Should GM Move It's Global Headquarters?

[Oracle of Delphi]

OK, I'm going to open up a big can of worms, but hey it's part of my charm, plus I have a big can opener. :AH-HA_wink:

Would you support GM moving it's Global Headquarters to another region and out of North America, say to either GM Eruope's headquarters or GM Asia-Pacific's headquarters, this would help in taking away GM's stigma of being an American auto maker and truly make it a global company. This would be something akin to what Oldsmobile did, when it didn't put Oldsmobile on it's products. GM would be saying we are a Global company, by taking GM out of North America, so to speak. So what are your thoughts on it, would you support such a move?

[!!!TED!!!]

Nah, they have spent too much money upgrading the RenCen.

[Croc]

Absolutely not! This is true buffoonery at its worst! Why in the hell would GM go through such an unnecessary expenditure as that just to combat a *perceived* negative perception. GM: the negative perception is not country or origin, it is $h!ty product. Instead of wasting money relocating global HQs, spend it on the product.

[Cory Wolfe]

Absolutely not! This is true buffoonery at its worst! Why in the hell would GM go through such an unnecessary expenditure as that just to combat a *perceived* negative perception. GM: the negative perception is not country or origin, it is $h!ty product. Instead of wasting money relocating global HQs, spend it on the product.

For real. Give us more vehicles like the G8, CTS, and Malibu across the board and suddenly, there's no need to fight some silly stigma.

[Robert Hall]

Wasn't GM's HQ in NYC for a long time?

[Camino LS6]

Absolutely not! This is true buffoonery at its worst! Why in the hell would GM go through such an unnecessary expenditure as that just to combat a *perceived* negative perception. GM: the negative perception is not country or origin, it is $h!ty product. Instead of wasting money relocating global HQs, spend it on the product.

Agreed 100%

Such a move would be tantamount to admitting not only is GM second class but that the US is as well. This isn't true and would piss me off beyond reason.

[regfootball]

i guess it depends what Carl Peter wants to do.

[z28luvr01]

Absolutely, positively not. Taking GM's HQ out of the US takes away my reason for supporting the company. In my view, having HHRs built in Mexico or G8s sourced from Australia has always meant little as the profit from the sale goes back to a company with an American home. If Asia's their new home, I'll view GM as no better than Toyota, or Hyundai. If they want to move to Europe, they're no more apealing than any other European brand. When possible I will choose not to send my money into the hands of our debtors. So if moving GM HQ somewhere outside of the US is a decision on the table, the suits had better think twice.

[NOS2006]

There hasn't been a good reason to move it.. If it's not broke, don't fix it.

[CARBIZ]

Complete disaster in the making. Toyota sells less than 20% of its world volume within its own country and you'd never hear them even dreaming of moving their headquarters. As the volume of GM's sales tilt away from North America there could be strong arguments for decentralizing the design and production of certain types of vehicles, but a wholesale moving of headquarters would be a frivolous waste of resources.

GM may eventually end up with 1/3 or so of its total volume sales within North America, but North America's market is always going to be significantly larger than Japan's. I would be surprised if even China reached the 19-20 million units a year that are sold in North America.

[FAPTurbo]

Wouldn't that kind of be akin to admitting defeat in a way?

Besides, companies like Apple are based in North America, and have global appeal, so what difference does it make anyways? The bad perception simply stems from the half-baked products the past, and absolute garbage like the W-Bodies.

[Camino LS6]

That would be akin to admitting defeat !

Besides, companies like Apple are based in North America, and have global appeal, so what difference does it make anyways? The bad perception simply stems from the half-baked products the past, and absolute garbage like the W-Bodies.

Fixed.

[griff7774]

Was he serious?

[Robert Hall]

For real. Give us more vehicles like the G8, CTS, and Malibu across the board and suddenly, there's no need to fight some silly stigma.

If there's any stigma, it's more with the place than the company, I think...Detroit is perceived as a decaying, dying city, not to mention the disgusting cold, gray nasty winters. It must be tough getting talent to move there.

In contrast, another big, global but American based company--Boeing--moved it's HQ from Seattle to Chicago a few years ago...Chicago has the same horrid winters as Detroit, but it's a happening, international city...

Edited March 9, 2008 by moltar

[Oracle of Delphi]

If there's any stigma, it's more with the place than the company, I think...Detroit is perceived as a decaying, dying city, not to mention the disgusting cold, gray nasty winters. It must be tough getting talent to move there.

