Chapter 10, The RCA Deal Summary and Analysis

The Japanese threat results in a business-altering deal for GE. At the time, GE's $6.3-billion purchase of RCA is the largest non-oil deal in history. Purchasing RCA expands GE's own small semiconductor, aerospace division and TV set businesses. The companies mesh perfectly. The deal is announced December 12, 1985. GE and RCA are integrated but kept separate from NBC. Bob Wright, former president of Cox Cable, heads NBC. Non-strategic RCA assets, including records, carpeting, and insurance are sold immediately. Aerospace and semiconductor businesses are integrated, too. The fourth business is government services and satellite communications.

GE's TV manufacturing business is traded to France's government-owned electronics company, Thomson, for their losing medical business. Thomson acquires economies of scale and market position with the TV manufacturing business. GE triples its market share in Europe, gaining a presence against main...