Aviation matters: Resource-based view approach to elevate airport operations
DOUGLAS NYEKETE
The growing interconnectedness of the global aviation industry is placing increasing pressure on airport operations to meet elevated service-level expectations.
According to Airports Council International (ACI), global passenger numbers reached 9.5 billion in 2024.
In response to this growing demand, airport operators are turning to several strategic approaches to meet the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). These include risk-based, market-based, value-based, airport service quality, and resource-based view (RBV) approaches.
Of these, the Resource-Based View is proving particularly relevant as it compels airport leaders to evaluate what lies within their control. RBV emphasizes that sustained competitive advantage comes not only from responding to external forces, but more importantly, from strategically managing internal resources. This article explores how airports can adopt the RBV framework to drive operational excellence and long-term competitiveness.
What Is the Resource-Based View?
The Resource-Based View (RBV) is a management concept that suggests a company’s competitive edge comes from the unique resources and capabilities it owns including how well it uses them. The resource-based view is an internal business capability analysis, it is also a strategic tool that clarifies the role of resources, core competencies and distinctive capabilities. These resources must be:
- Valuable – Help the organization exploit opportunities or neutralize threats
- Rare – Not widely possessed by competitors
- Inimitable – Difficult or costly to copy
- Non-substitutable – No equivalent resource can replace them
In airport operations, these resources might be tangible (like runways or baggage systems), intangible (like brand reputation or airport design), or human (like experienced staff or strategic leadership). Airports are among the most complex operational environments in the world. They involve hundreds of moving equipment, thousands of people, and tight operational timelines, all under strict regulatory oversight. Applying the resource-based view (RBV) lens allows airport managers to identify what they do best, and how to do it even better.
A resource-based approach to implementing ICAO Annexes, and regulations at airports emphasizes the need for strategic management and optimal allocation of an airport’s internal resources (tangible and intangible) to achieve compliance, enhance performance, and gain a competitive advantage.
In today’s fast-paced aviation environment, airports face immense pressure to operate more efficiently, reduce aircraft and passenger delays, enhance safety, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. With air traffic continuing to grow globally, operational effectiveness is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a strategic necessity. But how can airport operators build lasting effectiveness in such a dynamic and competitive space? One powerful answer lies in the Resource-Based View (RBV), a business strategy framework that shifts the focus from external pressures to internal strengths.
The concept of managing resources explains why organizations in the same industry experience different levels of performance. This paper focuses on how airports can leverage a resource-based framework to create airport operations efficiency and competitive advantage.
Airports operations emphasize security and safety. Globally Safety Index average rate is 67.50 percent. The safety and security standards are achieved when the resources of the organization are maintained and put to good use to create value proposition. IATA notes that in Africa: “The Global Aviation Safety Plan (GASP) as well as AFI Regional Aviation Safety Plan for effective Implementation (EI) of ICAO ISARPs have increased the minimum SARPs implementation threshold to 75% or greater (from 60%).
How a resourse-based view (RBV) can drive effective airport operations
- Maximizing Infrastructure Potential and Sustainable Value Creation
Infrastructure is one of the most significant and expensive resource an airport possesses. Resource Based View is a critical tool to implement business strategy. The firm can use innovative approaches to maximize the value from existing infrastructure through cost saving using disruptive market models, smart management, and technology. Resources alone cannot generate organizational sustainable value, rather it is how these resources are put to productive use.
- a) Manage Infrastructure Capacity Constraints
Infrastructure capacity must be constantly measured and monitored. The success of the overall airport system depends on the correct capacity balance of all processors.
The critical infrastructure capacity constraints elements are the airfield system capacity, the apron occupancy capacity, and the terminal building capacity as well as the landside capacity levels. These broad infrastructure areas are further broken into capacity category areas such as the runway capacity, apron occupancy capacity, terminal holding areas capacity, gate capacity, check-in area capacity and many other critical areas that drive the overall airport operational efficiency. Capacity constraints management is a subject that requires a detailed paper for publication on its own, however when the airport is using RBV to manage its operations, it is crucial that the resource capacities be analyzed and coordinated.
