Comments

I think it is safe to say that green does not equal negative economic impact anymore. It is the brave new frontier.

Posted by Patrick Bergen at May 27, 2009 4:57 PM

TP - Thanks for the optimism here. But the post doesn’t make me feel terribly giggly. On the issue of it no longer being a GM world anymore, we aren't getting rid of cars anytime soon in this vast country of ours, are we? So, why not be like some of the European countries who are no longer largely manufacturing cars and produce none of our own. Right?

In fact, maybe we should become like Great Britain where their credit rating seems to depends on financial institutions and service alone. How large is that country? How many highways? This "giggle-worthy" world better include the manufacturing and producing of products here in the US or it seems likely that we will have a financial and service economy alone. This is ludicrous for a country our size.

While I appreciate what is occurring in other places in the world, to become dependent upon any of these countries for our basic goods does not make this country richer, nor does it make us more secure. The inevitability of a GM bankruptcy is not my concern here, as it was some months ago. Senior executive friends in the industry convinced me of both the possibility and advantage back then. But our dependence on others for the majority of our goods is my concern!

We will become a big white elephant—valuable but useless and non-productive! Sorry for the downer. As I said, I'm not feeling terribly giggly right now. But there remains an optimism with a large degree of common sense. Becoming a largely financial and service economy seems utterly nonsensical to me. I may be missing something here. But it sure doesn't feel like it.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 27, 2009 6:07 PM

I don't find it real surprising that some very successful "new" companies are absent from the radar screen. We, meaning the business press and our government, seem to be obsessing about the big and old; those with a new, and sometimes contrarian business model might be an irritant to those that are vested in an old model of the US economy. I, like Judith, am a Michigander. I find it surreal that Fiat is taking over Chrysler. Daimler I could live with, but Fiat? I predict Saturn will survive and prosper when it is sold off and returns to its roots...as far away from Detroit born and bred executives as it can get. I like the automotive execs, I worked with many of them. But let's be real here. It is nobody elses fault. This generation of managers and workers killed the golden goose. We would do well to let it die. Manufacturing is not coming back to Michigan, and certainly not to Detroit which has the lowest high school graduation rate in the nation. Translation..if you are looking for skilled labor, look elsewhere. I dearly hope the business press lets GM die with dignity, and starts paying attention to those companies you mentioned. It is time to get on with it.

Posted by Mike Neiss at May 27, 2009 6:41 PM

Tom, do you see any hint of a "reversal of fortune" in a way here? Back in the 80's and 90's, we started noticing the huge upswing in countries like Japan investing in real estate, office buildings, etc. here in the U.S. I'm wondering if that is turning around in a way now, with us becoming less of an industrial economy, more of a service/financial economy, wherein we end up investing our dollars overseas in THEIR companies.

Maybe it's on oversimplification, but I liken it to playing the stock market. If I have $100,000 to invest and I think the future is in -- let's say hypothetically -- solar panels, and I don't have the resources to start a solar panel manufacturing company, the next best thing is to find one that looks really good and invest in it. In fact, I would be well served to invest my money in a handful of potentially large growth companies in diverse industries. There's really no difference -- theoretically speaking -- in me doing that as an individual and a nation's economy doing it as a while. It's simply a matter of scale.

When we had all our money here at home as a nation, we didn't do so will with it. That's obvious given the current economic situation. I see us shifting gears and investing abroad and taking advantage of THEIR abilities to produce quality goods. That's not saying that there aren't a LOT of U.S. companies such as you describe in this Excellent post just waiting to seemingly come out of nowhere and shock us all with goods and services that result in world-class performance. But I say "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Instead of bailing out more and more failing industries, invest the same amount abroad and see if we don't actually get it back with a dividend. Do we lose a lot of domestic jobs during that time? Unfortunately, yes. But that's already happening and we seem helpless to turn that around. On the other hand, the "dividends" we could earn by investing in THEIR growth would mean increased cash to spend on other things we DO provide here in the U.S. and would create NEW jobs and industries.

Maybe we are already doing that to a greater extent than we realize? We have to have automobiles... instead of GM's, Fords, or Daimler-Chrysler products, we buy Hyundais and Kias and such... foreign owned companies. We spend those dollars with them. They grow. They come over here and build plants (Alabama has MANY of them) creating new jobs and revenue. Companies spring up to SUPPLY Kia and Hyundai (Alabama has MANY of those -- right here in Opelika, one company by the name of Mando is constantly breaking ground and expanding their operation) meaning more jobs and recirculating many more of our dollars back here at home. It's a cycle that many aren't really looking at as closely as they should.

