Well Made in America: Lessons from Harley-Davidson on Being the Best

by Peter C. Reid

Book Overview

In 1981, Harley-Davidson was about to go under. That's when 13 of its managers purchased the ailing motorcycle company. Saddled with $83 million in debts, they had to avoid bankruptcy, restore... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0070518017
• ISBN13: 9780070518018
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies
• Length: 226 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

How to Succeed in America

This book gives an excellent glimpse into a company that committed most of the mistakes typical American companies make and found themselves in the same financial straits. But rather than giving in to a me-too attitude of trying to provide an inferior product with cheap foreign labor and cost cutting at every turn, they instead did things the American way - reconnecting with their customer base and creating a unique product that customers were proud to own.Any company that deals with American consumers ought to have this book on the desk of every manager in the company.

Lessons for Manufacturing Organizations

This is an excellant example of a company that was near bankruptcy and able to pull itself together, reinvent itself, and again is a world class company. Many of the things that transpired with Harley can be subsituted into our business today. The culture of Harley is so unique that many people have the Harley Logo tatooed on their bodies! This is one of the best American business success stories I have read. Many ideas that were used to regain market share would help alot of manufacturing companies today if they follow a similar path as the Harley Execs did. In my oponion, Harley is right up there with baseball and apple pie. This story translates what people can accomplish when they have common goals.

Stock and Rider

This is an excellent story told in easy to read fashion. It details the comeback company of the 1990's if you ask me; Harley Davidson is. I've read it 2 times and working on the third time now. I'm not a business major since the book is business classified. I just Love Harley Davidson and read all I can about this wonder.