technology has become the most powerful tool tha t companies can use to achieve a competitive edg e . Equally, industries are driven by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which expect industry-oriented solutions that are more sustainable (Stannard, 20 17 ). The need to offer higher value to clients and to develop more sustainable solutions has made the use of technology one of the emerging trends i n aviation. Technology is responsible for influen cing all aspects of aviation from manufacturing, airways management, customer relations among others. This paper focuses on the advancement of technology as one of the themes that will be a driving force and one that will shape the future of the aviation industry.
Innovations in Airplane Manufacturing
Technology has resulted in various innovatio ns related to airplane manufacturing. To increase the efficiency of the airplane s , there has been the need to consider alternative materials an d sources of energy for use in the manufactu re of the airplanes. One of the most recent innovations has been the use of graphene and recycled carbon fiber (Stannard, 20 17 ). These two materials are used so as to enhance how the plane navigates in the air since they make the airplane lighter, stronger and safer. The se materials are used to manufacture wings that are more efficient by reducing both the weight and fuel consumption . Equally, adoption of these materials has led to the manufacturing of aircraft that are fancy and classic. Graphene, for example, is one atom thick. The super metal was discovered by scientists who used technology to peel away layers of graphite. G raphene is currently used to line the wings to prevent them from taking water. Graphene is considered to be lighter than carbon fiber. Harnsman ( 20 0 5) reckons that alt hough a lot of research is being conducted on graphene , there is still need to seek conventional solutions that are reliable in the short term . For example, Boeing manufacturers u s e micro-lattice which is light, flexible and strong. The material is used on non - structural parts of the plane like seats and interior design. Another innovation is the development of ‘morphing’ wing by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) and National Airspace System ( NAS ) . The wing is easily manufactured because there is a system of tiny, lightweight sub - units that can be assembled by small specialized robots.
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R esearch efforts have also been focussed on the search for a more economical aircraft fuel. O ne of the considerations being made is the manufacture of electric powered or battery powered plane s . For example, there is an ongoing project by Zanum Aero , an aircraft manufacturer which is focussed on making a battery-powered commercial jet . This initiative is being carried out with the support of Boeing and JetBlue ventures. Equally, there is a lot of adjustment s being made on the engines to allow them to be electric powered or to reduce fuel consumption (Stannard, 20 17 ). Further, i n 2012, KLM flew a bio-powered plane from Amsterdam to Rio. This confirms the prospects of green aircraft fuel in the future. However, t he main goal in the future is to manufacture zero-fuel aircraft. By doing so , there w ill be a significant decrease in the weight of the plane. This is in line with the s ustainability goals which are geared towards zero-fuel aircraft concept and increasing market growth. In respect to alternative sources of energy, a lot of innovation is equally driven by the need to manufacture engines that are more efficient in fuel consumption and that lower the weight of the plane.
Mobile phones are part of today's life, and innovators are devising ways in which they can be used in the planes. In the U.S , the use of phones while aboard airplanes is prohibited . The argument is that use of phones would interfere with the airplane’s communication system. For innovators, this has opened a window of opportunities (Harnsman, 2015). Numerous innovations are currently geared towards increasing usability of phones in the planes ( Budd & Vorley , 2013) . For example, in 2016 , Boeing launched an in-flight application called vCabin. The app is used by the customers to adjust lighting, call attendants, mak e food orders, check if the toilet is free among others uses. More research is being conducted to bring more in-flight applications. Numerous startups are being established to offer different services to the aviation industry as well as to the customers. Most of these startups are offering app-based solutions. For example, there is Uber for private jets (Harnsman, 2015). Alt hough many of these s tartups have failed, more are expected in the future. One notable startup is Jet S marters . This members-only mobile community allows customers to book a flight on a private jet a day before. Another example is Stratajet. These startups are making travel logistics smooth and easy to manage.
