Leadership Flashcards
Alfred Sloan
The organizational genius, shaped the modern corporation and the discipline of management science. Sloan revolutionized organizational design in the 1920’s with GM’s divisional structure. He perfected innovations such as market segmentation, car loans, annual product cycles, decentralized operations. Through GM, Sloan was instrumental in launching today’s credit fueled, consumption driven ‘consumerism”.
general motors
It was a chaotic company which Sloan organized into a smooth running, industrial entity that was seen as an american economic might at large
“decentralization with coordinated control”
(Sloan) many different divisions, all controlled by one. Coordination through committees, policies and reports, financial control and oversight
“A car for every purse and purpose”
Sloan’s market segment -socio economic and consumer aspirations stepped upward with GM brands since they offered more choice and style then ford. GM started making different cars; affordable for different needs; SUVs, compact, family
Steve Ballmer
CEO of Microsoft. Wanted to change Microsoft to enable them to innovate with higher speed, efficiently and capability. Main focus was to create a family of products to suit the needs of individuals and businesses.
“One Microsoft” memo
Driven by a set of shared goals for everything the company does. Will allocate resources and build devices and services that provide compelling, integrated experiences across the many screens in their lives, with maximum return to shareholders. Deliver more coherent message and family of product offerings.
Walter Isaacson
Author of Steve Jobs biography
Steve Jobs
One of Steve’s strengths was knowing how to focus. “Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do”. Jobs banned Apple employees from using PowerPoint’s, he thought people used presentations to confront a problem rather than engaging, people who know what they’re talking about don’t need PowerPoint. Stay focused. Turned Apple around, one of the great CEO’s.
Apple
Jobs emphasized collaboration and unified decision making. Functional structure, 700 billion dollar market cap.
Percy Barnevick
CEO and prez of ABB; set up matrix structure. Built new model of competitive enterprise- an organization that combines global scale and world class tech with deep roots in local markets. “Think global, act local”
ABB, Asea Brown Boveri
A company with no geographical center, no national ax to grind. We are a federation of national companies with a global coordination center. The creation of ABB became a metaphor for the changing economic map of Europe
Business area manager
A manager who is responsible for a companys work in a specific part of the country
Executive committee
group of directors appointed to act on behalf of, and within the powers granted to them by, the board of directors. Typically it consists of a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, and treasurer.
“Naturally, these 13 executives are busy, stretched people”
(ABB) Have many responsibilities; all come together every 3 weeks
Carlos Ghosn
Has led one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the history of the modern corporation. At Nissan motor, he slashed costs, closed unprofitable factories, shrank the supplier network, sold unprofitable assets, and rewired Nissan’s insular culture. Within a year he had returned Japan’s second largest auto manufacturer –to profitability and was widely credited with saving it from collapse.
