UW-Madison expertise on General Motors bankruptcy

June 1, 2009

TO: Editors, news directors
FROM: Melissa Anderson, 608-262-9213, mkanderson@bus.wisc.edu
RE: TIP/UW-MADISON EXPERTISE ON GENERAL MOTORS BANKRUPTCY

The Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has a wealth of faculty expertise available to discuss GM’s bankruptcy and restructuring with members of the media. Experts include:

• James Seward, associate professor of finance, investment and banking, 608-263-2738, jseward@bus.wisc.edu. Seward is available during the early part of the week to talk about bankruptcy and restructuring. He can answer questions related to what happens in a Chapter 11, what the future is likely to be for GM, what are the company’s prospects going forward and whether there are financial “winners and losers.”
• Mason Carpenter, professor in management and human resources, 608-262-9449, mcarpenter@bus.wisc.edu. Carpenter can discuss strategy such as whether or not bankruptcy is good or a death knell for GM; M&A, or the divestiture of certain units.
• Tom O’Guinn, professor of marketing and executive director of the Center for Brand and Product Management, 608-265-2485, toguinn@bus.wisc.edu.

O’Guinn is available to answer questions about American brands in general, the “cool problem” or the lag between objectively good cars and the desirability of them. His question is, how do you make GM cars cool again?

• Deborah Mitchell, senior lecturer of marketing and associate dean of Enterprise MBA programs, 608-262-9213, dmitchell@bus.wisc.edu.

Mitchell is available to answer questions related to car buyers’ decision-making process in general right now, and specifically GM; the effect of bankruptcy on consumer perceptions; consumer loyalty and who owns the consumer; how consumers view GM quality; GM’s branding strategy (historical and current); retail channel strategy; and emerging trends and directions for how auto dealers will do business, particularly GM dealers.

• Chip Hunter, associate professor of management and human resources, 608-265-3533, lhunter@bus.wisc.edu. Hunter is available to answer questions about labor and employment and the UAW.