Here in Alabama, we're losing some of our old industries that practically built our state, such as textiles, tire plants, etc. But at the same time, we're actually seeing significant growth in automobile manufacturing and directly related industry. From the perspective of our region, the auto industry is anything BUT dead in America. It's just closing up shop in Detroit and popping up with a gigantic, albeit virtual "Under New Management" sign here in Alabama. "Under New Ownership" is more like it, because we are signing over the deeds to the industry, like it or not. Without the debt loads and legacy costs, these companies are viable, highly competitive, and stand to remain so. It's a very painful thing to see people lose their jobs and their benefits with companies like G.M., but it's happening and bailout money with these companies appears to be the equivalent of trying to patch a crack in the Hoover dam with a piece of used chewing gum -- it's merely buying a little time and prolonging the inevitable.

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 27, 2009 6:50 PM

Mike, no irony in the fact that you and I almost posted comments juxtaposing Michigan's plight to the growth of auto industry in Alabama, is there? We're screaming as a nation about the death of the auto industry, yet we're overlooking the fact that it's actually growing under the moniker of newer companies and in different locations. Full circle. Just like these "under the radar" companies, Tom, you, and all of us are seeing Revolutionize industries, the auto industry is not immune. It just SEEMS unbelievable because the names of former giants like G.M. are the ones being carved on the tombstones in "American Industrial Memory Gardens." Regardless of the scale, the dynamics are the same. Nobody escapes it. Not even the biggest of the biggest.

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 27, 2009 6:59 PM

1. The Korea area as what now with Mini-Me in the north launching who knows what (with a population 4"'s shorter on average than their southern relatives due to mal nutrition over the decades)?

2. GM as a buy soon? They plan to manufacture in China & ship worldwide - $.99 stock (almost now) when it crashes but it could go up 5 x in 2 years - can we say $250k to $1M+ for those with cash?

3. Those amazing South Korean lady golfers - Talent Code myelin or what - how do they dominate the USA PGA tour (they believe)? Entrepreneurial & super low tax societies believe - yes - they deserve to be on top ... whereas too much of the USA wants socialism & a daddy state?

4. Seattle area does quite well due to - a. no state personal income tax/low business tax - b. no sales tax on food, pharma, medical - c. talent & R&D universities - d. Microsoft, Amazon, Nordstrom, Boeing, Eddie Bauer, Starbucks, REI, Costco, Washington Mutual (whoops JP Morgan Chase acquired), Cray Inc., Expedia.com, (Cinnabon to Atlanta), etc ...

e. Pacific Rim focus - the Chinese president visits the Bill Gates family 1st then the USA president - f. Seattle area families are intact & graduate for the most part - which matters - to paraphrase Michelle Obama in the last week's Time magazine "... we didn't have a lot of money but we had a dad & mom there all the time ..."

5. GM's "business model" has them paying far too many retirees $150k in pension & benefits. Delta Airlines in 1996 paid $300k to their pilots "we must be the best". Vallejo, CA is bankrupt because for example the average cop costs $162k in salary & benefits. That is like McDonalds paying $50k for front desk help - false models - & world competition eats your lunch & laughs at your childish ways. :>)

Posted by C Love at May 27, 2009 7:58 PM

Bravo, C! Thanks for a lot of that!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 27, 2009 9:02 PM

Judith - to correct a (commonly held, I'd admit) hoary old myth, whilst the UK economy does have a large financial sector and homes some of the largest banks in the world, we also have the 6th largest manufacturing economy in the world. 6th place might not seem much to brag about but it shouldn't be dismissed either. Rather like the subject of Tom's post, we do have some stunningly good companies hidden away but doing some excellent work.

Posted by Mark JF at May 28, 2009 1:58 AM

MarkJF - Correction duly noted. What are some of your manufacturing brands, by the way? It's not like Moody's has been incredibly credible lately, but it seems that they are sincerely threatening to lower Britain's credit rating or has it already been done? Haven't been following the news as closely lately. The same has been contemplated about the US because of the financial crisis. But it would seem that perhaps such a watchlist agency that had seemingly been asleep should itself be downgraded.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 28, 2009 2:15 AM

I agree. The circular conversation about our state of affairs which goes on between politicians, economists, the City and the media - seems only ever to look at and listen to the usual business suspects in reaching conclusions about the way things are. Certainly times are tougher, but there's a whole lot of people and companies getting on and doing great stuff, usually somewhere below the radar, and so they "don't compute", in good times or in bad.

