Car Guys vs. Bean Counters

Car Guys vs. Bean Counters
Author: Bob Lutz
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2011-06-09
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 110151602X

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.

The Impossible Collection of Motorcycles

The Impossible Collection of Motorcycles
Author: Ian Barry
Publisher: Assouline Publishing
Total Pages: 6
Release: 2023-08-01
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 161428055X

There’s an undeniable fascination with motorcycles—their speed, design, riders, and coolness factor, are all part of the magnetism. This exquisite deluxe volume, presented on cotton paper in a beautiful black rubber clamshell box with a cutout metal plate, is the newest addition to Assouline’s Impossible Collection series is a compendium of the 100 most exceptional bikes of the twentieth century—from the rare to the renowned—each one is unique. Some of these brilliant pieces of machinery include the stunning and one-of-a-kind BMW R7, the 1948 Vincent Series Rapide that Rollie Free shattered land speed record on, in nothing but a bathing suit, the iconic 1969 Easy Rider bike that Peter Fonda made famous, and the 1973 Harley-Davidson XR750, Evel Knievel’s bike of choice. Motorcycle aficionados, aesthetes, and enthusiasts alike will treasure this collector’s item.

Maestro: Bill Mitchell and the Iconic Cars of GM Styling

Maestro: Bill Mitchell and the Iconic Cars of GM Styling
Author: Roy Lonberger
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2016-11-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9781366831507

An insider's look at the Golden Age of Automobile Design at General Motors during the leadership of Bill Mitchell, VP Design (1958-1977). Mitchell elevated design as a marketing tool resulting in General Motors establishing itself as the leading world corporation, and his Iconic cars sold over 136 million (including Corvette, Camaro, Riviera, and Toronado). Mitchell is regarded as the man who singlehandedly saved Corvette.Written by Roy Lonberger, who worked directly for Mitchell as head of his secret Studio-X, this 1st edition book of 440 pages has unique insights into the man, rare designer sketches, clay models, and secret photographs of the unique design process. Five years in preparation and with the help and license from GM Archive, this book is a must read for car enthusiasts, design students, and business managers.

The Cadillac Northstar V-8

The Cadillac Northstar V-8
Author: Anthony Young
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 207
Release: 2017-01-31
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 1476624631

Cadillac has had a long history in the automotive marketplace as General Motors' luxury car division. During the 1980s, Cadillac's management wanted to reestablish the brand as a leader in sophistication, innovation, refinement and prestige. Engineers conceived a new dual-overhead cam, four-valve-per-cylinder V-8 engine--the Northstar. This power plant was the heart of Cadillac's Northstar System, which included a greatly improved suspension and braking system. The division redesigned its entire line to incorporate these new technologies for the 1990s and beyond. The Northstar was the last engine designed and built by Cadillac before the 2005 establishment of GM Powertrain, which took over engine design for all GM divisions. This history of the Northstar V-8 and the cars it powered covers the first generation front-wheel drive Northstar, the second generation rear-wheel drive model, and the supercharged version, along with racing history and the most collectible Northstar-powered Cadillacs.

Industry and Firm Studies

Industry and Firm Studies
Author: Victor J. Tremblay
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 530
Release: 2015-03-26
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1317468015

The fourth edition of this acclaimed text is a rich resource for undergraduate and graduate courses in industrial organization, applied game theory, and management strategy. It incorporates game theory into industry analysis by studying the behavior of successful and failing firms as well as the structure-conduct-performance of particular industries. Chapters address a wide variety of issues concerning industry structure, policy towards business, and the strategic innovations and blunders of individual firms. New coverage of professional sports, soft drinks, distilled spirits, and cigarettes complements revised and updated chapters on airline services, retail and commercial banking, health insurance, motion pictures, and brewing. The book includes firm case studies of General Motors, Microsoft, Schlitz, and TiVo.