INTRODUCTION
"There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns." - Edward de Bono
The above saying could not be truer, more so in today’s business context. Organizations are trying to find new and inventive ways of first creating and then holding on to their competitive advantage and being creative is one way they can achieve that. Creativity is a very misunderstood term in organizations. It is thought to be the creation of “something out of nothing” whereas it actually is “the radical and effective change of something understood deeply” (Robinson and Hackett 1997). General Motors is certainly trying to appreciate this, and the company is always seeking to bring new products - or improvements to their current products - to market.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, is the world's largest automaker and has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 34 countries. In 2008, 8.35 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. GM has and is supporting two and a half pensioners for every employee. It is the largest health care provider in the world. General Motors, writes a prescription every 1.5 seconds for drugs for their retirees and others — 1.5 seconds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year — cost approaching $6 billion a year. (GM website)
Vision
GM’s vision is to be the world leader in t ...