Summary JetBlue Airways, the latest entrant in the airline industry, has rapidly moved through the initial stages (entrepreneurial and collective) of the organizational life cycle under successful leadership by David Neelman. JetBlue Airways is currently in the formalization phase of its life cycle where it needs to create procedures and control systems to effectively manage its growth. Additionally, as it continues to grow further to reach the processing stage, JetBlue must continue to align itself with the environment to maintain its sustained growth. JetBlue: Entrepreneurial Phase David Neelman realized his vision of creating an airline focused on customer service by starting JetBlue. During the startup or entrepreneurial phase, typically most companies carry out marketing activities for the service and/or product. But Neelman, perceptive of the industry's needs, raised sufficient capital before starting JetBlue, as the airline industry is a capital-intensive industry. His entrepreneurial style and previous experience allowed him to identify the core value of the “Enhancing the low-cost passenger experience” service that he wanted JetBlue to provide. Neelman wanted to use technology to deliver a better customer experience at a low cost. Some of JetBlue's planned technology efforts include a state-of-the-art revenue management system, paperless tickets, etc. His in-depth experience allowed him to identify external factors that would impact the business, such as the simple check-in and boarding process. , hassle-free ticketing procedures, etc. This underlined its ability to adapt to changing customer needs. Neelman instilled the culture of...... middle of paper......d these needs. But customer preferences continue to change and, for example, customers may expect to have an in-flight Internet connection to complete their work tasks. By having a customer study group that constantly analyzes customer needs and changes operating procedures to adapt to needs, JetBlue can effectively align itself with the external environment. During the initial stages, all employees were happy and identified with the company culture as it was a good challenge and fun to start from scratch and build a new airline in difficult times. By effectively promoting teamwork and managing employees in small teams, JetBlue can instill small-business thinking in employees and continue to create a positive environment for employees. Bibliography: JetBlue Airways: Starting From Scratch HBR Case