Henry Ford – Father of Automobile Industry

Henry Ford – Father of Automobile Industry

Henry Ford is one of the most influential business geniuses of the 20th. century.

In 1922, Henry Ford wrote his first book “My Life and Work”. I would rate it as an entrepreneur’s bible. If you are thinking to start a business of your own, you need to go through this book and get inspired.

The chapters on “What is an idea”, “The secret of manufacturing and serving”, “machines and men”, “Money and Goods”, and “Money – Master or Servant” are just superb.

For the people who have only vague idea about Mr. Henry Ford, I would like to mention the points below.

1) Henry Ford was the one who launched the famous black “Model T”. When it rolled out in 1908 was hailed as America’s everyman car. This car was launched despite all odds – when everyone advised to Ford that a car is meant for the rich since it is the only way to maximize profits. By the time production of Model T ceased in 1927, more than 1.5 crore cars had been sold (which was half the world’s output). He made this possible by institutionalizing industrial mass production and also focused on mass consumption. He figured out that if he paid his factory workers a real living wage and produced more cars in less time for less money everyone would buy them.

2) Henry Ford was the inventor of dealer-franchisee system to sell and service cars. Just like politics is local, he figured out that business is also local and the dealer system is the best option to serve the customers.

3) He worked on making sure that an automotive infrastructure developed along with the cars. Just like horses, cars also had to be fed on the way. He pushed for gas stations everywhere.

4) He campaigned for better roads which led to an interstate-highway system in USA.

5) His vision created a middle class in the USA – the one marked by urbanization, rising wages and some free time to spend with the family.

6) With cost effective manufacturing processes, Henry Ford was the first to introduce the 5 Dollar a day wage for his factory workers. That translates to Indian Rupees 250 per day as in 2009. How many Indians get this wage per day?? You will be shocked to know that in some parts of the country, the average wage per day works out to be Rupees 60 to Rs. 100 per day.

Here is my 8th grade project on Henry Ford and the Model T, and the Assembly Line. Spent a good three months on it, plus 1.5 for the essay.
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