In contrast, another big, global but American based company--Boeing--moved it's HQ from Seattle to Chicago a few years ago...Chicago has the same horrid winters as Detroit, but it's a happening, international city...

You're on to something there moltar, imagine a GM Global Headquarters in a shinny international city in Europe or one with better climate like in Asia, where GM could hire from the best talent the world had to offer. It's a thought!

Edited March 9, 2008 by Pontiac Custom-S

[Blake Noble]

I would, at most, half-heartedly support a move away from Detroit, but only if the move is restricted to within the United States. Moving outside of the U.S. ... well, why? It wouldn't fix anything. GM HQ moving from the U.S. to Europe would be akin to a dude from the Bronx speaking with a British accent during his vacation to London: it ain't gonna fool no one, as the saying goes.

Edited March 9, 2008 by YellowJacket894

[Cremazie]

I would not agree with moving its HQ outside Detriot, it has a huge automotive history. The HQ location means nothing, just the decisions being made inside the HQ.

[Justin Bimmer]

The GM building in NYC was for financial purposes not the headquarters.

Also, I think moving the headquarters to a place like Los Angeles or somewhere in California would be a huge move to try and combat the tastes and trends of America. However, it would be much more expensive to have headquarters in LA than Detroit.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

If there's any stigma, it's more with the place than the company, I think...Detroit is perceived as a decaying, dying city, not to mention the disgusting cold, gray nasty winters. It must be tough getting talent to move there.

In contrast, another big, global but American based company--Boeing--moved it's HQ from Seattle to Chicago a few years ago...Chicago has the same horrid winters as Detroit, but it's a happening, international city...

QFT

I would be a bigger fan of GM relocating from Detroit than to another country. I would love to work for the company but I'm not willing to move to Detroit, it's just not worth the horrible winters and depressing atmoshpere. GM should move south or west IMO.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; if this country continues to bear a hatred for GM for no specific reason then yes they should relocate out of the country. There is no reason for america to continue to benefit off of a company it hates. Why should GM subject itself to that? I would suggest China as a HQ, not Europe since China will be the 'market that counts' soon enough.

[CARBIZ]

I don't understand Americans' penchant for eating their own. Detroit is a dying, decaying city? Then fix it! If Boston can get billions in federal aid to build a freakin' tunnel, why can't Washington wake up and fix what used to be a dynamic, growing city? It isn't like Detroit is alone. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Akron and others have all gone through their pains. The industrial heartland of America is literally its HEARTland. Have we become that shallow and self-centered that a few bad snowstorms can suddenly make a place undesireable? It isn't like London's constant rain or the sewers in Paris are that much fun!

And before too many more people throw in with the sunny weather in the southwest, remember one thing: they don't have any water. Up here in the wintery northeast, we have a quarter of the world's drinking water.

Something to think about when enjoying one's vistas in Pheonix.

[The O.C.]

...Chicago has the same horrid winters as Detroit, but it's a happening, international city...

So is Seattle.....

I've always wondered about the decision by Boeing to move.....(although they left the aircraft division headquartered in Seattle....)

[Robert Hall]

So is Seattle.....

I've always wondered about the decision by Boeing to move.....(although they left the aircraft division headquartered in Seattle....)

They way I heard is that they wanted to be more central (and have shorter flights across the pond). Denver and Dallas were also considered before they chose Chicago. Several of the execs at my current client (a subsidiary of Boeing) are based in Chicago, even though the subsidiary is based in Denver (with a major office in Frankfort, Germany).

[Oracle of Delphi]

Frankfurt am Main?

[Robert Hall]

I don't understand Americans' penchant for eating their own. Detroit is a dying, decaying city? Then fix it! If Boston can get billions in federal aid to build a freakin' tunnel, why can't Washington wake up and fix what used to be a dynamic, growing city? It isn't like Detroit is alone. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Akron and others have all gone through their pains. The industrial heartland of America is literally its HEARTland. Have we become that shallow and self-centered that a few bad snowstorms can suddenly make a place undesireable?

The Midwest heartland has been dying for decades, though.. I grew up near Pittsburgh and also lived in the Cleveland/Akron area and SE Michigan...it was economically weak when I left over a decade ago, worse now...I remember all the steel mills closing back in the '80s, and the decline of the coal industry.

