I thought the whole idea of management was being smart enough to work within existing reality and get results.
Yes, there are unions, but it is not in their interest for GM to go broke and for everyone to lose with pensions and health insurance.
It may be their job, but history has shown that it's an impossible task, particularly when their competition is often not unionized.
While it is true that it's not in the best interest of the UAW to make GM go bust, they seem to be doing it anyway.
No, but it is in GM's interest.
There's a huge potential market for a new, lost-cost high-quality domestic manufacturer. The massive pension, health, etc. libailities of Ford and GM have created a huge opening in the market.
There's nothing really wrong with GM's cars. They're just not quite up to snuff. I have a 2003 Saturn SL-1, but I only bought it because a relative offered me a good deal on it when he bought a Civic Hybrid.
Neither Ford nor GM produces any cars that I can really imagine anyone buying simply because they want one. My SL-1 is an ok car, but I can think of nothing to recommend it over any other car.
Chrysler has the right idea. They're producing cars which people actually covet which are fairly reasonably priced - the PT Crusier, the 300C, the Crossfire, and the new Dodge Charger being the most obvious examples.
What do Ford and GM have in their present-year models which is economically priced?
They did it with Federal Mogul.
Unions are losing their monopoly and they are panicking. They have a major shrinkage problem.
Just because it isn't in their interest to do so doesn't mean they won't. After all, the Eastern Airlines mechanics really showed management who was boss, didn't they.