Analysis of Case JetBlue Airline's Success Story Essay

Analysis of Case JetBlue Airline's Success Story - Essay Example For one, all airlines were facing serious financial crunch with customers losing confidence in security arrangements on airlines and government urging airlines to invest more on the same. With additional costs being incurred on safety measures, prices per ticket went up and this ultimately led to fewer people choosing US airlines. The only way JetBlue could succeed was by discovering and developing a business model that would promote cost efficiency and effectiveness. Luring customers with lower prices is always easy but offering them quality service and making money at the same time are gargantuan tasks. The firm thus planned to use its resources efficiently by transferring costs from unproductive services to more productive once and hence creating value. Value led to volume and this led to lower fares and ultimate success. The few core areas that JetBlue targeted were cost, operations, technology, marketing and human resource. JetBlue knew that cutting costs is not always the best practice unless it is matched by higher quality as well. It is easier to cut costs and offer sloppy service but if a firm wants to succeed in the long run and create a good image in the mind of the passengers, it is important to reduce costs by investing in more productive services. The airlines refused to serve meals on any of its flights. This could have been a dangerous move since people expect meals on flights especially long ones. But JetBlue thought of an alternative. Instead of serving meals, it served chips, crackers and cookies along with canned drinks and coffee. This way, passengers had enough to eat while the firm was saving money. While an ordinary meal would cost $4 per customer, snacks were costing 12-14 cents per passenger. Besides, serving snacks also went well with the firm's image as a fun airline. The firm decided to offer core services at cheaper rates. This meant providing customers with services that they would really appreciate. Since people had already been complaining of airline food, it was about time that money was shifted to something better. JetBlue decided that a fraction of the money it saved on food could be easily transferred to such services as leather seats and personal television sets. In the end, the firm emerged a winner with its business model allowing more cost effectiveness and efficiency. The firm stands just a notch below SouthWest in terms of cost per passenger mile ($6.43 and $6.33 respectively) but stands far ahead of other airlines and industry average of $12.45 per passenger mile. Scanlon (2003) quotes USDTV CEO and writes: "We like what JetBlue has done, we like what Dell Computers has done and we like what Toyota has done," says CEO Lindsley, referring in particular to JetBlue's success at challenging its larger competitors by offering bare-bones service at cheaper prices. "These companies were able to gain a foothold in very maturing industries, even with incumbents that are well- heeled." The airline also uses A-320s instead of Boeing 737s since the former is more fuel-efficient. Operations: Interestingly JetBlue has no class distinctions on its flights. There is only one class, which means equal service to everyone, and no compromise on quality. Apart from that, it also allows the firm to use its human resources more efficiently since staff can be interchanged between flights. There were fewer scheduling issues to handle. Another operational choice and a wise one at that was

Tropical rain forest Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tropical rain forest - Research Paper Example Tropical rain forest Tropical rain forests are categorized into three: the monsoon, equatorial rain forests and the subtropical rainforests. They are characterized by very tall trees of different kinds and produce 40% of Earth’s oxygen. The trees form canopies which provide shelter to the plants and animals from the sun. Tropical rain forests host more than half of the estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects (Terashima, 49). The vegetation is ever green. The dominant species in the rain forests are plants, animals and insects. Location According to Newman (The Tropical rainforest), tropical rain forests are found on the earth’s surface between the tropic of cancer in the North and the tropical of cancer in the south around 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator. Areas around the equator receive a constant amount of sunlight and rainfall which favours the growth of rainforest. Tropical rain forests are mainly found in central and South America, South East Asia and is lands near it and in West Africa. The largest tropical rainforest across the globe is the Amazon rainforest. Climate According to Terashima (52), ecosystem is usually very wet with the total rainfall between 1500 and 2500 mm per year. Most of the rains stays on the rain forest, evaporates, cools to form clouds and fall again. The rainforest soils are infertile since the nutrients are washed away by the rains. There are usually no dry seasons and the day temperatures are around 30-35 Degree Celsius (Terborgh, The midday sun is always near the vertical and is overhead twice a year at the equinoxes. This means there is more direct sunlight hitting the ground and the sea and much water evaporates into the air (Newman, 2002). At night the temperatures range between 20-25 degrees Celsius. Little difference exists between the warmest and coolest months. Tropical rainforests have a high humidity and the type of climate is known as the equatorial climate. Tropical rainforest climate is found at latitudes within five degrees North and South of the equator. The high humidity is due to the warm sunlight, rainfall and the tree canopies which help retain the moisture. Major interactions Among the Organisms that live in the Tropical rain forests Competition According to University of Michigan (The Tropical Rainforest) there is a wide diversity of animals in the tropical rain forests. The tropical birds such as Costa Rica, parrots, macaws and hornbills eat fruits, nuts insects, seeds and nectar. Monkeys such as gorilla and the Lar gibbon feed on leaves, fruits, leaves and bark while the orang-utan and spider monkey feed on leaves fruits, nuts, seeds and insects. Also in Whitemore (195), spiders which live on the canopies eat fruits and leaves hence competing with the birds and some mammal for food in the ecosystem. Both the birds, monkeys and spiders compete for the same food in the ecosystem. Predation The bats also prey on frogs which also prey on insects. Jaguar feeds on r odents and frogs the bats and the jaguar are the predators whereas the frogs and other rodents are the prey. Snakes which are also predators feed on other rodents (Terborgh, 121). Predators use poison, camouflage and strength to kill their prey. Man is another predator whose prey is edible animals and plants. Men use the animals and plant