English, 08.12.2020 20:20 alexis05evans
Two automotive titans—Henry Ford and Alfred Sloan—symbolize the far-reaching
changes that took place in American industry during the 1910s and 1920s. In 1913 and at the
age of 50, Ford revolutionized American manufacturing by introducing the automated
assembly line. By using conveyor belts to bring automobile parts to workers, he reduced
his cars’ assembly time from 12 1⁄2 hours in 1912 to just 11⁄2 hours in 1914. Declining
production costs allowed Ford to cut prices—six times between 1921 and 1925, reducing a
new Ford’s cost to just $290. This was less than three months’ wages for an average
American worker, and it made cars affordable for the average family. To lower employee
turnover and raise productivity, Ford also introduced a minimum daily wage of five
dollars in 1914—twice what most workers earned. In addition, he shortened the workday
from nine hours to eight. Twelve years later, he reduced his workweek from six days to
five. Ford proved the logic of mass production: expanded production allows manufacturers
to reduce costs and increase the number of products sold. Ford also realized that higher
wages allow workers to buy more products.
Alfred Sloan, the president of General Motors from 1923 to 1941, built his company into the world’s largest automaker. Sloan
achieved this not by improving the production process but by adopting new approaches to
advertising and marketing. He summed up his philosophy with these blunt words: “The
primary object of the corporation was to make money, not just to make cars.” Sloan was
convinced that Americans were willing to pay extra for luxury and prestige. His stance
contrasted with Henry Ford’s. Ford, a farmer’s son, wanted to produce an inexpensive,
practical vehicle with few extras. For instance, Ford said that his customers could have any
color they wanted as long as it was black. Instead, Sloan advertised his cars as symbols
of wealth and status. In 1927, he introduced the yearly model change, to convince
motorists to trade in old models for new ones with flashier styling. Sloan also developed the
idea of automotive “classes,” which classified cars by status, price, and level of luxury.
According to this system, Chevrolets were less expensive than Buicks or Cadillacs. To
make his cars affordable, he set up the nation’s first national consumer credit agency
in 1919. If Henry Ford proved the power of mass production, Sloan revealed the
importance of merchandising in a modern consumer society.
Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?
Henry Ford and Alfred Sloan represent different influential forces in the development of American manufacturing.
In the first half of the twentieth century, Americans focused on buying products that worked well, rather than on products that provided prestige.
Alfred Sloan recognized that the automobile had the potential to become a powerful status symbol for consumers.
The changes Henry Ford introduced in the assembly line allowed a greater number of goods to be produced in a shorter amount of time.
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Two automotive titans—Henry Ford and Alfred Sloan—symbolize the far-reaching
changes that took plac...
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