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1、HarvardBusinessSchool9-798-070Rev.May23,2007AirborneExpress1TheofficersofAirborneExpresscouldhardlybemorepleased.Resultsforthethirdquarter,1997,werespectacular.Revenuesforthequarterwereupby29%overthepreviousyear,andyear-to-datenetearningshadincreasedbymorethan500%.Airbor
2、ne’smanagementteamknewthatthegreatresultswere,inpart,fleeting.Asthethirdlargestplayerintheexpressmailindustry,AirbornehadgottenaboostfromtherecentstrikeatrivalUPS.Butthatseemedtoaccountforonlyasmallportionoftheearningsgain,perhapsone-fifth.RoyLiljebeck,thecompany’schieff
3、inancialofficer,commented:WhiletheUPSstrikewastheheadlinenewsinthequarter,Companyoperationsoutsidethestrikewindowweresteady,trendinghigherthanperformanceinthesecondquarterof1997.Productivitygainsremainstrongandtheoveralloperating2costpershipmentcontinuestoimprove.Airborn
4、ehadbeenthefastestgrowingcompanyintheindustryforyears,butitsmarginshadbeenanemic.Now,effortstofattenthosemarginsfinallyseemedtobetakinghold.Ofcourse,itdidn’thurtthatFederalExpress,theindustryleader,hadraiseditsprices.Prospectsseemedmuchbrighterthantheyhadayearearlier.Att
5、hattime,FederalExpressandUPSwereunleashingaflurryofnewservicesandpricingschemes.Oneindustryanalystinterpretedtheirmovesasaneffort“tosweepthecornersofthemarket….FedexandUPStowerover[Airborne].Theyhavesaturatedthecoremarketandarelookingformarginalrevenue3opportunities.”Air
6、bornecouldeasily“behammered...betweenthetwo900-poundgorillas.”Onemovebythe“gorillas”requiredanimmediatedecision.Foryears,theindustryhadsetpriceswithoutregardtodistance.AnovernightlettersentfromBostontoNewYorkcarriedthesamepriceasonefromBostontoLosAngeles.In1996,UPSmovedt
7、odistance-basedpricing;priceswereraisedonlong-distanceshipmentsandloweredonshortshipments.FederalExpressfollowedsuitinJuly,1997.NowcustomerswereaskingAirborne’ssalespeoplewhethertheytoowouldadjustpricestoreflectshippingdistance.TheExpressMailIndustryintheUnitedStatesBusi
8、nessesandindividualsspent$16-17billiononexpeditedshipmentswithintheUnitedStatesin1996.Theflagshipservic
