Fluctuating oil prices and an unstable global economy in recent years have forced countless airlines into economic difficulties and even bankruptcy. (For a full eyebrow-raising list, click here.)  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported that 2009 saw the biggest decline in passenger numbers in its history. However, while many national air carriers and private airlines are teetering on the edge of survival, some low-fares airlines have proved to be surprisingly resilient to uncertainty and chaos. Ryanair and Southwest Airlines both posted fourth-quarter profits in 2009. To understand how their business models can withstand economic upheaval – and why many carriers now charge you to check your bags – take a look at these links:

Ryanair

The Southwest Airlines Way

The Future of Pricing

Speculation surrounding Apple’s new product is reaching fever pitch as we get closer and closer to the January 27 unveiling of whatever it is that Steve Jobs and his team have up their sleeves. Some fans speculate that Apple will reveal a touch-screen tablet computer, with all the functions of an iPhone and a MacBook. Others believe Apple will produce a multiscreen device for easy, effective multitasking. Loyal Apple fans have pledged to buy the product no matter what it is. The buzz surrounding Apple’s new product is indicative of the cult following the company has garnered all over the world. Just how does this company manage to create such huge hysteria with each product? To find out, check the following links:

The Apple Way

iWoz

The Perfect Thing

iCon

and upcoming this spring from getAbstract: The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs

getAbstract’s learning solutions are gaining recognition all over the world. Most recently, getAbstract’s special learning project for Deutsche Post, entitled First Choice, appears as a case study in Roland Deiser’s book Designing the Smart Organization published by Jossey-Bass. The book, which investigates corporate learning, highlights getAbstract’s capacity to take complex business issues and distill them down to the bare essentials in a clear, understandable, easily digested format. “When information abounds, our short, smart Abstracts are the perfect solution for corporations in the 21st century,” says getAbstract’s CEO Thomas Bergen.

To learn more about the importance of corporate learning and Deiser’s ideas, click on the following link:

Designing the Smart Organization