Unit No. 4 – Management and Operations
Assignment 1
Leadership and Management Concepts
General Motors
, General Motors company Corporation, commonly known as General Motors (GM) is
an American company, it is one of the biggest companies in the field of vehicles
manufacturing in the 20th and early 21st centuries. The company focused in
manufacturing, designing and making vehicles spare parts.
General Motors was established by William Durant in 16th September 1908,
Before entering the revolution of car business, Durant was one of the top
manufacturer of horse- drawn vehicles in the United States of America.
The headquarters of the company is located in Detroit, and it has more the 164,000
employees. In 2005 the company has sold 9.15 million cars which considered as
highest number of selling car for a company then.
General Motors is not only focusing in automotive industry, it entered in other
markets such as insurance, finance and investment, and it has other subsidiary
companies in safety, security and information services filed.
In 1920 Durant was forced out of General Motors and Sloan, Jr, Alfred took over
Durant's place. The main competitor of General Motors was Ford, and it was the
leading company at that time, Ford's focus was to manufacture cheap cars. On the
other hand, General Motors under leadership of Sloan, Jr, Alfred focused on what
customer needs and it manufactured powerful and beautiful cars. In late 1920s,
General Motors has successfully surpassed Ford's sales.
In the 1930s, General Motors expanded their business and entered to a new industry
of manufacturing. The company started to design and manufacture aircrafts, they
acquired the two companies (Fokker Aircraft Corp of America) and (Berliner-
Joyce Aircraft), later on both these companies have been merged and to one
company called (General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation)
In late 1930s and early 1940 during the second world war, General Motors has
successfully supplied more than USD 12.3 billion materials of war including guns,
airplanes and engines.
After world war 2, Sloan, Jr had been retired and Charles Erwin Wilson became the
new president of general motors. Charles Erwin Wilson was the Secretary of
Defense in the United States at the same time who once said "What was good for
General Motors was good for the United States of America vice versa "
Under Charles Erwin Wilson's leadership, the company continued its legacy and
considered as the biggest registered company in the United States and the first
company to pay USD 1 Billion taxes.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the company was on the peak in the marker, and from the
1970s until the end of the last decade of the 20th century, the company became one of
the most powerful and successful companies not only in the United States but all
around the world, around 54% of market had been monopolized by General Motors
compared to early 1920s where the percentage was 12%.
In 1970s, The United states of America was suffering from gas crises which was
threatening the cheap fuel and the era of USA great cars.
Assignment 1
Leadership and Management Concepts
General Motors
, General Motors company Corporation, commonly known as General Motors (GM) is
an American company, it is one of the biggest companies in the field of vehicles
manufacturing in the 20th and early 21st centuries. The company focused in
manufacturing, designing and making vehicles spare parts.
General Motors was established by William Durant in 16th September 1908,
Before entering the revolution of car business, Durant was one of the top
manufacturer of horse- drawn vehicles in the United States of America.
The headquarters of the company is located in Detroit, and it has more the 164,000
employees. In 2005 the company has sold 9.15 million cars which considered as
highest number of selling car for a company then.
General Motors is not only focusing in automotive industry, it entered in other
markets such as insurance, finance and investment, and it has other subsidiary
companies in safety, security and information services filed.
In 1920 Durant was forced out of General Motors and Sloan, Jr, Alfred took over
Durant's place. The main competitor of General Motors was Ford, and it was the
leading company at that time, Ford's focus was to manufacture cheap cars. On the
other hand, General Motors under leadership of Sloan, Jr, Alfred focused on what
customer needs and it manufactured powerful and beautiful cars. In late 1920s,
General Motors has successfully surpassed Ford's sales.
In the 1930s, General Motors expanded their business and entered to a new industry
of manufacturing. The company started to design and manufacture aircrafts, they
acquired the two companies (Fokker Aircraft Corp of America) and (Berliner-
Joyce Aircraft), later on both these companies have been merged and to one
company called (General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation)
In late 1930s and early 1940 during the second world war, General Motors has
successfully supplied more than USD 12.3 billion materials of war including guns,
airplanes and engines.
After world war 2, Sloan, Jr had been retired and Charles Erwin Wilson became the
new president of general motors. Charles Erwin Wilson was the Secretary of
Defense in the United States at the same time who once said "What was good for
General Motors was good for the United States of America vice versa "
Under Charles Erwin Wilson's leadership, the company continued its legacy and
considered as the biggest registered company in the United States and the first
company to pay USD 1 Billion taxes.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the company was on the peak in the marker, and from the
1970s until the end of the last decade of the 20th century, the company became one of
the most powerful and successful companies not only in the United States but all
around the world, around 54% of market had been monopolized by General Motors
compared to early 1920s where the percentage was 12%.
In 1970s, The United states of America was suffering from gas crises which was
threatening the cheap fuel and the era of USA great cars.
