Strategy Analysis of General Motors
Strategy Analysis of General Motors
Strategy Analysis of General Motors
CONTENT
2
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………3
1. COMPANY OVERVIEW………………………………………………5
2. VISION, MISSION, OBJECTIVES……………………………………7
3. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS……………………………………12
4. COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS …………………………………………24
5. SET OF STRATEGIES………………………………………………..29
CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………35
LIST OF REFERENCES………………………………………………………37
3
INTRODUCTION
COMPANY OVERVIEW
growth. Key trends in the industry include a shift toward electric vehicles (EVs),
advancements in autonomous driving technology, increased focus on
sustainability, and the integration of connectivity and mobility solutions.
The automotive market's capacity is vast, with increasing demand for
electric and hybrid vehicles driven by environmental concerns and government
regulations. Emerging markets, especially in Asia-Pacific and Latin America,
present growth opportunities due to rising incomes and expanding middle-class
populations.
GM faces fierce competition from other global automakers such as
Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford, and Tesla. These competitors continually innovate
to gain market share, particularly in the EV segment.
GM's future prospects are promising, especially with its commitment to
electric vehicles and advancements in autonomous technology. The company's
investments in R&D, strategic partnerships, and its established brand presence
position it well to attract new customers and adapt to evolving market demands.
Overall, GM's future success will depend on its ability to stay at the
forefront of technological innovation, respond to changing consumer
preferences, and navigate regulatory changes within the automotive industry.
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The vision and mission statements define the purpose of the organization
and instill a sense of belonging and identity in the employees. This motivates
them to work harder in order to achieve success. It gives the right mindset to
grow a business.
The mission statement provides the direction that is to be followed by the
organization while the vision statement provides the goal (or the destination) to
be reached by following the direction.
It helps to properly align the resources of an organization towards
achieving a successful future. The mission statement provides the organization
with a clear and effective guide for making decisions, while the vision statement
ensures that all the decisions made are properly aligned with what the
organization hopes to achieve
The vision and mission statements provide a focal point that helps to
align everyone with the organization, thus ensuring that everyone is working
towards a single purpose. This helps to increase efficiency and productivity in
the organization. [5]
General Motors’ mission statement is “to earn customers for life by
building brands that inspire passion and loyalty through not only breakthrough
technologies but also by serving and improving the communities in which we
live and work around the world.” This mission statement shows GM’s holistic
approach to addressing external factors that influence the business. For a
mission to be effective it must include the following 9 components [6]:
Customers. No mention
Products or services. No mention
Markets. Mentioned
Technology. No mention
Concern for survival. No mention
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Philosophy. Mentioned
Self-concept. Mentioned
Concern for public image. Mentioned
Concern for employees. No mention
For a corporation like General Motors the mission statement must be
more filled. For instance, they did not provide information about their products
or services so it's not understandable for customers what exactly they are
selling, the second point is who is their ideal customers or for whom they are
producing their services. Likewise, in my opinion, it is necessary to add a
couple of words about their environmental concerns as the manufacturing of
cars is a highly polluting business. According to this statement, there is no
mention that employees are a valuable asset of the organization and their
commitment to growth and financial soundness.
The main points of General Motors’ corporate mission statement are as
follows:
Earning customers for life
Brands that inspire passion and loyalty
Breakthrough technologies
Serving and improving communities
General Motors' mission centres on fostering customer loyalty, relying on
inspirational brands like Buick and Chevrolet to attract customers to their
vehicles. Their corporate vision emphasizes breakthrough technologies for
energy efficiency, zero emissions, and autonomous driving, driving a
technology-focused approach to product development. This commitment
requires strong research and development for the competitive edge and fulfilling
their mission.
GM's mission also underscores community impact, aligning with its
corporate social responsibility goals and striving for excellent corporate
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mission
● Time-based: To be accomplished within 5 years.
vehicle segment.
● Attainable: GM has enough resources, power and expertise to
These goals provide a framework for GM to set specific targets that are
measurable, achievable, relevant to their business objectives, and have defined
timeframes for achievement.
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ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
significant potential for enhancing General Motors' brand image. As they sell
vehicles under different brand names, strategies should emphasize bolstering the
overall brand reputation to effectively reach a wider customer base.
