Here's what I keep asking. You all are asking it too I'm sure. Is GM's plight the fault of Wagoner. Would a different person, a super genius, an innovative motivator make the company thrive, or would anyone have fallen victim to our awful economy?
I think that it could've been somewhat different. After all, Toyota and Honda (although they are in tough times too) are not on the brink of bankruptcy. But was Wagoner handcuffed to begin with by crappy designs, terrible UAW agreements...etc.?
I think Detroit in general is just stymied by too much institutional history, bureaucratic red tape, etc. The terrible UAW agreements are a good example. A dynamic, forward thinking executive could have come in years ago and changed all that and transformed the American automobile industry but they'd have to really want to do it, and there's a lot in the way of institutions and outmoded-but-clung-to business practices they'd have to be willing and able to tear down. I don't see that happening. I mean they flew on corporate jets to ask Congress for bailouts. Asked if they'd be willing to reduce their salaries they said "I think I'm fine where I'm at right now." They just want the status quo in place for the foreseeable future.
The incredible amount of waste I've observed in some of the plants here in Detroit has never ceased to amaze me. I was taught to accept it and sometimes embrace it. I'm not surprised by the failures, but puzzled because of the presence of so much technology which has flourished inside of it. It seems much like cancer, and likely needs to be treated as such. Personally, its no fun being sick.
This doesn't surprise me. Detroit has never embraced innovation and lean manufacturing practices while overseas competition has done just that and look at the end results.
Steve Jobs could never have turned around GM unless he broke it first. The union and legacy costs would have devoured him. I do believe he could have built an Ipod Mac car in a skunk works operation but unless he destroyed the production lunacy even Jobs would have failed. The Volt was supposed to be GM's Ipod. It is looking like it will be a high priced Saturn if it is ever built at all.
Exactly, unless he broke it first. Someone would have had to be willing to come in and rebuild the company from the ground up, tearing out a lot of deadwood and red tape and sweeping out a lot of cobwebs and waste.
Yeah I edited a preview piece on the Volt late last year and it was looking extremely tentative.
I saw Fritz Henderson, Rick Wagoners replacement at Gm, and I almost vomited. Just what the riddled giant needs is another GM bureaucrat lifer who looks like a recycled Elmer Fudd.He had a Wall Street shirt on, stripes on the body with a white collar, a real man of the people. His PR person must have scripted Wagoners corporate jetflight to the Congressional hearings. Henderson is the nail in the coffin. Tom Izzo was definitely the better choice. Even Kwame Kilpatrick would have shown up Fritz. I cannot believe he once pitched for the University of Michigan.
I blame the "Gatekeepers", if the Board of Directors had done there jobs in the best interest of the shareholders Wagoner would not have been around as long as he was!
The problem is that Wagoner was on the Board. Pretty sure the chairman. No checks and balances. Just a debacle.
Lloyd, lol on the Kwame Kilpatrick comment. Where has that guy been since he was released from jail with a beard and boarded a flight to Texas for a mysterious job interview?
So is Henderson just interim CEO? I've seen conflicting reports about that.
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