Snippet: The Detroit Way worked well for several generations. It catapulted blue-collar workers into the middle class and beyond...
And before the major incursion of foreign competitors in the 1970s, the GM-led oligopoly of Detroit carmakers recouped the escalating wages and benefits paid to its workers by simply raising the prices of cars and trucks.
As the world changed, however, Detroit resisted change. The guys running the auto companies and labor unions -- and they're still virtually all guys today -- were encouraged to stay in their lanes and not disturb the status quo.
Oh, some attempts at change were made, but the traditional Detroit Way generally prevailed:
As the world changed, however, Detroit resisted change. The guys running the auto companies and labor unions -- and they're still virtually all guys today -- were encouraged to stay in their lanes and not disturb the status quo.
Oh, some attempts at change were made, but the traditional Detroit Way generally prevailed:
harvey44 says:
07:21 AM, 07/ 7/06
We can only hope.
kurtamaxxxguy says:
09:30 AM, 07/ 7/06
No loss, that Detroit "old way". I hope part of the new way is understanding that many consumers treat a car as not just an impulse buy or a toy (although that still happens), but an investment, and that the car companies find a way to approach that way of thinking.
ateixeira says:
10:06 AM, 07/ 7/06
They have to be lean and mean, bring on change.
xgc75 says:
09:31 PM, 07/ 8/06
I don't think Detroit ever had a "way". Henry ford had a vision that surmounted foreigners and led the industry for a good several decades, but we've -never- been dynamic with the market demand, as today, we are still resiliant to change.
Well, now we sit here like old bluffs to the wind. Everyone's vision has already changed and our guys think the 'ol way'll bring 'em back. The way I see it, we've already moved on... the 'ol way might as well be Honda's decision to re-design the Accord a few years back.
GM's pairing with Renault/Nissan is a step in the right direction. If the hags are fed a new (proven) method, maybe (and I say that with reserve, careful not to put a spot on my reputation) we'll learn to become dynamic in an ever-dynamic market.
jerrywimer says:
08:31 AM, 07/10/06
I agree that the old way of consumers treating a car buy was often as an impulse buy or as a toy, but I think the new way is to treat it as buying an appliance. That's why quality reputation has had so much of an effect on sales- who cares if it looks good or goes fast, etc., so long as it gets good mileage and is likely to do the job for a long time with few problems (same as we'd expect of a washer, dryer, stove, or refrigerator).