Other Editorials

Yanking the Pitcher

Jim Dollinger
Friday, March 24, 2006

What has the man responsible for North America done to strengthen US brands and grow the business? Cadillac has had some success, Buick and Pontiac are starving for product and suffering a slow death. Olds is gone, GMC doing OK, but Chevrolet is mired in a marketing cesspool. The corporate image is in the tank, dealers and suppliers are disillusioned if not broke. Credit ratings are well into junk, the debt is massive, assets have been sold to raise cash, capital was squandered, marketing dollars wasted, emloyees and retirees are unstable and insecure. Yes, Mr. Wagoner has faced enormous obstacles, and inherited tremendous difficulties. However, that is why he gets paid handsomely. It's his job to create and implement solutions, and that is where he has failed miserably. The answers for GM are not more surgical procedures. After cutting the fat, Wagoner struck an organ (Olds), damaged the backbone (dealers and employees), and now the nervous system (GMAC).

When your pitcher is getting bombed in the fifth inning, you look to the bullpen. It's time for "Red Ink Rick" to hit the showers, if not be shipped to the minor leagues.