General Motors history: pre-2007 and post-2007 periods

History Of General Motors:

General Motors is one of the major companies that have played an integral role in the international auto industry for over 100 years. The company has been able to establish itself in the global auto industry because of its rich history and innovative business strategies. An analysis of General Motors' history reveals that there was point it was the largest corporation in the United States. In addition to this, there was a point in the company's history that it was the single largest employer across the globe. The history of the company can be divided into various phases including creation, acceleration, emotion, revolution, globalization, innovation and challenges, and the modern GM.

Important Periods in General Motors History:

There are various important periods in the history of General Motors that can be classified into several major categories i.e. pre-era-2007 and before as well as during and after 2007 as explained below:

Pre-era 2007:

This is basically the period between the inception of the company and the period of harsh economic times that resulted in General Motors adopting innovation and challenges from 2000-2008. The beginning of this company is traced back to early 1900s when it was founded by William Durant, a shrewd business man who recognized that the future was not in carriages but rather in cars (Halliday, 2009). During the initial years of its inception, General Motors was founded as a holding firm for Buick that resulted in the acquisitions of Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Elmore, and Oakland. As many motor companies were experiencing difficult times during this period because of financial stress, General Motors' founder saw this as a huge opportunity to buy smaller car builders and companies manufacturing car parts and accessories.

While Durant founded the company, he was only involved for a few years in two relatively brief spells but was forced out by financial problems in both instances. Most of the companies that Durant had acquired were subsequently closed because he made more bad deals than good ones despite being a prolific wheeler and dealer. Consequently, he lost control of General Motors in 1910 to banking interests but was forced out of the firm in 1920 after his return because his leadership style had not changed.

The other significant point during this period was the development of various types of cars to the extent that GM manufactured tanks, trucks, aircraft and several military supplies during World War II. By the second half of the 20th Century, the firm developed tens of millions of cars and trucks that were of good quality. At the beginning of the new millennium, General Motors had developed to the extent that it built a strong presence in emerging markets and finalized its transformation into a single international company ("Innovation & Challenges," n.d.). The company focused on developing new and quality designs though it experienced difficulties in regaining its market share from its offshore competitors. In January 2007, GM introduced the concept of Chevrolet Volt, a vehicle that could operate on vehicle power and range extender after the depletion of battery charge.

During and After 2007:

The introduction of the Chevrolet Volt concept at the beginning of 2007 was a significant point in the company's history that was a reflection of its focus on innovative strategies. This development was preceded by the closure of the Oldsmobile division in 2004 as part of the firm's attempt to reduce its lineup and the sale of its locomotive division in 2005. The introduction of this concept also occurred at a time when General Motors was experiencing challenging economic times.

Following the major recession and credit crisis across the globe in 2008, General Motors fell short of critical operating cash. The recession and global crisis not only contributed to the huge decline in car sales to near levels of depression but it dried up the private sources of capital. GM received a bridge loan from the United States Treasury on the basis that it should restructure its ongoing operations in the U.S. The development of the Chevrolet Volt concept was realized in 2010 when the first Volts were delivered to customers.

Importance of Communicating, Collaborating, and Organizing to an Organization:

Communicating, collaborating, and organizing are important elements to an organization because of their applications to consumer, market/positioning, and the internal organization. These three aspects are applied to the internal organization by facilitating healthy relationships between the management and employees within the organization. Communication, collaboration, and organizing helps in improving work efficiencies within the organization as managers, supervisors, and workers interact effectively in the firm's daily operations.