Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 4

Strategic management - Essay Example Henry Ford founded the company with many innovations introduced to the ways products were manufactured. One of these is the best-known model T of mass production, the moving assembly line – which is actually composed of conveyor belts – where time of work was reduced (Goh & Garg, 2008, p. 57). Ford revolutionized the car industry, paid higher wages to factory workers, and made cars affordable to anyone. (Purvis, 1997) Ford became a multinational corporation in 1970 but was predominantly operating in North America with subsidiaries in major markets in countries like Britain, Germany or Australia. These subsidiaries however have their own manufacturing plants. In Britain, the most popular Ford in the Cortina. With intense globalisation, the Ford organisation started to restructure internationally. In Europe, Ford was consolidated with further product development and designs which were originally European. Ford manufactured cars of different designs. (Grant, 2005, p. 440) In the UK, Ford is the biggest in the automobile industry with over 550 dealers across the United Kingdom and employing about 35,000 people. In its website, it says that it currently sells 440,000 vehicles annually, with Ford Focus as the car most Britons love. (Ford Motor Company, 2010) In the United States, Ford is now best known for its cars, trucks, crossovers and SUVs (Ford, 2010). In 2008, Ford was adjudged by Standard and Poor’s as the world’s second largest motor vehicle manufacturer, producing cars and trucks, including plastic and glass parts of the cars they make, and including replacement parts. Ford has a 33% stake in Mazda Motor Corp. Financial services include Ford Motor Credit (automotive financing and insurance) and American Road Insurance. Ford has a big share in the world market. It has ventured in many countries, trying to feel its presence even in China, which is the fastest growing market in the automobile