Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival Books Pdf File - The Book that Reveals How Nissan Became a Global Leader in Innovation and Engineering
Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival Books Pdf File
If you are looking for a book that tells the story of one of the most remarkable turnarounds in automotive and corporate history, you might want to check out Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival by Carlos Ghosn. In this book, Ghosn, the brilliant, audacious, and widely admired CEO of Nissan, recounts how he took the reins of the nearly bankrupt Japanese automotive company in 1999 and transformed it into a profitable, competitive, and innovative global player in just a few years.
Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival Books Pdf File
In this article, we will give you an overview of the book and its author, the background of Nissan's crisis, the Nissan revival plan, the future of Nissan and Carlos Ghosn, and some FAQs. We will also provide you with some links where you can find more information about Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival books pdf file.
The Background of Nissan's Crisis
The Decline of Nissan in the 1980s and 1990s
Nissan was once a leading automotive company in Japan and the world, known for its quality, reliability, and innovation. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, Nissan faced a series of challenges that eroded its performance and reputation. Some of these challenges include:
Overcapacity: Nissan had too many factories, workers, and suppliers that increased its fixed costs and reduced its flexibility.
High costs: Nissan had high labor costs, high debt levels, high taxes, and high exchange rates that reduced its profitability and competitiveness.
Low quality: Nissan had quality issues with its products and services that damaged its brand image and customer loyalty.
Weak brand image: Nissan had a weak brand identity and positioning that made it difficult to differentiate itself from its rivals and attract new customers.
Lack of innovation: Nissan had a lack of innovation and design that made it lose its edge in the market and fall behind its competitors.
As a result of these challenges, Nissan suffered from declining sales, market share, profits, and shareholder value. By 1999, Nissan was on the verge of bankruptcy, with $22 billion in debt and $5.5 billion in losses.
The Alliance with Renault and the Arrival of Carlos Ghosn
In 1999, Nissan decided to form a strategic alliance with Renault, a French automotive company that was also struggling at the time. The alliance was aimed at sharing resources, technologies, platforms, and markets to achieve synergies and economies of scale. As part of the alliance agreement, Renault acquired a 36.8% stake in Nissan and appointed Carlos Ghosn as its COO to lead the revival plan.
Carlos Ghosn was a Brazilian-born, French-educated son of Lebanese parents who had a successful career at Michelin and Renault. He was known for his multicultural background, his global vision, his analytical skills, his strategic thinking, his decisive leadership, his charismatic personality, and his results-oriented approach. He was also nicknamed "Le Cost Killer" for his ability to cut costs and improve efficiency.
Ghosn accepted the challenge of turning around Nissan with enthusiasm and confidence. He said: "I came to Japan not to fail but to succeed. I have no intention of presiding over the decline or breakup of Nissan."
The Nissan Revival Plan
The Diagnosis and the Strategy
Ghosn began his mission by conducting a three-month intensive examination of every aspect of Nissan's business. He visited factories, dealerships, suppliers, customers, employees, unions, shareholders, analysts, media, and government officials. He collected data, facts, opinions, feedbacks, suggestions, complaints, and expectations. He analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Nissan. He identified the root causes of Nissan's problems and the potential solutions.
By October 1999 he was ready to announce his strategy to turn around Nissan. He called it the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP). The NRP was a comprehensive plan that aimed to restore profitability competitiveness and growth for Nissan within three years. The NRP had three main objectives:
Achieve a consolidated operating profit margin of at least 4.5% by fiscal year 2002.
Reduce consolidated net automotive debt to less than $4 billion by fiscal year 2002.
The Implementation and the Results
Ghosn did not waste any time in implementing the NRP. He formed cross-functional teams to execute each of the plan's commitments and assigned clear targets, deadlines, and responsibilities. He also introduced a performance-based incentive system to reward the employees who contributed to the plan's success. He communicated the plan's objectives and progress to all stakeholders, including the media, the public, and the government. He also sought to change the culture of Nissan by promoting transparency, accountability, empowerment, and collaboration.
The results of the NRP were impressive and unprecedented. Nissan achieved all of its objectives ahead of schedule and exceeded its targets. By fiscal year 2002, Nissan had:
Increased its operating profit margin to 11.1%, the highest among global automakers.
Reduced its net automotive debt to zero, becoming debt-free for the first time in a decade.
Increased its global market share to 5.4%, up from 4.9% in 1999.
Launched 22 new models with improved quality, design, and customer satisfaction.
Restored its brand image and reputation as a leader in innovation and engineering.
Nissan's turnaround was widely recognized and praised by the industry, the media, and the public. Ghosn became a hero in Japan and a global celebrity. He was named "Man of the Year" by Fortune magazine in 2002 and received numerous awards and honors for his achievements.
The Challenges and the Lessons
Ghosn's turnaround of Nissan was not without challenges and difficulties. He faced resistance and skepticism from some of the traditionalists and nationalists within Nissan and Japan who opposed his changes and questioned his motives. He also faced competition and pressure from other automakers who tried to catch up with Nissan's performance and innovation. He had to balance the interests and expectations of both Renault and Nissan as he led both companies simultaneously. He also had to cope with the personal and professional demands of his role as a global leader.
Ghosn shared his challenges and lessons in his book Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival. He explained his vision, his strategy, his decisions, his actions, his results, and his reflections. He also revealed his personal story, his values, his beliefs, his principles, and his philosophy. He offered insights and advice for managers, leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and anyone who wants to learn from his experience. Some of his key lessons include:
Be open-minded and adaptable to different cultures, markets, and situations.
