On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors

Rating:
Summary: Very interesting reading
Review: A very interesting book which gives insight into John Z. Delorean and his years at General Motors, prior to developing his own car, the DeLorean. Well written and good reading.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Introduction to a "Zombie" Organization
Review: DeLorean is a very observant individual: it takes about one page of this book to figure out how smart DeLorean is. His critique on GM is often incisive and leaves you feeling that he was the only rational man in an irrational organization. His deconstruction of the GM organization leaves little unscathed: the browbeating of dealerships by the GM salesman; the planning committees that designed cars whose front ends would fall off after 8 miles; management's unwillingness to incur even minor expenses to make the infamous Corvair safer. More than anything, GM management comes off as incredibly rigid and totally unable to adapt to a changing marketplace where its big cars were seen as inefficient dinosaurs. Gripping like few books are, reading this book can only leave you more enlightened about how not to run an organization. This is one of the most enlightening management books I've ever read and I recommend it highly. DeLorean's subsequent downfall only adds to the tragedy of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Introduction to a "Zombie" Organization
Review: DeLorean is a very observant individual: it takes about one page of this book to figure out how smart DeLorean is. His critique on GM is often incisive and leaves you feeling that he was the only rational man in an irrational organization. His deconstruction of the GM organization leaves little unscathed: the browbeating of dealerships by the GM salesman; the planning committees that designed cars whose front ends would fall off after 8 miles; management's unwillingness to incur even minor expenses to make the infamous Corvair safer. More than anything, GM management comes off as incredibly rigid and totally unable to adapt to a changing marketplace where its big cars were seen as inefficient dinosaurs. Gripping like few books are, reading this book can only leave you more enlightened about how not to run an organization. This is one of the most enlightening management books I've ever read and I recommend it highly. DeLorean's subsequent downfall only adds to the tragedy of this book.

Rating:
Summary: Maverick General Motors executive skewers GM management
Review: Excellent book detailing the failings of GM. Mismanagement, inefficiency, illegal tactics and blatant disregard for the public interest are described. This book ranks with Ralph Nader's work. De Lorean describes his rise from Packard to Pontiac division of GM, where he made a failing division successful, then to the Chevrolet division, where he greatly boosted profits through sound business practices. He was then promoted to the "14th Floor" at GM, where he was a good candidate to become the head of GM. But he gave up. He could not stomach all the problems that he saw. Instead, he left GM to set up his own company. Good book to read if you are interested in why big corporations act as they do. It reveals the inner workings of GM. It is broadly applicable to many corporations. A classic.

Rating:
Summary: Maverick General Motors executive skewers GM management
Review: Excellent book detailing the failings of GM. Mismanagement, inefficiency, illegal tactics and blatant disregard for the public interest are described. This book ranks with Ralph Nader's work. De Lorean describes his rise from Packard to Pontiac division of GM, where he made a failing division successful, then to the Chevrolet division, where he greatly boosted profits through sound business practices. He was then promoted to the "14th Floor" at GM, where he was a good candidate to become the head of GM. But he gave up. He could not stomach all the problems that he saw. Instead, he left GM to set up his own company. Good book to read if you are interested in why big corporations act as they do. It reveals the inner workings of GM. It is broadly applicable to many corporations. A classic.