ABSTRACT
The climate of uncertainty that prevailed in the North American automobile industry after the 1973 oil shock exacerbated the traditional structural and institutional obstacles that Ford had to face in order to set its competitive strategies. This uncertainty was rooted in a macroeconomic context characterized by rampant inflation, unstable rates of growth, balance of payments problems and an erratic North American demand for vehicles, which combined with stricter safety and emissions regulations in the United States limited Ford’s strategic choices.
