HSG Company Stories: Rise and Fall of the German Zeppelins

At the beginning of the 20th century, airships were still considered a promising model for civil aviation. One of the most prominent advocates of this idea was the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who founded the Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH in 1908. Despite numerous challenges, this company managed to dominate the international airship market before being discontinued after World War II. Students at HSG have traced the rise and fall of this historic company from Friedrichshafen in a course on strategic management. 

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