The research methodology used for this case study by the authors was a secondary research methodological approach. The information was gathered from various secondary sources, including the official website of General Motors (GM). The articles from widely celebrated magazines like Cosmopolitan, Forbes and Time were retrieved to collect meaningful information. In addition, the articles and blogs on other well-known platforms like Economic Times, CNBC, The NewYork Times and the Hindu were accessed to collect the significant information for this case study. Some social media reports, company reports and industry reports have also been referred to along with the interview videos from Bloomberg Officials and Yahoo Finance to gather the invaluable insights of Mary Barra related to General Motors.
This case highlights the journey of the protagonist, Mary Barra, from working as a co-op student to becoming the first female CEO of one of the world’s leading automobile firms, GM. It explores the leadership of Barra, highlighting her strategies and decisions to overcome several challenges, such as the ignition switch crisis, discrimination at the workplace, diversifying the electric vehicle (EV) portfolio of the company and government policy changes eliminating EV tax credits. Under Barra’s leadership, GM has undergone various significant transformations, from embracing transparency and inclusivity to following an innovative and sustainable approach. This case discusses the strategies and changes that worked in favour of GM and the ones which were proved to be opportunities for improvement for the company, along with their impact on the performance of the company. Barra is on the route to making the EV segment automobiles of GM a success. However, the challenges of political or governmental intervention, market competition, customer safety and investors’ expectations persist in the path of Mary Barra, interrupting the growth and success momentum of the EV portfolio of GM.
This case study’s target audience is the students of postgraduate, MBA and executive educational programs. It aims to enrich their knowledge and learning in organisational behaviour, human resource management and strategy. Practical real-world examples and complex market scenarios of the dynamic and competitive world will be thought-provoking and engaging for the students.
