What was the strategic position of Daimler Chrysler in the European car manufacturing industry from 1980 until the beginning of the new century?

Master's Thesis from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 2.1 (B+), University of Canterbury (Canterbury Business School), language: English, abstract: This dissertation is about strategic positioning and managing strategic change. The firstchapter makes clear the importance of ...

Master's Thesis from the year 2003 in the subject Business economics - Business Management, Corporate Governance, grade: 2.1 (B+), University of Canterbury (Canterbury Business School), language: English, abstract: This dissertation is about strategic positioning and managing strategic change. The firstchapter makes clear the importance of clear defined strategy, mergers & acquisitions aswell as alliances resulting out of increasing globalisation and gives Daimler Chrysler as agood example for analysing these managerial issues.Chapter two shows different strategies Daimler Chrysler was/ is following, a diversifiedone in the 80’s and a focused-orientated strategy in the 90’s. Increasing threats of saturatedmarkets, global competition, fluctuating economic influences and rising technologicalstandards had/ have to be coped with by Daimler Chrysler in using their strengths of wellknownbrand reputation, high quality standards and developed service culture. The resultwas a strategic position emphasising the upper car segment in the 80’s as well as reliablecommercial vehicle and a completer range of products in the 90’s trying to serve nearly allsegments in the car market.Chapter three deals with the management of strategic change and the process of becominga global player in the car manufacturing industry. Problems a merger causes concerningdifferences in culture and management are considered and the act that concentration ofpower (as it happened at Daimler Chrysler at the time while the merger took place) oncharismatic top management obviously paid off in the late 90’s.The final chapter four demonstrates the difficulty of fostering successful changemanagement and the necessity of mergers and alliances when following a global concentricgrowth strategy. It becomes obvious that, although the automobile industry is confrontedwith severe competition, Daimler Chrysler has the potential of getting the major player inthis industry. When following consequently the chosen path of focussing on the carmanufacturing sector and implementing new technologies and customer demands fast(faster than potential competitors), then Daimler Chrysler will be at the “top of the league”in the future.