Managing organizational change for BMW in the emerging Chinese market

Scientific Study from the year 2004 in the subject Business economics - Business Management Corporate Governance grade: A Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU) course: MBA class language: English abstract: Change is often not welcomed because it is more comfortable to do things the way we've always done them and change is often perceived as a threat. But change has always been a reality of life and is even more so today. The challenge for leaders is the transformation of their organization at this time of fast change. In this context the research paper will analyze how the German car manufacturer BMW can apply organizational change and development theories to ensure highest quality and increase its market share in the emerging Chinese market. China's explosive growth which has turned its car market into the fastest-growing in the world has attracted foreign automakers in hordes (Welch 2004). Over the past decade nearly every major car company has entered the Chinese market and so did BMW. The German car manufacturer invested in the local market and formally opened its first production facility in Shenyang. BMW entered a 50-50 joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd in 2003 and opened a €450-million plant which will produce both BMW 3-series and 5-series models. BMW which sells its three brands BMW Mini and Rolls-Royce is thus the only carmaker in the premium segment that produces locally in China (Welch 2004).