CompuServe Messages

#Foreign Production

    23-Nov-92 10:21:00
Sb: #Foreign Production
Fm: James Roath 76440,2336
To: Paul Dowgewicz 75756,654
it seems to be a very popular notion that American companies are either lazy, not quality conscious, or just totally disregard the needs of customers. When in fcat American companies are the only innovators in the world market. You mention the Japanese and Koreans, both of whom have made great inroads in our country with their efficient and quality products. I have no qualms about their quality. But realize that the Japanese and Koreans, and to some extent a few European countries, have offered very little in the way of innvoation or technological advancement. They are very good at what they do, which is taking someone's idea and running with it… refining it, perfecting it and mass producing it cheaply. American companies spend far more than their Japanese counterparts on research and development, American companies don't have the government subsidies, American companies must deal with far more restrictive trade and patent regulations than their far eastern counterparts. I ask you, what is the last great inventions to come from Japan ? Wht are the patent laws so blatantly in favor of their domestic companies and hostile to ours ? We lost the television market despite being the driving force behind the technology, we lost the car market despite being the most innovative car makers, we are losing the computer hardware market despite being the technology leaders. Why ? Is it shoddy American workmanship ? IS it cheap foreign labor ? The national debt ? Unfortunately I don't think it will end… Our society values creativity, but we are to free and independant to adopt the work ethics so prevalent in the far eastern countries. We are currently the leaders in virtual reality, but that too will be cloned by the japanese and they will steal it away… Just like the video game, the automobile, the television…