They clearly understand that none among them can be considered true candidates for advancement within the firm because they have an outlook that is not conducive with the company's new direction. Culture shift within marketing is driven by these outside managers and is critical to give the company the tools to establish a stronger, more integrated global marketing department.
5.1 Implementation
Marketing strategy at Ford is driven now by the need to develop products that can be marketing globally, rather than regionally. The company has made several structural changes in order to implement this strategic shift. They have brought in external managers and they have made structural changes. In order to implement many of their marketing changes, they also needed to bring in the most powerful stakeholder within their marketing arm, their dealers. The dealers have been an important component to Ford's restructuring, since part of the company's malaise can be attributed to poor relationships with its dealer network. Thus, the second key part to implementing the new marketing plan, in addition to the corporate restructuring, has been to increase dealer involvement in the process. The relationships with the dealers have been mended and the dealers are now viewed as partners in the turnaround process (Reign, 2007).
5.2 Marketing Operations
Ford's marketing operations are headed by the VP, Marketing and Communications, who is former Toyota executive Jim Farley (Ford, 2009). The marketing department is a U.S.-based department, however. Global marketing functions typically operate under the auspices of the regional leadership. The new role of Director, Global Marketing, Sales and Service Operations was designed to allow for better coordination between the head office marketing department and the regional marketing units.
The objective is to bring more unity to the marketing function than has existed before. The company is at present going to retain the structure that allows for regional marketing functions, since certain components are best directed locally, including market research...
Ford's U.S. marketing arm, for example, will continue to operate as a distinct entity. This unit works with Product Development for the market research function, works with the dealer networks for the sales function and develops national campaigns. The European marketing arm does the same for that continent, as do other regional arms.
5.3 Contingency Planning
At present, Ford's situation does not allow for much in the way of contingency planning. The company's financial circumstances are not favorable to flexibility. The company, therefore, has been compelled to develop strategies that it feels are necessary to restore market share and profitability. The company is fully committed to its turnaround strategy and as they are in the middle of that path they do not intend to waver. They have essentially entered uncharted waters with their global marketing strategy. The first vehicles to be launched under that strategy are not due until 2010. At this early juncture, if the firm has a contingency plan for the failure of the global marketing strategy, such a plan is not yet evident. Ford's financial position is one wherein failure is not an option -- a contingency plan may be something closer to bankruptcy than a "Plan B."
Works Cited:
No author. (2009). Ford Strengthens Global Marketing Function as Next Step in Implementing 'One Ford'. Reuters. Retrieved July 18, 2009 from http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS186381+27-Jan-2009+PRN20090127
Gardner, Greg. (2009). Rising Star Assigned New Duties at Ford. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 18, 2009 from http://www.freep.com/article/20090718/Business01/907180327/Rising-star-assigned-new-duties-at-Ford
Reign, Glady. (2007). Ford Dealers Urge Mulally for Plan. Street Directory. Retrieved July 18, 2009 from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/54839/cars/ford_dealers_urge_mulally_for_plan.html
Ford Motor Company website. Retrieved July 18, 2009 from http://www.ford.com/about-ford/company-information/corporate-governance/corporate-officers/ford-officers-802p
