Ford Pinto Case Study & Other Analysis Ideas

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Ford Motor Company changed the way our world functions. Ford made automobiles an essential part of people’s everyday life and left its mark on the auto industry. Business students can learn a lot from doing Ford case studies and diving into the company’s history.

💌 What You’ve Never Known about Ford

1. Ford is the second-largest family-owned company in the world after Walmart. Today the executive chairman of Ford Motor Company is William Clay Ford, Jr., Henry Ford’s great-grandson.
2. During World War I, Ford Motor Company also manufactured airplanes and boats. While supporting peace, the company used the same mass-production techniques for military needs as for producing automobiles.
3. Jim Morrison, the legend of The Doors, owned only one car. It was Ford’s Shelby GT 500 model.
4. Ford Motor entered the oldest active car race globally, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1966. The Ford GT40 won the race and beat Ferrari, which used to be the leader for five years.
5. Ford’s annual revenue in 2021 was $155.9 billion. Check out our free essay samples for more fascinating facts about the Ford company.

🍀 Ford Case Study – Fresh Ideas

Various factors influence Ford’s financial performance and position in the automobile market. Here are some ideas to consider when doing a Ford case study:

• The history of Ford Motor Company.
• Ford’s supply chain.
• Model families of Ford cars.
• Operational management.
• Marketing strategies.
• E-commerce and online presence.
• Environmental initiatives.
• Innovations for Ford Motor’s cars.
• Ford’s crisis management.
• Ethics and social responsibility.

🤝 Ford Human Resources Strategy

1. Human Resources Management at Ford
   Ford’s human resource activities include:
   • Retention and hiring,
   • Employee training and motivation,
   • Creating a safe environment for everyone.
   
   The company’s hiring plan focuses on employing innovative and customer-oriented minds while promoting skilled ones.
2. Employment at Ford Motor Company
   According to the company’s statistics, Ford employs more hourly workers than any other car company. For example, in the U.S., more than 57,000 hourly employees work at Ford. To remain the leader in the car industry, Ford carefully chooses its workers and has three interview rounds.
3. Benefits of working at Ford
   Every worker joins Ford’s pension arrangement and has at least 26 days off yearly. The company provides access to a wide range of education and fitness activities to keep workers happy and healthy.

🛍️ Ford Marketing Strategy

1. Ford’s marketing strategy
   Like any other automobile company, Ford uses a mix of demographic and geographic segmentation to match the customers’ changing needs. The key customers of Ford are the upper-middle and middle-class people who are fond of technologically advanced automotive solutions.
2. Ford’s e-commerce strategy
   Ford launched a Ford Direct program to coordinate dealership websites with the main company sites. According to Ford’s statistics, at least 60% of people visiting the company’s showrooms first check the company’s website.
3. Ford’s EV Ad campaign
   In 2022 Ford introduced a successful campaign to promote its electric cars. The company made three videos showing how the empty front trunk can be used, featuring chefs, musicians, and tattoo artists.
4. Ford’s offensive car ad in 2013
   In 2013, the company promoted its Ford Figo car with a controversial poster illustrating crying women in the car’s trunk. Ford soon apologized, saying those posters were never intended for paid online publications.

⏳ Ford Case Study Strategic Management

1. Ford’s generic strategy
   Ford’s generic strategy has been changing over time. Original Ford’s generic strategy was cost leadership, based on cost reduction and low prices. However, this strategy didn’t protect Ford from competing with General Motors. Nowadays, Ford is moving its generic system to emphasize its differences from other companies for competitive advantage.
2. Ford’s intensive growth strategies
   Market penetration is the focus of Ford’s intensive growth strategy. The company’s goal is to expand the business to sell more products to current customers. Ford applies this strategy by growing the number of its dealerships and sales volume.
3. Ford’s product development
   Product development is another element of Ford’s intensive growth strategy. This strategy involves providing customers with new products to increase sales revenues. For example, the company introduced the famous Ford Focus Electric car within this initiative.

🚘 Ford Pinto Case Study

1. Ford Pinto: production history
   Ford executives decided to produce the Pinto car model in 1968. Ford president Lee Iacocca promised that the Pinto would weigh less than 2,000 pounds and cost no more than $2,000. Before manufacturing the car, the company crash-tested various prototypes to check whether they met safety standards. Even though the tests resulted in ruptured gas tanks and dangerous leaks, the car was released after some minor changes.
2. Ford Pinto: fires and lawsuits
   Between 1971 and 1978, the Pinto model was responsible for a number of fire-related deaths. According to the company, nearly 23 people died, while critics say the figure is closer to 500. The testimony of Ford engineers revealed that 95% of the accidents could have been avoided if Ford had made the necessary changes during the testing period. Approximately fifty lawsuits were brought against Ford in connection with the Pinto accidents.

