经济学人下载:GM的下任老板 底特律第一夫人

Business
商业报道

GM's next boss
GM的下任老板

Detroit's first lady
底特律第一夫人

The car giant's new boss is not only a woman but a car guy
这家汽车巨头的新老板虽是女性却还是个汽车人。

IT MAY look like a firm stuck in one gear: General Motors' market share in America, at around 18%, has not shifted in a while.
看起来，这家公司是陷入了僵局：通用汽车在美国的市场占有率已经在很久都没有变化了。

But on December 10th its announcement that in January Mary Barra will take the wheel to become one of the most powerful executives in the car industry, and indeed corporate America, signals a shift up through the cogs.
但是在12月10日，该公司宣布在一月，Mary Barra将掌管公司。这使她成为了汽车业，也是全美国最有权势的执行人之一，标志着汽车行业的一次重要转变。

Three years ago she became one of the highest-ranking women in the business when she was named head of global product development at GM.
三年之前被任命为GM全球产品发展部主管的时候，她就已经成为了商业界排名榜首的几位女性之一。

Almost as striking as the fact that she will now take the top job in what has traditionally been a male environment is that she is a genuine car guy.
和她即将在传统上都是男性文化充盈的环境中掌权一样令人惊奇的事实是她是个正宗的汽车人。

In some respects this is a step backwards for GM.
从某些方面上说，这个举措对GM来说是一种让步。

She is a company woman who has spent her entire career working for the carmaker.
Mary Barra成长于公司内部，整个职业生涯都在这家汽车制造商中渡过。

Dan Akerson, GM's current chairman and chief executive, who retires next year, came to Detroit from other industries, as did his counterparts at Ford and Chrysler.
将在明年退休的GM现任主席及首席执行官Dan Akerson是从其他行业转投底特律的，福特、克莱斯勒的老板也是如此。

That was a big change for a business distrustful of outsiders but in need of a new approach to leadership to oversee the turnaround of America's carmakers after the ravages of a financial crisis and a crippling recession.
对这个外界充满怀疑的行业来说，这绝对是一个大变化，同时这个行业也急需一种新的方式来带领美国汽车制造业扭转金融危机造成的破坏和走出目前的衰退情境。

As Mr Akerson noted, the new GM that emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009 is run very differently from the way the giant carmaker was managed in the past.
如Akerson先生所说，在2009年后根据联邦破产法第11章的破产保护而重组以来，新GM的运营方式同过去相比已经非常不同了。

When asked how Ms Barra might fare in a company known for its old-boy mentality, Mr Akerson insisted that the perception is quite dated.
当被问到Barra女士在这个以男性文化闻名的公司中会遇到什么问题时，Akerson坚持说这种观念已经非常过时了。

During close to four years of leadership, Mr Akerson has concentrated on building teams rather than the top-down management of old.
在将近4年的领导过程中，Arkerson专心于建设管理团队而不是同过去一样采用由上至下的管理模式。

But as a former military man his brusque demeanour may have tempered his ability to resist ordering people around.
但是作为一位前军队人员，Arkerman直率的举止

Ms Barra is likely to take a more conciliatory approach.
看起来Barra女士会采取一种更加中庸的做法。

Mary is a coach, and that's the sort of management style this company needs, says David Cole of the Centre for Automotive Research.
Mary就像教练一样，这正是这家公司需要的管理方式。汽车研发中心的David Cole说道。

She was certainly groomed for the role.
她当然为这个角色修饰打扮过。

She is part of a generation of women targeted by GM to achieve great things.
Barra是GM认定将会作出一番成就的一代女性中的一个。

The firm, embarrassed by its macho culture, has made a big effort to bring on female talent.
这家为男性文化的公司为招揽女性人才作出的很大努力。

Indeed, the carmaker now has a fast-growing cadre of top managers who are women; there are five more on its executive committee as well as Ms Barra.
实际上，这家汽车制造商中女性高层骨干也在快速增加；在它的执行委员会中还有5名同Barra一样的女士。

A quarter of its factory managers are female.
其工厂经理中1/4是女性。

A woman runs the crucial electric-vehicle programme.
至关重要的电动汽车项目也由一名女性领导。

GM will also benefit from Ms Barra's skills as a product person.
GM还会因Barra女士从事产品工作的经历而受益。

She is an engineer who knows cars inside out.
她是一位对汽车了如指掌的工程师。

Mr Akerson leaves on an upbeat note.
Arkerson先生留下的一副乐观的景象。

The carmaker's recent profits have exceeded expectations, its share price has risen sharply in recent months and many of its latest models are widely praised for engineering, design and quality.
这家汽车制造商的近期利润已经超过了预期，它的最近股价也是一路飙升，新推出的车型中多款都在工程、设计和质量上饱受赞誉。

The new Chevrolet Impala was cited as the best saloon ever tested by Consumer Reports, an influential magazine.
新型的雪佛兰英帕拉被很有影响的杂志《消费者报告》称为测试过的最好的轿车。

Still, Mr Akerson warns that as far as we've come, we've got to go that far again.
然而Arkeson先生警告说尽管我们已经有了一些成绩，我们需要尽力做到更好。

There is plenty more room for improvement.
发展的空间还很大。

Other models in GM's range are in need of the makeover she has already given to the Chevrolet Malibu and the company's range of pick-up trucks.
GM的其他车型也需要Barra女士给雪佛兰迈锐宝以及皮卡车所带来的那种改变。

Successive bosses have failed to fix Opel, GM's loss-making European arm.
连续几任老板都没能改变其在欧洲不断亏损的分支—欧宝。

And the important Chinese market appears to be slowing.
而且至关重要的中国市场进展缓慢。

Ms Barra has to make sure that she keeps improving GM's line-up of vehicles if it is to take on Ford and Toyota.
Barra女士需要继续提高GM旗下的各款车辆来对抗福特和丰田。