Table 1
External Factors Evaluation Matrix
External Fator Weight Rating Weighted Score
Opportunities
Exploring the market 0.09 2 0.18
Advertisements and Campaigns 0.075 3 0.225
Increase in Demand for SUVs 0.055 3 0.165
Use of advanced technologies 0.095 2 0.19
Timing and frequency of the new model releases 0.08 2 0.16
Demand for autonomous vehicles 0.085 3 0.255
Threats
Semiconductor crisis 0.1 1 0.1
Increase in manufacturing cost 0.075 2 0.15
Intense Competition 0.08 3 0.24
The decline of the US Automotive market 0.07 3 0.21
The rising U.S. dollar exchange rate 0.06 1 0.06
Increasing government regulations may raise the costs 0.075 2 0.15
U.S. automotive market is poised to slow down or even decline 0.06 1 0.06
Total 1 2.145
General Motors has been compelled to curtail its investments in research and
the development of new vehicles.
3. Intensified Competitive Landscape: The automotive industry
remains fiercely competitive, witnessing the continual entry of new players.
Simultaneously, established brands like Kia, Hyundai, and Toyota actively
pursue business expansion, posing a significant competitive challenge to
General Motors.
4. Challenges in the US Automotive Market: General Motors faces
potential repercussions from the deceleration of the US Automotive market.
With a substantial dependency on the US market for revenue, the saturation of
demand for new vehicles within the country is leading to a decline. This trend
could significantly impact General Motors' overall revenue trajectory.
5. The Escalating U.S. Dollar Exchange Rate: A significant portion,
approximately 37%, of General Motors' revenue is derived from international
markets. Consequently, the company must convert earnings from various
foreign currencies into US dollars for revenue computation and profit
repatriation. Due to the volatile nature of currency rates, the company's profits
and revenue are exceptionally sensitive to fluctuations in exchange rates. As
these rates are beyond the company's control, any surge in the value of the U.S.
dollar poses a substantial risk, potentially leading to a significant decrease in the
company's profits.
6. Mounting Government Regulations Impacting Costs: Governments
worldwide are committed to curbing greenhouse gas emissions and actively
promote fuel efficiency initiatives. However, these environmental initiatives
carry a risk of escalating production costs for car manufacturers. In a highly
competitive and price-sensitive market, there remains uncertainty whether these
increased costs can be absorbed or recouped, posing a challenge for
manufacturers.
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Table 2
Internal Factors Evaluation Matrix
Internal Fator Weight Rating Weighted Score
Strengths
Strong brands 0.08 4 0.32
Human resource expertise for automotive development 0.06 3 0.18
Economies of scale in car production 0.07 4 0.28
Strong position in the U.S. automotive market 0.085 4 0.34
Sustainability and environmental policies 0.085 4 0.34
Safe and eco-friendly vehicles 0.09 4 0.36
OnStar all-in-one assistant 0.075 4 0.3
Weaknesses
Product designs specific to the American market 0.075 2 0.15
Lack of flexibility because of bureaucracy 0.07 1 0.07
Limited business diversification 0.075 2 0.15
Reliance on pickup trucks and SUVs for profit 0.08 1 0.08
Brand awareness 0.075 2 0.15
Product Recalls 0.08 2 0.16
Total 1 2.88
and trucks, it mainly relies on large vehicles such as SUVs and pickup trucks to
generate most of the profits.
5. Brand awareness. The company brings in new vehicles under the
names of the other ten brands to fulfill the needs of its customers. But, this can
cause the dilution of the core brand resulting in a decrease in brand recognition.
Many competitors of General Motors, including Toyota, Honda, Hyundai,
Volkswagen, and Land Rover, have better brand recognition than General
Motors. The company does not conduct any sales under the name of its core
brand, which is one of its main weaknesses.
6. Product Recalls: Product Recalls of a company generally cost a high
amount. In 2020, the company had to recall more than 7 million pickup trucks
and SUVs because Takata airbag inflator replacement for safety reasons was
necessary. It was essential for ensuring the security of the customers. Moreover,
this can negatively impact the brand image of the company [9].
In conclusion, The Internal Factors Evaluation (IFE) matrix for General
Motors (GM) shows that the company has some strong points and some weak
points that can affect how well it does. The total score of 2.88 suggests that
GM's strengths are more important at the time of the assessment.
GM has strengths like strong brands, experienced people, making cars
efficiently, a good position in the U.S. market, and being eco-friendly. These
things help GM do well. But GM also has weaknesses, like making cars that are
mostly good for the American market, having too many rules that make them
slow, needing more different kinds of businesses, and making a lot of money
from big trucks and SUVs. These weaknesses can hold GM back.
