technology (IT) and the application of that technology to information systems (IS) continue to spread. Information technology has been and continues to be applied in a wide range of economic activities. One of the latest and potentially most significant advances in IT in relation to organizational performance is the development of innovations that hold the potential to influence the structure of strategic management systems in organizations (Cohen, 1995). This study investigated the role of IS/IT (information systems/information technology) in the development and successful application of strategy by low-cost airlines in the European market as a part of the transformation of the air transportation industry in Europe.
Information is critical to organizational performance in the contemporary knowledge-based economy. As a consequence, information systems have become a primary organizational resource. The management of information systems in contemporary organizations is in a period of transformation (Balaban and Rothschild, 2002).
An effective strategy is not necessarily one that promises maximum efficiency or least total cost, but rather one that fits the needs of the organization and strives for consistency between the organization's capabilities and the competitive advantage being sought by the organization. The successful application of strategy in the contemporary global environment requires an organization to have an effective strategic management process. In turn, an effective strategic management process increasingly depends on the effective application of advances in information technology (Litman and Lohrmann, 2002).
In relation to the development of organizational strategy in the implementation of the strategic management process, Wolf and Gering (1998) state that management must focus "on the clarity that comes from critical thinking, so that everyone walks away with a clear understanding of that vision" (p. 14...