MB 127
Executive Decision Making at
General Motors
This is a case about General Motor's structure over the last century and how
it has affected the performance of the company and the management challenges
presented by the new structure.
1. GM was extremely successful for many decades with a multidivisional form.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of GM's multidivisional form?
2. How does the decentralization and centralization of decision making change
at GM over its history? Why did it change?
3. Why was the matrix structure put into place? How does the matrix structure
work? What advantages and disadvantages does it have? Is the new GM more centralized
or decentralized?
4. What management challenges face managers in the matrix structure? In terms
of participative leadership, as discussed by Yukl in Chapter 4, is the new structure
participative? Should it be?
5. Are there any suggestions from the Leading Teams book that you would
give to the CEO of GM?
This
page last modified on
1/31/07