Car: A Drama of the American Workplace | 
 enlarge | Author: Mary Walton
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Category: Book
List Price: $17.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 306560
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 392
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0393318613
Dewey Decimal Number: 338.476292222
EAN: 9780393318616
ASIN: 0393318613
Publication Date: February 1, 1999
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Amazon.com Review
A whole book dedicated to the manufacture of a single model of car--and not even a sexy model, such as a Lamborghini or a Rolls Royce, but a Ford Taurus! How interesting could that be? In the hands of talented Mary Walton, it is very interesting indeed. Walton spent more than two years inside the belly of the giant Ford Motor Company researching the manufacture of the 1996 Taurus, and her account makes for surprisingly entertaining reading. Walton, who has written extensively about management theory, brings a perceptive eye and a breezy style to her critique of the automobile industry. In addition to the redesign of Ford's popular model, Walton also examines the sometimes volatile relations between the company's engineering staff and its designers, criticizes Ford's hierarchical management structure, and questions the astounding number of upper-level executives recruited from the military and their resulting martial management style. The private lives of Ford employees likewise do not escape Walton's critical eye. Twelve-hour days are common among Ford engineers, but the toll on their personal lives is high. So critical is Mary Walton of Ford's management practices that, upon seeing an early draft of Car, Ford revoked Walton's access to its top executives. For a book that provides both solid entertainment and an in-depth analysis of the auto industry, Car is the top of the line.
Product Description
This astonishing journey into the belly of one of our most important industries, a portrait of the energy and ingenuity of America at work, follows the 1996 Ford Taurus from its conception to its public debut.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
Loved this book! September 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was an excellent read. Walton had an incredible level of access and shared amazingly close details about the multi-year process of developing the redesign of the Taurus and Sable. It was actually a page-turner! I am an admitted "car nut" but I also read business books frequently and this book gave me a good shot of both. I actually wish there were more chapters (it's over 300 pages), because there were some bits left out. But I'd recommend this book highly - it gives the reader a much better appreciation for what goes into making a new model of a high-volume car and it's an entertaining read for anyone interested in business and the personalities that make-up an American corporation.
 Walton's Story About the Making of a New Ford Taurus July 18, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I agree with several reviewers: no special interest in the car industry is required to enjoy this book. Mary Walton's story is a fascinating look at the human drama that is part of developing any complex product and bringing it to market, on time and on budget, despite impossible constraints
Walton had Ford's permission to shadow the team tasked to bring a new Ford Taurus to market, and then write about her experience.
There are many warring factions and few genuinely trusted parties from among the various teams responsibility for the new Taurus. The story is the interaction of various engineering teams, engineers from the plant ("factory rats") where the car is to be made, design groups (they pick the colors), executive leadership and finance that makes the real decision to go ahead and build the car, and most fascinating part: many suppliers told just enough to do their job and maybe, if they are clever, earn a profit.
The two main and very colorful players, and self-described "pros" are Dick Landgraff and George Bell, his right-hand man. Their quotes are peppered throughout the book and by themselves make the book a worthy read. Here are few samples:
George Bell, Landgraff's trusted chief engineer, had a "to make sure no one does anything stupid." Decisions that cost too much or upset the timetable are something stupid.
"Any set of objectives that can be immediately met is probably not aggressive enough." George Bell
Dick Landgraff believed that you should simply "find people you can trust and then empower them to do things. If they screw up, get rid of them."
Some Georgisms: After looking at the engine compartment, "This looks like a dog's breakfast." And "Let's stop lashing ourselves with barbed wire."
"The only thing that really counts is `Did I make the objectives?' I'm not being graded on, `Did I make everyone go away feeling good?'" Landgraff on not caring if he wasn't Mr. Nice Guy.
You had to feel sorry for these amateurs from electronics. All they did was set themselves up for another slam-dunk. They were up against an pro.
"Ford offered too many distractions...going to meeting, being mentors to people...It's more important to pay attention to the car. Every time you don't, something goes wrong. People get caught up with all of this other, what I call frivolous stuff. Like, going to seminars to hear about what's going on with the 1998 steering column, and going to luncheon meeting to find out what truck operations is doing on some other thing. People lose their focus, they lose their ability to remember what it is they're supposed to go do, so they dissipate their efforts in a lot of interesting and perhaps even valuable sorts of things, but they're not critical to what they're really trying to accomplish." Landgraff
"Suppliers...we have to take away all the excuses."
Landgraff letter to Lear Seat president: "You've got to get a guy with real responsibility for the success of the business, you've got to make is clear you're unhappy, and then you've got to follow up."
"Unfortunately, we've hammered on Lear Seat so much, they've grown an asbestos ass." Landgraff
"The problem with these PR guys is, it's amateur night at the movies. Their time horizon's about thirty minutes." Landgraff
Body and Assembly acted as if the plant was "eighteenth-century France. A big castle with a moat around it...I don't pay attention to that stuff." Landgraff.
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In the end, Ford was unhappy with Mary Walton's manuscript and cut off further contact with Ford people. Makes you wonder what Ford was thinking or expecting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it all the time as an alterative to just another faddish management book
If your are looking to work in the car business READ THIS BOOK! March 15, 2007
I have been an engineer in the automobile industry for the past twelve years and this book does a great job of describing what its like. I strongly recommend this book to anyone considering a career in this industry. Even though the Taurus is now gone not much has changed as far as the business goes.
Car, by Mary Walton September 12, 2005
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Very interesting study of the effort to bring a new car design to the showroom. Well written and easy to understand, even while introducing all sorts of automobile jargon. I skimmed through all the "human interest" parts, which described the lives of the main characters. Others might find that interesting, but I was just interested in the interaction of the multitude of groups involved in such a project, most often in competition with each other, and, more often than not, working at cross-purposes.
Even non-car people will love this book June 25, 2002
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
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
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