Bloomberg has an article titled 'GM’s Mary Barra Bets Big on an Electric, Self-Driving Future'. As with almost all of the mainstream media articles I see written on Barra, it does not ask any hard questions about her tenure.
For example, it doesn't explore in any detail the bungled salaried lay-offs in 2018. The article frames such changes as necessary and paints Mary as a "china breaker" and an innovator in a company that is too tied to the old ways of the internal combustion engine. Of course we know that is a load of garbage. Good ole Mary was brought up and educated under the old GM middle management. The article doesn't seem to question how anyone who is a product of the GM bureaucratic culture can successfully implement a large change and turnaround in this organization.
It does note that Barra; "she rose through GM’s manufacturing ranks, making stops in so-called soft departments such as internal communications and human resources". Giving an astute reader a hint that she avoided any hard technical slots and was preordained for upper management roles by way of "soft" positions. Not many non-GM people will pick up on that.
What is most bothersome about this article is that it appears to stick a label of obsolete on all the salaried folks who were laid off. And that the new 'edgy' employees they are hiring for AI, coding and cyber security will save the corporation in its newest 5 year plan. As with past grand GM plans of greatness, it sounds good when talking generalities but when it comes to the hard technical details I would wait until it is fully implemented.
3 replies (most recent on top)
Having been involved with both GM Autonomous and the Cruise company that they bought for autonomous technology, both groups in many employee's opinions will NEVER produce a product that can compete in the market against big players like Waymo. First, there is a toxic relationship between the two companies where one doesn't trust the other and work together as a team. Second, those in GM and Cruise leadership positions have very little experience in leadership, in an attempt to bring in young workers with diversity representation and eliminate older experienced workers. Third, GM has a track record for not being able to implement competitive technology programs...they failed when they brought to market the CUE Infotainment system with product flaws that disgusted customers. Also, the Bolt electric vehicle was a complete flop in the market when you compare it to the Tesla 3. Fourth, even GM's latest vehicles are still being recalled–will consumers trust GM autonomous vehicles to drive their loved ones in autonomous mode with all of those recalls? The media doesn't understand these critical GM insiders perspectives that suggests GM will fail in the next few years as it tries to compete in autonomous and electric vehicles.
Um like in five years we will still have engines.
In 10 years yup engines.
Um yeah and like they aren't hiring anyone that's " edgy" haha like it's the same old people day in day out.
The public is being BS constantly hahaha
What GM had hired however are highly skilled ping pong players the are incredibly talented mouth pieces.
GM is a dead company.
China builder, more like it.