Environmental Analysis Gm 580

Running head: Mission, Vision, and Values Paper

General Motors

Mission, Vision, and Values Paper

MB580

Prof Kenneth Shermann

University of Phoenix

Introduction:

I’ll begin with a brief introduction of GM (General Motors) that provides basic current information and a historical perspective. “General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the annual global industry sales leader for 77 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 266,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling.” (GM.COM web site)

Forces and Trends

“The remote environment comprises factors that originate beyond, and usually irrespective of, any single firm’s operating situation: (1) economic, (2) social, (3) political, (4) technological, and (5) ecological factors. That environment presents firms with opportunities, threats, and constraints, but rarely does a single firm exert any meaningful reciprocal influence.” (Pearce−Robinson, p. 79). Forces and trends will continue to occur and impact companies. However, organizations can take advantage of opportunities that occur from the result of trends or forces that will make or break an organization.

Three industry trends and forces that are most critical to GM currently are economic, ecological, and competitive. These three trends and forces will be briefly discussed in the following paragraphs.

Economic Trend:

The first trend that will be examined are economic factors. Although economic factors impact most industries and products, the larger expensive products like houses and automobiles take the brunt of an economic downturn, similar to the one the one that the economy is experiencing today. “On both the...