Kiwi International Airlines: Judo strategy and its limits
Stephen Bowden
Department of Strategic Management, University of Waikato Management School, Hamilton, New Zealand
PP: 1
Abstract
The story of Kiwi Airlines is a brief one. Begun on a ‘shoe-string' in 1994 by Ewan Wilson, the airline had collapsed by 1996. But during that brief time Kiwi Airlines had a dramatic effect on trans-Tasman airfares.
This case is designed to allow a discussion of the reasons behind Kiwi Airlines initial success and ultimate failure. The case is particularly suited to explaining Judo economics or Judo strategy.
Keywords
trans-Tasman flights, New Zealand airlines
References
Air New Zealand Limited (1997) Air New Zealand Annual Report.
'Brief - airlines' (1996) Sunday Star Times 18 February: 5.
Corbett J (1996) The rise and crash of Kiwi International, Independent 13 September: 21.
Dunbar A (1996) Kiwi Air chief stays hopeful despite financial losses, Press 29 August: 6.
Fox A (1996a) Kiwi milestones, Waikato Times 30 August: 7.
Fox A (1996b) Kiwi slashes jobs, services in survival bid, Waikato Times 30 August: 1.
Harnett J (1995) Hamilton's high flyers, Management December: 164.
Kennedy G (1996a) Kiwi slows down after it tries to fly too fast, National Business Review 23 August: 39.
Kennedy G (1996b) Freedom to keep on flying after Kiwi's wings clipped, National Business Review 27 September: 44.
'Kiwi Travel sparks airline price war' (1995) Dominion 24 August: 3.
Light E (1996) Never say never, NZ Business August: 34.
'NZ air price war expands' (1995) The Sunday News 10 March: 23.
'Region's hopes lie in retaining Freedom' (1996) Waikato Times 19 December: 6.
Wilson E (1996) Dogfight: The inside story of the Kiwi Airlines collapse, Howling at the Moon Productions, Auckland NZ.
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