The West/Southwest and South are where alot of economic growth has been for over a decade, I don't see that changing soon..

(not to mention sunshine and warmth is a lot nicer than the depressing gray, humidity and damp of the Midwest).

Edited March 10, 2008 by moltar

[The O.C.]

I don't understand Americans' penchant for eating their own. Detroit is a dying, decaying city? Then fix it! If Boston can get billions in federal aid to build a freakin' tunnel, why can't Washington wake up and fix what used to be a dynamic, growing city? It isn't like Detroit is alone. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Akron and others have all gone through their pains. The industrial heartland of America is literally its HEARTland. Have we become that shallow and self-centered that a few bad snowstorms can suddenly make a place undesireable? It isn't like London's constant rain or the sewers in Paris are that much fun!

And before too many more people throw in with the sunny weather in the southwest, remember one thing: they don't have any water. Up here in the wintery northeast, we have a quarter of the world's drinking water.

Something to think about when enjoying one's vistas in Pheonix.

It's an interesting question.....PCS's suggestion they move from America.......but I agree with others on here that IF they move, they should stay here in the good ole USA. (Not that they'll ever move....)

There's something to be said for the fact that I could see it would be difficult to attract talent to go to Detroit. I lived there and worked for GM for 7 years....and there's no way in hell I'd ever go back. No offense to our MI or midwestern friends.....but if you are not from there, don't have family there, etc., it's a horribly depressing place to live.

In fact, you wouldn't catch me anywhere in the midwest. Maybe, just maybe, Chicago....but it would have to be a DAMN good reason to put up with the humid summers and cold, windy, snowy winters.

It's not just the weather.....I could fathom living on the east coast WAY easier than somewhere in the midwest. It just seems to me that the midwest is one big, huge, cultural wasteland.

And comparing anywhere in the U.S. "heartland" to London or Paris is just ludicrous......LOL

[regfootball]

The GM building in NYC was for financial purposes not the headquarters.

Also, I think moving the headquarters to a place like Los Angeles or somewhere in California would be a huge move to try and combat the tastes and trends of America. However, it would be much more expensive to have headquarters in LA than Detroit.

i wouldn't want their think tank in that warped cesspool that is not representative of the other 49.

although, a nice irony of moving the HQ out of the US, it would be outsourcing the high exec jobs to other countries. maybe that would send a message.

[The O.C.]

Frankfurt am Main?

I love it.....a very small, yet vibrant city.....Europe's financial headquarters too, I hear......(you can tell with all the skyscrapers.....)

[Camino LS6]

Moving the headquarters out of the US would simply be an obscenity.

[Robert Hall]

Frankfurt am Main?

Neu-Isenberg, actually..apparently a Frankfurt suburb..I may have to travel there for work later this year.

[regfootball]

If GM moved the HQ then i would not buy GM pretty much.

they won't though. too much $$$ from trucks. they would lose truck sales entirely if they did that.

[The O.C.]

The Midwest heartland has been dying for decades, though.. I grew up near Pittsburgh and also lived in the Cleveland/Akron area and SE Michigan...it was economically weak when I left over a decade ago, worse now...I remember all the steel mills closing back in the '80s, and the decline of the coal industry.

The West/Southwest and South are where alot of economic growth has been for over a decade, I don't see that changing soon..

(not to mention sunshine and warmth is a lot nicer than the depressing gray, humidity and damp of the Midwest).

Even somewhere like Seattle, with it's depressingly gray and rainly weather has a WAY more lively and exciting feel than anywhere in the midwest.

[Robert Hall]

Even somewhere like Seattle, with it's depressingly gray and rainly weather has a WAY more lively and exciting feel than anywhere in the midwest.

Definitely... I like Seattle (and Portland) quite a bit..have thought about moving to Portland a couple of times...lots of techies there. The midwest just feels old, tired, worn out and depressed...not vibrant, growing, and alive.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Neu-Isenberg, actually..apparently a Frankfurt suburb..I may have to travel there for work later this year.

Well if you get that close, you might as well come to Zürich and visit me, I'll be the one in a big office spinning around in my big leather chair, saying - Weeeeeeee! Just kidding, I'm a rather sedate guy actually.

[Robert Hall]

Well if you get that close, you might as well come to Zürich and visit me, I'll be the one in a big office spinning around in my big leather chair, saying - Weeeeeeee! Just kidding, I'm a rather sedate guy actually.

