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Case 3 -Volvo and Ford: merging two distinct cultures
案例3-沃尔沃和福特：合并两个不同的文化
Ford is investing in us . . . . and we are further developing our unique brand ``Volvo'' for an even brighter future (Anita Beijer).
福特投资于我们。 。 。 。我们进一步发展我们独特的品牌“沃尔沃”更加美好的未来（Anita Beijer）。
This third case study focuses on describing and explaining how a large ``very Swedish'' traditional family organisation and a huge Anglo-Saxon corporation are developing their own ways of living together.
这第三个案例研究侧重于描述和解释如此大的``非常瑞典的“传统家庭组织和一个巨大的Anglo-Saxon公司正在开发他们自己的方式生活在一起。
Cultural differences between Ford and Volvo
福特和沃尔沃之间的文化差异
As perceived by employees from both organisations, Volvo is a decentralised firm and teamwork oriented. The participatory style of management prevails in the Volvo corporate culture. Volvo's decision making process happens at the lower levels of the organisational structure.
由这两个组织的员工认为，沃尔沃是一个分散的公司和团队合作导向。参与的管理风格，在沃尔沃的企业文化盛行。沃尔沃的决策过程发生在较低层次的组织结构。
That is the Scandinavian way of working together, there is no hierarchy . . . you get credibility due to the knowledge you have and to your contribution to the company. It has nothing to do with ranking.
Volvo Swedish culture is seen as very strong and, in many cases, overrides the host national values:
Volvo culture you will find in Japan, in South America. You find it where you go in Volvo around the world. The Volvo Japanese people are very Swedish . . .
By contrast with the Swedish organisation, Ford is perceived as a structured and hierarchical US operation. As perceived by top management, another important cultural trait, which differentiates Ford from Volvo, is the way both organisations deal with unions' issues. At Volvo, management and employees work very closely with the union representatives to achieve better business results. This high level of co-operation is not perceived in Ford. Another sensitive area is the gap found between levels of employees. Volvo employees receive monthly salaries,
including the blue collar workers. This is not the case in Ford. This is an area where both companies perceive themselves distant from each other.
与瑞典组织相比，福特被视为一个结构化和层次化的操作。由最高管理层认为，另一个重要的文化特质，从沃尔沃区别福特，是这两个组织处理工会问题的方式。在沃尔沃，管理人员和员工紧密合作与工会代表，以实现更好的经营业绩。这种高层次的合作，在福特是没有感知的。另一个敏感区域是各级员工之间的差距。沃尔沃员工获得月薪，包括蓝领工人。福特不是的这种情况。这是一个两家公司都认为自己远离对方的地方。
Both Volvo and Ford employees are in the process of learning about each other's values and beliefs, which underlie their behavior and their differences in business practices. According to Anita Beijer, this cultural awareness is seeing as important in order to integrate the two organisations and maximise the potential synergies. She illustrates this idea as:
. . . We have to live the differences, we can't overcome them . . . We have to show great respect to each other . . . we all have to understand the differences.
沃尔沃和福特的员工都在学习对方的价值观和信仰的过程中，以他们的行为和他们在业务实践中的差异为基础。根据Anita Beijer，看到这种文化意识同样重要，为了整合这两个组织的潜在协同效应最大化。她说明了这个想法：
…我们必须生活有差异，我们不能克服这些困难…我们必须表现出极大的尊重彼此...我们都必须理解的差异。
Volvo-Ford integration strategies and acculturation process: an exciting learning experience for both parties
沃尔沃福特整合的策略和双方同化过程：一个令人兴奋的学习经验
Volvo employees felt an impact moving from the AB Volvo group to the Ford Motors group. In the original situation, Volvo represented 51 per cent of the whole business group, which involves also buses, marine
engines and related products. Being acquired by Ford means that this position has dramatically changed. Volvo now represents only 8 per cent of Ford Motor Company total business:
For us it is a big change . . . going from the majority to become a minority within a larger group . . .
The new organisational structure
新的组织结构
In order to differentiate two main product lines, the Ford Motor Company established two major divisions: Premium Automotive Group (PAG) and Ford Cars. Ford division concentrates on the more traditional products such as the Ford Fiesta. PAG division, on the other hand, focuses on their premium products: http://www.ukassignment.org/dxassignment/ Jaguar, Land-Rover,
Aston Martin, Lincoln and Volvo. Quoting the president of PAG:
Premium products are the engine that drives technology progress forward . . . they motivate manufactures to produce the best and lead consumers to expect the best . . . (Dr Wolfgang Reitzler, from Ford's annual report, 2001).
The due-diligence period and the post-acquisition strategies
尽职调查期间，收购后的战略
The due-diligence period of six months has focused primarily on potential financial synergies:
. . . they looked at everything that could have an impact on money, the culture impact was not investigated at that time . . .
Immediately after the deal was done, ``18 matching pairs'' consisting of both Volvo and Ford executives were created. These formed the integration team. They reported to a steering committee consisting of the Volvo president and some key players within Ford. The integration teams were created in order to find synergies in specific areas such as power trend, purchasing, marketing, research, etc. These teams were set up with equal numbers of participants from both companies working together on an equal basis:
That was really an interesting way to overcome the cultural differences.
Areas of synergy achieved so far between Volvo and Ford
迄今沃尔沃和福特之间所取得的协同领域
Technology transfer. In terms of technology transfer, immense opportunities for synergy are foreseen by both parties. Volvo engineers visit US plants in order to offer US engineers knowledge, primarily on safety and ergonomics:
We are working in collaboration . . . American engineering comes to Swedish plants to transfer modern technologies such as: new engines, different and more modern raw materials to work with.
These synergies are perceived by employees from both companies as very positive outcomes from the acquisition process.
Marketing and sales. From the product point of view, Volvo employees want to keep their brand, develop it further and ``not to damage it or to dilute it''. In the marketing department there is a lot of excitement regarding the merger process generated by Volvo's employees pride in their products. It is regarded as the soul of the company. Volvos' Scandinavian office spaces represent also ``our brand specific''.
Volvo employees now enjoy a much better relationship with the car dealers. Being a small brand, it was difficult to find the right dealer, as selling only Volvo vehicles offered limited scope. But if they are able to sell Jaguar, Land-Rover and Volvo it is a more attractive proposition:
We are more attractive on the dealer market now that we are together . . . we are more powerful financially . . .
The new dealers approach is shared within PAG, the premium car models not with Ford.
Another interesting aspect of synergies between Volvo and Ford is related to research and development and the future development of fuels. These activities are still developed in the Ford group. However, Volvo have their own people joining them in specific projects. The best engineers from Volvo are transferred to the US research and development department ``in order to work for all of us . . .'' There are other areas where interesting synergies can be found: for example, purchasing and environmental care. Almost 100 per cent of a Volvo car can be recycled. Ford is utilising this knowledge.
沃尔沃和福特之间的协同作用另一个有趣的方面是相关的研发和未来发展的燃料。这些活动仍然在福特集团开发的。然而，沃尔沃拥有自己的人加入他们的具体项目。最优秀的工程师，沃尔沃被转移到了美国研究和开发部门``为了我们所有的人的工作…“还有其他的地方可以找到有趣的协同效应：例如，采购和环境保护。几乎100％的沃尔沃汽车可以回收利用。福特正在使用这方面的知识。
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