Word: gyllenhammar
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...Gyllenhammar appointed two union men as voting members of Volvo's board, a customary practice in some European nations but at that time still rare in Sweden. He also made changes at Volvo's big assembly plant near Göteborg, automating the heaviest jobs and establishing an internal placement agency to help people find more satisfying assignments. American workers will soon get a firsthand look at Gyllenhammar's style. Volvo has broken ground for a new assembly plant in Chesapeake, Va., the first automobile factory established in the U.S. by a foreign company since World...
...changes he has made, Gyllenhammar is no advocate of the kind of "industrial democracy" that would give workers an equal voice with management in corporate decision making. "I believe in giving workers some say in the way their job is carried out," he says, "but how can they have influence in such important executive decisions as where to put a new plant?" Although such views irritate militant Swedish unionists, Gyllenhammar's easy informality (he addresses workers with the familiar du, and they do likewise) and unpretentious style are the earmarks of a natural politician. Some Swedish pols have touted...
...Kalmar system was worked out by Pehr Gyllenhammar, Volvo's managing director (see box). Three years ago, when he stepped in as chief executive, he had to cope with an incredibly high labor turnover rate. At Volvo's main assembly plant near Goteborg, turnover reached an annual rate of 41% in 1971, even though the company pays some of the highest wages in Swedish industry...
...company had to spend heavily to train replacements, and the rapid turnover contributed to declines in quality that have marred Volvo's reputation for durability. Gyllenhammar was convinced that the workers simply did not like their monotonous assembly-line jobs. "As people became more educated -and Sweden spends perhaps more money per capita for education than any other country-their jobs have become less complex," he says. "That does not make sense...
...Gyllenhammar assigned a task force of young executives (all under 30) to design a new plant where "machines would be the product of people and not vice versa." After two months of intensive work and study the group presented its plan. Kalmar (pop. 53,000) was chosen as a site in large part because of its high unemployment rate. Ground was broken in 1972, and 19 months later the first team-made model Volvo rolled out of the workshops...