Yrs, glass half full...

Posted by RobCH at May 28, 2009 3:56 AM

To be fair, I'm not sure it's all the fault of the media and their circular conversation. National broadcasters will naturally tend to dwell on the macro-issues: the national economy, national unemployment etc. Maybe local MA news is picking up on these encouraging signs? What's needed is a national reporter who picks up Tom's thread and does a piece about how the economy is coping, changing and re-shaping itself to face a new future. It would be a difficult editorial decision (time, effort and concerns about whether it would attract a lot of attention) but a good one.

Posted by Mark JF at May 28, 2009 4:42 AM

Technology is indeed powerful - as I read Tom's blog post via Kindle while in pre-flight, I see the "alibaba" book, download it before take-off, and have read much before landing. And a great read it is, too.

Korea? Amazing! A Korean-born co-worker is heading "home" soon for a visit, and his description of the closeness of family despite a world between really drives home that this is a "global village."

As a incubative entrepreneur myself, I can't help but ask "what makes the difference"? Business programs focus on the 'metrics', or how things look after-the-fact. As I look at my next start-up, beginning in an economy unlike anything I've seen in over 40 years of business, I find myself profoundly altering my business model ... back to what my grandfather and his peers followed in the early 1900s: customer service excellence, organic growth, talent and pure brand leadership. Hmm ... something sounds familiar ...

Thanks for the fresh start to the day, Tom. It's better than coffee!

Posted by David V at May 28, 2009 7:35 AM

Mark, I wasn't assigning blame as such, just remarking on the way the "establishment" (loaded term again) tends to speak unto itself, and work within a relatively narrow frame of reference. Re the news I agree. I was watching on BBC World recently a positive piece about Germany's Mittelstand "green shoots". Fair dos, Germany is Europe's biggest economy, but are we (UK, home of the BBC as it happens) just riding hopefully on its coat-tails? Are there no stories about UK green shoots that BBC World might feature? I believe there are plenty; they just don't get enough/any airtime.

Posted by RobCH at May 28, 2009 7:36 AM

Does the new tech Revolution mean that America will manufacture nothing for itself? How will those without an education survive? Who will pay taxes to pay for roads, schools, properties, police, fire etc? I was in the city offices of a suburb of Detroit a few days ago dropping off property exchange docs where we had purchased another house in this thriving community. On the desk there was a laminated article taken from the local press about the very real problem of the lack of taxes being paid to this very solid community because on all of the foreclosures, while we are participating in a city tax tribune to lower the taxes that we paid last year on a number of properties and the ones just purchased this year based on the new State Equalized Value (SEV). I must admit to feeling a little bad about this as we had already gotten extraordinary good deals on these houses. Let’s just pay the taxes as is for a little while I suggested. It would not hurt us to do so. But my partner was not having it at all.

Perhaps the city is wasting a great deal and could cut costs. I've worked as a consultant for my share of big and large city governments and understand too that waste is a real problem. Just maybe this will get them to stop the waste and focus on how to grow the local economy than just maintaining the status quo. But the reason the national media has been talking about the loss of jobs and homes across America is because these are very real issues that effect real lives, even the lives of small businesses and communities. Psychologically, I think we have turned the corner; the question still remains of how we will rebuild and on what foundation. While we understand that small businesses and the not so small businesses that TP mentioned fuel the economy, are these enough to sustain communities? I recently read that affluent communities in Boston are having very real problems with property taxes. Large manufacturing has not sustained these. What’s happening in Boston, the home of MIT, where tech is booming?

How many downloads will be needed on Kindle to fuel the economy? How many people in the US are actually doing such, certainly not the average American that works 9 to 5? While I know this blog is for businesspersons, I do wonder if we are in tuned with the average worker. Technology is the present and future. But to build the communities and businesses that we are talking about it is most certainly going to take more than a tech Revolution. Will such jobs include those for the less educated, the majority of Americans? The middle class was built not by the educated or businessmen themselves, but by average Americans, the kind that do not read books on Kindle and think that its just the coolest thing. But maybe the fact that they have not read many books at all is indeed the problem. My concern in our transition is the average American across America.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 28, 2009 8:11 AM

'My concern in our transition is the average American across America.'

