Unlike his predecessors, Jack Welch was willing to sell GE' pride position, its name, lovingly called the MONOGRAM. The reason that Jack's predecessors were unwilling to sell the Monogram when they sold a business was that they believed that if the acquiring company didn't provide quality products and services it would reflect on the entire company. This was one of the reasons that Reg Jones was not able to sell the maturing housewares businesses (toaster, coffee makers etc) and the very unprofitable Television business.
Welch was willing to take the chance and so he sold the Monogram, for a five year period to get rid of Housewares and for an unlimited period to divest television.
Today it appears that Immelt and his team are willing to actively market the brand name. They have created a new joint venture with a Taiwan company to sell GE BRANDED High Definition/ Interactive Televisions, for a forty nine stake in the new company.
Other companies have done the same, but I am still a firm believer that when a company invests over 100 years in building a strong brand, it should not be used for a "quick/ opportunistic" deal.
Bill Rothschild, author of the most comprehensive, objective history of a truly remarkable company, designed to help the reader learn from both the company's successes and failures...THE SECRET TO GE's SUCCESS, now in six languages and a global best seller.
Welch was willing to take the chance and so he sold the Monogram, for a five year period to get rid of Housewares and for an unlimited period to divest television.
Today it appears that Immelt and his team are willing to actively market the brand name. They have created a new joint venture with a Taiwan company to sell GE BRANDED High Definition/ Interactive Televisions, for a forty nine stake in the new company.
Other companies have done the same, but I am still a firm believer that when a company invests over 100 years in building a strong brand, it should not be used for a "quick/ opportunistic" deal.
Bill Rothschild, author of the most comprehensive, objective history of a truly remarkable company, designed to help the reader learn from both the company's successes and failures...THE SECRET TO GE's SUCCESS, now in six languages and a global best seller.
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