Managing Change in a VUCA World a Retrospective Case Studies of Ford and GM
Author
Thebe, Subas
Term
4. term
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-06-07
Pages
100
Abstract
Den globale finanskrise i 2008 ændrede den amerikanske bilindustri markant. Denne afhandling ser tilbage på to cases om Ford og General Motors (GM). Krisen sænkede salget og medførte store nettotab for begge virksomheder. GM gik i Chapter 11 konkursbeskyttelse, en amerikansk ordning der gør det muligt at rekonstruere virksomheden, modtog en statslig redningspakke og blev relanceret som New GM under statsligt ejerskab. Ford undgik konkurs og statsligt ejerskab. Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan begge virksomheder håndterede forandringer i et hurtigt skiftende og turbulent erhvervsklima, som blev det nye normal. Den fremhæver lederes rolle som forandringsagenter, der igangsætter, gennemfører og styrer forandringer under hårde, usikre og komplekse vilkår. Studiet anvender VUCA-rammen – volatilitet, usikkerhed, kompleksitet og tvetydighed – til at beskrive de udfordringer, organisationer møder. Det påpeger, at mange virksomheder har svært ved at reagere på VUCA, og at hver komponent kræver en særskilt tilgang. Afhandlingen analyserer, hvordan organisationer kan identificere, hvilken VUCA-komponent de står overfor, og hvordan man håndterer hver enkelt.
The 2008 global financial crisis reshaped the U.S. auto industry. This thesis looks back at two case studies of Ford and General Motors (GM). The crisis cut sales and caused large net losses for both companies. GM entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a U.S. legal process that allows a company to reorganize, received a federal bailout, and relaunched as New GM under government ownership. Ford avoided bankruptcy and government ownership. The thesis examines how each company managed change in a fast-moving and turbulent business environment that became the new normal. It highlights the role of leaders as change agents who initiate, implement, and manage change under severe, uncertain, and complex conditions. The study uses the VUCA framework—volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—to describe the challenges organizations face. It notes that many companies struggle to respond to VUCA and that each component requires a different approach. The thesis analyzes how organizations can identify which VUCA element they are facing and how to address each one separately.
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