Posted by Wayne Parham [ 67.67.28.134 ] on October 31, 2004 at 11:18:11:
In Reply to: Re: Competitive edge - too much nostalgia? posted by Bill Martinelli on October 31, 2004 at 00:48:57:
I agree with you Bill. I agree 100% I'm usually quick to remark when people talk about the "good old days" and how crime has risen and things are getting worse. It's easy to look at the past through rose colored glasses. But really, what was happening 60 years ago was World War II and the atrocities of that period eclipse those of today. The further back you go, the worse it gets. So I'm not glamorizing the past.
What I'm talking about is companies holding back on a good product so they can continue to sell a lesser one. I compared it to the introduction of the overhead valve engine, which was first built in the 20's but not made widely available until the 50's. Companies can get away with that sort of thing if the competition isn't fierce. But if it is, is it really smart to try to eek out profits from an existing (inferior) design if an improved one can be made and with little extra cost?
American cars today are better than they have ever been. But the 1980's American car market was in a slump. Todays cars are better than 1960's cars. But 1980's cars weren't. The automobile industry now realizes that if they want to sell cars, they have to be competitive. But in the 70's and 80's, American car companies were complacent and thought people would buy their cars over "cheap Japanese imports." That cheap Honda CVCC is what kicked America's butts in the 1990's.
So, yeah, todays car market has rebounded. But that's because it learned not to be complacent, in my opinion. Now what I'm saying is when was the last time you bought an American sound system? There are a couple of American loudspeaker manufacturers, and I hope they're paying attention. I'm not saying I know what's best for them, but my guess is that complacency in the status quo probably isn't.
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