Be data-driven and fact-based in your analysis, diagnosis, and strategy.
Be bold and decisive in your actions, but also flexible and responsive to feedback.
Be transparent and accountable for your objectives, progress, and results.
Be customer-focused and innovation-driven in your products and services.
Be collaborative and empowering in your leadership style.
Be passionate and committed to your vision and mission.
The Future of Nissan and Carlos Ghosn
The Expansion and Diversification of Nissan
After completing the NRP Ghosn did not stop there. He continued to lead Nissan to new heights of success expansion and diversification. He launched a second phase of the revival plan called NISSAN 180 which aimed to increase sales by one million units achieve an operating margin of 8% and generate zero net automotive debt by fiscal year 2005. He achieved these goals as well and went on to launch a third phase called NISSAN Value-Up which aimed to achieve global sales of 4.2 million units maintain an operating margin above 8% and become one of the top three automakers in customer satisfaction by fiscal year 2007.
Ghosn also pursued various initiatives to grow innovate and diversify Nissan's business such as:
Developing electric vehicles such as the LEAF the world's first mass-market zero-emission car which was launched in 2010.
Entering new markets such as India Russia Brazil and China where Nissan established joint ventures and local production facilities.
Forming new alliances such as with Daimler Mitsubishi and Dongfeng to share resources technologies and platforms.
Creating a global culture where Nissan's employees suppliers and partners shared a common vision values and goals.
By fiscal year 2017 Nissan had achieved record sales of 5.77 million vehicles and a market share of 6.6%. Nissan had also become a leader in electric vehicles with more than 300,000 LEAFs sold worldwide. Nissan had also diversified its portfolio with brands such as Infiniti Datsun and Nismo.
The Controversy and the Escape of Carlos Ghosn
However, in November 2018, Ghosn's career and reputation took a dramatic turn when he was arrested in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, such as underreporting his income, misusing company funds, and transferring personal losses to Nissan. He was detained and interrogated for more than 100 days, without bail or access to his family or lawyers. He was also removed from his positions at Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi.
Ghosn denied all the charges and claimed that he was the victim of a conspiracy by some of his rivals and opponents within Nissan and the Japanese government who wanted to prevent him from further integrating Nissan and Renault. He said that he had acted with the approval of the board and the shareholders, and that he had never received any compensation or benefits that were not disclosed or authorized.
In April 2019, Ghosn was released on bail, but under strict conditions, such as surveillance, restricted communication, and prohibition from leaving Japan. He was awaiting trial, which was expected to take place in 2020. However, in December 2019, Ghosn made a sensational escape from Japan to Lebanon, where he has citizenship and where he is currently residing. He said that he fled Japan because he had no chance of a fair trial and that he wanted to clear his name and restore his reputation.
Ghosn's escape sparked an international uproar and a legal dispute between Japan and Lebanon. Japan has issued an arrest warrant for Ghosn and has requested his extradition from Lebanon, but Lebanon has refused to comply. Ghosn has also filed lawsuits against Nissan and Renault for wrongful termination and breach of contract. Ghosn has also given several interviews and press conferences to defend himself and to expose the alleged plot against him.
Ghosn's case is still ongoing and unresolved. It has raised many questions and controversies about the alliance between Nissan and Renault, the corporate governance of both companies, the justice system of Japan, the role of the media and the public opinion, and the future of Ghosn himself.
Conclusion
In this article, we have given you an overview of Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival books pdf file, a book by Carlos Ghosn that tells the story of how he led one of the most remarkable turnarounds in automotive and corporate history. We have also covered the background of Nissan's crisis, the Nissan revival plan, the future of Nissan and Carlos Ghosn, and some FAQs.
We hope that you have found this article informative and interesting. If you want to learn more about Nissan's historic revival and Carlos Ghosn's story, we recommend that you read Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival books pdf file. You can find it on Goodreads, Amazon, SlideShare, Yumpu , and other online platforms.
FAQs
Q1: What is the main message of Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival?
A1: The main message of Shift is that any company can achieve a remarkable turnaround if it has a clear vision, a strong leadership, a committed team, a rigorous analysis, a bold strategy, and a relentless execution.
Q2: How did Carlos Ghosn become the CEO of both Nissan and Renault?
A2: Carlos Ghosn became the CEO of both Nissan and Renault in 2005, after successfully leading Nissan's revival as its COO since 1999. He was appointed by both boards as part of the alliance agreement between the two companies.
Q3: What are some of the best practices that Carlos Ghosn introduced at Nissan?
global integration, and diversity and inclusion.
FAQs
Q4: What are some of the criticisms that Carlos Ghosn faced during his tenure at Nissan?
A4: Some of the criticisms that Carlos Ghosn faced during his tenure at Nissan include being too autocratic, too cost-cutting, too ambitious, too arrogant, too greedy, too foreign, and too disloyal. Some of his critics accused him of imposing his own vision and style on Nissan without respecting its traditions and values. Some also blamed him for sacrificing long-term growth and sustainability for short-term profits and performance. Some also questioned his motives and integrity for leading two rival companies and receiving high compensation and benefits.
Q5: Where can I find more information about Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival?
A5: You can find more information about Shift: Inside Nissan's Historic Revival on Goodreads, Amazon, SlideShare, Yumpu , and other online platforms. You can also watch some videos of Carlos Ghosn's interviews and speeches on YouTube and other media outlets. 71b2f0854b