News From the Auto Industry

2. Facilitate stakeholder collaboration. "As we move into this new era of global mobility," Sturges says, "GM should involve anyone interested in its network in the process of reinventing its business. By communicating in a two-way manner with any GM worker, dealer, or supplier about the transportation business future, stakeholders can strengthen GM, and themselves, in the process. As a result, GM stakeholders will become stronger and more willing to be flexible as the company struggles as a large company undertaking rapid change."

Although General Motors is certainly undergoing a significant transformation as it works to become a more competitive company, there are still several things that it could be doing that, well, may not have occurred to the company’s management. So in an effort to help what is still the world’s leading vehicle manufacturer, we decided to ask some of the more insightful people that we know–not the usual suspects, but a range of industry experts who have distinctive points of view–a simple question: What three things should GM management do to make it a stronger, healthier, more-competitive company? And the responses were simple. Not easy, mind you, but rather straightforward and commonsensical.

Given the fees that most consultants charge, we figure that we could retire on what GM ought to owe us for this. And we also figure that the corporate execs can’t afford to overlook some of the insights found herein.