Motorola is more than just a modern company that is moving toward globalization as a strategy for increasing business revenues. It is a company that has had the global mentality for decades. Globalization is part of its culture; so is training. With global sales approaching $40 billion and over 130,000 employees worldwide, Motorola has achieved a presence in the global market that goes beyond a few marketing maneuvers; deep-seated convictions about supporting its customers and training its employees have permeated its policies as well as its budget (1). ôWhat Motorola taught, its alums say, was a focus on customers and relationships, a respect for the work force and a strict sense of responsibilityö (2).
One of MotorolaÆs maxims has always been ôSolve the curtomer's problem, regardless of time/space continuum.ö Carl Schlachte, a former Motorola employee and now CEO of ARC International, recalls the days when he helped man ôthe Bat Phone,ö an early customer service line. "There was an 800 number customers could call. My favorite question was a 70-year-old lady in Chicago whose Motorola radio stopped working. They got out of that business in '68, but Motorola expected you to see that problem to resolution. You had to track down the tube somewhere and go fix it for her. If that's your first exposure to being in the business world at 21, you carry that through the rest of your life" (2).
Effective globalization involves massive training, and Motorola has always excelled in that arena also. Jeff Rosensweig, associate professor of international business and finance in the Goizueta Business School, says,
Trained, educated people can work hard in conjunction with global business. For example, Motorola is not just a company. Motorola is a university, and they are certainly efficient at what they do. And they're doing it in China. They're wise enough to know you're not going to sell Motorola phones in China unless you're...