Singapore Airlines

The research register for this journal is available at http://www.mcbup.com/research_registers/tdev.asp

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at http://www.emerald-library.com

Journal of Management Development 19,6 456

The story of Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Girl
Deputy Head of Department/Group Head, Republic of Singapore Air Force, Singapore
Keywords Airlines, Singapore, Brands, Differentiation, Strategy, Service quality Abstract Maps the strategic 50-year journey of Singapore Airlines (SIA) to identify the underlying factors that account for its extraordinary success and world-class stature. Both longitudinal and comparative research methodologies were employed. For the former, the approach taken was to systematically research SIA 's historical development over the entire 50year time period. SIA was studied from its very beginning and through all phases of its development to the present day. For the latter, SIA was compared with and benchmarked against other airlines. Its unique and successful product/service differentiation strategy, epitomised by the ephemeral Singapore Girl, has turned out to be enduring and difficult-to-match over the past 25 years and still shows no signs of letting up.

Daniel Chan

Journal of Management Development, Vol. 19 No. 6, 2000, pp. 456-472. # MCB University Press, 0262-1711

Introduction The seed that was to blossom into the Singapore Airlines (SIA) of today was planted on 1 May 1947 when a Malayan Airways Airspeed Consul took off from Singapore on the first of three scheduled flights a week to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. Today, SIA is Singapore 's best-known company, and rated consistently as Asia 's ``most admired company ' ' (Asian Business, 1997, p. 24). Its smiling, willowy cabin attendant, outfitted in tight batik sarong kebaya designed by renowned fashion house Pierre Balmain, and marketed as the Singapore Girl, is now a well-known international service icon. In

References: and further reading Asia Aviation (1996), ``SIA posts strong $732m group profit ' ', June, p. 18. Asian Business (1996), ``Asia 's most admired companies 1996: creative service is secret of success ' ', May, p. 40. Asian Business (1997), ``Asia 's most admired companies, 1997 ' ', May, p. 24. Asian Business Review (1996), ``Asia 's great companies: why SIA is the world 's most profitable airline ' ', December, p. 34. Business Times (1997a), ``Airlines told to stop slashing fares or industry will suffer ' ', November, p. 18. Business Times (1997b), ``SIA posts surprise 10 percent rise in interim earnings to $616m ' ', 25-26 October, p. 7. Business Traveller ± Asia Pacific (1997a), ``Fast-lane flyers ' ', October, p. 3. Business Traveller ± Asia Pacific (1997b), ``The leading airlines 1997 ' ', October, p. 40. Harvard Business School (1989a), ``Cathay Pacific Airways (A) ' ', Vol. 9, pp. 144-89. Harvard Business School (1989b), ``Singapore Airlines (A) ' ', 9-687-022, Rev. 3/89, 13 September. Harvard Business School (1993), ``Changing the culture at BA ' ', 9-491-009, 13 September. Silver Kris (1997), ``The birth of SIA ' ', October, p. 10. Singapore Airlines (1992), Annual Report 1991/92, p. 124. Singapore Airlines (1997a), Annual Report 1996/97, pp. 72-3. Singapore Airlines (1997b), Annual Report 1996/97, p. 5. Straits Times (1997a), ``Asian air passengers taking to wine ' ', October, p. 22. Straits Times (1997b), ``SIA 's first-half net profits up 10 percent to $616m ' ', October, p. 88. Straits Times (1997c) ``Singapore and SIA must adapt to meet competition ' ', July, p. 56. Straits Times (1997d), ``Crew strike, strong sterling erode BA 's profit ' ', November, p. 55. Straits Times (1997e), ``Changi Airport, SIA voted tops by travel magazine ' ', September, p. 33. Straits Times (1997f), ``SIA poised to maintain edge in Asia ' ', September, p. 6. Straits Times (1997g), ``PM: climb new peak to give first-class service ' ', May, p. 5. The Sunday Times (1997a), ``Non-Asian SIA girls? ' ', August, p. 3. The Sunday Times (1997b), ``Tailor-made in-flight service to usher in new era: an interview with SIA Chairman S. Dhanabalan ' ', October, p. 32. The Sunday Times (1997c), ``SIA recruits cabin crew who speak passengers ' languages ' ', October, p. 32. The Sunday Times (1997d), ``Even No. 1 must do better to stay ahead of the competition ' ', August, p. 3. The Estimate Directory (1997), October, pp. 144-89.