In simple terms, GM has a good starting point, but it needs to work on its
weak points to do even better and be ready for changes in the market. They
should use their strengths and fix their weaknesses to stay competitive.
SWOT analysis. After all factors are specified and analysed, it is possible
to develop a SWOT Matrix (tab. 3). Using assessing methodology, I evaluated
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each factor and calculated a score for each of the four quadrants (SO, ST, WO,
WT) of a SWOT Matrix.
Table 3
Evaluation of each factor of the SWOT matrix.
Opportunities Threats
De Incre
ma The asing
Incr Timing nd decli The gover U.S.
Inte
Adv eas Use and for Incr ne of risin nmen automoti
nsit
Factor ertis e in of freque aut eas the g t ve
y
Expl eme De adv ncy of ono Sem e in Inte US U.S. regul market is
(A)
orin nts man anc the mo icon man nse Auto dolla ation poised to
g and d ed new us duct ufac Co moti r s may slow
the Cam for tech model veh or turi mpe ve exch raise down or
mar paig SUV nolo releas icle crisi ng titio mark ange the even
ket ns s gies es s s cost n et rate costs decline
P. Probability of
-
occurrence 0.85 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.85 0.9 0.75 0.85 0.8 0.5 0.75 0.7 0.45
K. Coefficient of
-
influence 0.9 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.8 0.9
Strengths
Strong brands 5 5 5 4 4 2 5 -1 0 5 4 0 0 4
Human 5 1 4 4 3 0 0 4 5 4 0 0 1
resource
expertise for 4
automotive
development
Economies of 0 2 3 1 4 1 -4 4 4 3 0 3 4
scale in car 4
production
Strong position -2 1 2 0 0 0 -3 3 3 4 0 4 0
in the U.S.
5
automotive
market
Sustainability 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
and
5
environmental
policies
Safe and eco- 4 5 5 5 4 5 0 3 3 3 0 0 0
4
friendly vehicles
OnStar all-in- 4 3 5 0 5 0 0 0 -3 2 0 0 0 0
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one assistant
Weaknesses
Product designs
specific to the
-3 -4 -2 4 0 0 -4 -4 -4 -4 -5 0 0 -5
American
market
Lack of
flexibility
-2 -3 -1 -1 -3 -3 -4 -5 -3 -3 -5 0 -3 -5
because of
bureaucracy
Limited
business -4 -5 0 -3 -2 -4 -4 -3 -2 -2 -5 0 -2 -5
diversification
Reliance on
pickup trucks
-1 -3 0 5 0 -3 -3 0 -4 -4 -4 0 0 -4
and SUVs for
profit
Brand
-3 -2 -4 -1 0 0 -2 0 0 -4 0 0 0 -3
awareness
Product Recalls -4 -4 -3 -5 -1 -4 -4 -2 -5 -4 -5 0 0 -3
The given matrix provided needed data for future calculation of factors
(matrix provided below) and according to this evaluation, I can consider that the
highest value in the SO=275.27 quadrant signifies that aligning strengths with
identified opportunities is the most promising avenue for the organization's
growth and success.
While strengths could mitigate some threats (ST=40.28), the impact may
not be as substantial as their alignment with opportunities. Addressing
weaknesses in relation to opportunities (WO=158.30) remains important, as the
potential positive outcomes are notable but not as impactful as leveraging
strengths.
Efforts to mitigate weaknesses in the context of threats (WT=121.85) are
crucial to prevent these weaknesses from exacerbating the identified threats
(tab. 4).
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Table 4
Calculated value of factors
Opportunities Threats
O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
successful automakers. This success stems from Toyota's corporate purpose and
vision statements, which promote a holistic strategy that considers innovation
and consumer demands. The strategic goals that go along with them help the
firm acquire a competitive advantage over rival car companies like Tesla. GM,
BMW, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, and Renault are among the
automakers. According to the Porter's Five Forces study of Toyota Motor
Corporation, these competitors have a strong competitive force. As stated in its
corporate purpose and vision statements, the firm aspires to dominate the global
automobile industry, particularly via design and innovation that reflect current
market and customer preferences. Toyota's strategic decisions are guided by the
aims and objectives established by the company's vision and mission statements
[14].