Safety is the cornerstone of the aviation sector. Airport safety management culture and systems can be strengthened by the Resource Based View approach. Africa’s aviation future depends on creating a safety culture where all stakeholders are actively engaged. In 2021, Africa saw a significant reduction in accident rates, attributed to better regulation, stricter oversight, and increased investment in aviation safety technology. Airports are investing billions into way-finding technologies, static and interactive digital kiosks, to provide passengers with information.
- b) Invest in infrastructure Planning
Airports that invest in flexible, scalable designs and smart systems for managing airside and landside traffic can extract far more value from their physical footprint. The infrastructure capacity planning, measurement and monitoring is directly linked to airport processing capacity (passenger processing time, aircraft turnaround processing time) hence this determines the quality of facilitation processes such as queuing time, baggage claim processing time, and aircraft turnaround time. Furthermore, the airport customers measure the airport business standards against the global airport standards.
- c) Critical Safety Infrastructure
The airport category is determined by the length of the longest aircraft operating at the airport. The category ranges from category 1 to 9, and the airport category nine (9) must have three (3) fire tenders, must have capacity to handle Aeroplan with overall length of 61meters up to but not including than 76 meters, with a maximum fuselage length of seven (7) meters. The airport emergency response is expected to be within 2 minutes but not more than 3 minutes response to any angle of the runway. Safety levels are achieved through resource availability and use.
- Human Capital Investment
Technology may be evolving fast, but skilled people remain at the heart of effective operations. The airport knowledge management strategy must be adequately supported financially, from planning to implementation. Airports that do not value trained and skilled staff need to measure the value of training against the cost of human factors along the whole business value chain. Airport operations involve staff from ground handlers, terminal and airside management, customer service teams, air traffic control (ATC) hence human capital is a critical (and often under-leveraged) resource. Training programs, strong leadership, and a culture of accountability and innovation can turn staff into a long-term competitive asset. The innovation index according to Gallup research is currently at 30%, hence if companies do not prioritize training the level of innovation will remain subdued, and in the long term the businesses suffer.
The safety index in African airports has been commented by ICAO as one of the best where some countries have moved from level of 30% to more than 75%. Without training in fire and rescue staff, security, maintenance staff, and administration staff all this achievement cannot be made.
- Technology as a Differentiator
Managing the complexities of an airport requires numerous daily business decisions, financial and operational, as well as proactive business planning and problem solving or problem prevention. Decisions from senior managers need accurate, timely information. Key drivers of airport transformation are improvements in passenger experience, improvements in airport operations, and non-aeronautical revenue growth.
Many airports have access to technology, but few turn it into a true advantage. According to SITA (2018) 35% of airports had digitalization or digital strategy in place. Under the RBV framework, digital tools like predictive analytics, AI-based security systems, and personalized passenger services can become inimitable assets when customized and deeply embedded into airport operations. For example, automated queue management systems can reduce waiting times and improve satisfaction, if they are uniquely integrated with airport data and processes.
- a) Align the technology improvements to ICAO goals
Airport technological advancements designed to improve airport operations must be aligned to ICAO’s goals for efficiency and safety. Airports must leverage technology to improve operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and enhance the passenger experience, thereby indirectly or directly contributing to consumer protection. The major areas that are being implemented by most airports include cybersecurity, cloud Services, interactive, navigation/5G Innovation, business intelligence and analytics solutions, greening of information technology, solutions, data exchange. Business intelligence initiatives pursued and level of implementation by airports in 2022 according to SITA include 45% implemented baggage processing, 39% implemented aircraft turnaround, 43% implemented by 39% A-CDM Total Airport Management, implemented by 43% of the airports and 60% implemented asset management that included check-in, parking stands, gate and many others.
- b) Implement smart airport solutions
Smart Airport Technologies improve passenger facilitation and customer experience. Airports Resource Based view approach entails implementing sustainable smart solutions for energy management (e.g., smart lighting, Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems), waste management (e.g., smart bins, recycling programs), and water conservation. These contribute to sustainability and improve the comfort and convenience of the airport environment for consumers.
The technological approach to airport operations also provides real-time Information Systems. Energy efficiency system measures align with ICAO Annex 16 (Environmental Protection). Technologies that improve passenger flow and information dissemination contribute to the facilitation aspects covered by ICAO Annex 9, related to passengers’ facilitation, cargo, and aircraft.