Tom Peters does not care about the average american.
He only respects workaholics. People who want to raise kids and know their kids are not part of what he is interested in. He is part of the reason why we are where we are. He has written that it makes no sense for a company to actually make things. He lives in a bubble. He is a millionaire author. He is as down to earth as anyone in the Jet Set. He has never run a large complicated business for any sustained amount of time. He is a consultant who hit it big in publishing. He talks about accountability yet he has an occupation whose effectiveness (other than making money) is impossible to measure. The way he talks about GM shows he has no empathy (unless it can be used as a tool to manipulate people).
Of course he will say he sheds tears for the people who actually suffer from GM's problems - he has to because his brand requires him to appear to care about people.

Posted by dan at May 28, 2009 8:49 AM

Judith, I share your concerns. As the son of a factory worker, and a veteran myself of the factory floor, those concerns have caused me more than one restless, sleepless nights. I read our Governor's comments on the future of manufacturing in Michigan, and I wish I could agree. But anyway I look at it, I keep coming back to the same conclusion, manufacturing is not coming back to Michigan in the near future. And to be honest, why would it? One very large, good paying company recently moved operations out of Detroit, not because of wage issues, but simply because absenteeism ran too high to run efficiently. I was involved with another company that wanted to relocate to Michigan but felt there was a lack of skilled workers with basic proficiencies in math and reading. Perhaps this will be the catalyst for real innovation. Not just in our factories, but more importantly our schools, and maybe even in our homes. I do not think there will be jobs for the less educated that can even come close to what the big three paid. I suspect the middle class will shrink until mothers, fathers, teachers, and other community members understand that a degree is the new price of entry into the middle class. Our global competitors get that. Google is in Ann Arbor. The medical science corridor in Grand Rapids is bustling. There is hope, but only if we change, not wait for the economy to change. Again, I do hope I am dead wrong on this. But those restless nights say something different.

Posted by Mike Neiss at May 28, 2009 9:09 AM

Thank you, Mike. I appreciate your comments. But I think that you are perhaps misreading mine. My concern is not about Michigan alone, but about how we will rebuild America which found its wealth in producing stuff. (However, I do agree, with you about the death of GM. I think it will re-emerge with a leaner more agile business model. Your die with dignity comment frankly surprised me, as we have met and had a few conversations. I respect your views.) How we re-build communities that will most certainly not be wholly based on a tech Revolution, whose manufacturing is built in India and China where the workers by and large most certainly do not have degrees, is my concern. These are working, nonetheless.

Perhaps the wages at the big three were unsustainable as outsourcing grew and union demands persisted over long periods of time. C's lucid point above about legacy costs is very relevant too. But how will average Americans send their kids to college with salaries that are at the poverty level? Those workers in India and China are most certainly at or below the poverty level and will not be sending their kids to college, but they will be eating. The examples of companies in Michigan that are thriving is great! Ann Arbor is my old stomping ground. I love the town! But how many jobs does Google create for the average American? Every American will not go to college and to insist upon such seems like an economic risky model for the USA.

Regarding education, there are a great many educated people with graduate degrees throughout Europe who have never risen to the middle class.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 28, 2009 9:53 AM

"Perhaps this will be the catalyst for real innovation. Not just in our factories, but more importantly our schools, and maybe even in our homes."

I so appreciate this comment, Mike, and hope that it will be so.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 28, 2009 9:58 AM

The Zappos CEO says " ... we must get the culture right then the rest is easy ...". So he moved them to Henderson, NV (low tax & cost of living area) to make it on easy associates & the business.

Alabama, like Dan G mentions pursues business hosting with a passion & one suspects that is the future of Creative Class "Who's Your City" places - & hence the new dynamic places that support families, communities & ecosystems.

Judith's interesting comment about overtax in property tax reminds me of: 1. an Alcoa manager down the street from me was moved to Nashville - 2. His $740k county assessment value of the house - $9k per year - did not sell in 1 year - 3. Prudential relocation bought it for $502k - 4. The new buyers paid $480k. 5. And is the County eager to drop that $9k assessment to $5k where is should be? 6. And is the County downsizing their staff & operations readily?

