Ford Motor Company versus Toyota Motor Company.
After completing an analysis of both Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Company, it was clear that both companies come from different backgrounds and have several diverse characteristics. Simply because they are both large automotive companies, they also have a number of similarities. Regardless of Ford and Toyota's unique identities, both auto manufacturers are faced with critical management decisions that will ultimately determine the future of their companies. .
With an initial investment of $28,000, Henry Ford and eleven other investors founded Ford Motor Company in 1903. Henry Ford bought Lincoln in 1922 for eight million dollars, because his son liked Lincoln's high quality standards. On January 17, 1956 the Ford Motor Company went public, selling 10.2 million dollars of stock in one day. It was the largest IPO in American history at that time. With over 300,000 employees, Ford is currently the second largest auto manufacturer in the world. Ford also owns several lines of cars, including: Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, and Aston Martin. As the new CEO of Ford, William C. Ford Jr. is focused on the company's mission, which reads: "We are a global family with a proud heritage, passionately committed to providing personal mobility for people around the world. We anticipate consumer needs and deliver outstanding products and services that improve people's lives.".
Kiichiro Toyoda founded Toyota Motor Company in 1937. The Japanese auto manufacturer expanded to Brazil in 1959 and eventually into a network of overseas plants. Toyota strives to be a responsible corporate citizen by participating in community activities ranging from the sponsorship of educational and cultural programs to international exchange and research. As the world's third largest manufacturer of automobiles, Toyota produces 5.5 million vehicles per year.
