FEB
26
What GM Can Learn from IBM
The automaker's future may depend as much on selling a service as a product, a lesson that helped save IBM from extinction two decades ago
BusinessWeek, February 26, 2009 — Disappointingly for anyone with hopes for the future of General Motors (GM), the restructuring plan submitted by the automaker to the U.S. Treasury on Feb. 17 offers little in the way of a long-term comeback strategy. It's all about cost-cutting, federal financing, and making gas engines more efficient.
What more should we expect? The typical fate of corporate behemoths that flounder is either death or permanent eclipse, and perhaps GM's fate will be no different. Still, the recent past offers one rare exception that GM would do well to emulate.
Gerstner's IBM Reinvention
Categories: Brand, Innovation
From Marty Covais on March 9, 2009
Pontiac is in my blood. Pontiac has aways meant stlying and sportiness and before "Bunky" depedandabilty. Pontiac has a GREAT heritage. Who hasn't heard of a GTO. This brings me to my point of core brand.How can you place GMC over Pontiac as a core brand?? GMC are warmed over Chevy products.No two ways about it. How much history or name recognician does GMC have over Pontiac?NONE in my opinion. GM should focus on Chevrolet,Pontiac ,Buick & Caddilac in that order and priority as history has dictated in the past. All others GMC,Saturn,Hummer etc should be dumped immediately. Focus on the customer. I own a 62 Catalina,a 77 Lemans Sport Coupe, a 2002 Bonneville and a 1998 Firefird. Not one of these spectacular nameplates are still in existance.To be modern, stylish and up to date doesn't mean to forget your past. Firebird ,GTO & Trans AM along with all the others are not names to toss aside for G-3-4-5-6-7-8!
Give Pontiac attention like you give Chevrolet &Cadilac and there would be on reason for grouping ailing nameplates like Buick,GMC Pontiac . Give all core brands a fighting chance-even the playing field & maybe GM will be the mark of excellence again.
PLEASE LISTEN
Marty Covais