I'm Nominating John Campi for President …
To win the Oval Office, many candidates lie through their teeth. Consider how George W. Bush campaigned in large part as a free-trading, fiscal conservative but proved anything but. Of course to win the popular -- and/or electoral -- vote it's essential to appeal to all potential constituents even if it's impossible to do so (which is precisely what McCain and Obama are attempting at the moment). But when a politician says something that so firmly runs against his or her actions, it's hard to believe they can get away with it (unless, of course, they're a true spin master like Bill Clinton). Still, you've got to hand it to folks who think they can pull a fast one over the nation. For this reason, I'm nominating Chrysler's John Campi to run for President. Campi actually believes that he can cut supply chain costs by 25% and "improve relationships with suppliers” despite his company’s recent actions -- and supplier rankings -- that put his organization at the bottom of the supplier treatment rankings in Detroit. Making statements like this and backing them up with completely antithetical behavior are making Campi an instant classic in Detroit. Let's hope this skill set can make it's way to Washington at the Oval Office! At the very least, he's shaping up to be true Press Secretary material ...
- Jason Busch
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1. Chrysler will give suppliers 30 days' notice of its production schedule, rather than the one-week notice typical today
2. share more parts among nameplates
3. reduce late engineering changes, which drive up costs, and split savings with suppliers.
All 3 are viable strategies, 1 is more in the area of reduced inventory as opposed to lower piece/price. But who cares. Less inventory is less inventory.
Of course it's going to help that the price of steel is coming down now.
Mr. Campi, maybe I can get you to trial our global metals price index. Some of your suppliers are trying it out...
I support maverick approaches to management and leadership. Otherwise I never would have started this blog before virtually everyone who reads it knew what one was. So don't accuse me of not being part of the game or the solution. But there's a difference in the school of public opinion -- which says little for actual impact, I'll admit -- between being a maverick and being an extremist. Even in desperate situations that you, Ford and GM face, there are simply some lines if you cross that will invite invective from suppliers, the mainstream media and even bloggers like me. And the recent lawsuits and other activities have crossed that line. Perhaps I should be more constructive. But Chrysler most certainly needs to become more savvy about the impact of its actions -- even if they may be rationally justified -- on public perception lest you alienate the various supply partners that you'll need to help reduce costs. Food for thought. Clearly, you are coming into a situation in the bottom of the ninth and it's do or die. I respect that, but the game is not being played behind closed doors.
All in all John has worked for Bob at a bunch of companies, as they cruise through multiple employers turning in lack-luster results and then riding their golden parachutes on to the next share holder theft.