by bgetch.

OVERVIEW: Fascinating developments at Siemens in terms of brand, reputation and timing. The conglomerate was set to begin a national print advertising campaign highlighting its contributions to American life. With its CEO resigning and the bribe scandal still percolating in Europe, does it make sense to begin a broad, U.S.-centered brand and reputation campaign?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
1. Will target groups make distinctions relative to a brand/reputation campaign in one corner of the world (U.S.) while another is under fire (EU/Germany)?
2. The power of stakeholders: Siemens is attributing much of its troubles to German unions, specifically the resignation of its CEO. How can one group wield so much power?

P.S. Jack Bergen (my old boss at GCI in NY when I was a mere cub) is Siemens SVP of external comm and marketing. Interesting that he is attributing much of Siemens trouble to German unions and separating U.S. operations from the bribe issue. I left GCI to take a speechwriting job with Grumman. Jack was Cap Weinberger’s speechwriter.

Posted in Siemens | Print | No Comments »

by bgetch.

OVERVIEW: Siemens is a financially stong, diversified company that makes everything from car navigation systems to locomotives to dishwashers: $28 billion in revenue and close to a half-million employees. However, charges of $570 million worth of bribes in late 2006 has led to investigations that continue and recently forced out two top executives.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

1. Are people making value calls about the company as a whole or relegating these as isolated incidents from a couple of bad actors?
2. Are Siemens’ consumer brands affected at all?  More adversely due to awareness?  Or is this islotated to those businesses where the alleged bribes took place?
3. What’s the stakeholder impact, particularly government officials, employees and shareholders?  more

Posted in Siemens, Companies Tracked | Print | No Comments »