The answer is no since government is what these days?! :>)

Posted by C Love at May 28, 2009 1:49 PM

Judith and Mike – Great discussion—you have addressed some serious considerations. It is true that the U.S. has some wonderful high-tech companies, both new and established, and they demand considerable attention. Unfortunately, it will take more than high-tech gadgetry and information processing to bring the U.S. back to prominence as a world leader in innovation. The U.S. has seriously fallen behind the rest of the developing nations in the area of innovation over the past decade, and also shows no potential for improvement over the next decade…quite the opposite actually.

While researching the subject of innovation for a series of blog posts, I had to stop, because the information was too depressing. The problems facing the U.S. are deeply rooted and insidious. Yes, we need real innovation in our factories, schools, and (most importantly) in our homes. However, I’m not sure we have yet seen enough of a catalyst, or incentive, to change.

But maybe, if we take things one small step forward at a time…just maybe…..

Posted by Bob Foster at May 28, 2009 2:07 PM

C - Your scenario I've seen many many times. Now, only if cities will do what's advised here. The big reason is that fat in the system pays someone who without which would be out of work. Something as to be done about this on local and national levels.

Bob - I remember well your series on innovation, as I was a frequent vistor to your blog. Haven't popped in as much lately, but I shall. I always like it when I see your name because something thoughtful and relevant usually follows. Thank you.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 28, 2009 3:41 PM

C Love, "government" here is -- as you put -- "big on business hosting." Our last couple of State Governors have gone to great lengths to build good relations with our Korean friends and others, because they are indeed investing and we want them to invest here. Our Mayor likewise. And it is paying off. I have seen many people without college degrees who have benefited from the construction jobs that companies such as Mando and other Hyundai and Kia suppliers bring with their expansions.

A sad fact did come up a couple of years ago, however. One of the Korean companies posted announcements for hiring for a new plant they intended to build. Don't hold me to the numbers, but it was my understanding through a secondary source that they were very disappointed over the fact that they needed something like 200 workers and out of the applications they received, less than 50 really fit their needs. Despite being next door to a major university (Auburn), we still have issues with area high schools not turning out enough students with the right academics to make them attractive to such prospective employers. Math and the sciences are very important to these companies. The multiple-diploma programs of a lot of high schools do not encourage enough students better prepare themselves for technically oriented jobs, or perhaps even for technical courses of study in colleges or universities. We simply have to do more to encourage math and science programs. Many of us have spent countless hours brainstorming this need, but there are no easy answers to be found.

Still, they are building here and they are creating jobs. Our area is feeling the pressure of the more general economic woes that have befallen our nation as a whole; however, there are positive signs that we are not dead. Maybe be are coming up for air and there is a "manufacturing" life raft to be found. It's a little different than some of our old industries, but it's perhaps "regrowth" nonetheless.

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 28, 2009 6:30 PM

Bob..I am hopeful primarily because we must change. I am not sure we have time to create the foundation so that the standard of living in the next generation comes even close to their parents, but we seem to do our best when our backs are to the wall. If, of course, we recognize they are against the wall. And innovation has become the latest catch word panacea of our organizations, yet few seem to be ready for the disruption. I keep thinking Henry Ford didn't continuously improve the horse, he came up with a radical replacement for it. Much as I love my hemi (22 mpg), maybe the combustion engine and the industries attached to it have got to go too. When the innovation hits, some are going to get rich, and unfortunately, those that haven't prepared themselves with the new skills, are going to get poorer. Sucks, but not sure it can be avoided. By the way, my Dad saw the factory life was not what he wanted for his kids..so he made studies first, before sports, before hangin with my friends, before any privileges he controlled. It is not the government's job, or the employers job...it is the parents in my opinion.

Posted by Mike Neiss at May 28, 2009 7:10 PM

Related to cars & culture & CEO's:

20 Worst CEO's via Conde Nast Portfolio.com. Bob Nardelli of Chrysler - what a surprise - & Fiorina too.

"17. Nardelli. THE STAT: Nardelli’s Home Depot exit package of $210 million was regarded as one of the largest ever." No wonder I still boycott Home Depot!

"19. Carly Fiorina. A consummate self-promoter, Fiorina was busy pontificating on the lecture circuit and posing for magazine covers while her company floundered. She paid herself handsome bonuses and perks while laying off thousands of employees to cut costs. The merger Fiorina orchestrated with Compaq in 2002 was widely seen as a failure. She was ousted in 2005.

