Bean counters, the normally outspoken bob lutz pulls out all the stops and settles a few scores. I cant say that i was completely surprised when, about two thirds of the way through bob lutz s new book car guys vs bean counters, i caught a sideswipe at myself and the truth about cars, which the retired vicechairman of gm describes as. In his latest book car guys versus bean counters he spotlights those, he believes, who have hurt the industry the most. With the bean counters firmly in charge, carmakers and much of american industry lost their singleminded focus on product excellence.
The battle for the soul of american business, picks up where lutzs earlier book, guts, left off, arguing that the rise of mit and. Well keep you posted on that one, it should be a bad ass read. Nytimes extended best seller list since publication in june. He said the same thing in more words in car guys vs bean counters. The battle for the soul of american business if youre looking for the inside dirt on some of this industrys biggest companies, the evercolorful bob lutz is. Jun 24, 2011 i cant say that i was completely surprised when, about two thirds of the way through bob lutzs new book car guys vs bean counters, i caught a sideswipe at myself and the truth about cars, which the retired vicechairman of gm describes as a web site that often offers anything but. Motoman drives the 20 chevy malibu to visit bob lutz at his own garage. The battle for the soul of american business paperback may 28, 20 by bob lutz author 4. The battle for the soul of american business in 2011 and icons and idiots. Lutz has great credibility on these topics, but he also offers his environmental theories, which despite his.
Bean counters contains all the pearls of wisdom i would expect to see from bob lutz. They do what car guys do best, talk new cars, classic cars and with the release of bob s new book, car guys vs. An excerpt from bob lutz s book car guys vs bean counters author bob lutz spent 47 years in the auto industry, and he ended his career as vice chairman of general motors. In his 2011 book, car guys vs bean counters, robert a bob lutz charts the decline of the once great company and describes his decadelong struggle to rescue it. In his book, car guys versus bean counters, he chronicles the very wary gm of 2001 through its first stillborn turnaround, its acquisition by the american and canadian governments and its new born. Bean counters by bob lutz, norman dietz for free with a 30 day free trial. All the breaks you need in life wait within your imagination, imagination is the workshop of your mind, capable of turning mind energy into accomplishment and wealth. The bean tree by barbara kingsolver is a literal piece that focuses on the theme of awakening, out of which springs hope. Car veteran bob lutz returns to gm business the driver. Now in his late seventies, bob lutz knows his auto industry history, and his latest book, car guys vs. Spanning a fortysevenyear career with the big three and bmw, and after retiring from chrysler in 1998, he was asked back into gm, serving as vice chairman from 2001 to 2010, during which time it had filed for bankruptcy. Further, he maintains a collection of motorcycles that include a suzuki hayabusa, a bmw k1200rs, a bmw k1200s, a bmw r1100s, a bmw k1 and a bmw hp2 sport. I also read that book and was wondering if bob s story in this video would change to make himself look better since it could be considered more visionary now but no, hes sticking to the truth. Apr 15, 2016 in chapter 12 of your book car guys vs.
About the book robert lutz, general motors, car guys vs. Lutz is certainly not that unless you count his sense of humour. He launched a war against penny pinching, office politics, turf wars, and risk avoidance. The battle for the soul of american business if youre looking for the inside dirt on some of this industrys biggest companies, the evercolorful bob lutz is sure to have a shovelfull. Car guys vs bean counters the battle for the soul of american business by lutz, bob author jul212011 hardback 4. At the start of 2008, the outlook appeared quite promising for gm. Well, youre a friend, so im going to try and prevent you from ever driving your business off a cliff by urging you to read car guys vs. Lutz may 2 20 bob lutz car guys vs bean counters bob lutz. Robert anthony bob lutz born february 12, 1932 is a swiss american automotive executive.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading car guys vs. Lutz s commonsense lessons with a generous helping of fascinating anecdotes will inspire readers at any company facing the bean counter analysisparalysis menace. Autoline detroit recently played host to bob lutz, and, as is always the case, the former general motors vice chairman dished out some great commentary. This book showcases a science based plan for feeling your best as you grow older. Author bob lutz spent 47 years in the auto industry, and he ended his career as vice chairman of general motors. It was a pretty good read for his time at gm from about 2001 through the crisis time. He launched a war against penny pinching, office politics, turf wars and risk avoidance.
The battle for the soul of american business reprint by bob lutz isbn. Apr 18, 2016 in chapter 12 of your book car guys vs. Bob lutz would, im sure, proudly describe himself as a car guy to his core. Our website is a unique platform where students can share their papers in a matter of giving an example of the work to be done. The guy is a little bit full of himself but it shed some new light on how gm got in trouble, how the foreign brands got a leg up during the cafe period, how. All achievements, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea. Bean counters which i very much enjoyed reading, you state that you like a management style similar to that of. Its more recent models had been well received and the company had won. He is a certified personal trainer that specializes in metabolism, weight loss and fitness. I was expecting a good discussion of the soul of ameican business finance guys vs. In spite of the sample listen it is not about policy or the bean counter vs. What does his book tell us about what really went on inside gm.
See all 9 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Bean counters, the normally outspoken bob lutz pulls out all the stops and. The battle for the soul of american business, and talk quickly turned to his role as it related to product development and highlevel decision making at gm. Bean counters, lutz hammers his thesis on the big threes wall. Sloans management classic, my years with general motors. Aug 27, 2019 bob lutz, now 87 and another industry legend and former vicechairman of gm and veteran of chrysler, ford and bmw, described piech this way in his book car guys vs bean counters, the battle for. Lutz has a reputation for speaking his mind and straight shooting. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. At the tableif not running the meetingwhen most of the big decisions came down, the author, now in his late 70s, was often appalled by youthful beancounting mbas with their 4.
