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Summary: A rare business biography/classic by Alfred P. Sloan Jr.
Review: Alfred P. Sloan Jr. was CEO of General Motors from 1923 to 1946. This book was originally published in 1964. Sloan is seen as the first person to have worked out systematic organization in a big company, planning and strategy, measurements, the principle of decentralization - in short, basic concepts of a discipline of management. This is a difficult book to review, since it is more a historic piece on GM's history and development from Sloan's perspective than an autobiography. It does not discuss the individual Alfred P. Sloan Jr., it discusses Alfred P. Sloan Jr. as professional manager. The chapters also come across as business school lessons in different subjects, ranging from general management through to accounting, marketing and compensation strategies.The book consists of two parts. "Part One is an integrated continuous story of the main lines of General Motors' progress, involving the origin and development of the corporation's basic management concepts in the areas of organization, finance and product." It discusses the extreme growth and development of the automobile industry from the early 1900s through to the early 1960s. It also discusses the methods General Motors introduced used to manage the corporation (Sloan all through the book keeps emphasizing the concept of the corporation). He later became known as a committee-man, because he used different types of committees to get/keep various divisions talking and working with each other. "Part Two consists of individually distinct sections dealing in some detail with engineering, distribution, overseas operations, war and defense products, incentive compensation, and other aspects and branches of the enterprise." This part of the book discusses in greater detail the different experiences and events during Sloan's reign as CEO. It discusses some very interesting subjects, such as the evolution of the automobile, relationships with dealers, World War I and II efforts, and personnel and labor relations. Chapter 23 and 24 are really the conclusion to this book. Yes, this is a great book. It is a TRUE business classic. It discusses all the subjects involved in business from a CEO's point of view. I was amazed to see the amount of detail Sloan has gone through while writing this book, there are plenty of quotes from annual reports, memoranda, conversations, etc. However, some readers will be disappointed by the lack of insight into Sloan's personal life. This particular edition includes an introduction by Peter F. Drucker, who explains why this book is MUST reading for all MBA and business students, but also all people that want to be serious about management. Highly recommended. The book is written in simple business US-English.
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Summary: If Only Mr. Sloan were around today...
Review: Alfred P. Sloan's account of his time with General Motors is a "just the facts, ma'am" telling of how the world's largest manufacturing concern teetered, tottered, and eventually overcame it's problems to become the symbol of American Industrialism that it is today. It's not a fast-paced nor exciting read but it is splendidly written and full of information that could only come from who was arguably the best leader of General Motors.
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Summary: An industrial masterpiece
Review: Alfred Sloan can tell it like no other. From the early days of GM to the time he retired, this book chronicles the issues that faced GM. Marketing, segmentation, labor relations, competition, and many other aspects of managing an industrial giant. If you like this type of book, this is a classic. Prefer the tales and hype of the net economy, then this one will probably put you to sleep, though there are lessons here that anyone can learn from.
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Summary: An industrial masterpiece
Review: Alfred Sloan can tell it like no other. From the early days of GM to the time he retired, this book chronicles the issues that faced GM. Marketing, segmentation, labor relations, competition, and many other aspects of managing an industrial giant. If you like this type of book, this is a classic. Prefer the tales and hype of the net economy, then this one will probably put you to sleep, though there are lessons here that anyone can learn from.
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Summary: A must-read for every manufacturer
Review: Alfred Sloan teaches the reader how an successful manufacturing company should be organized and operated. He shows how GM involved the Kettering Research Labs in elements of product improvement, how the various divisions of GM were organized and their relationship to the parent organization, how they employed developments from Kettering Labs such as the electric self starter and the "Kettering Ignition System" into modern auto design. Mr. Sloan also describes how GM entered non-automotive businesses such as Frigidare Refrigerators and diesel electric train engine manufacturing and grew those entities into successful enterprises. A must-read for students of the manufacturing business.
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Summary: A must for all MBA s who want to learn about Business..
Review: I read this book for the second time since my graduation from B'School in 1991. Every chapter is a classic case on the wide topics covered in B'School Curriculum- Macro-Economics, Marketing, Finance, Strategy,Labor relations,Business Ethics,Production.....(Except Information Technology since this book was published in the early 60 's) The analysis of every situation and attention to detail from the records of General Motors and Sloan's own perspective and frankness is the hallmark of this book. What is remarkable is that the basic responsibilites of "Management" appear to be immortal except perhaps that they get packaged in different jargon.
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Summary: A must for all MBA s who want to learn about Business..
Review: I read this book for the second time since my graduation from B'School in 1991. Every chapter is a classic case on the wide topics covered in B'School Curriculum- Macro-Economics, Marketing, Finance, Strategy,Labor relations,Business Ethics,Production.....(Except Information Technology since this book was published in the early 60 's) The analysis of every situation and attention to detail from the records of General Motors and Sloan's own perspective and frankness is the hallmark of this book. What is remarkable is that the basic responsibilites of "Management" appear to be immortal except perhaps that they get packaged in different jargon.
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Summary: Great!!!
Review: I think it's really a great book, not only for any industry engineering people or student, but for any student studying management. Alfred Sloan was a great businessman and I respect him and his business thought.
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Summary: Half a century of US history told from GM's perspective
Review: Sloan offers a unique first-hand perspective of the forces that shaped the auto industry and much of consumer marketing. I found the account of GM's entry into consumer finance and the forces at work during the great consolidation periods of most interest. Sloan seems to be able to keep his ego in check and deliver the facts in a straightforward manner. Discussions of the DuPont principles of comparison for unlike businesses and the board politics that shaped General Motors are helpful to executives even today.
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Summary: Sloan's system thinking
Review: Sloan's work successfully embodied the essence of system thinking.
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