THE STAT: HP stock lost half its value during Fiorina’s tenure."

Only a "lady" a TP could love!

PS - we are reminded there is a just God though because Barcelona kicked "AIG Manchester United" to the curb where they belong ... AIG MU "fans" lead by "Trevor" threatened to burn down the stadium ... but at their age they felt sleepy so went to bed early with warm milk ... :>)

http://www.portfolio.com/executives/2009/04/22/20-Worst-CEOs?page=4

Posted by C Love at May 28, 2009 7:54 PM

LOL!!! Waaaay Funny!!!

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 28, 2009 8:55 PM

'C' - I love your humour. By the way it's hot chocolate and a warm foot blanket for us oldies after we've trashed stadiums. Barcelona are a terrific team and deserved their victory. My beloved Manchester United had to settle this season for winning ONLY 4 TROPHIES including the world club championship so I am very content with my team. True fans always keep the faith :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 29, 2009 1:04 AM

Love how amusing it is that some must manufacture "championships" to try & get a stiff upper lip (or stiff anything for that matter).

MU walks across the street - that is a "championship" ... MU has a pint or 5 - that is a "championship".

Why have playoffs when one can be such a "champion" or - like - "Trevor - a Legend in his own Mind" (new ebook title). :>)

Posted by C Love at May 29, 2009 8:34 AM

Hi C - rather like you guys cheekily calling something the 'World Series' when only played in your own back yard in the US I guess. Love the book title by the way - thanks for the suggestion. Happy Friday my friend :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 29, 2009 9:35 AM

"...like you guys cheekily calling something the 'World Series' when only played in your own back yard in the US..."

That IS a very valid point, Trevor. Sort of like calling the Civil War in America "World War 0.5"

When we play against Japan... now THAT is more like a "World Series."

Language is a strange thing. And we make it stranger, don't we? ;-)

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 29, 2009 10:02 AM

"Love how amusing it is that some must manufacture "championships" to try & get a stiff upper lip (or stiff anything for that matter)."

LOL!!! Second classic!

"...rather like you guys cheekily calling something the 'World Series' when only played in your own back yard in the US I guess."

The comeback is pretty sweet too, though not hardly as fun, lacking the witty lithe imagery as the two classics.

But...I'm liking 'em all....

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 29, 2009 10:36 AM

The baseball World Series is indeed that - the Japanese & Latin Americans & others make it so by playing here. USA baseball, football & basketball have played many games overseas - trying to spread the brand world wide like McDonalds & Wal*Mart. Personally I take no ownership/pride/pleasure in pro baseball/basketball/football sports & the players - they see almost none of my entertainment dollars or attention. :>)

Posted by C Love at May 29, 2009 5:54 PM

C – Can we have a serious discussion on this without falling out? :-)

My counter point to you would be that if players from a variety of nations merely compete in a game means you have something called a ‘word series’ then our English football (soccer) league is the ‘world series’ of soccer. Of course we all know that is plain silly. The only way any competition can credibly call itself a ‘world series’ is when national teams compete against each other. By your logic the ancient noble art of ‘conkers’ in England – providing the game is played by two people from different nations - becomes a world series of conkers. Your baseball world series is merely an internal US competition and that is fine. I’m delighted it is enjoyed by so many people in the US. However please don’t believe the rest of the world considers your world series has any status whatsoever. The World Cup in soccer is a genuine world competition … but a ‘world series’ in baseball?? …. In your dreams my friend.

My points are not made with any disrespect to the US sporting prowess by the way – merely my personal opinion.

Yours

"Trevor - a Legend in his own Mind" :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 29, 2009 6:43 PM

Trevor - you shall never understand business complexity perhaps. How can my logic be 2 parties are a world series - baseball here has 50 countries represented & it is played at a premium level over a 9 month 162 game season & an almost endless playoff of 5 game playoffs then the 7 game world series. Each country could have a team that competes in the 162 games & playoffs - but they decline to do so for business reasons. It is too expensive & they don't have the talent. So their players come here to play if they can qualify. How could that not be a world series - same for football & basketball - the world can't compete unless they come here to qualify. The world travel is one limiting factor & since the salaries in those sports are highest here - people come here to play. In a more perfect C world pro sports & players would make as much as firemen/women for example & largely be ignored for their irrelevance & tax burden to citizens - since the wealthy owners & players pass tax burden to the middle class. :>)