Innovations in Airways Management
Innovation in airways management is also a current trend in the aviation industry. One approach in this regard is the use of cloud computing. Cloud computing has been highly adopted by companies in the aviation industry to increase efficiency in managing the ir operations . For instance, Hong Kong Airlines is a globally recognized airline has fully adopt ed cloud computing so as to compete with other airlines effectively. The airline developed its system with the aim of help ing in reservation management, baggage management, crew scheduling among others operations (Stannard, 201 7 ). This was in response to challenges posed by increase d crew and flight information. There was, therefore, the need to adopt a technological innovation that would increase the efficiency of airway management. In this regard, Avianet a company specializing in information networks infrastructure released a cloud computing service called ‘A-cloud.' The main of A-cloud was to make airway s management activities more cost effective. Thus far, c loud computing has been widely adopted because it's cost-effective and leverages on storage and processor storage. Adoption of cloud computing is expected to increase in the future. Moreover, with increased capability of devices to communicate with each other, the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) in the aviation industry is inevitable in the future.
Bitcoin i s the most popular crypto currencies on the market today . Though it has not been legally accepted globally, the cryptocurrency is being used by a significant proportion of the population to make their payment. T he bitcoin is anchored on the blockchain technology. This refers to a digitized, decentralized and public ledger that records transactions. The blockchain’s main strength is its ability to prevent fraud. The blockchain technology is instrumental in managing bitcoin transaction s . In the future, companies in the aviation industry are expected to adopt this technology to make it more convenient for client s who use bitcoin ( Friedlmaier et al., 2017) . This is likely to take place with the rise in the popularity of cryptocurrencies. By adopting the technology , the companies will be aimed at improv ing their service delivery by making the payment system more convenient. Equally , by adopting this technology, the compan ies will be able to reduce cases of fraud which are likely to affect them negatively . The service delivery process in the aviation industry has highly been improve d by the use of systems that help coordinate vital activities. These systems are specifically designed to fit into the operation processes and cycles of individual companies. For example, the Blockchain technology has the capability of reservation management and interdepartmental communication. This would ensure that the service delivery process is smooth , fast and free of errors ( Friedlmaier et al., 2017 ). Such innovations build the capacity for companies to meet the ir customers’ need s . Innovators are further seeking more and better ways of manag ing the operations related to airway management. Among companies that have adopted such systems include Virgin, Boeing among others.
Another innovation in the area of airways management is Artificial I ntelligence (AI). This refers t o the technology that allows the creation of intelligent machines that can aid in business operations. The main goal of AI is to carry out tasks previously undertaken by human being s . For example, Chatbots were developed by A ir N ew Zealand to help customer representative s to answer simple customers’ questions with ease ( Air New Zealand Public Affairs , 2017). Oscar, the chatbot, ensures that replies are automated. Such innovations will make it easier for human resources to be directed to more complex and sophisticated activities and queries. Besides the intelligence machines, AI can be used in predict ing aircraft maintenance and pricing. For example, Alibaba Cloud’s ET Aviation Brain which is based on AI is used at the Beijing international airport to reduce congestion ( Wheatley , 2017) . The trend in the aviation industry is that there are high chances of witnessing more AI- related innovations.
Impact of Technology in the Aviation Industry
Innovative technologies have increased efficiency in plane manufacturing and maintenance. For example, use of technology makes the adoption of cost-effective materials in improv ing various parts of aircraft . This has led to the overall improvement in h ow the plane s function. Equally, airway s management operations have become more cost-effective. As a result, with the adoption of technology, the cost of air travel is expected to be reduced significantly (Hansman , 2015) . The service delivery process in the aviation industry has improved considerably. For example, customers can now quickly make reservations, e nquires and pay for their trips with convenien ce . Besides the increase in efficiency, the s afety of both passengers and cargo has been enhanced and is expected to improve significantly . All these benefits lead to improved business operations , cost-effective ness and increased profit margins . It is important to note that all these innovations are driven by the need to meet customers ’ need s and exceed their expectations . These needs include reduced flight time, self-expressive needs, safety, price, and comfort. Equally, there is t he need to achieve sustainable development. Through technological innovation, this can be a chieved.
Use of technology in the aviation industry has led to increased competition amon g companies in the industry. This is as t hese companies seek to gain a competitive advantage against each other. For example, V irgin Airlines and Boeing are competing on the material technology. Each company is striving to offer better quality to its customers than the other. Competition is both a consequence of technological innovation and a driving force (Golz, 2018). C ompanies are increasingly being forced to develop system s that will improve the quality of the service s offered. With the use of technology, there is increased productivity . Productivity is measured in terms of returns, the number and growth of the customer base, reduction in errors, improved service delivery process and increased speed (Stannard, 2015). Aviation companies will be able to achieve high productivity since innovation is bound to increase the efficiency of many aspects of the ir operations.
