There are times that the leaders take such sporadic decision that not only alters the approach track of a business but also sets a trend line for others to follow. You will find out how the thought process of the top chiefs has been fashioned by such occasionally taken but mind-bending decisions.
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F)
The wages of the workers being doubled by Henry Ford – 1914
Henry Ford was gaining success at a very fast pace but his company faced with the challenge of retaining the workers.
On Jan 5, 1914, Henry Ford announced that he was doubling the wages of auto workers along with the shift hours reduced from nine to eight and conducting work in three shifts than two shifts and hence floating work opportunities.
These decisions helped in retaining workers and prompted a revolutionary move that formed a nation equipped with wealth.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
Steve Jobs brought back to the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) – 1997
After Steve Jobs had left, the company faced various pull down situations which they had never seen in the past. In July 1997, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) fired Gil Amelio, the then CEO and arranged a place back again for Steve Jobs.
The Board realized that at times some of the decisions about getting rid of an initiator and key person are taken in a hurry. It is worth noticing here that add on to the gains is far lesser than the loss of dynamism and energy which could only be stimulated by a founder.
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC)
1991 – Disbursement of millions by Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) in a microchip branding
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) demonstrated that competition can be challenged by mysterious item, in this case, a chip as well. This was done by the branding of “Intel Inside” by it and showed that such consumer product can create its own identity in the marketplace.
Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA)
Bet on 707 by Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) – 1952
William McPherson Allen, Boeing’s postwar president, convinced the board to spend $16 million the first transatlantic commercial jetliner of U.S and it changed the history. At this moment he had no business to deliver. It was just his faith that this one would gain its space in the market and it happened.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)
1982 – Carrying out the right tasks
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) CEO James Burke discarded every container of its Tylenol in Chicago when he got to know that there it had been made up with cyanide and caused seven deaths. The company decided to devise a bottle that cannot be tampered and it had cost $100 million at that time.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) lived up to the expectations and gained the faith of their customers keeping them on the top priority.
Shares of the following:
Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) were up by 2.61% to close at $11.39
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) were up by 1.77% to close at $518.83
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was up by 0.21% to close at $20.57
Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) was up by 0.85% to close at $74.65