Posted by C Love at May 29, 2009 7:15 PM

C - ‘Never understand business complexity’ is something I proudly admit. Business is far simpler than many in business like to pretend. For instance I’m currently reading Alan Webber’s great book “Rules of Thumb.” Mr Webber co-founder of Fast Company Magazine has over 30 years experience of interviewing all the leading leadership and management folk in his career. He says this in his book:

“Some people think they need to “speak business” to prove they belong in business. They think a compulsive use of consulting buzzwords and MBA jargon makes them sound like they’ve learned the secret code. Unfortunately that kind of acronym-laced talk doesn’t demonstrate a business-smart brand; it comes across as “the brand called insecure.” A far better strategy is to know all the right jargon but to translate it into words and ideas that ordinary people can understand”

Amen and thanks Mr Webber.

I think I understand what you are saying about baseball and my point remains the US ‘national team’ is not playing against other national teams so I do not recognise the baseball world series as a genuine world tournament.

It remains to me an internal US competition.

The World Cup in soccer has 30 or so national teams from all over the world coming together in one continent every 4 years. The wining national team that emerges from that tournament can justifiably call themselves world champions. Your baseball winning team can justifiably call themselves the champions of US baseball.

Nice to have a harmonious discussion like the two very dignified gentlemen we truly are my friend :- )

It is 1.40 a.m. here in li’l ol’ England and my bed beckons.

By the way you will be delighted to know I have just had my last warm milk drink and my nurse will ensure I am in bed safely with my medication shortly :- )

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 29, 2009 7:42 PM

Yawn. Stretch. Stretch. Yawn.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 29, 2009 8:00 PM

Trevor - trying to make points of business design & culure mixes in sports. Soccer has never been a culture favorite in many places - like USA football is almost solely the USA - so by design the world series is of those that cultivate such. Single elimination Olympic sports make it difficult to deem a team a world champion - but that is the best that can be done - so if Japan wins a baseball gold medal that tells us they played well at the Olympic level & peaked out at the right time since so many international pro players stayed home - more power to them. Baseball, basketball & football here clearly are world class the best - though baseball & basketball could be challenged world wide - love to see that.

PS - even money that South Africa implodes with the nefarious Zuma as lead before 2010 world cup time - stay safe those that may want to visit there.

Posted by C Love at May 29, 2009 8:06 PM

C Love - thanks for the exchange, good to have the conversation - have a good weekend :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 30, 2009 3:41 AM

PS - Having visited South Africa for 4 weeks I have to say I believe it will be a fantastic festival next summer for the World Cup 2010. It is a wonderful country full of lovely people. Despite the image sometimes portrayed of South Africa I have to say I felt just as safe there as I do in sleepy Stratford-upon-Avon on a sunny Sunday afternoon :-)

Like everything else in life, speak as you find.

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 30, 2009 5:54 AM

Trevor - please do some more research on that. I have South African friends here who escaped SA due to crime & the new Jacob Zuma (3 wives) "dictatorship". Do you feel Zimbabwe is "sleepy"? SA should be able to pull off the World Cup - but the corruption level there is on par with the House of Lords! Pull up the rape stats of the native men against their women & babies if you can stand it. We are facilitating 3 SA moves to here in the near future. Some blacks there want apartheid back per Time magazine "... at least we had a job every day ..." Appreciate you enjoyed the teaching moment to educate you on USA world series dominance :>).

Posted by C Love at May 31, 2009 6:16 AM

C – Happy Sunday. Corruption abounds everywhere I look at the moment – it is far from limited to South Africa and Zimbabwe. I don’t have to look far and dare I suggest neither do you. Before we propose solutions to other nations we perhaps need to look in our own backyard. I am constantly reminded of Mahatma Gandhi famous words; “What do I think of Western civilization? I think it would be a very good idea.”

As for the World Series 'education' - lets call it a draw :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 31, 2009 10:55 AM

Trevor, you been digging in my "favorite quotes" file again? LOL. Actually, they're in my head, and that Gandhi quote would be one of my all-time favorite humorous ones, if it weren't so sadly fitting at times. Indeed, improvement and quality doesn't start by pointing out who else needs to seek it, rather it should start a wee bit closer to home. Goes for me as much as anyone, my friend. I try. I really do try. If I'm not seeking and modeling it myself, what possible good can I do for a client in any of my business dealings?

Posted by Dan Gunter at May 31, 2009 10:48 PM