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Bitchin' bikes, gritty guys, and bad-ass babes The mere mention of the Harley-Davidson name conjures images of burly men and their side-saddle girlfriends; beards and beer-guts; Hunter Thompson's accounts of knights on their "Great Metallic Steeds" in his notorious book Hell's Angels; and impressive, stripped-down bikes blazing across the American heartland. Behind the hardcore lore, however, is a much less romantic and more entrepreneurial and ingenious enterprise. The legend began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1901, when 21-year-old William Harley and 20-year-old Arthur Davidson decided they wanted to take "the work out of bicycling." Vroom! After making numerous changes to their initial engine designs, and employing the aid of Arthur's two brothers, they finally produced a motorcycle suited to their taste. At first, the new business was slow to progress: the young men produced three cycles in 1903. Ten years later, however, the count was up to 12,904. The "vroom" heard around the world - courtesy of the patented 2-cylinder, V-twin engine - made its debut in 1909. In the years to come, over a hundred competitors would try to oust the original company; yet by 1953, Harley-Davidson was the only major cycle manufacturer left in the U.S. Brothers in arms After H-D motorcycles had passed mock military exercises in 1916, the U.S. decided to purchase 20,000 of them for use in WW1 duty. By 1920 Harley-Davidson had become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with dealers in 67 countries and an annual production estimate of 30,000 bikes. With the stock market crash of 1929 and the onslaught of The Great Depression, the company's sales plummeted. However, it picked up pace again in the 1940s after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Harley-Davidson's entire motorcycle production was put to Allied use. By the end of WWII, the company had constructed and shipped 90,000 WLA army-ready bikes. By the early 1970s, bike production had burgeoned, and the company decided to move its assembly operations to a plant in York, Pennsylvania. Trouble brewed later that decade, however. Competition from Japanese manufacturers, coupled with increasingly lax production standards, left Harley-Davidson a shadow of its former self. The company decided to adopt Japanese management and quality-control techniques. "Respect the road, it has no respect for you" The 1980s were a record-setting decade. As an incentive to get Harley owners more involved in "the great American ride," the company formed the Harley Owners Group - fondly known as HOG. Since its inception, HOG has become more than the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world. Indeed, membership to HOG is also a motorbike showcase opportunity, a social circle, a brotherhood, a breeding ground, a way of life, and the very badge of bad-ass identity. In business news, 1986 marked the beginning of H-D's public ownership. That year the company offered two million shares of common stock. The 1990s have been no exception to H-D's exceptional history. In 1992, senior management reorganized the company, replacing the traditional management hierarchy with a "circle organization" structure. The company is now divided into three overlapping operation circles: the Produce Products Group, the Create Demand Circle, and the Provide Support circle. The new organization has strengthened the company's training and development programs, which were formerly "typical of larger manufacturers." 1995 was a prolific sales year, with bike production topping 105,000. "The bond is metal" Recent commercial diversification, including Harley-Davidson theme cafes and a popular line of Harley-Davidson apparel, has increased both revenues and product visibility. Savvy public relations policies (including a successful 1995 lawsuit to break a licensing agreement with Lorillard Tobacco) have brightened the company's already luminous reputation both in the U.S. and abroad. Presently, the company is the only U.S. maker of motorcycles and the nation's No. 1 seller of heavyweight bikes. 1Q 1998 marked the company's 32nd consecutive quarter of record sales and record earnings. In 1999 company officials declared they planned to use IT to help increase production to 200,000 bikes a year by 2003 - the company's official centennial. Officials also anticipate that the IT aid will cut $40 million out of product costs and inventory. Meanwhile, by the latest count, H-D's worldwide network includes 1,200 dealers.
Harley-Davidson's job hotline, or 414-343-4080, provides updated job listings and application information. Harley-Davidson accepts resumes via regular mail only. Applicants should use the hotline to obtain the appropriate "job code;" this code must be included with resume, cover letter, and salary history. All application information should be mailed to Harley-Davidson Inc.; Attention: Human Resources Department; P.O. Box 653; Milwaukee, WI 53201. Harley-Davidson offers employment in the following areas: finance and communications, purchasing, administrative support and logistics, engineering, sales and marketing, information service, customer service, manufacturing and distribution, and miscellaneous. Most entry-level positions require relocation to one of the company's Wisconsin locations.
Legendary status Harley-Davidson's "legendary" status in the hard-edged motorcycle world is enough to make most employees "happy beyond imagination." However, our insiders also appreciate the company's "generous" benefits package and its "strong team ethic." The recently-adopted "collaborative approach" has engendered a "new feeling of connection" between employees and Harley products. Moreover, many of our sources are excited about "a new entrepreneurial vigor" that is sweeping the company. Harley-Davidson has reportedly announced a goal of doubling its production within the next several years - a move that has "increased pressure" but also "opened up enviable new opportunities." Hog heaven? Minorities and women declare that work at the company is a "constant challenge." However, one female informant reports "loving being [her] own boss, setting [her] own hours and calling most of the shots." The dress code is, not surprisingly, "pretty lax." Executives sometimes "dress the part" and sometimes "wear very casual clothes." With such a diverse array of employees, from engineers to marketing directors, H-D "has no standard corporate culture and varies in atmosphere from department to department." However, most insiders make favorable remarks about hours, perks, and work ethic.
Human Resources
Apparel; Motorcycles; Gear and equipment
Honda ; Suzuki ; Yamaha Motor;BMW More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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