Everyday People: Why Is Bigger Still Better?

Mike Smitka Everyday People: Why Is Bigger Still Better? But in order to serve small towns and the many users with different "needs...

Downsizing = Exiting the Business: Where Lie Economies of Scale?

Mike Smitka J erry Flint, the long-standing auto industry person and later senior editor at Forbes, has a short article in Wardsauto.com arg...

Chrysler dies; bailout a success

Mike Smitka Q uite frankly, I don't expect Chrysler to last the year. Indeed, I would be surprised if the "new" Chrysler, to b...

Dealers: The Industry's Lifeline

R etailers are still the Detroit 3’s most valuable asset. Forget over dealering. It’s a dead-end debate. It’s almost impossible to find two...

Is there a GM without Opel?

C an GM sell off assets such as Opel and remain a going concern? I have my doubts. A t one time, while GM assembled cars in most major marke...

In Defense of Dealers

A few years back Michael Dell was quoted as saying he thought the auto industry should adopt elements of his “build to order” PC business m...

Fiat to the Rescue?

C hrysler, heavily dependent on light trucks (jeeps, minivans, pickups), was whipsawed by the spike in gasoline prices in summer 2008. Then ...