What would Edison say?

[jmc]

Former employee here. I agree that they forgot how to make money by working!

In my opinion, they lost there way during the "Neutron Jack" era (early 1990's).....

It was a great company to work for until they closed our unit, was offered to move to Turkey or Singapore with a couple of product lines. Just saw the writting on the wall and took the layoff.

Sounds like we both lost, betting on GE.

This is an interesting article from 3 years ago about how they floundered after Jack Welch's era. (Not sure when WSJ's paywall kicks in):

GE Powered the American Century—Then It Burned Out

The company that was once America’s biggest and most admired, the maker of power turbines, the seller of insurance, the broadcaster of “Seinfeld,” has become a shadow of its former self. This is the story of how generations of managers, who thought they could fix any company in any industry...

www.wsj.com

 

[LouNY]

Sounds like we both lost, betting on GE.

This is an interesting article from 3 years ago about how they floundered after Jack Welch's era. (Not sure when WSJ's paywall kicks in):

GE Powered the American Century—Then It Burned Out

The company that was once America’s biggest and most admired, the maker of power turbines, the seller of insurance, the broadcaster of “Seinfeld,” has become a shadow of its former self. This is the story of how generations of managers, who thought they could fix any company in any industry...

www.wsj.com

Welch was the start of the problems.

 

[Oaktree]

TV news just said GE to split into 3 separate companies.

Medical, energy and........i forget.

Funny, many asian companies do just the opposite.

Many American companies did that too and it didn't always work out well.

My wife's family has a long history with GE...her father, 1st husband, BIL and nephew all work(ed) there. Her father got transferred a lot. Always in the northeast, but still a move every 4-5 years when she was growing up.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Edison just lied and stole his way to the top, so who cares what he would think!

SR

 

[Aquamoose]

Edison just lied and stole his way to the top, so who cares what he would think!

SR

You beat me to it!

 

[k0ua]

Edison just lied and stole his way to the top, so who cares what he would think!

SR

Not to mention as a person, he was not a very nice one.

 

[Streetcar]

Not to mention as a person, he was not a very nice one.

Or very good business man, he was kicked out of the company shortly after founding it

 

[MossRoad]

Or very good business man, he was kicked out of the company shortly after founding it

That's a bit twisted around.

Edison didn't found General Electric.

J.P. Morgan and others did when they merged the Edison General Electric Company and Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form General Electric.

They had more controlling interest in stock than Edison at that point, and he was forced to give up control.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have to wonder how much of the current vitriole pointed at Edison is just another case of the internet rewriting history.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I have to wonder how much of the current vitriole pointed at Edison is just another case of the internet rewriting history.

NONE!