Germans are cold and logical. Italians are driven by passion. Okay, so these are old stereotypes, but they might tell you something about the marriage of BMW and Husqvarna Motorcycles.
How does a German company own an Italian marque? Volkswagon has done it successfully in the automobile business. Lamborghini, for instance, is owned by VW. Maybe, the old stereotypes don’t mean much today.
Perhaps, the capital BMW brings to Husqvarna will simply benefit both companies — allowing Husqvarna to develop models it only dreamed of, and allowing BMW to instantly enter markets it only dreamed of. Cultural differences do not have to translate into management difficulties.
This will be a very interesting marriage to watch . . . not the least for its offspring.
