While I don't want to be dismissive of the jarring shifts that are occurring in the industry as companies-and not just DCX by any means-start putting people on the streets, it is worth noting that this is pretty much a wide-spread phenomenon.
For example, consider Proctor & Gamble. Ivory soap. Jif. Folger's coffee. And on and on and on. Near as I can tell, people are still washing their hands, eating peanut butter sandwiches and guzzling coffee (and not everyone is quaffing Starbucks).
But in 1999 P&G management announced "Organization 2005." This reengineering of the corporation included 15,000 separations. By mid-March of this year, 7,200 were out. 7,800 were still to go. Yet in mid-March, an additional 9,600 are being targeted for dismissal. Which is a total of 17,400. P&G employs approximately 110,000.
Perhaps it is little solace for those in auto to see that their peers in other corporations are getting the axe, too. But it should stand as a cautionary note that things really aren't all that green on the other side of the proverbial fence.
