Abstract

We are at the end of the era of sustainable excellence. Too much is changing for even the largest "excellent" companies to be complacent. Firms must learn to thrive on chaos--on impermanence and constant change. Both established industrial giants and rapid-growth new technology firms must confront the pressures that are driving America into decline. This article debunks the traditional American myth of "big is better, biggest is best" and shows how this philosophy has led us astray and hampered our competitiveness in manufacturing and services. The author provides a prescription for a new kind of American competitor and offers recommendations for policymakers.