The Fords: An American Epic was one of the best business biographies I've read in a long time. The Fords are a fascinating family, with equal measures of Greek tragedy, myth, suffering, arrogance, incompetence and genius. The first Henry Ford ran at least two companies into the ground before starting his namesake company, Ford Motors. And it was at Ford Motors that he arrived at the brilliant insight of applying assembly line methods to manufacture the Model T. This enormous insight led to more than 15 years of massive success for the company. Unfortunately, it was followed by another 20 years of almost equally massive failure, as Ford nearly sank his company with capricious management, kooky behavior and horrendous decision-making. It was only by the effective takeover in 1945 of Ford by Henry II (Henry's grandson) that the company was turned around. I'll briefly share what was possibly Henry I's worst business decision: as American auto buyers became more aspiration...
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