Sullivan's travels

In late 1991, Isuzu Motors hit General Motors (GM) - which held a 37% interest in the Japanese auto manufacturer -in the bottom line when it announced that there would be a $560 million net loss for the year. With the bad news out, General Motor's Jack Smith, now chief executive officer but the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forbes 1994-03, Vol.153 (7), p.75
Main Author: Eisenstodt, Gale
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Automobile industry
Automobiles
Business conditions
Case studies
Cost control
Diesel engines
Engines
Equity method
Executives
Financial performance
Net losses
Partnerships
Product development
Strategic planning
Success
Sullivan, Donald
Trucks
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:In late 1991, Isuzu Motors hit General Motors (GM) - which held a 37% interest in the Japanese auto manufacturer -in the bottom line when it announced that there would be a $560 million net loss for the year. With the bad news out, General Motor's Jack Smith, now chief executive officer but then in charge of international operations, hastily dispatched Donald Sullivan to become Isuzu Motors' executive vice president. Sullivan took on-line authority for corporate planning and manufacturing at the $14 billion (sales) manufacturer. Not long after Sullivan arrived, Isuzu's president, Kazuhira Seki, decided to pull the company out of passenger car production to focus on recreational vehicles, trucks and diesel engines. In October 1993, Isuzu reported a net loss for the year of just $39 million - a pittance considering the scope of the company's problems and Japan's stalled economy.
ISSN:0015-6914
2609-1445