Title: New entrants and overcapacity: lessons from regional aircraft manufacturing

Authors: Harm-Jan Steenhuis, Erik J. De Bruijn, Hans Heerkens

Addresses: Department of Management, College of Business & Public Administration, Eastern Washington University, 668 N. Riverpoint Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202, USA. ' School of Business, Public Administration and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. ' School of Business, Public Administration and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

Abstract: The commercial aircraft manufacturing industry has been largely dominated by the advanced economies in North America and Western Europe. During recent decades, several emerging economies have invested heavily in the commercial aircraft industry, notably in regional aircraft manufacturing. This paper describes the global regional aircraft industry by comparing the demand and available production capacity. A small number of companies are currently active in this industry and able to satisfy demand. Yet, a larger number of companies are starting or planning to start production. Under these conditions and forecasted demands, overcapacity is a likely result. Four propositions are developed to explain the behaviour of new entrants.

Keywords: regional jets; entry decisions; overcapacity; mature markets; commercial aircraft; regional manufacturing; advanced economies; Western Europe; North America; emerging economies; forecasted demand; technology transfer; commercialisation; globalisation; aerospace industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2010.035400

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2010 Vol.9 No.4, pp.342 - 372

Published online: 30 Sep 2010 *

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