Honda Effect Again?

Two weeks ago, Federal Aviation Administration certified the Hondajet of Honda, a carmaker (Bergqvist, 2013). Today, I consider coherence premium by using the case of the Hondajet.

The Hondajet is the private jet that Honda developed. According to Jie and Hagihara, the entire body is made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). The unique design such that engines are placed on the wings realizes 15 percent more fuel-efficiency, 20 percent more cabin space and 10 percent faster speed than comparable aircraft.

Why does Honda develop the aircraft? In 1949, Honda started to manufacture a motorcycle. Then, in 1963, it started to manufacture a car. Generally people think that a motorcycle has coherence with a car. Does an aircraft have coherence with a motorcycle and a car? Undoubtedly, since the Hondajet has three tires, it relates to a motorcycle that has two tires and a car that has three tires. However, that is not essential. Honda develops the jet engine with GE. An engine seems to relate to both a motorcycle and a car. Though Honda that participated Formula One is good at an engine, a reciprocating engine has large difference from a jet engine that does not have pistons.

Source: http://hondajet.honda.com/

One of the reasons that Honda develops the aircraft is the founder’s dream. According to Honda (http://hondajet.honda.com/company/), the founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda, had, for a long time, the dream to apply his company’s technological expertise to the field of aviation. He decided to enter an aircraft business and develop an aircraft twenty seven years ago in 1986. He wished that he made his dream come true when the company still manufactured only motorcycles before making cars. So the wing might be depicted in the emblem of Honda motorcycle.

Source: http://logostock.jp/logo/car/hondabike/

From the above story, I think that Honda does not intend coherence premium about Hondajet, but it executes what it considered its business domain since the founder found it. According to Jie and Hagihara, when Honda started off the development of Hondajet, five employees learned how to design an aircraft in Mississippi State University. I think that this shows that Honda did not utilize the existing strength that creates coherence premium, but it began to create the competence from scratch. How do you think the company that tries to make the dream of the founder who passed away come true?

Reference

Bergqvist, P. (2013, October 22). Hondajet engine closing in on certification. Retrieved from http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/hondajet-engine-closing-certification

Jie, M., & Hagiwara, Y. (2013, July 19). Honda’s Fujino readies ‘Flying Acura’ to challenge Cessna. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-18/honda-s-fujino-readies-flying-acura-to-challenge-cessna.html