[Rockingham]

All too true. In order to fend off Airbus, Boeing wanted to consolidate market control by merging with McDonnell-Douglas and becoming the sole big aircraft maker in the Americas. Details matter though, with the McDonnell-Douglas leading Boeing to turn from a focus on aviation engineering toward MBA style cost cutting and opaque accounting and political manipulations.

For years I have heard airline pilots and a pilot union negotiator I know complain about Boeing's decline in quality and how Airbus makes better aircraft. My casual impression as an occasional air traveler is the same. I recall one pilot saying that he would retire rather than have to pilot one of Boeing's carbon fiber hulled aircraft. He predicted that quality control issues would lead to windows and doors blowing out.

[cgbg]

Boeing is an example of failed corporate compensation incentive schemes.

For most corporations senior executives benefits by short term upward movements in stock prices.

If Boards of Directors insisted on rewarding for long term instead of short term performance they would see a lot less short-cuts by senior management.