Over the years , the number of aircraft accidents has reduced. Owing to technological advancements, t he quality and safety of aircraft have not only been improved but have also made th e airplanes safer. A ircraft designs have also been modified to overcome the challenges of weight, communication systems , among others. There have been numerous improvements on the aircraft engines to ensure that they are more effective in operation and cost-effectiveness. By use of technology, global sustainability goals will be easy to achieve. For example, by adopting electric powered engines, there carbon emissions that lead to air pollution , global warming, and climate change will be reduced . Equally, the noise caused by the planes will be reduced significantly (Stannard, 201 7 ). Thus, t he technological innovations in the aviation industry will indirectly and directly contribute to sustainability goals.
Effects of Technology in Decision Making
Decisions made by the industry as a whole and specific aviation companies are going to be influenced by the current technology trends. This is because companies must continuously align their operations and strategic goals to the changes that are likely to take place in the industry (Golz , 2018). This implies that technology will have a direct influence on the operation strategies that the companies adopt as well as the manner in which the operations will be implemented. For example, there is ongoing research on whether a new material which is a hybrid of carbon fiber and graphene can be more reliable than either of the materials. The findings of this research effort will highly influence the manufacturing technology to be adopted. Strategic goals are aimed at improving the productivity of a company (Golz, 2018). Therefore , decision making will be made in respect to what technology will help achieve maximum results and with least investment. In the future, c ompanies will continue to search for technological solution s to t he problems they are facing currently.
Strategic R esponses to T echnology A dvancement I n T he A viation I ndustry
Since technology is a key driver of the aviation industry, its impact and relevance cannot be ignored. It is, therefore, the responsibility of companies to devise strategies that they will use to respond to the future technological advancement s . The main advantage is that the compan ies w ill continually improve their services by adopting more efficient technologies (Stannard, 201 7 ). Failure to adopt the technology exposes the companies to greater risk of decreased performance or being driven out of business. One of the approaches that the companies can use is the training of the ir employees and key parties on the technological changes taking place in the industry a nd equipping them with skills that w ill help them use the technology. This implies that the employees must frequently be trained to ensure that they have the latest skills. Also, t he employees need to be equipped with research and development skills which are essential in innov ating (Golz, 2018). The training can be done by the senior staff or by industry experts. This w ill help the compan ies and their employees to remain up to date with the latest technology and the best approaches to be adopted so as to attain better results.
Some innovations cost billions of dollars and therefore are difficult to embark as individual companies. It is thus more economical for individual companies to form partnership s with other companies with whom they share a common interest. This helps in reduc ing the financial obligations as well as in mobilizing resources needed for the particular project. By partnering with other companies and agencies, the individual company is likely to benefit from getting support and key information that would be very helpful in managing the operations of the airline . Further, t he aviation compan ies should endeavor to achieve technological mindset. Since technology drives the nature of business operations as well as the product or service delivery, technology must be embraced as an important aspect of the ir organizational cultures. The compan ies should also make efforts to ensure that all employees clearly understand the place of technology in achieving the intended success. The airline s should also develop reward program s that specifically recognize individuals and groups that adopt the technological mindset (Stannard, 201 7 ). If the employees do not adopt the technological mindset , then there will be little efforts to learn the new technologies and to adop t them. The technological mindset makes it easier for the employees to embrace technology - related innovations as they emerge . The companies should also make efforts to incorporate technology as a key value in ensuring that the required results are achieved.
Conclusion
There is unprecedented evidence on the advancement of technology in air plane manufacturing and airways management. Technology has been used by various players in the industry to achieve a competitive edge in the market. It has been used as the main tool for the compan ies to effectively compete with others. Aviation companies should anticipate more technologies in the future . Some of the new technologies that will emerge are likely to disrupt the entire aviation industry. Most importantly , every stakeholder should remain up to date on technology and other emerging issue s related to technology and aviation industry. By doing so , the individual employee s or compan ies will be able to achieve high productivity. As technological innovations continue to emerge , the aviation companies and key players must anticipate the se technolog ical changes and adequately prepare to take advantage of them.
References
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