Heh-heh...I just want to schedule it around Oktoberfest.

[The O.C.]

Definitely... I like Seattle (and Portland) quite a bit..have thought about moving to Portland a couple of times...lots of techies there. The midwest just feels old, tired, worn out and depressed...not vibrant, growing, and alive.

Yeah....Portland is a HUGE hidden secret. What a GREAT city.

Amazing a city less than half the size of Detroit (I think Portland is around 400,000) but with a city center/downtown as alive an vibrant as they come.....with people that live IN the city....with lots of restaurants, bars, shopping....IN the city.....and the city is clean and safe.

Seatte downtown seems like it's 10-times the size of Detroit......yet that city is only 1/2 a million......and Seattle is even more alive than Portland.....like a Chicago or NYC.

[Justin Bimmer]

i wouldn't want their think tank in that warped cesspool that is not representative of the other 49.

although, a nice irony of moving the HQ out of the US, it would be outsourcing the high exec jobs to other countries. maybe that would send a message.

I have been to 40 states and all I have to say is that each and every day that goes by the "other 49" become more and more like LA and California, not less. So there must be something wrong with the whole country.

[Robert Hall]

I have been to 40 states and all I have to say is that each and every day that goes by the "other 49" become more and more like LA and California, not less. So there must be something wrong with the whole country.

I wouldn't say 'wrong'... more like getting better, more modern, more worldly.

[The O.C.]

I wouldn't say 'wrong'... more like getting better, more modern, more worldly.

Exactly......

I remember when I was going to GMI, living in Michigan.....and travelling to see our "brothers" in Canada for weekend flings, etc....

Alot of Canadians from Ontario that had not travelled the states much pretty much thought that most of the USA was reflected in the cities they HAD been to....like Detroit, Cleveland, or Buffalo....close to the border.

I remember one distinct conversation I had with a lad from London, Ontario who asked me if Dallas really was like he saw on TV (the old "Dallas" soap opera).....he wondered if it really was that modern of a city, with a clean landscape, beautiful homes, etc.

I said "yes" it was very much like what he saw on TV. He said he really needed to travel the states more......

duh....

[Oracle of Delphi]

And I thought Philadelphia was the city of Brotherly Love.

[The O.C.]

And I thought Philadelphia was the city of Brotherly Love.

I lived in Philadelphia for 2 years......was transferred there from Detroit.

I LOVED it.....what a great city......talk about culture (compared to coming from MI.)

[Camino LS6]

I lived in Philadelphia for 2 years......was transferred there from Detroit.

I LOVED it.....what a great city......talk about culture (compared to coming from MI.)

Philly has some very rough edges, but it also has depth and history.

[The O.C.]

Philly has some very rough edges, but it also has depth and history.

Yes....and it's "rough edges" are in a way similar to any U.S. city....you are always going to have your rough edges.

But at least in Philly, the city itself, downtown, (or Center City as they called it) was alive, alive, alive.....and a great place to be for dining, shopping, nightlife, or even living. People lived in Center City Philly like they do Chicago, New York, or San Francisco.

In Detroit, it seems you never really can escape the "rough edges" and there's not a compensating factor of outstanding culture/nightlife/ambiance.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

It's not just the weather.....I could fathom living on the east coast WAY easier than somewhere in the midwest. It just seems to me that the midwest is one big, huge, cultural wasteland.

You've been sipping that SoCal kool aid for a bit too long, my friend. There is a proud heritage of hard working, family oriented and historically significant (on the manufacturing front)people/places in the midwest.

I hate to break balls, but this is exactly the attitude that CARBIZ was talking about. To me, it's a feeling of superiority (which walks a fine line of discrimination) based of geographic location.

If anything, I'd say that California is a cultural wasteland. With the constant negativity and greed of "pop culture" there combined with the gang mentality and drugs that are spreading from there to the middle of the country and the general anti-american sentiment, our culture rot seems to be starting on the coasts and moving inward.

And comparing anywhere in the U.S. "heartland" to London or Paris is just ludicrous......LOL

Why?

The heartland has plenty of history and appeal. Sure, London or Paris might be a stretch, but the "heartland" isn't chopped liver.

Yet another "american" that seems more loyal to other countries than his own.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

Yeah....Portland is a HUGE hidden secret. What a GREAT city.

