| The past few weeks have presented nothing but | | | | creativity and changing cumbersome |
| bad news for the formerly world leading | | | | bureaucratic business cultures.Change is |
| American automobile industry. Henry Ford must | | | | short-term pain. Managers will be |
| be rolling over in his tomb. Alfred Sloan, | | | | significantly fewer. Blue-collar workers will |
| the architect of the multi-division General | | | | not earn $65,000 plus per year for unskilled |
| Motors juggernaut, is a very sad "car guy" in | | | | labor in new jobs. Communities will undergo |
| the sky these days. Plant closings, huge | | | | brisk changes in tax revenues, real estate |
| employee layoffs, lost market share and | | | | prices and shopping patterns. College plans |
| horrid fiscal performance indicate that the | | | | will be upset. Retirement dreams will be |
| "big three" (including Daimler-Chrysler) are | | | | delayed, in some cases destroyed. Parts |
| in big trouble. They must change, and change | | | | suppliers will be pressed on pricing. And |
| is not pleasant for huge business complexes, | | | | yet, the future for all effected parties can, |
| or for employees, suppliers or customers.This | | | | and should, be bright.Since the Luddites in |
| brings to mind a change that occurred right | | | | the mid-19th century attempted to stop the |
| before my eyes as a small boy growing up in | | | | industrial revolution and preserve old-world |
| Kentucky. Several times each week, a horse | | | | work models, there have been groups trying to |
| drawn ice wagon would pull up in front of our | | | | thwart progress. Progress requires change. |
| little house and deliver block ice. The | | | | Fortunately, looking in the rear view mirror |
| iceman was named Herb. My mother would always | | | | is not a widely admired American trait. The |
| pleasantly greet Herb and they would exchange | | | | parties most effected by this sea change in |
| small talk, how about that the Reds game last | | | | the American auto business have multiple |
| night or the nice weather we were enjoying. | | | | opportunities to re-train, re-strategize, and |
| Herb was a hard working and very nice man. | | | | start new businesses and services. With |
| And then, one day this regular ritual in our | | | | normal American drive, work and creativity |
| lives abruptly ended.My parents bought a | | | | our society will be blessed with a new |
| refrigerator. The hand delivered block ice | | | | generation of wealth creation, entrepreneurs |
| that was essential to keep the old icebox | | | | and growth. It has always been so.We live in |
| cool was no longer needed. My mother was very | | | | a global market place. Nothing will change |
| concerned about the effect our new wonder | | | | that. If foreign auto companies make better |
| appliance would have on Herb. She met him in | | | | products at a better price we have to |
| the yard and told him as gently as possible | | | | confront, and overcome, these market |
| that his ice deliveries were no longer | | | | realities. Americans always have in the past, |
| needed. Then she asked him if he would like | | | | and there is no reason not to foresee a |
| some iced tea and to sit a minute.As clearly | | | | bright, but different future, for every |
| as I remember anything in my youth, I | | | | current participant involved in the radical |
| remember that conversation. Herb knew the | | | | restructuring of our formerly great auto |
| inevitable march of progress and technology; | | | | business.The American economy is the most |
| in this case a 12 cubic foot Frigidaire, | | | | dynamic in history. Opportunity abounds and |
| meant that he was soon to be looking for | | | | is available to every citizen willing to |
| another line of work. It was sad. He was very | | | | compete in the marketplace of ideas, work |
| matter of fact and my mother tried to be | | | | hard and not look backwards. Ford, Chrysler |
| encouraging. Over the next few months we saw | | | | and GM can survive and prosper. Nevertheless, |
| Herb in the neighborhood less and less. | | | | understanding and preparing for change will |
| Within six months the ice Company was out of | | | | separate the successful from the losers, or |
| business.Accept Change or Get Run OverLike | | | | modern day Luddites.Geoff Ficke is President |
| the barrel industry, the bicycle industry or | | | | of Duquesa Marketing, Inc. an international |
| dozens of other formerly thriving business | | | | consulting firm with over 35 years experience |
| segments, the ice delivery service, and now | | | | in creating customized strategies and |
| the American automobile industry was forced | | | | business plans, product development and |
| to change business models. If change were not | | | | funding opportunities for entrepreneurs, |
| embraced, indeed aggressively pursued, | | | | inventors and small business expansion. Mr. |
| industry subsets would be superceded by new | | | | Ficke is also a Senior Fellow at the Page |
| upstarts and technologies. "The Big Three" | | | | Center for Entrepreneurial Study at the |
| still have an opportunity to adjust to new | | | | Business School, Miami University, Oxford, |
| market realities, but they will have to be | | | | Ohio. |
| relentless in the pursuit of economies, | | | | |