GM & Ford Manufacturing

I have written quite a few articles stating that Manufacturing must follow Engineering's designs exactly. The reason I do this is because I have heard that Ford and GM's Manufacturing does not. This is not Manufacturing's fault as I have heard, but Management's fault.

Manufacturing receives the engineer's specifications and does not adhere to them. This I think is caused from a directive from Management to cut corners and save money. This, if true, is ludicrous!

Management has its work cut out for itself in order to make the best cars and in the long run regain market share. This inevitably will trigger confidence, boost stock price, make the customer happy, and inevitably take back a percentage of the auto market.

GM And Bankruptcy

GM is not going bankrupt. Already they have cut billions per year in costs and expect concessions from its UAW. The union does not want GM to go bankrupt, so they will be quite concilliatory when they are sitting at the bargaining table. Not only that GM has anywhere from 12 to 19 billion dollars in cash.

SO FORGET ALL THE TALK ABOUT GM GOING BANKRUPT!

GM And Ford (Again)

Engineers must work with the top quality materials. This is why the Research and Development Department is so important. For materials that must be fabricated (as opposed to parts already developed) it is imperative that R & D fabricates top notch materials.

Once this is done, Engineering can create the most modern and durable vehicle possible. As is said "Engineering makes the world go round", and this is oft true. Once engineering can and will design with the new R & D parts and parts already developed, then a piece of art can be made. And what is this piece of art? An automobile of course.

Is it possible for Ford and GM to do this? Of course, as they have the best in the world. No seconds. And when this is accomplished (the design) it can be passed down to manufacturing where keeping the exact tolerances to the engineers design will make these companies flourish!

A. Lincoln - A Quick Quip

Lincoln was asked how he liked being president. He answered, "That it was like the man that was tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail." Lincoln continued, "The man said, 'If it weren't for the honor of the thing, I'd much rather walk'."

GM & Ford Management

A Necessity for these two companies is Management change.

If an article I read a few days past is correct, then GM and Ford are in for big changes.

Management must change its attitude. No more of the bean counting. And for now, much, much more of guiding their respective companies to durability, highest quality, fit and finish, finesse both in ride and interior look, AND superb looking autos. This is what management is to do, and it can accomplish this by giving this directive to the engineers and manufacturing, and then keeping their hands off those two departments. Management is also key to getting financing for the giant changes. Stockholders for now will have to do just that; hold. And of course Marketing will need some management, but if the cars are of the highest standard, they will market themselves somewhat (word of mouth, etc).

Management for now can just guide their companies, like a ship in the dark night, watching out for glaciers and other sea faring garbage, so they can get to their port of destination safely.

General Motors and Ford Motor Company

What GM and FMC need to do seems simple on the outside. What they need to do is come up with radically different designed cars (maybe revolutionary) that are very appealing and engineer and manufacture so quality hits new heights (like they never have before).

Is this possible? Absolutely! GM and FMC have designers and engineers that are the best in the world. Then what is the problem?

When a person gets into certain habits for sixty to sixty-five years it is almost impossible to break them. So goes GM and FMC. And secondly, taking chances with billions of dollars and tens of thousands of workers jobs on the line takes GUTS!

So what to do? I say take the chance and build them. You'll never know unless you take that grand step.

Edsel Ford (Part 7)

Edsel was checking the Accounting Department and had been told that it needed to be increased in size as Ford Motor was growing. He decided to expand the department. Work was started and more room was being made.

Henry came by one day and asked what was going on. A worker told him.

The next day when Edsel came in, all the Accounting Departments office equipment was out on the road and everyone in the department had been fired. Edsel was astounded and went to Henry. Henry said if the accounting department needed more room, then no accountants and no department of accounting was needed. (Henry was hateful toward the bean counters).

Edsel was powerless as always and could do nothing to reverse his father's decision. But Edsel was such a man, that he found jobs for every one of those who were fired.

This is the way Henry "worked with" Edsel. He was cruel and unjust. Why!??

