Henry Ford II brought with him the ability to bring in the most talented people to do the job. These talented people included J. Edwards Lundy, Arjay Miller, and Robert McNamara, which were financial disciplinarians who brought quantitative analysis and modern management to Ford Motor Company. .
Ford Motor Company's next big step occurred in January of 1956 when it went public. They offered the largest stock issue at that time, offering 10.2 million shares of stock to the public through underwriters. Investors bought $643 million worth of shares, which was 22 percent of what the entire business was worth. Their next big achievement was the creation of one of Fords most popular cars today, the mustang. Consumers rushed to buy this new sporty car from Ford, ordering 22000 on the first day of its production.
Although Ford Motor Company has been an international company for almost its entire history, the 1960's were especially significant because leaders anticipated a reduced trade barrier. The company established its North American Automotive Operations in 1971, which consolidated United States, Canadian, and Mexican operations more than 20 years before the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Also, in 1967, they established a Ford of Europe, two decades before the European Economic Community arrival. The global expansion increased the market share and profits of the company tremendously, and was one of the main reasons that Ford Motor Company is one of the biggest names in the automotive industry today.
One of the biggest reasons Ford Motor Company has grown and still is growing is because their efforts to develop the best technology and good management practice. The electronic revolution of the 1980's helped them to become even more efficient in production and also improved the performance of their labor force. While most companies saw computers as a way of replacing humans with computer, they saw it as a way to increase the efficiency and performance of each individual worker.