Perhaps the book would have been better served by the title bob lutz vs. The fate of empires and search for survival part five. Bean counters the battle for the soul of american business. Bob lutz businessman wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. What matters, lutz argues, is having on board at least one automotive artist with the talent to design desirable new cars. In this concluding part, gm hits the buffers and goes cap in hand to the us government. Still, the book s basic problem was alltoo familiar in the world of auto executive. The battle for the soul of american business, by bob lutz. Bob lutz has been the man at several car companies. Spanning a fortysevenyear career with the big three and bmw, and after retiring from chrysler in 1998, he was asked back into gm, serving as vice chairman from 2001 to 2010, during. Bean counters is the best book written by an auto industry insider since iacocca in 1984, and deserves to be shelved alongside alfred p.
Jun 15, 2011 former vice chairman of general motors, bob lutz, has released a new book titled car guys vs bean counters. The battle for the soul of american business free books. Car guys vs bean counters is an enormously entertaining account of how lutz. Lutz built a career as a staunch opponent of bureaucracy and by placing the utmost importance on knowing the product as well as the customer. Greene has written several books on fitness and dieting.
The 7 laws of business that made chrysler the worlds hottest car company, published in 1998, car guys vs. See all 15 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Bob lutz net worth, bio, daughter, wife, salary, height. A legend in the car industry reveals the philosophy thats starting to turn general motors around. The battle for the soul of american business paperback 26 june 20 by bob lutz author 4. What follows is a digest of that book, supplemented with additional information where appropriate.
Bob lutz motivational business consulting in ann arbor, mi. Bean counters is a thoughtprovoking commentary from auto industry maven bob lutz. The battle for the soul of american business he says it was the mbas that knew nothing about the car business but only making money from money that totally destroyed most of american manufacturing. The battle for the soul of american business by bob lutz 2011, mp3 cd, unabridged at the best online prices at ebay. So its no surprise that the subtitle of the book he has written upon retiring from general motors is an overreach. The battle for the soul of american business by bob lutz is a good book to realize that in business all you need is a. Car guys versus bean counters general discussion car. The battle for the soul of american business ebook written by bob lutz. I have also followed the stories on this cocky but extraordinary car guru bob lutz since his days at chrysler, a true hero of the car industry and an honest reporter of its dysfunctional ways that led to bankruptcy. After declaring bankruptcy during the recession of 2008, gm is back on track thanks to its embrace of lutzs philosophy. Apr 14, 2016 in chapter 12 of your book car guys vs.
He started his automotive career at gm in 1963 where he held senior leadership positions in europe until 1971. Bean counters is the best book written by an auto industry insider since iacocca in 1984 and deserves to be shelved alongside alfred pl sloans management classic, my years with general motors. Lutz has a highly anticipated book coming out this summer called, car guys vs. The fate of empires and search for survival part one. Car guys vs bean counters by bob lutz ft business book. According to bob lutz, that is a fairly good description of gm when he arrived in 2001 as vice chairman in charge of product development. After declaring bankruptcy during the recession of 2008, gm is back. Still, the books basic problem was alltoo familiar in the. He joins morning joe to discuss his new book car guys vs bean counters, which. The battle for the soul of american business, is about his experiences in the us automobile industry. Now comes an encore in the lutz on lutz genre car guys vs. He has lived in the most inner circles at ford, bmw. He joins morning joe to discuss his new book car guys vs bean counters, which focuses on how auto companies lost their way and how they can recover their lost greatness.
I think dagosa had mentioned it in one of the threads. Bean counters which i very much enjoyed reading, you state that you like a management style similar to that of ferdinand piech. This is a book about general motors history and personal ramblings and selfpromotion. Car guys vs bean counters by bob lutz ft business book of. Daniel ocallaghans digest of bob lutz s 2011 book, car guys vs bean counters. Lutz wrote every word in longhand and every sentence bears his distinctive voice. Lutz is known as a collector of classic automobiles and military jets. Bean counters is the best book written by an auto industry insider since iacocca.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read car guys vs. The first 35 or more your choice paragraphs should be a book summary. An excerpt from bob lutzs book car guys vs bean counters. Bean counters the battle for the soul of american business by bob lutz available from rakuten kobo. Thats probably why he was never the chief executive because he refused to play the game. Bean counters makes the point that gm was doing fine until in the mid 1970s the mbatrained finance guys took control of product development from the. Quality rules, consumers notice when the aforementioned bean counters decontent cars to save money, and styling really matters to auto shoppers. Oct 04, 2011 none have, until exvice chairman bob lutzs new book, car guys vs. Among other aircraft, he owns and pilots an aero l39 albatros an advanced czechoslovakian jet fighter trainer and an md500 helicopter. Over the years, lutz has authored three books titled guts. Those who dont know of bob lutz have an excellent opportunity to remedy that by reading his latest book, car guys vs bean counters. The battle for the soul of american business kindle edition by lutz, bob.
Jul 20, 2011 bob lutz in his recent book car guys vs. Listen to unlimited audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. The battle for the soul of american business lutz, bob on. Jul 07, 2011 now comes an encore in the lutz on lutz genrecar guys vs. His career has taken him across all of the big three auto manufacturers, which has. Bean counters bob lutz worked at a various number of car companies before returning to general motors in 2001. On sunday i happened to tune in to bob brinkers moneytalk radio show when former gm vice chairman and car guy extraordinaire, bob lutz, was on promoting his new book. Bean counters is really supposed to be about is the ignominious descent of one of americas great corporations into chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and status as a ward of the. The battle for the soul of american business by bob lutz. In 2001, general motors hired bob lutz out of retirement with a mandate to save the company by making great cars again.