Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business

Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business

by Bob Lutz
Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business

Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business

by Bob Lutz

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Overview

A legend in the car industry reveals the philosophy that's starting to turn General Motors around.

In 2001, General Motors hired Bob Lutz out of retirement with a mandate to save the company by making great cars again. He launched a war against penny pinching, office politics, turf wars, and risk avoidance. After declaring bankruptcy during the recession of 2008, GM is back on track thanks to its embrace of Lutz's philosophy.

When Lutz got into the auto business in the early sixties, CEOs knew that if you captured the public's imagination with great cars, the money would follow. The car guys held sway, and GM dominated with bold, creative leadership and iconic brands like Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, GMC, and Chevrolet.

But then GM's leadership began to put their faith in analysis, determined to eliminate the "waste" and "personality worship" of the bygone creative leaders. Management got too smart for its own good. With the bean counters firmly in charge, carmakers (and much of American industry) lost their single-minded focus on product excellence. Decline followed.

Lutz's commonsense lessons (with a generous helping of fascinating anecdotes) will inspire readers at any company facing the bean counter analysis-paralysis menace.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781101516027
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date: 06/09/2011
Sold by: Penguin Group
Format: eBook
Pages: 272
Sales rank: 185,352
File size: 421 KB
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

BOB LUTZ held senior leadership positions at Gm, ford, Chrysler, and BMW over the course of an unparalleled forty-seven-year career, culminating in his vice chairmanship of General motors from 2001 to 2010. He is the bestselling author of Guts: 8 Laws of Business from One of the Most Innovative Business Leaders of Our Time.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Paperback Edition vii

Preface xi

1 The Beginning 1

2 An Unstoppable Force 7

3 The Beginning of the End 13

4 A Failed "Culture of Excellence" 40

5 Ground Zero 74

6 "Here's What We're Going to do First" 80

7 Tackling the 800-Pound Gorilla 109

8 Learning to Go Global (What Took So Long?) 132

9 Chevrolet Volt: ("I'll Let You Explain it to the Board") 145

10 Meltdown and Rebirth 167

11 What's With American Business Anyway? (Ask the Dogs!) 196

12 Of Management Styles 203

13 If I Had Been CEO 212

14 And in Conclusion 227

Acknowledgments 231

Index 233

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Norman Dietz provides a steady-paced, documentary-style approach to this intriguing material. Lutz's comments will appeal to anyone interested in the fascinating world of auto manufacturing." —-Library Journal Audio Review

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