Wheels on Fire [Hardcover]

David Waller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2001

This text tells the true story of the merger between two of the world's biggest car companies, which created a global giant, in 1998. Combining narrative with first-hand analysis, David Waller uses the example to present tangible lessons for managers involved in global business.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1998, when news of the Daimler-Benz/Chrysler merger was announced, it shocked most of the industrialized world, but you'd hardly know that from this dull account. While gigantic mergers are mundane in the global marketplace, this merger, between a German company and a U.S. company, involved touchy issues of national identity, evident when a CNBC reporter pointed out, "Chrysler produced tanks for General Patton and Mercedes was producing war armaments for Adolf Hitler." Even though the deal was touted as a joining of equals, the reality was that it was a friendly takeover of Chrysler by Daimler-Benz. Waller aims at an overview, giving brief portraits of both companies' histories and corporate personalities, as well as details of the secretive deal making and legal wrangling that culminated in the final merger. While the book competently fulfills these aims, Waller fails to shape it into a dynamic narrative. Many of the primary playerssuch as Chrysler CEO and chairman Bob Eatonreceive cursory treatment. The striking exception is Eaton's counterpart, Jrgen Schrempp, the chairman of Daimler-Benz's board of management and the architect of the deal, whose life and character Waller copiously details. While this imbalance probably derives from the author's years of covering German business for the Financial Times, more time researching the American end of the deal would have made this account more appealing to readers in the U.S. B&w photos.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The Daimler-Benz and Chrysler merger in 1998 marked a new point in both the consolidation of the auto industry and the globalization of business in general. Waller, a London-based business consultant and former Financial Times correspondent, writes a fast-paced narrative and analysis of the merger. He devotes his first two chapters to a history of each company, then sketches the business climate of the 1990s, when J?rgen Schrempp, the new CEO of Daimler-Benz, began to restructure the company and look for a merger to keep it competitive. Waller describes Schrempp's first overtures to Chrysler, the ensuing hectic negotiations, and finally the merger itself, which left the German managers in effective control of the new company. Waller describes and analyzes the difficulties in integrating German and American business culture r-Benz's luxury car-oriented, quality-at-any-cost philosophy. Because it deals with globalization and two of the world's major consumer icons, the book is recommended for most business collections in both academic and public libraries. Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340770368
• ISBN-13: 978-0340770368
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,005,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truely an insider story..., August 26, 2001

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Dav (Malaysia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wheels on Fire (Hardcover)

A very candid, insightful and easy to read accounts of what went on behind the scene of the DaimlerChrysler meger, begining with a good intro on the backgrounds / history of these 2 organisation... A very well written book.