Washington Times series on U.S. manufacturing

Because I am from Michigan, and witnessed firsthand the decline of the U.S. automobile manufacturing companies and the communities in which the industrial plants were based (see the blog entry from last year "John DeLorean, R.I.P. (Rockin' Revitalization Part Two)" for an discussion about the manufacturing side of this decline), I have spent more than 20 years pondering the role of manufacturing in the American economy.

Making things is still essential to building wealth and generating income, as well building and maintaining technological expertise in various industrial sectors, and in creating and supporting new markets and customers.

John DeLorean's "autobiography" On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors was published in 1979(!!!!) and explained in great detail the problems resulting from ossification in the U.S. automobile manufacturing industry. More than 25 years ago, this book had a great deal of influence on my thinking about large organizations and economic competitiveness. AP photo.

(cf. yesterday's blog entry about the decline of U.S. manufacturing of streetcar vehicles as that industry was eclipsed in favor of buses in the short run, and by automobiles in the long run, which is why European transit and railroad technology tends to be more advanced than what is produced, if it is produced, in the U.S.)

The Washington Times, from Monday through today, has been running a series of articles on U.S. manufacturing, and the articles are pretty good. The printed stories have additional datagraphics and photos.

Part I: Companies close up shop
Part II: Flexible companies change to stay put
Part III: Jetting parts around the world
Part IV: America's cutting edge

Index Keywords: economic-competitiveness; manufacturing