Today's manufacturers live in a hostile environment that is unpredictable, precarious, filled with intense competition, and often lacking exploitable investment or marketing opportunities. As if that is not enough, many manufacturers recognize they work in a hostile environment, but operate as if they were in a safe, benign space. As a result, they stick with rigid, mechanistic organizational structures and conservative strategic postures. Their competitive profiles are characterized by conservative, risk-averse financial management; a short-term financial orientation focused on profitability; an emphasis on product refinement versus innovation; and a willingness to rely heavily on single or small numbers of customers. That does not bode well for the long-term survival of these firms.
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