2). The company is also actively engaged in ongoing improvements in the environmental performance of its facilities. For example, the company reports that it has reduced global energy use by 27% and global water use by 25% compared to 2000 levels (Environment). The company reports that it seeks to improve its environmental footprint in the following ways: Working to provide effective environmental solutions;

Working to continuously reduce the environmental impacts of our business in line with the company's commitment to sustainable development;

Measuring, understanding and responsibly managing the company's resource use, especially materials of concern and nonrenewable resources; and,

Working to eliminate waste (Environment, p. 4).

Impact of Increased Sales or Increased Revenue on Ford's Pricing Strategy and Market Potential.

Assuming that the existing market saturation levels in some of Ford's markets are resolved in the near future, the company still faces some important restrictions on its ability to produce vehicles that must be taken into account. For example, in her book, Ford and the Global Strategies of Multinationals, Studer-Noguez (2002) reports that, "In order to survive and maximize profits, auto makers must comply with structural rules or the 'who-gets-what' rules in the automobile industry. Structural rules are derived from production technologies (hard and soft technologies) that are successful in producing cars efficiently" (p. 14). Even though the company has embraced automation in a major way throughout its production facilities, these structural rules will continue to affect the company's ability to acquire the materials it needs to produce vehicles in the future.

The research showed that Ford Motor Company enjoys a solid position in the global automotive industry today and currently occupies the number three spot among its competitors. The company has a long history of embracing automation and mass production techniques that will likely continue in the future. While the company's image suffered during the latter half of the 20th century in terms of the quality of its products compared to its Japanese counterparts, this perception has been largely overcome with the introduction of new brands that the company proclaims are...

Unfortunately, the company's current marketing campaign in this regard does not emphasize any efforts to exceed this level of quality or become better than its competitors, and "just as good" is not "better than." The research also showed that Henry Ford's original concepts concerning the need for recycling were based on his desire to save money rather than the environment, but this has changed in significant ways in recent years with the company adopting a number of environmentally responsible approaches to its manufacturing processes. Finally, given the current trends in energy prices and demand from the burgeoning economic powerhouses of China, India and Brazil, Ford would be well advised to actively pursue research into alternative fuel vehicles and bring hybrid models to market as soon as possible - hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would be even better.