Kaiser Industries

"Kaiser left the creation of Kaiser Industries in the hands of financial advisors and highly capable administrators. As an entrepreneur and “business thinker,” Kaiser was essentially an old-school, “seat-of-his-pants” operator. He lived in the realm of big ideas and long-range future possibilities. He was very gifted at delegating authority to subordinates; “detail work” in Kaiser’s companies usually represented significant challenges for even the most gifted individuals."

"Analyzing the enormous range of major commitments Kaiser made between 1944 and 1946, one is struck by the fact that while many were outgrowths of months, even years of planning, others were almost whimsical. Insiders knew he meticulously planned a major effort to expand steel operations; and he hired automotive designers years before he plunged into the business in 1945. On the other hand, although he had explored postwar prospects in light metals, few in the organization foresaw the magnitude of his commitment to aluminum. The federal government opened a small window of opportunity in that field in 1946, and Kaiser and a few associates were brave enough to dive through. Had circumstances in half a dozen other fields been slightly altered, the organization might well have emphasized entirely different product lines in the postwar period. The years 1944 to 1946 thus marked a critical period, during which Kaiser made many of the commitments shaping the future of his burgeoning corporate empire."

"Kaiser remained somewhat removed from the day-to-day operations in his many enterprises. He approved creation of Kaiser Industries; when commitments involved tens of millions of dollars, he made the ultimate decision. However, he included promising subordinates in his deliberations. In addition, rising executives and established senior managers made many important operating decisions. The tougher the choices, the more men grew; he tolerated mistakes as long as men learned from them."

"Kaiser left the creation of Kaiser Industries in the hands of financial advisors and highly capable administrators. As an entrepreneur and “business thinker,” Kaiser was essentially an old-school, “seat-of-his-pants” operator. He lived in the realm of big ideas and long-range future possibilities. He was very gifted at delegating authority to subordinates; “detail work” in Kaiser’s companies usually represented significant challenges for even the most gifted individuals."

"Kaiser remained somewhat removed from the day-to-day operations in his many enterprises. He approved creation of Kaiser Industries; when commitments involved tens of millions of dollars, he made the ultimate decision. However, he included promising subordinates in his deliberations. In addition, rising executives and established senior managers made many important operating decisions. The tougher the choices, the more men grew; he tolerated mistakes as long as men learned from them."