Old Detroit, Meet New Detroit
BILL VLASIC -
NYTIMES - November 12, 2009
Streamlining business methods such as making a decision in a week instead of 2 months is one of the changes that offers hope to America that GM can survive out of the ruins. --Ed.
In the old General Motors, employees were evaluated according to a “performance measurement process” that could fill a three-ring binder.
In Terry Woychowski’s case, for example, his job as director of G.M.’s vehicle engineers was spelled out in exhaustive detail, and evaluated every three months.
But in his new job as vice president — a promotion he was given 20 days after G.M. emerged from bankruptcy — his performance review will be boiled down to a single page, something he had never seen in his 29 years with the company.
Mr. Woychowski said he felt the grip of G.M.’s legendary bureaucracy start to loosen, something he never imagined possible. Now, such reviews are being scaled down and simplified across the company....
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