General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz says the company is far more streamlined since its restructuring following its emergence from the bankruptcy process.
Speaking at the Geneva motor show, Lutz said: "Post-crisis, GM has had a radical simplification of the decision-making processes. It was very 'procedural' but now decisions on new products do not always go to board level. Once the board sets the capital budget, the management is much more free to make decisions."
Lutz conceded that GM's bankruptcy filing and subsequent government assistance has damaged the brand, and noted that the company has modified its advertising strategy in response.
"There was damage done to the GM brand in the home market because it is partially government owned," said Lutz. "So, now we're dropping GM branding from individual brand ads – for instance, Chevy, Caddy and Buick ads don't have corporate GM branding on anymore."
Lutz also stressed that GM's "global manufacturing system" of sharing platforms remains in place following the company's restructuring, but added that there is space for a greater degree of independence for European divisions Opel and Vauxhall in the future.
Source: Autocar