GM's Saturn

GM also learned from its own mistakes. In the late 1980s, GM launched a new division to produce a small car called Saturn. Industry observers have predicted that the Saturn automobile will be made with the latest technologies: AGVs, robotic workstations, and CIM operations. Instead, Saturn is made by a mixture of old and new techniques. Although 200 robots are used for welding, AGVs are not used. Instead, GM used conventional methods like automated electrified monorail, conveyors, and lift trucks (Manji, 1990; "Saturn," 1990). The emphasis in the Saturn Company is on better utilization of human resources. Its 5000 workers are divided into teams of 6 to 15 people. Each team has one adviser from UAW and another from management. These teams organized their own training and have decision power over hiring new workers. Since its launch in 1990, Saturn has won top marks for quality and has enjoyed excellent sales record ("General Motors' Saturn," 1992).