Ford neuters the beancounters
Ford just amended its bylaws to take a little fiscal power away from its board. In the old version of the bylaws, the finance committee could greenlight spending on product development projects. Under the new one, not so much. The Dow Jones MarketWatch learned about this item through a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Apparently the board will still be able to review how things are done regarding the management of Ford's financial affairs, but the ability to ok items will be removed. What this will probably mean in the real world is that decisions can happen more quickly. Management will be able to make decisions on its own concerning product and won't have as many layers of approval to go through to make changes when needed. Sounds like a step in the right direction. Anything that cuts the bureaucracy has to be good.Thanks for the tip, Devin!
[Source: Dow Jones MarketWatch]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Daniel 8:00PM (12/20/2006)
Wonder what the Board Members drive?
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Bob in Cobb 7:42PM (12/20/2006)
About damn time. Actually, is there anything to cut off to neuter a bean counter?
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iQuack 10:49PM (12/20/2006)
Fords will always be Fords--substandard crap for generations.
There will be no changes that will make chocolate cake out of dog turds.
Just ignore Ford and buy something else. What could be easier?
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mitch 10:53PM (12/20/2006)
#2 Wonder what the Board Members drive?
Answer: Toyotas
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iQuack 11:10PM (12/20/2006)
Likely that directors get a great deal on Ford or Ford affiliate cars.
So, they'd probably choose a Volvo, Jaguar, Lincoln Navigator, or maybe a top-of-the-line Explorer or other truck or truck-based Ford.
Except for Ford's luxury brands or trucks, I doubt if fat-cat directors (especially outside directors) would want anything as classless as that blue oval on any cars in which they're likely to be seen.
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smooth sailin 11:20PM (12/20/2006)
F I N A L L Y ...Maybe Ford will actually be a co. run by people who love cars
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Joy Behar is Ugly 12:06AM (12/21/2006)
The Whiz Kids may have saved Ford in the 1950s, but accountants have been the cause for the cheap American cars for the past thirty years. At least we see one "bold move" that looks good.
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iQuack 12:32AM (12/21/2006)
7. I should also mention that I have been neutered and it's not much fun!
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The above post is a phony. You'd think Autoblog would have figured out how to stop this kind of thing by now, but no.
And yes, Fords have always been, are currently, and will continue to be crap.
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murphy 4:32AM (12/21/2006)
Well "iquack" I own three fords now and have owned three others prior to this that I have been extremely happy with. I love reading about the company and the moves they're making. However what I really get sick of is people like you who just wanna run your mouth through your keyboard. You post ignorant comments trash talking a company that has had problems and setbacks just like any company that has been around for over a century. Ford Motor has been making steady headway in quality, and their rate of improvement is better than the foreign companies as of late.
one more thing;
do you consider the camry a pile of dog crap?
Because the fusion has better initial quality than the camry.
so please if you don't have anything that really relates to the story your commenting on and your just looking for a way to complain about ford please SHUT UP!!
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M. 4:54AM (12/21/2006)
#3: Ford tries to sell old cars on its home market: the Focus is old, the Ranger is old. Just big pickups and big cars are not so old and boldly styled.
Execs simply seem to ignore that even Americans are shifting towards newer, smaller cars. A ten year old Focus might not come as first choice if you can get a Honda Accord or a Toyota Corolla...
It might be a good idea to bring some of the European cars like the Focus or the Mondeo to the states. I do notknow how Americans might think about cars like the European Galaxy, since its largest engine is just a turbocharged Volvo I5, on the other hand, it is large inside and maybe they just should give it a try.
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Richard Warren 6:31AM (12/21/2006)
Good!
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tim 10:56AM (12/21/2006)
import loving, domestic bashing people with no real input should be banned, too. if you can't make a realistic contribution, stfu. my first reaction when i hear about people without balls is to think about mindless import zombies driving hondas and toyotas and randomly criticizing domestics for kicks. stfu, once again and come back with real contributions.
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Ivan the Terrible 9:02AM (12/21/2006)
What do the incompetent Ford Board Members drive?
Dunno, BUT if I was one
I'd ask for a few Aston Martins, a Range Rover and a Jag, and a couple VOlvos.
WHat, they are trying to SELL all these?
IT figures.
If it is not as bad as the second Gen Taurus, sell it!
Keep the losers and pray.
What a Long Term Strategy!
...
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Nellydesign 9:16AM (12/21/2006)
I love how people who know nothing about the car business love to spout off about the "idiocy" they see from the American manufacturers.
I'm a designer at Ford, and I can admit I've seen some bad decisions, just like ANYONE who works at ANY company sees bad decisions.
Like some have said, Ford's cars are improving rather quickly. They have great products in the pipeline, but guess what! Bringing products to market is a long process. Just "make it!" doesn't really fly. "Ooooh, bring the European models over here!" Again... time. European models have completely different safety requirements than American models and would need to be changed significantly.
