:: rawblogXport ::

:: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 ::

Plebian Prince -Tom LaSorda, union man's son, boss at Chrysler. - BY PAUL INGRASSIA AND JOHN D. STOLL, Opinion Journal, NJ
Meanwhile, in the quest to add fuel-efficient small cars to Chrysler's lineup, Mr. LaSorda is turning to China. His deal to import cars from Chery Automobile Co. likely will make Chrysler the first Detroit company to import Chinese cars to the U.S. It's yet another irony for a man with deep union roots, but Mr. LaSorda says he has no choice.

'We can't compete in this segment with our cost structure in Canada and the U.S.,' he says. 'So what do we do, just sit and wait?' When he gets questions from friends, he explains: 'OK, why don't you put your consumer hat back on for a second and please tell me everything in your house that is Chinese? Your iPods, your computers, your DVDs. And then go through your clothing racks and determine where that's all from. And don't forget that the cars you're buying today already contain components from China.' It's all a far cry from the import-bashing that Chrysler's most famous CEO, Lee Iacocca, was doing 20 years ago. "

posted 7:16 AM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

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