Car Guys vs. Bean Counters
The Battle for the Soul of American Business
by Bob Lutz
Penguin Group USA
Portfolio
Pub Date
Description
When Bob Lutz got into the auto business in the early 1960's, the "car guys" ruled. CEOs knew that if you built your business on innovative design and top quality craftsmanship, the money would follow. General Motors dominated the industry with iconic brands like Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, and Chevrolet.
But then GM's leadership got too smart for its own good. Swayed by spreadsheets and numbers, the management was convinced by the "bean counters" to shift their focus from product excellence to chasing that bottom line - and decades of decline followed.
In CAR GUYS VS. BEAN COUNTERS: The Battle for the Soul of American Business (to be published June 9), industry vet Bob Lutz recounts how he was hired out of retirement by GM. As vice chairman, he launched a war against the penny-pinching number-crunchers and championed the same creativity, design, and customer loyalty that had put GM on top in the first place.
After emerging from bankruptcy in 2009, GM is finally back on track. Its rebirth is a powerful testament to the need for "product guys" (of either gender), not just in the auto industry but in every industry. Lutz's common-sense lessons, coupled with fascinating anecdotes from his 47 years in the business, will inspire readers who still believe that passion and the drive for excellence will win over computer-like, dispassionate business philosophy every time.
Bob Lutz held senior leadership positions at GM, Ford, Chrysler, and BMW over the course of an unparalleled forty-seven-year career, culminating in his vice chairmanship of General Motors from 2001 to 2010. He is the bestselling author of Guts: The Seven Laws of Business That Made Chrysler the World's Hottest Car Company
But then GM's leadership got too smart for its own good. Swayed by spreadsheets and numbers, the management was convinced by the "bean counters" to shift their focus from product excellence to chasing that bottom line - and decades of decline followed.
In CAR GUYS VS. BEAN COUNTERS: The Battle for the Soul of American Business (to be published June 9), industry vet Bob Lutz recounts how he was hired out of retirement by GM. As vice chairman, he launched a war against the penny-pinching number-crunchers and championed the same creativity, design, and customer loyalty that had put GM on top in the first place.
After emerging from bankruptcy in 2009, GM is finally back on track. Its rebirth is a powerful testament to the need for "product guys" (of either gender), not just in the auto industry but in every industry. Lutz's common-sense lessons, coupled with fascinating anecdotes from his 47 years in the business, will inspire readers who still believe that passion and the drive for excellence will win over computer-like, dispassionate business philosophy every time.
Bob Lutz held senior leadership positions at GM, Ford, Chrysler, and BMW over the course of an unparalleled forty-seven-year career, culminating in his vice chairmanship of General Motors from 2001 to 2010. He is the bestselling author of Guts: The Seven Laws of Business That Made Chrysler the World's Hottest Car Company
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781591844006 |
| PRICE | 26.95 |
