The automotive industry has been playing a leading role in high growth in economies throughout the world since the industrial revolution. It is a sector characterized by not only tremendous potential growth, but also very high profile trade disputes, and intense competition. In the 21st century, the automotive industry confronts greater challenges as the industry undergoes fundamental changes.
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM operates one of the world’s leading finance companies, GMAC Financial services, which offer automotive, residential and commercial financing and insurance. GM’s OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.
Most of the companies that comprised the young General Motors Company were weak, in debt, and their operations were uncoordinated; GM forged a new concept of management by bringing them under the centralized one. But the key to General Motor’s success was not due to how they produced cars, it was how they were sold – they gave consumers an array of brands, models and colors from which to choose.
Innovative sales and management concepts are not the only ways General Motors changed the automotive industry. GM introduced important breakthroughs, including automatic transmissions, power steering, power brakes and fuel-injected engines. General Motors was once the largest corporation in the US and the single largest employer in the world.
However, GM has been dealing with financial woes and in November of 2005, they booked a $4 billion loss,