Mercedes-Benz is a global luxury automobile brand and a German
company Daimler AG division. The brand is known for its high-quality
vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses, and vans, catering to diverse customers
worldwide. Mercedes-Benz traces its origins back to 1886 when Karl Benz
invented the first gasoline-powered automobile, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen.
Mercedes-Benz geographically operates in various regions, including Europe,
North America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. The brand’s global
presence and diversified portfolio have contributed to its position as a market
leader in the luxury automobile segment.
Mercedes-Benz Group AG’s sharpened focus on high-end passenger cars
and premium vans, combined with tight cost control, helped to lift Earnings
Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) by 28% to €20.5 billion (2021: €16.0 billion)
last year, outpacing a 12% rise in revenue to €150.0 billion (2021: €133.9
billion) during the same period.[15]
Once the market has been analyzed and the main competitors have been
identified, a matrix can be created. A Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) is a
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Table 5
Competitive Profile Matrix For General Motors
Competitive Profile Matrix For General Motors
Volkswagen
General Motors Group Toyota Mercedes-Benz
Weight Weigh
Weigh ed Weighte ted Weighte
KPI/CSF t Rating Score Rating d Score Rating Score Rating d Score
Brand Image
and
Reputation 0.125 4 0.5 4 0.5 4 0.5 4 0.5
Product
Quality and
Innovation 0.13 3 0.39 4 0.52 4 0.52 4 0.52
Market
Presence and
Global Reach 0.09 1 0.09 4 0.36 4 0.36 4 0.36
Financial
Position 0.08 2 0.16 4 0.32 4 0.32 4 0.32
Research &
Development
Investment 0.12 2 0.24 3 0.36 4 0.48 4 0.48
Production
Efficiency and
Supply Chain 0.095 3 0.285 3 0.285 4 0.38 3 0.285
Customer
Loyalty and
Satisfaction 0.12 3 0.36 4 0.48 4 0.48 4 0.48
Environmental
Sustainability
Initiatives 0.105 2 0.21 3 0.315 3 0.315 4 0.42
Technological
Advancements 0.135 3 0.405 4 0.54 4 0.54 4 0.54
Total 1- 2.64 - 3.68 - 3.895 - 3.905
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and incorporating advanced technologies into its vehicles. Efforts include the
integration of advanced infotainment systems and connectivity features.
The success of this company depends on accurately implemented
strategies and constant improvements. Such strong strategies benefit the general
motors and directly impact its growth. For instance, the electric vehicle focus
makes GM's commitment to an all-electric future align with the industry's trend
towards sustainable mobility, positioning the company as a frontrunner in EV
development. Diversification and innovation of electric models across various
vehicle segments showcase GM's ability to adapt to changing market demands
and embrace technological advancements. Sustainability initiatives reinforce
GM's commitment to environmental responsibility, which resonates positively
with environmentally conscious consumers. [12]
Also, GM can come across with challenges of high competition in the
electric vehicle market, including from established players and new entrants like
Tesla, which poses a challenge to GM's market share and dominance.
Infrastructure development as the success of electric vehicles depends on robust
charging infrastructure, which remains a hurdle in widespread EV adoption.
Successfully executing strategies amidst rapidly evolving technological
advancements and shifting consumer preferences requires agility and
adaptability.
Moreover, the main company's opportunities are the growing EV market
and technology partnerships. The rising demand for electric vehicles worldwide
presents significant growth opportunities for GM, provided it can capitalize on
this burgeoning market effectively. Collaborations and partnerships with
technology firms can accelerate innovation and enhance GM's competitive
advantage in areas like autonomous driving and connectivity.
The Grand Strategy Matrix is a tool that helps companies evaluate their
strategies based on two key dimensions: market growth rate and competitive
position. The matrix is divided into four quadrants: Quadrant I (Aggressive),
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distinctive features, brand image, quality, and other related variables. For
instance, General Motors channels its research and development endeavors
towards creating energy-efficient vehicles, aligning with its differentiation
strategy. These product features serve to set GM's offerings apart from
competitors, contributing to the company's competitive advantage.
This differentiation strategy complements the technological
advancements emphasized in GM's mission statement and aligns with the value-
centric approach highlighted in its vision statement. However, it plays a
supporting role to the company's primary strategy of cost leadership, which
underscores its mission to deliver cost-effective vehicles while still focusing on
differentiation to maintain a competitive edge in the automotive market.
35
CONCLUSIONS
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38
https://panmore.com/general-motors-generic-strategy-intensive-growth-
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