The Innovation-Driven Disruption of the Automotive Value Chain (Part 1)
In the last two years I have spoken to several business, technology, innovation, and corporate venture executives about their companies’ innovation goals and the initiatives they establish to address these goals. Several of these leaders work in the automotive industry and through our conversations I have concluded that a) in the next 10 years we […]
When Smart People Double Down on #FAIL
I awoke this morning to an email from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings saying he was sorry… although it wasn’t entirely clear if he was sorry for losing half of his market cap in the last year (shareholder) or sorry for the crappy streaming catalog and losing Starz while implementing a price increase (customer). It became […]
Friday Morning Green Numbers round-up 03/26/2010
Here is this Friday’s Green Numbers round-up: GE Announces Major European Offshore Wind Expansion with a Planned €340 Million Investment for Manufacturing, Engineering and Service Facilities in Four Countries GE today announced plans to invest approximately €340 million to develop or expand its wind turbine manufacturing, engineering and service facilities in four European countries—the United […]
Is Contrarian Purchasing a Good Savings Strategy?
Recent headlines about Toyota have no doubt been music to the ears of its major rivals — especially Ford and GM. From a giant recall for gas pedals that stick (making the Audi 5000’s sudden-acceleration PR woes look tame by comparison) to botched hy…
Why is the Automotive Supply Chain Failing?
The Detroit Free Press recently ran a story that captures the
two essential reasons why more automotive suppliers will fail in 2010,
despite a forecasted upswing in the market. According to the story, the fundamental challenges
are twofold: …
Ford discusses their Electric Vehicle and smart grid integration plans
Just before Christmas I had a chat with Ford’s head of battery electric vehicle applications, Greg Frenette. We discussed how Ford has been working with utilities and industry organisations to ready its electric vehicles for deep integration into smart grids.
It was fascinating for me to see just how far Ford have proceeded with their thinking […]
Can the UAW Be Owner and Representative?
Interesting times we live in… the UAW is finding itself increasingly at odds with it’s members over the negotiated but not yet approved Ford labor agreement.
On Sunday, 92 percent of workers at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant voted against proposed contract changes. The vote there came after a stormy meeting at nearby Winnetonka […]
