ABSTRACT
In an interview, Robert J. Eaton, chairman and CEO of Chrysler Corporation, discussed management styles and the automobile industry. According to Eaton, he and former Chrysler chairman Lee lacocca are very different people. Whereas lacocca leaned toward sales and marketing and was known worldwide, Eaton is an engineer who tries to build teams and prefers not to stand out. Eaton believes that through building teams and empowering people, the automaker can accomplish its goals. The culture of Chrysler is very similar to that of General Motors (GM) Europe, where Eaton served as president from June 1988 until he left the company in March 1992. In a global market, companies will be more competitive if they work together with the government, as opposed to working as adversaries. According to Eaton, Chrysler is making good progress in getting more women and minorities into key line positions. Eaton does not want managers; he looks for leaders.