🚙 Ford Fiesta Case Study

1. Ford Fiesta: production history
   The company introduced Ford Fiesta in 1972. It was Ford’s first supermini and their smallest car ever. Even though Fiesta has seen major re-designs, upgrades, and multiple variations, it sustained a loyal fanbase. For example, in the UK, Ford Fiesta remains the bestselling car. In September 2021, Ford released the facelifted Ford Fiesta images with a new “Wrong Way Alert” safety feature. What is more, the 3-door Fiesta will be released in 2022.
2. Ford Fiesta: marketing campaign
   In 2010, before launching the new Ford Fiesta model, Ford wanted to show potential customers how they could use the car in their daily lives. However, the company did not want to spend huge budgets on this campaign. The idea behind the “The Fiesta Movement” campaign was to give 100 potential customers the new Ford Fiesta for six months and then collect their feedback. This was how the company engaged its target audience and created authentic user-generated content.

🤓 More Ford Case Study Topics

Ford’s Human Resources Strategy

1. Ford Motor company’s training techniques.
   This paper analyzes Ford’s innovative employee training, which provides the company with high profits and returns on investment.
2. Ford: impact of culture on international business.
   This paper follows how Ford incorporates various cultural diversities in its management.
3. Henry Ford: leadership in organizations.
   The research paper analyzes Henry Ford’s leadership, relating it to some facts from his biography.
4. Ford Motor Company: personnel management.
   This report analyzes the development from transactional to transformational models of human capital management at Ford Company.

Ford’s Marketing Strategy

5. Ford Motor Company service marketing.
   This report focuses on Ford’s strategies for creating and maintaining this company’s credibility in service marketing.
6. Ford Motor Company market research.
   This study explores Ford’s marketing tools to maintain customers’ loyalty in the market.
7. Ford and Toyota: productivity with relation to market conditions.
   This paper describes the techniques the two car companies use to give them profound knowledge of customers and a high level of competition.
8. “Ford Pinto” case study.
   This study explores how Ford’s new marketing campaign helped ease customers’ concerns about Ford Pinto’s safety.

Ford’s Strategic Management

9. Ford Motor Company: strategic marketing.
   This paper analyzes how Ford’s properly aligned strategic marketing plan leads to the overall marketing goal for the company.
10. Ford Motor Company: management of change.
    This study explores how Ford successfully manages the changes in organizational structure.
11. Ford Motor Company: total quality management.
    The paper analyses Ford’s total quality management strategy and discusses the challenges accompanying this process.
12. Ford Motor Company: strategic goals.
    This essay is based on Ford’s SWOT analysis and gives recommendations for further improvements and growth strategies.
13. Ford Motor Company: redefining strategies.
    This paper discusses the business-level strategies used by Ford Motors. It also discusses how the company can strengthen its market position.
14. Ford Motor Company’s competitive advantage.
    This paper provides data related to the analysis of Ford’s current position in the industry and its competitive advantage.

Ford’s Financial Performance

15. SWOT analysis: The Ford Motor Company.
    This report introduces the SWOT analysis of the Ford business to generate appropriate recommendations for competitive advantage.
16. The Ford Motor Company: financial management.
    This paper explores the role of the budget in Ford’s organizational processes and how financial management controls them.
17. Ford Motor Company’s income statement.
    This paper focuses on Ford’s financial statements that stockholders review to understand the company’s position in the market.
18. Ford Motor Company and subsidiaries analysis.
    This study evaluates Ford’s current position in the market and compares the results with the previous years.

Ford’s Key Business Competitors

19. GM and Ford financial analysis.
    This essay provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the two leading companies in the American automotive industry.
20. Tesla Motors Inc & Ford Co: financial analysis.
    This report compares the two car manufacturers based on their financial performances over the years.
21. Toyota and Ford: supply chain management.
    This paper compares the supply chain strategies of the two companies, which are considered the leaders in the automobile industry.

🔗 References

1. Ford Motor Company – Environmental, Social, and Governance
2. What is supply chain management? | IBM
3. Marketing Strategy of Ford – Ford Marketing Strategy
4. What Is the Ford Motor Company Business Model? | Small Business – Chron.com
5. Strategic Progress of Ford+ Growth Plan, Solid Financials in ’21 Position Company for Connected EV Leadership in 2022, Beyond | Ford Media Center