DETROIT, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- With sales lagging, Ford Motor Co. has turned to employees for advice, actively seeking ideas to turn North American operations around.
The Detroit News says salaried employees received an e-mail from North American division president Mark Fields Friday asking them to share any good ideas with senior management.
"The response has been strong," a Ford spokesman told the News. Ford lost $284 million in the third quarter, its first quarterly loss since 2003, and plans significant job cuts, plant closings and health care benefit cuts for hourly UAW-covered workers.
President and CEO Bill Ford Jr. challenged employees to share their suggestions last month. "This is not something that's the flavor of the quarter. This is a commitment I think for many years, and it is a cultural change," Ford said.
The News said Ford and his staff were examining the ideas and he was expected to unveil a major restructuring in January.
