Corporate Operations of the BMW Group - Case Study Example

The BMW Group is a global manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. According to the BMW Group website (2008) the company concentrates entirely on premium standards and outstanding quality for all its brands and across all relevant segments. The BMW Group owns the BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce brands and it defines its strategic objective: "The BMW Group is the leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility" (BMW Group 2008). . The BMW Group's headquarters are in Munich, Germany where activities in over 150 countries are coordinated.

It has 8 research and development centers - BMW Group Research and Innovation Center (FIZ), Munich; BMW Group Research and Technology, Munich; BMW Group Car IT, Munich; Innovation and Technology Center in Landshut Plant; BMW Group Designworks, Newbury Park, USA; BMW Group Engineering and Emissions Test Center, Oxnard, USA; BMW Group Technology Office, Palo Alto, USA; BMW Motoren GmbH Steyr, Austria; BMW Group Technology Office, Tokyo, Japan; BMW Group Development Office, Beijing, China. It has 17 production facilities in 6 countries: Berlin plant, Dingolfing plant, Eisenach plant, Contract production in Graz (Austria), Goodwood plant (GB), Hams Hall plant (GB), Landshut plant, Leipzig plant, Munich plant, Oxford plant (GB), Regensburg plant, Rosslyn plant (South Africa), Shenyang plant (China), Spartanburg plant (USA), Steyr plant (Austria), Swindon plant (GB), Wackersdorf plant.

Assembly is done with external partners in different countries - Jakarta, Indonesia; Kaliningrad, Russia; Cairo, Egypt; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Rayong, Thailand; Chennai, India. Sales and marketing subsidiaries are also present in many countries, helping maintain and enhance BMW's presence in key markets - Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, USA.

(BMW Group, 2008). The BMW Group deals not only with automotive products, it also develops, produces and markets motorcycles, as well as comprehensive financial services for private and business customers. For its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the BMW Group it is the only "car maker to pursue a purely premium strategy for all market sectors covered by its brands, from exclusive smaller cars to top-of-the-range luxury limousines", according to the group website (2008). For motorcycles, aside from the strategy to build the best motorcycles, the company has set standards for technology, environmental protection and safety, and customer service in the pre- and after-sales phases.

Seeing financial services as a key factor in BMW's successful operations, it has established financing and leasing, asset