Grassroot Leadership - Ford Motor Co.
Ford has always attracted and nurtured capable managers and technicians, but it has failed to do the same for change agents and leaders. So, as part of the automaker's cultural overhaul, Ford is embarking on a sweeping attempt to mass-manufacture leaders. It wants to build an army of “warrior entrepreneurs” — people who have the courage and skills to topple old ideas, and who believe in change passionately enough to make it happen. Ford Motor Company announced key changes to its senior management team as it continues to strengthen its automotive business, improve the company's operational fitness, and accelerate a strategic shift to capitalize on emerging opportunities. In announcing the leadership changes, Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett said Form is “very fortunate to have an experienced and committed executive team in place to significantly strengthen their business while building towards their vision of becoming the world's most trusted mobility company. Their objective is to lead business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence and profitability”. Ford views grassroot leadership as the best vehicle for creating a successful business
The objective of Ford was:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → To lead business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence and profitability
Option (1) To lead business to new levels of market, product and brand excellence and profitability — Incorrect. The passage says “operational fitness”, not “market”.
Option (2) To lead business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence and profitability — Correct. Jim Hackett’s statement ends: “Their objective is to lead business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence and profitability.” An objective is the end result a company works towards. Ford names three: operational fitness (running the business efficiently), product and brand excellence, and profitability.
Option (3) To lead business to new levels of growth and multiple product and brand excellence and profitability — Incorrect. Growth and “multiple product” are not in the passage.
Option (4) To lead business to new levels of operations and multiple products, new brand excellence and profitability — Incorrect. It changes the passage’s words to “operations and multiple products, new brand”.
Note 1: The passage is the NCERT case study ‘Grassroot Leadership - Ford Motor Co.’, the opening case of the chapter Directing, which has been reproduced by NTA in the exam. Even the opening case of a chapter is exam material, so read NCERT thoroughly. Note 2: It seems that there is a mistake in the original NTA paper, which prints “Jim Hackett said Form is …” in the passage when it should read “Ford”. The slip is NCERT’s own: both the current NCERT book (2026-27) and the pre-rationalised NCERT print “Form”. NTA copies lines from NCERT word for word, even where the book is wrong. NCERT typed ‘Form’, and NTA copied it faithfully. Read it as Ford and move on.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Grassroot Leadership - Ford Motor Co. … Ford Motor Company announced key changes to its senior management team as it continues to strengthen its automotive business, improve the company’s operational fitness, and accelerate a strategic shift to capitalize on emerging opportunities. In announcing the leadership changes, Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett said Form is…” “Their objective is to lead business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence and profitability.” |