Global Strategy & Competitive Advantage

University of Pittsburgh

Spring 2017

Abstract: As the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) stands poised to enter the highly-competitive large civil aircraft (LCA) industry, the company is faced with numerous challenges in terms of technology and capabilities. At the same time, factors outside of the main focus of technology development cannot be ignored as they influence COMAC’s progress towards its target of joining Airbus and Boeing as a global competitor. One such factor is the concept of collective will, which can be identified as an element of Chinese culture and an attribute of the political system. This paper examines a unique characteristic of Chinese state-owned enterprises, explores how collective will impacts the central policies relating to the global LCA industry, and argues whether or not collective will can be considered a competitive advantage for COMAC.