Influences on and within Boeing Question 1 The planning function within the Boeing organization is highly important to the continued success of the firm. The building and delivery of aircraft takes years, with orders placed in advance and subject to delay of change (Boeing, 2008). Planning means looking at the environment and the firm along with its core competences and determining the best strategy to take the company forward, it can also be seen in the more mandate and everyday tasks such as planning daily operations, budgeting and marketing. To look at examples of higher level planning Boeing have to at the industry and themselves. They are working ion an industry that is changing and subject to a number of pressures, with a high level of impact as a result of changing economic conditions and the way in which the airlines operate. It was as a result of forward planning that there was the development of the Boeing Capital group has been to support other groups by facilitating the ability to help buyers with financing arrangements in order to purchase the company’s products (Boeing, 2007). This helps to secure orders, but in an industry where there is only one other significant competitor; Airbus, the firm has to consider the way that they compete with Airbus. Planning is seen in the way that the company believes Airbus has advantages and emulates them as well as the way it is seeking to gain first mover advantages. Airbus was the first of the two firms to introduce 'fly by wire' eliminating the need for hydraulic control syste