Mar 20 Should the U.S. Adopt the German Auto Plan? Question: I am curious how you believe we should balance helping big companies with also helping their customers. The number one basic business principle is: Businesses don’t do well without customers. Solution: Provide customers. Here’s a case in… Continue reading
Feb 16 Obama to Drop Plan for Auto Industry ‘Car Czar’ By Admin, PBS News Hour One day before General Motors and Chrysler are required to submit restructuring plans to Congress, it was widely reported that President Barack Obama has decided to scrap plans to appoint a "car czar" who would oversee the automakers' restructuring. Continue reading
Feb 06 Toyota Forecasts $5 Billion Fiscal Year Loss By PBS News Hour The world's largest automaker, Toyota Motor Company, said Friday it expects to post an annual net loss three times larger than expected and began a series of assembly line shut-downs in an effort to save jobs. Continue reading
Feb 03 Many Automakers Post Record Losses for January By PBS News Hour Ford, Toyota, Nissan, General Motors and Chrysler all posted record lows in their January sales reports Tuesday. The declines come at the end of a stretch of 15 months of plummeting sales that bring the companies' total losses near a… Continue reading
Jan 05 Auto Sales Plunge in December By PBS News Hour December marked another dismal month for automakers with new figures showing overall sales declines of more than 30 percent as the U.S. auto industry continues to struggle amid the economic downturn. Continue reading
Dec 22 Toyota Projects First Operating Loss in 71 Years By PBS News Hour Toyota Motor Corp., the world's second largest automaker, predicted its first operating loss in 71 years, based on shrinking demand for vehicles and a surging yen. Continue reading
Dec 15 Regarding the Bailing Out of Corporations, What is the Role of Their Board of Directors? Question/Comment: Regarding the bailing out of corporations like the automakers, what is the role of their board of directors? Do these board members not have any fiscal responsibilities for keeping their companies afloat? Non-profit board members have a fiscal responsibility… Continue reading
Dec 12 Why Aren’t the Big Three Automakers More Successful? Question/Comment: The Big Three seem to be successful in the rest of the world yet not here. Is it the fault of our government regulations, the costs associated with labor agreements here, or what? Paul Solman: I sent your… Continue reading
Dec 12 White House Weighs Action on Auto Rescue By Admin, PBS News Hour The White House said Friday it was considering tapping the $700 billion financial industry bailout fund to prevent the collapse of the ailing U.S. auto giants after the Senate failed to reach a compromise on a rescue package for Detroit's… Continue reading
Dec 11 GOP Could Put Brakes on Auto Rescue Bill By Admin, PBS News Hour As a compromise deal between Democrats and the White House to extend $14 billion in emergency loans to struggling U.S. automakers moves forward, it faces strong opposition by some GOP lawmakers. Continue reading