DealBook has asked experts in aviation, company culture and leadership for opinions on how Boeing can rebuild trust after a blowout in the wall of one of its airplanes midflight.
Some suggested designing a new plane to replace the 737 Max, which debuted in 1968. “They’ve been putting in new components, but I think they need a whole new aircraft design based on all the lessons learned about aeronautics in the last 60 years,” said Bill George, former Medtronic CEO and an executive fellow at Harvard Business School. However, the company currently is not planning to come out with a brand-new airplane until the mid-2030s.
The company recently invited customers to visit its factory, and Nancy Koehn, a historian at Harvard Business School, suggests Boeing also invite consumer groups, journalists and regulators. “Boeing could say, ‘Come into the factories, come talk to our people. Do it now. Do it in four weeks. Do it in six weeks.’”
Ashley Fulmer, an assistant professor at Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, recommends more communication with the public and stakeholders and suggested Boeing host large product launch events, such as those held by Apple and Meta. “I think at this point, gunning for no incidents is not enough,” she said. “What they need to have is regular demonstration of ability where, for example, they have innovated design to enhance safety and reliability.”
