In a message dated 12/26/01 7:39:17 AM Pacific Standard Time,
jonkc@worldnet.att.net writes: but if they increase prices then they have
lost their only advantage in the marketplace.
John,
That sounds good but it isn't quite right. The Boston Consulting
Group in the late 70s or early 80s allegedly laid out a strategy for Japan
that consisted of lowering prices to the point that they chased their
competitors from the market place. That was reported in the press during
that time period and I assume the press got it right.
Now, once the American manufacturers have been chased from the market
place they will have lost their physical plant and their expertise. Today
when I walk through manufacturing plants it is obvious they have lost a lot
of their expertise even at this time.
It is easy to see how this happens. It is only necessary to read the
newspapers to see the layoffs and to see the sharp diminishment in the number
of want ads in the technical fields.
I am retired but a couple of years ago a plant owner called me in and
asked me to see what I could do to increase his production. His problem was
simple any decent Industrial Engineer could have solved it for him. But,
unfortunately American plants today all too often cannot afford that kind of
staff.
Ron h.
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