The success of Japanese car manufacturers in the Unites States may largely be due to the pressure put on them in the 1970s to build American factories, says New York Times columnist Micheline Maynard. But pressure didn’t come from just anyone — U.S. automakers insisted their Japanese counterparts bring production to the ‘States. Eventually, Japan and U.S. made an agreement to limits imports, forcing Japanese automakers to open U.S. plants. Detroit figured that the limits would give it time to recoup lost ground, as the Japanese sorted through the complexities of setting up plants and supply chains. But the American carmakers failed to regain that lost ground, and the Japanese only bolstered their public perception by creating jobs for Americans. The rest is history.
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08/07, 4:27 PM
posted by:
mikey
wow. good job ford. damn why do americans have to slack off so much? well i guess we dont have to work ourselves to death like that japanese at least.
08/07, 4:35 PM
posted by:
Renton
They did it without the UAW too.
08/07, 4:43 PM
posted by:
Bryce
mikey, Americansnow work an average hourly workweek that is longer than that of the Japanese. I think were beating them at their own game in that department.
08/07, 4:47 PM
posted by:
pj
anyone ever see the movie whee the us workers start working for the japanese what was it called?
08/07, 5:03 PM
posted by:
GM is lame and lazy in designing
^ ^ “Gung Ho” with Michael Keaton
08/07, 5:17 PM
posted by:
jay
Mikey my friend, Americans do not slack off. We have some of the largest amounts of work hours per week compared to other nations! They (excuse me WE, America) can’t keep up with the competitors who put their CONSUMER of their product FIRST, while we put the PROFITS FIRST. Thats what the American auto companies have been doing for the longest time, and are slowly changing and catching up to the competition.
08/07, 5:29 PM
posted by:
Renton
Mikey– Americans work a lot. That is why we own the planet. We allow the rest of the countries to exist. Can you imagine if we were actually as bad as the world press and smaller counties makes us out to be. Team America!
Jay hit the nail of the farkin head with this one:
” America can’t keep up with the competitors who put their CONSUMER of their product FIRST, while we put the PROFITS FIRST.”
The American Business School and the “bottom line”, shareholder first mentality destroyed the Ameican Car industry. Making horrific deals with the UAW did not help either.
08/07, 6:34 PM
posted by:
David Hasselhoff
Yeah I’ve heard the metaphor that the CEO of a big three company is sort of like the president, just trying to keep up appearances so share prices stay high for his 4 year term – it’s too bad the one that actually did turn it around (Chrysler, but based on the design, not the quality) was sold to the Germans – as for GM and Ford, at least you can say that they had 30 years to change, and still didn’t, so what good are they, it’s still sad though.
By the way, what’s the deal with Mr. Ford – he’s the CEO, president, chairman of the board, and COO, and he’s an idiot – if you see pictures of him he has this blank look in his eye – I’m afraid unless that guy is forced out Ford will most likely go under.
08/08, 3:11 AM
posted by:
Craig
And yet most of the Japanese imports produced at those American plants are almost all front-wheel-drive family sedans. Any of the better Japanese import sedans or sports vehicles are still designed and manufactured overseas and brought over.
I realize that Japanese imports sell much better than our home market brands but other than the quality of materials, we’re both selling the same kind of volume cars and SUVs.
Let’s take sportscars out of the equation. Does a Lexus GS300 get built in the USA?
08/08, 11:42 AM
posted by:
digitalzombie
wtf is craig point?
It make sense to have family sedan made in America. You’ll produce it faster and the majority of the people buy sedan like Camry and Corolla. It’s cost effective to make it in USA/Mexico than in Japan.
08/08, 5:08 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Which philosophy is sustainable in the long term: being proactive or reactive?
08/09, 10:21 AM
posted by:
hal
“Americans work a lot. That is why we own the planet. We allow the rest of the countries to exist.”
this is the reason half the rest of the world thinks american’s are arrogant bullies. meanwhile americans are up to their necks in debt and have more people (proportionally) in prison then any other “free country” but hey there’s $3 gas and right to bear arms.
08/16, 1:05 PM
posted by:
workathome
workathome workathome