GM (and Ford) Will Return e-Business Units To Mortal Status...Its About Time!

NEW YORK, Nov 16 In a move that TACH has expected since the Internet hysteria griped those who should have known better,General Motors Corp., the world's largest automaker, will fold its e-business arm back into the corporate organization, The Wall Street Journal reported in its electronic edition on Friday.

``We're on a migration path to weave it into the organization,'' said Mark Hogan, head of the unit known as e-GM, the newspaper reported. He said the unit, which has about 100 employees, would be folded back into GM in the ``near term,'' while a spokesman said the process will begin over the next year, The Wall Street Journal said.

Hogan did not specify what job he would take next, but he did say he hoped to go back to the core automotive business, the newspaper said.

Hogan said e-business is still priority for Chief Executive Rick Wagoner, but that ``people are doing a lot less arm-waving about it'' with the end of the Internet bubble, it said.

The Wall Street Journal said rival Ford Motor Co. is also cutting back its online initiatives. Ford has reduced the role of e-business ventures and focused on its core auto business, as part of a move to reverse big losses this year, the newspaper said.

GM will also slash plans for a joint venture with U.S. dealers that would attract customers who now go to third-party sites for information, instead of GM's own, The Wall Street Journal said.

Hogan said the company is no longer considering buying part of a third-party provider, but will probably keep working with partner Autobytel Inc., the newspaper said.

Publishers Note: It has been our opinion from the start of the World Wide Web that it should be treated like any other business tool and not be elevated to G-d-Like status. Companies like GM and Ford and others have gone off the deep end and have forgotton what business they are in, hey auto makers just make good cars, advertise and leave the driving to us.