GM's Biggest Challenge in 2014
GM product chief Mary Barra will take over as CEO later this month. Her biggest challenge: Shifting GM's revival into high gear. Photo credit: General Motors Co.
General Motors has come a long way since it exited bankruptcy back in 2009. It's solidly profitable, and its latest products are selling well and impressing critics. But much work needs to be done: GM's profits aren't anywhere near those of its closest rivals, and it still hasn't really harnessed the potential of its massive global scale.
Change comes slowly in the auto business, but retiring CEO Dan Akerson did a good job of getting GM rolling in the right direction. Now, with the U.S. government no longer among its shareholders, GM has an opportunity to shift into high gear under its new CEO, Mary Barra.
Much has been made of the fact that Barra is the first woman to lead a global automaker. But Barra proved her mettle by successfully completing what many observers thought would be an impossible task: fixing GM's slow and bloated product-development process. The result has been cars like the Chevy Impala and Cadillac CTS, which have wowed critics and customers alike.
But as she takes the wheel as CEO, Barra faces an even bigger challenge: transforming GM from a promising turnaround story to a global powerhouse. As Fool contributor John Rosevear explains in this video, GM needs to up its game in a big way this year -- and Barra will have to hit the ground running to keep GM's revival on track.
Why it's time to say goodbye to "Made in China"
For the first time since the early days of this country, we're in a position to dominate the global manufacturing landscape thanks to a single, revolutionary technology: 3D printing. Although this sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, the success of 3-D printing is already a foregone conclusion to many manufacturers around the world. The trick now is to identify the companies -- and thereby the stocks -- that will prevail in the battle for market share. To see the three companies that are currently positioned to do so, simply download our invaluable free report on the topic by clicking here now.
The article GM's Biggest Challenge in 2014 originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor John Rosevear owns shares of General Motors. You can connect with him on Twitter at @jrosevear. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2014 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
