International Economics in the Automotive Industry

Work in international economics for a major automobile manufacturer is full of various requests from a number of sources. At the core of that work, however, there is an intense focus on economic fundamentals that drive new vehicle sales. This article describes the role of economics in General Motors and the ongoing as well as ad hoc responsibilities of the economics staff. It also describes the career path and influences that have led to the author’s current focus on international markets. The author also describes an important instance in which surface appearances were highly misleading and deeper analysis prevented a serious miscalculation. A major lesson from his experience is that while models and formal forecasts are important, it is often shocks and random events that have the most influence on markets.