Abstract

Many of the most crucial problems facing management today arise from fundamental changes in the traditional relationship between business and society. An effective response to these challenges requires a functional integration of public issues management and corporate strategic planning-an integration few companies have achieved. This article describes some of the recent initiatives taken in public issues management and strategic planning at General Motors to improve its ability to respond to those challenges. Several examples of public policy issues are analyzed within the context of the competitive strategies of the worldwide automobile companies.