New Era In the Automotive Field

©2023 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

“The Thunderbird will begin a new era in the automotive field.” – Ford Div. G.M. L. D. Crusoe, during unveiling of Ford’s Thunderbird; Feb. 1954.

Norway, the Peace-Loving Nation

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‘Game of Thrones’ star Kristoffer Hivju takes issue with General Motors' Super Bowl ads in three response videos.

In General Motors’ Super Bowl ad, Will Ferrell is seen punching a globe while he gets angry that Norway far outranks the U.S. in electric vehicle sales. The country is used as a foil in the ad from McCann Worldgroup, which goes on to push GM’s message that its proprietary Ultium battery technology will help pave the way for broader EV adoption in the U.S.

But now Audi’s Norway division is punching back at GM and Ferrell, with help from Norwegian actor and “Game of Thrones” star Kristoffer Hivju.

Check it out.  Even Ford's Norway unit has gotten in on the fun!

Ford's EcoSport Poised to Go Global

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Ford is on a global role. After launching the EcoSport in India and Nepal, Ford India has now started exporting its SUV to South Africa. Next up? Ford will launch EcoSport in Europe, Middle-East, Sri Lanka and Vietnam by late 2013 or early 2014

Ultimately, Ford plans to take the EcoSport production global. Besides Chennai in India, Ford has shortlisted locations like Elabuga in Russia, Rayong in Thailand, Camacari in Brazil and Chongqing in China for its plants. It will be retailed in 62 countries by the year 2017.

Read the entire article here.

Rethink Your Diversity Training Initiatives When Going Global

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Jennifer Gilhool just spent two years in China for the organization (Ford) where she worked.  She had to adjust quickly to working with people from a different culture who had different ideas and expectations in terms of how things should be done.

When I arrived in China, I received little, if any, real training on how to manage the diverse nature of our team. I had to learn by trial and error. And, I did learn. What I learned is that it is all about communication. Learning to listen and speak in a way that allows for common understanding. I also learned that humility goes a long way. Admitting that I did not know the culture, asking for help, accepting, respecting and being genuinely interested in understanding the culture gave me immediate credibility. Why? Because it provided the opportunity for the discussion.

Read the entire article:  "Going Global?  Better Rethink Your Diversity Training."

A little about Jennifer Gilhool (her Twitter handle is @JG_Ink and her Facebook page is here):

Jennifer Gilhool is a lawyer and management executive who recently spent two years in China building an extraordinary team to manage international regulatory compliance for a Fortune 10 Company.  She founded her own company, Pink Streak Ink, to work on issues of corporate diversity, leadership and education for women and girls around the globe.  She is about to publish her first book, Sheryl Sandberg, China & Me, which is a story of an ordinary woman who moved her family to China for her career, saw her career nearly implode, and with it, her life — or so she thought.  (Note:  It appears she is ready for: Escape From Corporate America).

Volvo Global: Becoming a Competitive Brand in the World

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One (wo)man's distractions (Ford's) can be another (wo)man's global treasure (Volvo).

Read about how Ford's sale of Volvo to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. could help the Chinese car maker further its global ambitions while allowing Ford to exit a money-losing business that was a distraction from its core operations.

Go here for the article.

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Why Global Brands Work

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Harvard Business School professor John Quelch writes a blog on marketing issues, called Marketing KnowHow, for Harvard Business Online. Join in on the debate on whether Ford will make a comeback on their global brand. The post is reprinted on HBS Working Knowledge here.