Amazing a city less than half the size of Detroit (I think Portland is around 400,000) but with a city center/downtown as alive an vibrant as they come.....with people that live IN the city....with lots of restaurants, bars, shopping....IN the city.....and the city is clean and safe.

Seatte downtown seems like it's 10-times the size of Detroit......yet that city is only 1/2 a million......and Seattle is even more alive than Portland.....like a Chicago or NYC.

I really don't understand the appeal of being in the middle of a city.

I live in the middle of a city now and it stresses me out really bad. I need tons of personal space, I guess.

The city is gray, concrete and steel with poverty, trash and more people per foot than I care to count. What exactly is appealing about that?

I'd much rather be in a small town where I know my neighbors, can go outdoors and be left th hell alone or not be in the way of everyone and their brother.

(I'm being serious, not sarcastic. I would like to know why it appeals to some of you so much)

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I have been to 40 states and all I have to say is that each and every day that goes by the "other 49" become more and more like LA and California, not less. So there must be something wrong with the whole country.

Pop culture.

It's a simple concept that sociologists have studied for years now. The media (pop culture) is largely controlled by LA/California now that all of the communication industries have consolidated and we have better access to information.

It's really a sad thing for our culture because it is becoming so homogenous as more and more of individual places/people is being lost. For example; local radio used to be a big influence on culture and music. But now with companies like Clear Channel, local radios no longer exist en mass, and as a result the programming, which comes from the coasts, is homogenous.

[regfootball]

me too. i'd like to know as well.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I wouldn't say 'wrong'... more like getting better, more modern, more worldly.

READ: More of the same...

Conformity is certainly WRONG even if it is worldly. this is a HUGE reason why other cultures hate the western world and specifically the US. And they should IMO!

For example; why should Japanese children try to conform to american standards of beauty? There is a huge study right now about how badly MTV, and other american networks that promote typical american stereotypes of beauty etc, programming affects Japanese children who, no matter how hard they try, cannot conform to the blonde/blue eye' beauty stereotype that our culture clings to.

Why should we conform? Why can't we appreciate local culture AS WELL AS worldly culture? I'm from the south and I'm stereotyped as being stupid based on how I talk. Why? I'm better educated than many, yet I should try to hide the fact that I'm from the south because of the 'official pop culture opinion' now.

Edited March 10, 2008 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[Sixty8panther]

NO!!!

[The O.C.]

You've been sipping that SoCal kool aid for a bit too long, my friend. There is a proud heritage of hard working, family oriented and historically significant (on the manufacturing front)people/places in the midwest.

Uh....my quote you replied to was talking about living on the East Coast.....what does that have to do with "SoCal" kool-aid.....?

There's a huge difference between living in big cities or small towns. If you are truly a small-town fan (and not a small-town-suburb-of-a-bigger-city fan) than you and I will NEVER understand each other's desires on where we wish to live.

I'm sure some of it has to do with upbringing.....I've always lived in cities or suburbs of cities while growing up.

I don't live in a "city".....I live in a suburb of a city. My city is population only about 43,000......but that's in a county of over 3,000,000.....in a region of about 17,000,000. But I like living where I live because it's squeaky-clean, modern, beautifully landscaped (51% of the town is dedicated to parklands), has beautiful geography (built on hills/mountains just 3 miles in from the ocean), very low-(to no)-crime, great bars and restaurants (even for "just" a small suburb), and of course wonderful weather.

The best is that I have all the amenities/culture/dining/shopping/entertainment of one of the country's biggest cities (L.A.) to the north, or another great city (San Diego) to the south. But at the end of the day, I can come home to my beautiful little suburb and escape the "hustle-and-bustle" of the big city.

The only real downsides to my little suburb here are congestion and, of course, cost-of-living. But for me, I'm willing to put up with that.

[Drew Dowdell]

OK, I'm going to open up a big can of worms, but hey it's part of my charm, plus I have a big can opener. :AH-HA_wink:

Would you support GM moving it's Global Headquarters to another region and out of North America, say to either GM Eruope's headquarters or GM Asia-Pacific's headquarters, this would help in taking away GM's stigma of being an American auto maker and truly make it a global company. This would be something akin to what Oldsmobile did, when it didn't put Oldsmobile on it's products. GM would be saying we are a Global company, by taking GM out of North America, so to speak. So what are your thoughts on it, would you support such a move?

Show me the ROI.