There
was little cheer for the beleagured Chrysler Division of DaimlerChrysler in the
comments of Dr Eckhard Cordes, member of the DC Board of Management, at the Automotive
News Europe e-commerce conference at Strasbourg, France.
Dr Cordes was answering questions from the audience after outlining DC’s e-commerce
strategy. Questions inevitably shifted to problems at the loss-making Chrysler
Division.
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When asked how DC would turn Chrysler around, Dr Cordes replied that there
would have to be a ‘tough’ traditional management approach and that Chrysler
should be shown ‘no mercy’.
He also blew away the myth of a ‘merger of equals’ by drawing on the parenthood
analogy to describe the decision by Daimler-Benz to acquire Chrysler in 1998.
Dr Cordes maintained that DC continues to be happy to own Chrysler in spite
of the division’s ‘operational problems’.
