Quote:
Originally Posted by Dilligas
Other than 50 years ago, I have not owned an American car (overpriced and under designed) except for company cars when working. I favor Japanese Lexus, but have had Audi, Volkswagen & Fiat. The great American cars of the 50s & 60s were not perpetuated in the 70s, 80s, 90s & 2000s. Some where around 2000, American auto makers woke up and began developing competition for the Japanese cars.
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I might have some of these details incorrectly but as a casual observer, it seemed as soon as Japan invaded the U.S. auto market in the mid-70's (anyone remember the Civic CVCC?), The Big Three started to respond. Slowly.
It wasn't until the mid-80's as Toyota and Honda started getting a solid foothold did they turn their focus more sharply. Remember Ford's laughable "Quality is Job One!" slogan? Or Lee Iacocca's stunning statue of ubiquity, the Chrysler K-Car?
Management styles were trying very hard to play catch-up as the 90's showed even more Japanese inroads to the U.S. auto market. TQM (Total Quality Management) tried to replicate the Japanese production style. Then came the One-Minute Manager, followed by "Management By Walking Around." Then more American corporate upheaval as they attempted to implement Jack Welch's (G.E.) Six Sigma, Hybrid Teams, Theory Of Constraints - TOC, LEAN, etc.). Always trying to find the golden key to successful corporate productivity, but really still just playing catch-up after their global domination of the mid-century.