Maybe in the next article on Edsel, I will bring in another character that (believe it or not) made Edsel's life worse.

A. Lincoln - Civil War

During his presidency (and even before) , Lincoln believed in a Federal Government of the United States which would be a central government for all the states. In other words a United States of America as the fathers of the country envisioned.

I know this is open to debate as to whether it should be state's rights or a central goverment that ruled the states. But one only has to look to the Declaration of Independence to see that a United States was meant to be (as a new country).

Therefore Lincoln was correct in trying to keep the Union together. (The horrific problem was it was the bloodiest battle in history - to that date).

New Computer

I have my new computer up and running. It is vastly different from the one before for it is a Pentium 4 2.93 Ghz, and my old one was a Celeron 700.

I am still on dialup so the internet still boogies at a snail's pace.

This blog is temporarily

on hiatus while a new computer

is being installed.

Lincoln On The Cutting Edge

Lincoln was a proponent of education. And not the type of education that had been taught up to his presidency. Philosophy, literature, and the arts would not cut it in a country that was on the verge of industrial growth. So Lincoln propagated teaching practical skills for the real world like engineering and other such curriculums that would foster growth of the U.S. industries.

I would say this would make Lincoln vanguard on the issue and the implementation of "technical" education, and that there was no turning back. And he was the first person of influence to implement these massively important changes in the U.S.'s higher education, thereby fueling the expansive growth this nation would undergo.

Try It (GM) - You'll Like It

It seems that many Japanese car buyers pass over GM's cars when heading to their favorite Japanese car dealer. This is not right. GM is not the cars it made in the 80's and for that matter the 90's.

GM deserves a look see. If you are going to buy a Japanese car it wouldn't behoove you to go to a GM dealer and look around. Just look if nothing else. You might find that there is something you like. This is not your father's General Motors (the quality has leaped eons since then).

If after giving GM cars an adequate look and tryout, you may find you'll like it.

Edsel Ford (Part 6)

I think Edsel was only 5'6", but I have read that he was 5'4". Whatever his diminutive size, he was a strong willed person.

I don't like doing this, but I have to show some of Edsel's toughness through his father's meanness. During World WarI Edsel was of drafting age. Henry kept Edsel out. (I must say that I can understand Henry doing this as it was his only son and child). This caused much agony for Edsel defending himself against the press. Edsel was ridiculed mercilessly. Edsel defended himself by stating he would have gone to the war and done his duty. But they didn't care. I think Edsel carried this one his whole life.

If this is to be accurate, the sad tales of Edsel will have to be told to show how strong he was. This will continue in the next segment.

Japan's Exports

Japan exports so many billions of dollars of goods it's not realistic. I'll only say this; that if they think the U.S. can handle it without reciprocity on their part, the ship (the U.S.) may eventually sink. What does this mean? That without the U.S. economy, there won't be any economies throughout the world.

A. Lincoln 3

Biographers, American Civil War neophiles, those interested in 19th Century history, almost everyone, have a fascination with Abraham Lincoln. Many think it is only because Lincoln was brought up in squalor, and to paraphrase William Herndon, ignited himself from a "putrid pool" and rose to the utmost success. In other words, he was a great president, and fascinating.

I say this is true, but it is also that his Melancholia (Depression) fascinates all of us. As one biographer put it, when Lincoln spoke his face displayed such sadness and what he said came out as nothing, but the truth, that people were very much impressed by him.

Lincoln's depression made much of his discipline and thought, although I do disagree that he was depressed most of the time. It's as though his depressions brought on a thought pattern that wouldn't allow apathy, but quite the opposite. This more than anything made him rise to heights that may have been unattainable otherwise. It is the "putrid pool" syndrome.

By not allowing his Depression to debilitate him, he let it hone his mind, as a laser beam finely cuts a die which becomes a most useful tool! Lincoln wasn't lazy and this ability, surely would prepare him for a greatness, few others if any could attain.