Case: One Ford

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Case 10: One Ford Strategic Management 4813 Can Ford continue to keep its current momentum moving forward? It has transformed from a loss situation to a profit making business since 2006 when Alan Mulally became CEO, but can he continue that trend? In order to better understand the activities through which Ford develops a competitive advantage and creates value for its shareholders, it is useful to separate it into a series of value-generating activities referred to as the value chain. Michael Porter, in his 1985 book Competitive Advantage, introduced and outlined a standard value chain approach that delineates a series of activities which appear to be common to a wide array of firms. (Porter, 1985) These activities are separated into two main categories, primary activities and support activities. Porter identified the five primary activities as: inbound logistics, outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales, and service. He identified the supporting activities as: procurement, technology development, human resource management, and general administration. This is the system which will be employed here to evaluate the value chain of Ford Motor Company. Inbound Logistics Inbound logistics is defined as a primary activity, and consists of receiving, storing and distributing inputs of a product. It also includes material handling, warehousing, and inventory control. (Gregory G. Dess, 2012) By closing seven manufacturing sites, and streamlining its product offering to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, Mulally led Ford to cut costs in its inbound logistics areas. A smaller number of manufacturing plants in a period of recession and company losses equates to essential money saving measures. One example of an inbound logistics improvement Ford made during this time period was written about in Automotive Logistics in May 2009. Ford

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