Ford: Apply the Issues and

Ford: apply the issues and concepts of Consumers stakeholder and Community stakeholder. Consumers and Communities as Ford's Stakeholders The consumers and the communities are two of the most important categories of organizational stakeholders. The consumers are the ones purchasing what Ford produces and ensuring as such its future revenue sustainability. The communities are the global locations where Ford operates.

Despite the general understanding of the importance of the two categories of stakeholders, the recent events in Ford's history have proved a reduced emphasis on the satisfaction of the needs of the two categories. In terms of the customers for instance, the company did not recognize their real need for fuel-efficient engines. Relative to the communities, the company reduced its efforts to sustaining their development when they decided to close down several of their plants and cost the jobs of tens of thousands of individuals.

In both situations however, the automobile manufacturer implemented various concepts and issues, with the clear aim of presenting the expectations it had from the customers and the communities, as well as its own commitment to these two categories of stakeholders (Svendsen, 1998). The Consumers as Stakeholders It is without any doubt that the abilities of the American automobile manufacturer to serve the needs of its customer base have suffered some reductions throughout the previous years.

Nevertheless, the company is currently engaged in efforts to revive its research and development efforts in order to develop and integrate more fuel-efficient engines in small size cars -- evidence of the success already registered in this direction stands the new version of Ford Fiesta, constructed on the platform of the Mazda 2. Aside the incremental focus on R&D to serve customer demands, the company has also revealed that the economic crisis reduces the population's purchasing powers.

These suffered demises even more so when banks and other traditional financial institutions offered fewer credits and imposed more drastic conditions. As a response to the growing need for financial resources to secure the purchase of an automobile, the company opened its Financial Services subsidiary.

Its revenues for 2008 comparative to those of 2007 were significantly decreased, but fact remains that the subsidiary was able to support the company customers in making the automobile purchases they desired, and they could do this by meeting less bureaucracy and given improved interest rates and other financial criteria (The Ford Motor Company 2008 Annual Report). There are numerous other ways by which the Ford Motor Company strives to improve its relationship with the customers, while also increasing their levels of satisfaction.

They for instance promise sustained efforts in small size vehicles and assure that the 2011 Fiesta will be worth the wait; the assigned strategy is entitled Small Car, Big Plans. 2010 is expected to launch Ford's Mercury Mila hybrid car. The company makes sustained investments in the technologies it uses and incorporates to improve the final quality of the products, but also in the complementary service it offers, such as financial assistance or vehicle maintenance (The Ford Motor Company Website, 2009).

The Communities as Stakeholders It is generally accepted than any economic agent will place a reduced emphasis on the role of communities as stakeholders, than on that of consumers. While it can be argued that Ford has implemented a similar approach and has paid increased attention to clients rather than communities, the automobile maker cannot be accused of wrongful behavior within the communities in which it operates.

And this is even true despite the massive firings which shook the company throughout the past year as they were simply taken as drastic measures to help the company overcome the financial crisis, and not as direct endeavors aiming to attack the well-being of the communities. In order to better understand the company's implementation of concepts and notions of communities as stakeholders, it is best to pinpoint some of the actions employed by the company's managerial team relative to communities.

For instance, the company founded its Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services subsidiary, which "promotes corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity in communities where we do business. The Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto-related safety and American heritage and legacy. Ford's presence in the community also provides opportunities for salaried employees and retirees to volunteer through the Ford Volunteer Corps" (The Ford Motor Company 2008 Annual Report). The number and nature of the institutions and projects supported by the American automobile.