By Kevin Meyer
Could it really be?? The king of outsourcing changing his stripes?
Mr. Immelt (CEO, General Electric) said GE had "outsourced too much," and would rebuild its own capabilities around activities such as developing software and manufacturing aviation components. He said GE wouldn't cut outsourcing contracts or close research divisions abroad, but would open new facilities in the U.S. geared for export.
In a speech Friday to the Detroit Economic Club, Mr. Immelt said the U.S. should chart a "dramatic industrial renewal" that would boost manufacturing to 20% of the nation's jobs, about double its current share. He called for the U.S. to reinvigorate efforts to improve its competitiveness as an exporter, by boosting investment in research and development, education and training.
Mr. Immelt said the U.S. has "lost our leadership in many growth industries, and other new opportunities are at risk." He called for a new emphasis on the importance of engineering as a profession, as well as efforts to improve the technical prowess of U.S. companies.
In a speech Friday to the Detroit Economic Club, Mr. Immelt said the U.S. should chart a "dramatic industrial renewal" that would boost manufacturing to 20% of the nation's jobs, about double its current share. He called for the U.S. to reinvigorate efforts to improve its competitiveness as an exporter, by boosting investment in research and development, education and training.
Mr. Immelt said the U.S. has "lost our leadership in many growth industries, and other new opportunities are at risk." He called for a new emphasis on the importance of engineering as a profession, as well as efforts to improve the technical prowess of U.S. companies.
Ok, so not quite a complete turnaround, but it's a good start if he puts meat behind those words. And at least initially there's some real money behind the change.
General Electric Co. said it would open a $100 million
research-and-development facility near Detroit to employ about 1,200
scientists and researchers in a region hit hard by job losses and a
sagging auto industry. GE said work at the center, formerly occupied by auto-parts maker Visteon Corp., will focus on developing information-technology, clean-energy and transportation products. The company will also build a 100,000-square-foot building on the site.
Ok, who convinced Immelt to read Bill's book?? Apparently someone did.