Car: A Drama of the American Workplace
Author: Mary Walton
List Price: $17.00
Our Price: Click to see the latest and low price
ISBN: 0393318613
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company (01 February, 1999)
Sales Rank: 119,702
Average Customer Rating: 3.88 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 4 out of 5
Entertaining, readable, but narrow and parochial in focus
It's not surprising that Walton says, in the preface, that she became persona non grata with Ford management once they saw a draft. This book presents an engaging but rarely-seen view of the auto industry, that of people under enormous pressure, careers hanging in the balance, hammering (sometimes literally) together a new product. The individual profiles are clearly drawn, the tensions and rivalries painted in full color.
This book is limited, however, by Walton's very narrow and domestically-skewed view of the automotive industry. She lauds past domestic Ford efforts at headlights, despite the fact that US-market headlights are simply not good enough to be legal in most of the world. She peddles once again the old saw about the '86 Taurus being a radical shape, ignoring the Audi 5000, Saab 900, Honda Legend and Accord, and Ford's own '83 Thunderbird.
Most importantly, she offers no insight into the DN101 Taurus' difficulties in the marketplace. As critical as Walton can be of Ford's processes, she shows no such inclination toward the product - a car that manages to be bigger, heavier, and less spacious than its predecessor, and whose trout-faced shape is scheduled to be subdued for the '98 model.
Rating: 5 out of 5
A Fascinating Look for Interested Outsiders...et al.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in technology, engineering, manufacturing, design, etc. Or, for the non- technical, if you are considering working for a mammoth-sized company such as Ford, or simply have an interest in the automotive industry, this book provides tremendous insight. It is truly fascinating to learn of the scale on which things get done to make a car. It also becomes apparent why Ford, and perhaps other domestic auto companies, seem to fall behind in what the market demands. The DN101 team focused on, and aspired to beat a 1992 Toyota in their 1996 model year car. There are huge lessons in this book for anyone in business. While some have accused Mary Walton of focusing on the controversy, I think she portrayed the reality of such an undertaking, good and bad.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Even non-car people will love this book
I picked this book up and couldn't put it down, I'm not even really interested in the process of designing and producing an automobile. The writing style is fun, and while a bit simple it is highly engaging. A nice departure from the facts, figures and bone dry writing I would have expected. Kristina Osborn
Acquisitions
Columbus College of Art and Design, Packard Library
Similar Products
The End of Detroit : How the Big Three Lost Their Grip on the American Car Market
Comeback : The Fall & Rise of the American Automobile Industry
The Machine That Changed the World : The Story of Lean Production
Turnaround : How Carlos Ghosn Rescued Nissan
Book Index