八大问题拷问通用

3.隐瞒信息

    多年来，通用和多数其他主要厂商每个月都会按照不同品牌公开其北美工厂生产的轿车和卡车数量。但《汽车新闻》（Automotive News）报道称，通用已通知几家研究机构，它将不再提供这类数据，而只提供批发出售给经销商的汽车数量。通用表示，它改变了记录财务数据的方式，使得这些生产数据不再那么重要了，而且这么做能让它更清楚地了解不同区域的盈利能力。评论人士立即对此予以抨击。一位笔名为“网上别克人”（de web Buickman）的反对者写道：“这会导致大家对通用的不信任，不管怎么说都是个败笔。”

    大问题：企业很少会取消已经常规发布的信息，除非发布这类信息会带来麻烦。贵公司在管理每月库存上已经碰上了麻烦，你们是在试图掩盖这个问题吗？

3. Withholding info

    For decades, GM and most other major automakers have publicly reported the number of cars and trucks they produce at their North American plants each month, broken out by nameplate. But Automotive News reports that GM has notified several research providers that it will no longer provide the data, and only report the number of wholesale deliveries to dealers. GM says a change in the way it records financial results makes the production data less relevant, and the move will give it a clearer view of its profitability across regions. Critics pounced. Wrote one longtime antagonist who goes by the nom de web Buickman, "This breeds mistrust and is a bad boogie no matter how you cut it."

    The big question: Companies rarely pull back on the information they disclose unless it is causing them trouble. You've been having trouble managing your inventory from month to month. Are you trying to cover up?

4.管理层变动

    通用历史上规模最大的新品发布刚刚进行到一半的时候，公司将北美生产主管戴安娜•特朗布莱（见上图）调离了岗位。这已经是她一年中的第二次调任了。2012年，她被调任全球生产主管，当时通用说是为了让特朗布莱集中精力搞好今年的北美新品发布活动。而这一次，通用表示，新品发布运行顺利，特朗布莱的调动与此无关。而她的继任者是杰拉德•约翰逊。他毕生效力于通用，和特朗布莱一样，他的上一个岗位是全球品质主管，一般认为这不算是个一线运营岗位。他的新上司称其为“一位以身作则的导师，沟通能力极强”——这似乎算不上是个很像样的认可。

    大问题：背后到底发生了什么事？听起来好像特朗布莱在这两个位置上都胜任有余，但新品发布并不像通用所说的那么顺利，而且她的继任者看来也不像是个业绩卓著的人。挑刺的人会说，除非能说明这样做的原因，否则大家不得不产生各种怀疑。

4. Executive shuffle

    In the midst of its biggest product launch in its history, GM removed the head of North American manufacturing, Diana Tremblay (above). It was the second job change in a year for her. In 2012, she was moved from her job as head of global manufacturing. At that time, the change was portrayed as allowing Tremblay to concentrate on this year's North American launch. This time, GM said the launch was going fine and Tremblay's move was not related. Her replacement, Gerald Johnson, is a GM lifer like Tremblay whose previous job was head of global quality, not usually regarded as a front-line operating position. His new boss says Johnson "leads by example as a mentor and strong communicator" -- not precisely a ringing endorsement.

    The big question: What's going on here? It sounds like Tremblay was over-matched in both positions, and the launch isn't going as smoothly as you say. Her replacement doesn't sound like a high performer, either. A cynic would say you are guilty until proven innocent.