As consumer preferences and legislation between global nations converged, the opportunity for automobile manufacturers to operate globally increased (The Ford Story 2001). In 1999, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers was established, reflecting growing globalization trends within the automobile industry. The trade organization includes nine automakers: BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Peter Pestillo, Ford vice chairman and Alliance chairman in 1999, said the “…group will provide its member with a forum to work together on

Ford was among the majority of manufacturers to participate in job reductions. In 1998, Ford suspended production four days at the Ford Argentina plant, temporarily laying off 2,000 workers. Argentine labor laws forced Ford to suspend the workers with full pay, rather than dismiss them permanently – resulting in large overhead costs, but minimizing the effect o the unemployed worker. That same month, management at the Ford Argentina plant made the decision to lay-off 1,400 workers indefinitely (White, 1998). The situation at the Ford Argentina plant was not isolated, as many other Ford plants made similar decisions, resulting in massive layoffs worldwide.

European operations are barely profitable, and the company is losing money in Latin America (Taylor 2001).

program after another is being reconfigured or pushed back – a negative situation that increases market time and impacts the bottom line (Taylor 2001, 106).

After introducing the Ford 2000 initiative, Ford experienced falling profit margins. In 1996, Ford reported losses of $291 and $642 million in Europe and South American regions respectively (McElroy 1997. 97). Unfortunately, over the past year Ford has experienced similar financial woes. The current struggles result from a declining interest in Ford models, the devastating Firestone recall and the downturn in the global economy. Alex Taylor III, author of What’s Behind Ford Fall?, suggests that

Some topics in this essay:
Motor Company, Ford Excursion, Contour Mystique, Ford Argentina, Ford Europe, Moreover Pestillo, Process Model, German Korean, Throughout Ford’s, Fortunately Ford, motor company, ford motor, ford motor company, automotive industry, automobile manufacturers, ford 2000, ford story 2001, chairman ford, automobile industry, bill ford, ford story, story 2001, ford argentina plant, enterprise process model, chairman ford motor,