The main problem is the lack of foresight American manufacturers had in the decline of the SUV. And now we're behind in cars. Conversely, Toyota is probably kicking itself about producing a brand new, gigantic truck when demand for such is at it's lowest in years. I know Ford is working on the car side, but it takes time. Be patient.
And to all who hate domestics I'll say this. When the American companies were top dog they thought "The Japanese will NEVER be able to compete!" Well, that was dead wrong, and you saying the Americans will never compete now is just as wrong. A company with the right talent and motivation and resources can always compete and I hope to be part of the team that proves you all wrong.
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Ivan the Terrible 9:39AM (12/21/2006)
"I'm a designer at Ford, and I can admit I've seen some bad decisions,"
You BET. Especially since you are a DESIGNER.
And it is amazing. usually people get it right the SECOND time, after they fail the FIRST time. BUT in the case of the TAURUS, I'd love if you can explain to us WHAT THE HELL HEPPENED:
The First Gen Taurus was a HUGE SUCCESS, mostly due to its CLEAN, beautiful EXTERIOR (no wonder it was designed in ITALY). Its interior was inferior. BUT THEN, instead of IMPROVING it in its second Genm, you SCREW UP ROYALLY and you produce a STUPID, UGLY Design that looks like a CATFISH or a FROG!
ANd it is HEAVIER than the first gen, BUT has a smaller trunk! ANalyze THAT!
You (the designers) may be Innocent in this. perhaps you HAD some designs that were at least as good as the first gen. BUT maybe the MORONS that MAnage your company, the auto illit bean counters with BAD TASTE made you do this monstrosity second gen Taurus?
" just like ANYONE who works at ANY company sees bad decisions."
NOT as MANY and not as BAD at Boeing or Micrisoft or, closer to home, at HONDA OR TOYOTA OR BMW. AND if you challenge that, you are NOT grounded in REALITY.
THe onetime Big 3 are now the BIGGEST LOSERS. They have been losing HOME GAMES to the Japanese since the 70s, consistently.
Every few years, one of the big 3 has a CRISIS, or more. It is getting TIRESOME.
FOrd cannot make a profit making FUSIONS in MEXICO, but Honda and TOyota CAN, making Camrys and Accords in The USA!!!!
PHULEASE!
Give uys a break, we are informed citizens.
AND I know a TON of Ford engineers, and they have high positions too, and they are telling me what poor designs you RPOUTINELY do, what pifitul reliability (you design cars to last a mere 100k miles, trucks 150), and how better the SAME PEOPLE do as TOYOTA engineers after they leave the biug 3 IN DROVES, as they have been doing the last 32 years.
So, can you poroduce a product that is SUPERIOR to the imports? Can you IMAGINE how difficult it is for Honda and Toyota to whip your ass in your OWN MARKET? Can you do the same in their market? (LOL!!!!!0 THIS IS THe TEST OF your Success.
But it is much easier to blame your woes on "yen manipulation" as your clueless morons CEOS told our president.
LOL!!!!!!
PERFORM OR DIE.
The taxpayers are NOT your PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS.
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dan 10:27AM (12/21/2006)
This is potentially great news. Giving the "True Believers" in any organisation more power is a good thing. Let's hope it works out that way.
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tim 10:56AM (12/21/2006)
ivan, you are a worthless piece of import loving trash. please, go live in asia where you can be surrounded by your passion.
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murphy 11:02AM (12/21/2006)
Ivan the terrible you are awefully critical for someone who can't even spell or capitalize his words correctly (I guess you don't work for your beloved perfect foreign automakers).
What is that crap about cars that only last 100k and truck 150k that is a joke. I have a Ford Contour with 217k, Explorer with 140k, and a Mustang with 115k all run perfect. So much for your "tons of engineer friends".
You say "perform or die" well domestics are performing but people like you refuse to see that. Ford's quality is improving faster than anyone else right now. We aren't #1 quality but we're closing in. I know we just had a meeting about it at work. I really don't understand why people like you hate seeing American auto companies do good.
This might be some childish game of denial to you but this is my life. This is tens of thousands of peoples lives and jobs. Stop acting like an idiot and show some support for fellow Americans.
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Tracy 11:12AM (12/21/2006)
Ivan is a freakin idiot!!!!!
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SEedooos 11:14AM (12/21/2006)
Honda and Toyota are not "whipping their asses." Ford and GM still outsell them in the US. They simply haven't competed in the sedan department. The trucks and SUVs from Ford and GM are THE BEST ON THE MARKET! The new Expedition and Tahoe are wonderful vehicles, and once they start putting that sort of design and passion into their cars, the Camry and Accord will need to watch out. The ONLY market where Ford is doing bad financially is the North American market, and I have confidence that both GM and Ford will regain the attention of the American buying public!
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