Motorola: Combining Business Projects with Learning Projects

IN many aspects Motorola is unique among the Fortune 500 companies. From a modest beginning in the heartland of the United States the corporation has grown to produce approximately $30bn in annual revenue with 130000 employees located in 45 countries around the world. It has accomplished this growth by focusing the corporation’s energies on one primary business, the enhancement and development of the electronics communications industry. Because Motorola is engaged in the leading edge of communications technology, it has built close working relationships with governments, universities and regulatory institutions around the world. These relationships help Motorola both influence and work within the communities and environments that regulate the communications industry. Motorola prides itself in working in countries in a partnering relationship of free trade, where Motorola assists the country in developing their communications capabilities and in turn benefits from the evolution of the markets for communications products. There are many instances in Motorola’s history where the corporation has invested in a country for ten years or more without seeing significant profitable return. Motorola believes this level of commitment is required to develop the communication industry, and in turn, the market opportunities for the corporation. Several examples of this philosophy of long term commitment include the Republic of China, India and South Africa. Motorola senior leaders often commit to the leaders of emerging market countries that ‘we are here to invest in your society for the long term and you can count on us as a partner in improving your communications infrastructure and the standard of living of your people’. More importantly they have examples in the history of the company to justify these commitments. The corporation considers these longstanding relationships, build on high integrity and ethical standards, and respect for the individual, as part of the intellectual property of the company.