Ford Sets Up Policy Shop To Identify And Counter Competitive Threats Such As Apple And Google

At his first town hall meeting as Ford Motor Co.'s CEO, Alan Mulally said corporate strategy would be devised by the people running the Blue Oval business — not, he implied, by a policy shop paid big money to think big thoughts.

His successor, Mark Fields, has a different take for a different time. Unlike the existential threat that Mulally inherited in 2006, the profitable company Fields leads now faces competitive threats posed by technology-fueled change, the innovation it drives and how it promises to reshape consumer behavior.

In a series of high-profile moves, Fields is doing something his predecessor seldom did during the epic turnaround of Ford: recruiting high-level outside talent to help operating executives navigate competitive threats and identify opportunities for the Dearborn automaker.

Agent009 - 2/24/2015 1:39:44 PM

+1 Boost

Well this is the first time an automaker has realized an outside threat can change the industry.

Apple saw weakness in the mobile phone market and the music industry and look what happened.

Apple doesn't want to dominate the total market, just the portion that like sto spend money. They really aren't concerned with the bottom dwellers of the market only the top percent.

JDMUSMuscle - 2/24/2015 3:58:06 PM

+1 Boost

The Big 3 of America are scared of Google, Tesla and Apple, when practically no one else is scared of them.

This is because, the Japanese and the Europeans know what they are producing, and also, they always come up with something new, when GM, Ford and Chrysler all are nothing but junk makers.

The Big 3 will most likely compete with Google, Tesla and Apple by making more generic and boring junk, and then Google, Tesla and Apple will make some econobox junk so that they can sell tons of their garbage.

Honestly, I'd much rather drive a Toyota Mirai than any of those crappy American companies produce.

JDMUSMuscle - 2/24/2015 4:01:14 PM

+1 Boost

I mean, what will Apple and Google honestly make? Other than something that will compete with Smart ForTwo or Fiat 500?

But will I buy an Apple car? Maybe yes.

MDarringer - 2/24/2015 9:09:24 PM

+1 Boost

Apple and Google ARE NOT THREATS