The fundamental flaw at the heart of Boeing's woes : The Indicator from Planet Money Boeing continues to struggle. Safety concerns, a door blowing off mid-flight, a labor strike, impending layoffs ... and that's just the past year.

What's gone wrong at Boeing? For many observers, the mistake was shifting focus from engineering to financial engineering.

Today on the show we explain what financial engineering is and why this cultural change at Boeing may have led to the company's current problems.

Related Episodes:
Help Wanted at Boeing
Boeing's woes, Bilt jilts, and the Indicator's stock rally

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

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Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

Boeing's biggest blunder? Financial engineering.

Boeing's biggest blunder? Financial engineering.

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Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

(Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

Stephen Brashear/Getty Images

Boeing continues to struggle. Safety concerns, a door blowing off mid-flight, a labor strike, impending layoffs ... and that's just the past year.

What's gone wrong at Boeing? For many observers, the mistake was shifting focus from engineering to financial engineering.

Today on the show we explain what financial engineering is and why this cultural change at Boeing may have led to the company's current problems.

Related Episodes:
Help Wanted at Boeing
Boeing's woes, Bilt jilts, and the Indicator's stock rally

For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.