1830,
If you know something that's called SWOT analysis, I'm sure you would reconsider your statement about the success of ERJ.
Strengths / Weaknesses: these include factors arising internally within the company.
Opportunities / Threats: these two are external factors affecting the company and are uncontrollable.
Now internally, is the idea of ERJ is a plus or minus to the company? For the crew? For maintenance? For the overall operating cost? For thieves?!
Externally, yes we have a problem next to home. Other airline companies around are shifting to bigger shiny jets while we are shifting to smaller ugly ones! They are supported by very wealthy governments that are much more capable of pumping fuel and money than us. The mini-opportunities that our management is seeking in an attempt to be "proactive" would be directed to small/unexplored markets, and this in itself carries the risk of wasting more of the valuable resources. I see the contradiction here. If you want to risk, then take the high-risk because in business terms the "high-risk" operations are the "high-profit" ones too. GF has been going through the nose down stage for long years now. No doubt it would come to end one day, if things continue to be more of the same. Take the high-risk and try to be only a path-follower after QR or EY. Definitely not as big as they are, but putting the momentum into the same direction. If GF is then to vanish from this world, nobody can point his finger in the face blaming them for doing the best they can trying to pace others. Otherwise, it would be like a patient that has been forgotten in bed with his open wounds bleeding slowly for days and nights until he's gone! So many people to blame then! Now thieves really adore this situation because it's their perfect cover .
