Final Integrated Paper: SpaceX

Overview

SpaceX defines itself as a designer, manufacturer, as well as launcher of advanced spacecraft as well as rockets (SpaceX, 2021). As the company further points out, it was established in the year 2002 with the overall mandate of revolutionizing space technology. Some of the spacecraft and aerial vehicles that the company has developed in the past are inclusive of Falcon Heavy, Falcon 9, Dragon, and Starship. The companys founder, Elon Musk, happens to be a talented innovator and entrepreneur.

It is important to note that as of the second week of June 2021, the company had made a total of 127 launches (SpaceX, 2020). On the other hand, as it points out on its website, it has made a total of 89 landings and reflown 68 rockets. Since it was established, the company has achieved great milestones. For instance, as it further points out, it is the only private company capable of returning a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, and in 2012 [its] Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station (SpaceX, 2021). With this in mind, at present, the companys typical customer base consist of National Reconnaissance Office, NASA, U.S. DoD, etc. These are no mean accomplishments for a privately-owned enterprise. The company has close to 5,000 employees. It should also be noted that as Sheetz (2021) points out, since its establishment, the company has managed to rake in $1.9 billion in funding. As of the year 2021, the company had a valuation of $74 billion (Sheetz, 2021). Given the companys revenues at this time, this appears to be a rather high valuation. The high valuation has in this case been associated with future high revenue expectations (Trefis, 2021).

As of the year 2020, SpaceX reported total revenues of 1.2 billion (Trefis, 2021). To a large extent, the company has only one key source of revenue at present. The said source of revenue happens to be the space launch service (Trefis, 2021). In addition to launching satellites into earths lower orbit, this particular service also makes it possible for cargo to be transported both from (and to) the International Space Station. Being a privately-funded enterprise, SpaceX is not publicly traded at this point in time. For this reason, the stock price of the said enterprise will not be included in this particular discussion. It should, however, be noted that as Sheetz (2021) observes, SpaceX has in recent times raised the new funds at $419.99 a share. At present, the company has its headquarters in Hawthorne, CA.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Without a robust ERP, any organization would find...

Strategic Initiatives Allowing Competitive Advantage

In seeking to assess SpaceXs competitive advantage, we would essentially be highlighting factors that give the company greater staying power in its industry. There are many factors that set SpaceX apart from its competitors. To begin with, as has been highlighted elsewhere in this text, the company has managed to achieve a high degree of vertical integration. This effectively means that the company is less susceptible to supply disruptions. It also means that via economies of scale, SpaceX can be able to achieve lower costs. Its cost-leadership strategy could also be deemed a competitive advantage on its own. Of the handful of companies that have tried to actualize low-cost space flights, SpaceX has been the most innovative on the cost front. This is more so the case given that the company found a way to reuse spacecraft with the company pointing out that reusability is one of the most effective way of slashing costs (SpaceX, 2021). The standard practice has been to let a rocket burn upon re-entry into the earths atmosphere. It is on the basis of this and many other factors that Hands and Miele…