While the Detroit 2.5 are busy writing plans, maybe they should take a page out of the competition’s playbook. Or maybe not, if they want to keep their jobs. Kim Jong-eun, has been CEO of Hyundai North America since December 2007. “Has been” is the operative word. He’s gone after having been on the job for less than a year. North America accounts for a fifth of Hyundai’s global sales, and Hyundai is the world’s fifth largest auto maker. They want to change both. They are now looking for a local, Reuters reports. The way things stand in Detroit, there should not be a shortage of possible applicants. Or maybe, there is. The job is hazardous. Kim was the third chief executive for Hyundai North America to be fired in two years. The Koreans seem to have a low tolerance for fools failure.
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The job is hazardous. Kim was the third chief executive for Hyundai North America to be fired in two years. The Koreans seem to have a low tolerance for fools failure.
Bertel,
Considering how chaotic Hyundai/Kia have been at the management level in North America, the number of fired executives and issues with their ad agencies, it’s surprising that they’ve sold as many cars here as they have. Amazing what low prices on a decent product will do.
If any of the Detroit companies had executive suite revolving doors that spun as fast as those with the Korean companies, people would use that as evidence of ineptitude, not a low tolerance for failure.
Ronnie Schreiber
Motorobilia
What surprises me is how Hyundai is able to get another victim to jump out of the trenches and charge into the machine guns by accepting the position as CEO. He must know that Hyundai HQ will set sales targets that can’t be met and he’ll be fired within a year, just like all of his predecessors.
Jared, someone has to make the job.
And believe it, someone WILL do it, even just for the sake of having the CEO position in their resumes.
Maybe the Autoextremist should go over there and show ’em how it’s done!
If any of the Detroit companies had executive suite revolving doors that spun as fast as those with the Korean companies, people would use that as evidence of ineptitude, not a low tolerance for failure. -Ronnie Schreiber
Ronnie, let there be no doubt that if Hyundai was inept this would indeed be evidence. Unfortunately for your argument, Hyundai’s performance has, somehow, overcome its struggles with domestic management.
Maybe an alternate perspective is called for. One that includes a view of a corporation as a team of competent, level-headed managers with a shared vision. One that doesn’t rely on a single executive and his personality for its success.
oh my god!
you cant sell Hyundai’s so you must go…..
I can only imagine the smile on that executive`s face when he was canned!
At least he wasn’t required to kill himself!
Free at last..Free at last!
NO MORE HYUNDAI`S…Free at last!
oh my god!
“you cant sell Hyundai’s so you must go”
hilarious…..
I can only imagine the smile on that executive`s face when he was canned!
At least he wasn’t required to kill himself!
Free at last..Free at last!
NO MORE HYUNDAI`S…Free at last!
and by the way….why would Autoextremist want to involve themselves in this??
They are way to busy defending OUR auto industry to waist precious time and resources on Korean JUNK!
oops,I said it…the ‘Junk’ word
sorry!
I SURE WONT DO THAT AGAIN ON TTAC
Taken in their entirety, the actions of Hyundai prove incompetent and dysfunctional management at the top of the Corporation beyond any doubt. Oh, I left out criminal. I think it was the US sales chief who was called out of a meeting with dealers and fired on the spot. “Don’t return to the meeting; leave.” This happened a couple of years ago.
Somehow the engineering and manufacturing arms must be given some slack to run their shows, at least so far. I’ve driven a few of their offerings, and only the Accent was outright terrible to the point of being scary, but I don’t see putting money into one when so many other saner options are available.
“Has been” = two words, or one operative phrase