Competitive Strategies

Assignment 2: Competitive Strategies

1.) Determine how each corporate culture differs from the other.

General Motors and Ford Motor are two of the giants of the auto industry in the US that have historically competed to maintain a significant share of the marketplace. To be competitive in a long term, each company has sustained its culture. In this respect, Ford has always focused on diversity, and General Motors on empowering employees. Nevertheless, both companies believe that diversity and self-empowerment are important parts of organizational culture. They just have different approach of the concepts depending on each one’s focus area. In doing this, it has created a unique culture and has enabled them to excel.

Ford motor has identified five strategic elements as the underlying basis of the company culture: • Leading the way

• Diverse workforce

• Respectful and inclusive work environment

• Work life integration

• External Partnerships.

Diversity has been always an important factor in this culture. Ford has been a leader in standard setting in diversity since the beginning. Within its first five years, the company had established production or sales operations in the United States, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, parts of Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia. It has taken steps to ensure that its workforce reflects the communities in which it operates. In this perspective, it has created the first black middle class workers. After world- war I, it was the first car company to hire disable veterans and to adapt work environments to their specific needs. It has been also committed to diversify its