General Motors Corporation: Communicating a New Vision for Survival

Authors
Sorenson, L., Whitehead, T., and O'Rourke, J. S. (Editor)
Region
North America
Topic
Strategy & General Management
Length
16 pages
Keywords
bridge loan funding
Funding
legislators
economic downturn
banktupt
communications strategy
Copyright Holder
Notre Dame
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students

On November 19, 2008, General Motors Corporation presented an argument in the U.S. House of Representatives to receive bridge loan funding. If the company could not convince the legislators to assist the company through the economic downturn, then the company would soon be bankrupt. The case explores the various causes of the General Motors predicament, the communications strategy employed leading into the congressional hearings, as well as the outcome.

Learning Outcomes
  1. To illustrate the importance of maintaining an accurate image in the minds of divergent stakeholders;
  2. To provide an example of how to rally third party support in order to avert an economic catastrophe;
  3. To encourage a critical analysis of the role of communications in facilitating business strategy and implementation;
  4. To demonstrate the complexity of developing a consistent message through different media to multiple interested parties;
  5. To highlight the volatility of external events which demand a quick response in a crisis situation.