Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Many business sectors have been, and are being, forced to compete with new competitors-disrupters of some sort-who have found new ways to create and deliver new value for customers often through the use of technology that is coupled with a new underlying production or business model, and/or a broad array of partners, including, in some cases, customers themselves. Think about the disruption created by Apple by the introduction of the iPod and iTunes, and by Netflix within the entertainment sectors using partners within the ecosystem;　think of Uber that didn't build an app around the taxi business but rather built a mobility business around the app to improve customer experience.　　

Airline Industry considers whether the airline industry is poised for disruptive innovations from inside or outside of the industry.　 Although airlines have a long history of continuous improvements and innovation, few of their innovations can be classified as disruptive innovations.　The few disruptive innovations that did emerge were facilitated, for example by new technology (jet aircraft) and government policy (deregulation). Now there are new forces in play-customers who expect to receive products that are more personalized and experience-based throughout the entire journey, new customer interfaces (via social media), advanced information systems and analytics, financially powerful airlines based in emerging nations, and the rise of unencumbered entrepreneurs who think differently as well as platform-focused integrators.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of Figures (p. x)
• List of Tables (p. xiii)
• More about the Book (p. xiv)
• Foreword (p. xvii)
• Foreword (p. xix)
• Foreword (p. xx)
• Foreword (p. xxiii)
• Foreword (p. xxvii)
• Foreword (p. xxix)
• Foreword (p. xxxiv)
• Foreword (p. xxxvi)
• Foreword (p. xxxix)
• Foreword (p. xlii)
• Foreword (p. xliv)
• Preface (p. xlvii)
• Acknowledgments (p. 1)
• 1 Perspectives on Disruptive Innovation (p. 1)
• What is Disruptive Innovation? (p. 1)
• Outline of the Book (p. 6)
• 2 Relevance to the Airline Industry (p. 13)
• Across the Innovation Spectrum (p. 13)
• Low-Cost Carriers (p. 16)
• Full-Service Carriers (p. 19)
• Ongoing Frustrations (p. 20)
• Airline Improvements (p. 22)
• Takeaways (p. 27)
• 3 Disruptive Forces and Their Convergence (p. 28)
• Changing Nature of Economies (p. 28)
• Customer Expectations (p. 33)
• Evolving Competitors (p. 37)
• Enabling Technologies (p. 43)
• Takeaways (p. 46)
• 4 Adaptation Strategies by Airlines (p. 49)
• Consolidation (p. 49)
• Network Alignment (p. 53)
• Customer Management (p. 62)
• Distribution Management (p. 67)
• Takeaways (p. 73)
• 5 Adaptation Strategies: Developing and Emerging Markets (p. 74)
• Africa (p. 75)
• Asia (p. 86)
• India, China, and the Connectivity between the Two (p. 92)
• Takeaways (p. 95)
• 6 Adaptation Strategies by Airports (p. 97)
• General Business Model Changes (p. 99)
• Low-Cost Airports and Terminals (p. 103)
• Focus on Customer Experience (p. 106)
• Airports as Destinations (p. 110)
• Areas of Disruption (p. 111)
• Takeaways (p. 113)
• 7 Airline Transformational Opportunities (p. 115)
• Corporate Level (p. 116)
• Network, Fleet, and Schedules (p. 119)
• Day of Operations (p. 124)
• Revenue Management Planning (p. 127)
• Dynamic Merchandizing (p. 131)
• Takeaways (p. 135)
• 8 Potential Disruptive Innovators and Scenarios (p. 137)
• Experience with Disruptive Initiatives (p. 137)
• Stress Relating to Air Travel (p. 141)
• Potential Disrupters (p. 144)
• Takeaways (p. 163)
• 9 Closing Thoughts: Innovating in the Air Travel Space (p. 165)
• 10 Thought Leadership Pieces (p. 172)
• The Missing Link for the Airline Industry Transformation (p. 172)
• Just Change or Disruptive Innovation: A Look at the Mobility Providers and the Ability for a Passion to Change (p. 183)
• From Evolution to Disruption: The Next Twenty Years (p. 188)
• The Under-Appreciated Importance of Hubs as Disruptors (p. 201)
• The Digital Airline: From Digital Strategy to Airline Strategy (p. 216)
• What Can an Industry, Like Air Travel, Do to Embrace Change and Transform Itself? (p. 223)
• Smart Airlines Get Connected: The Case for On-Board Connectivity (p. 231)
• On the Question of Airline Disruption (p. 235)
• Lessons Learned and Issues that Linger (p. 248)
• "Google It?" (p. 255)
• Insights from the Air Cargo Sector (p. 258)
• Index (p. 265)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This book is an excellent primer on innovation in many industries whose goal is to create and deliver new value to customers. The authoritative author explores what disruptive innovation is and focuses on the global airline industry and its fascinating history of disruptive forces, innovations and adaptations, and their impacts and meanings. The disruptive forces include changing economies, customers, competitors, and technologies, with historical descriptions and potential new ways provided of adapting to and innovating in "the air travel space." The history and possible futures of many aspects of aviation, including hub-spoke operations, airline mergers, air traffic control, airport operations, low cost airline entrants, legacy carriers, and digital transformations relating to personalization of customers and services, etc., are described. Much fascinating material is provided for non-aviation industries in this technological age of increasing customer expectations. The "Thought Leadership Pieces," by 11 outside experts, make up a full third of the book, bringing in valuable insights on future innovations in many industries. The index is excellent, as are the many tables, graphs, figures, and illustrations. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Daniel Brand, Harvard University

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Nawal K. Taneja has over 45 years of experience in the airline industry sector, having worked for and advised major airlines and related business worldwide.