100 years of anything is a pretty long time. Under normal circumstances the world bows at your feet and marvel at your timeless wisdom amassed over a century. But that’s under “normal circumstances.” General Motors’ recent financial fiasco leaves a few people betting on the fence rather than jumping on the GM-success bandwagon. There are many who doubt [understandably so] that somehow the company may have rediscovered its winning ways, and rekindled the vision that sparked its ascension to auto stardom some 100 years ago.
Fair to say, GM has become an icon in an industry that has seen its fair show of downturns and manufacturing musical chairs, - many thanks to globalization, offshoring and automation.
Whether or not Dan Akerson [GM CEO] is still treading the line that carriage maker William "Billy" Durant envisioned, or has any long-term fixes to market forces, is a different story. Billy Durant could never have prepared his company for a world where the Japanese and European manufacturing outfits pose formidable competitive threats to every market share.
Let GM tell their story, their recent misfortunes is only a blip in the legacy and culture of innovation, not a microcosm of organizational inefficiencies and managerial incompetency, but of course, that’s GM telling their own story.
Many years ago, all the company headaches revolved around labor strikes and union wars, notably with the United Auto Workers. Somehow GM cruised through that era without many lingering bumps and bruises, but was completely blindsided by market shift in the new millennium.
Talk to any GM believer [or employee] and they will gladly explain how ultimately the GM story is Americas story, standing tall even in the face of all the undercutting turmoil. True, - Chevy and GM are American icons, more than just a car and a car manufacturer. Cities like Detroit [USA] share the GM story unlike any other, and as a result, have seen their fair share of automobile glory and gloom.
Back to my main point: GM has every reason to tout its centennial celebration, and owes its successes to everyone [including me] whose purchase has kept the brand and company afloat.
A 100 years of survival is worth the celebration for anyone [and anything], but if General Motors tiptoes through another market irresponsiveness and financial fiasco like it had over the past five years, it might not see another 100 years.
