Measuring market orientation of Muscle Pharm Corp. (MSLP:US) REAL LIFECASE STUDY – REACHING NEW HEIGHTS | Page 14

Reaching new heights - Open source software application SabreSonic® Res.

5. Implementation strategy for the new American Airlines
We followed the Kwan & West model and surveyed the industry context, the firm context, the
available products and the application context. In this section, we will assess the choice sets and
selection metrics that have affected the selection of SabreSonicRes as the preferred solution for the
merged American Airlines. We also explore the impact that this solution has on various aspects of
the organisation using the Soicher System decision model.

Figure 2: Model for Open Source Adoption (Kwan & West, 2005)

Our management implementation strategy is an extension of the Soicher decision assessment
framework and is focused on enabling the management team to plan a successful software adoption
by addressing critical areas of risks, processes and other aspects, namely functionality, costs, skills,
vendor considerations, and architecture and risk management. The following sections will illustrate
how various considerations are viewed for their possible impact on the merged organisation and
how any disruptive factors can be mitigated by management.

5.1 Functionality and costs
We look at various aspects of software functionality to ensure that it meets the organisational
requirements and investigate how to best manage the software adoption process. In relation to
functionality, we assess fitness, complexity, standard adherence, satisfaction and enhancements.
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Purpose fitness – SabreSonic Res was specifically designed with the aviation industry in
mind. Additionally, SABRE products evolved from American Airlines for its particular
operational requirements. The merger exercise will require the establishment of best
practices in both operations and adapting the ERP/CRS system to the merged entity
requirements.
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