- c) Design Airport IT Master Plan
The airport needs IT Master plan, which is earmarked to provide the baseline for the development of the complete IT infrastructure for the airport campus including the key elements of technology, processes and people. The IT Master plan should also provide the key device to map business needs to IT infrastructure and IT spending as well as to act as the core business case for both CAPEX and OPEX projects
The airport operational strategy must be support by IT strategy, which is encouraged to have an IT master plan that spans beyond five years of the airport life cycle.
- Streamlining Operational Processes
Some of the strongest resources are hidden in how an airport gets things done. Efficient turnaround procedures, coordinated ground handling, and proactive maintenance are all part of a well-oiled operational machine. When these processes are honed over time and embedded across the organization, they form a capability that’s very difficult for competitors to copy. The airport service level agreement with all critical stakeholders, automation of process assist in the streamlining of the operational processes. The integrated airport of the future will use technology to bring information from separate systems together to provide a single, cohesive view of the data (Viciana, 2025).
The aircraft turnaround services are offered by several handling companies that are involved in passenger disembarkation and boarding, refueling, cleaning, waste and potable water servicing, catering, baggage unload and load, cargo unload and load, and other technical issues such as energy and air conditioning. The design of the resource-based approach to managing the aircraft turn around creates a competitive advantage for an airport. The airport management should ensure the operations are organized to keep them as fast and safe as possible.
Passengers require accurate and timely information on flight schedules, delays, gate changes, and baggage status through Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS), mobile apps, and other communication channels. Automated Self-Service Options: Offer self-check-in kiosks, automated baggage drops, and biometric boarding to streamline processes, reduce queues, and improve efficiency, leading to better passenger experience. According to SITA, 43% of airports have implemented A-CDM by 2025, while 32% have plans to implement and 25% have no plans. The airport has got many stakeholders and business partners that support the aircraft and airport operations. Airport CDM (A-CDM) is about partners working together and making decisions based on more accurate and higher quality information, where every bit of information has the exact same meaning for every partner involved.
The equipment and processes designed to handle passenger facilitation at check-in, security control, passport control for international passengers, and boarding pass check control area determine the quality of service at the airport. According to Annex 9 departure or arrival passenger facilitation formalities must be completed within 60 minutes. The provision and management of the necessary resources to support the standard is required.
- Building Strong Partnerships and Collaboration
Airports don’t operate in isolation. Relationships with airlines, government agencies, service providers, and local communities are powerful intangible resources. Long-term partnerships based on trust, performance, and shared goals can help airports adapt quickly, share risks, and innovate collaboratively.
Collaborating with global aviation organizations and leveraging their expertise and resources can accelerate improvements in safety. This increases scrutiny and regulations that make it mandatory for operators to be audited on their safety procedures and practices on a periodic basis. These audits will give rise to clear implementable steps that will address gaps observed and instill a safer manner of doing things going forward.
Benchmarking with Changi Airport Real-World Inspiration:
Singapore’s Changi Airport is often cited as one of the best in the world—not just for its design, but for its operational excellence. Behind the scenes, Changi has built a unique blend of resources: a committed workforce, a forward-thinking culture, and advanced operational systems. Singapore’s Changi Airport has reclaimed its top spot as the World’s Best Airport in Skytrax’s 2025 World Airport Awards. Its consistent performance is no accident; it is the result of carefully cultivating internal strengths over time.
Conclusion
In essence, a resource-based approach views ICAO Annexes and documents not just as a set of rules to be followed by airports, but as a framework that guides how an airport strategically deploys its unique bundle of resources to build sustainable capabilities, achieve operational excellence, and secure its long-term success in a competitive global aviation market. In a world where airports are judged by how well they operate; internal resources matter more than ever. For airport leaders, the message is clear: look inward. Your most valuable assets might already be within your control.
| Douglas Nyekete [RPAcc, MBA, ACIS, BCom Acc, PDME]
Douglas Nyekete is an aviation finance and airport operations specialist. He is Registered Public Accountant, a holder of master’s in business administration (MBA), Associate member of the Institute Chartered Governance and Accountants and holds BCom Accounting Degree. He is currently pursuing studies in Aviation Management. He writes in his own capacity. He can be contacted on dnyeki123@gmail.com, +263717688336,
He writes on airport operations and strategy. This article is for information purposes. Readers are encouraged to seek professional counsel for guidance specific to their situation or jurisdiction. |
