Management gurudom seems to depend on GE excellence. GE is a monopoly supplier of case examples to Guruworld. With GE Capital wobbly, and with GE Capital’s Immelt-era profits accounting for 50% of the whole firm’s profits, I’d be surprised if the company ever returns to its Welchian glory. (Which is not to knock Immelt—Welch is the true architect of hyper GE Capital-centrism.)
Scratch GE.
Scratch Starbucks.
Uh, scratch Enron.
And Countrywide and WaMu.
There’s always Wal*Mart.
Thank God.
Mr. Sam, we love you.