Chapter One extract original)

In order to understand much of what we are seeing in business today, it is important to know where we have come from.

In its early phases, American business operated from a paradigm totally different than that of today. Before the Industrial Revolution, workers controlled their entire work process and were thus naturally inclined to improve it because the rewards were immediate. The cobbler made the whole shoe, so he was prone to constructing a better quality shoe for which he could get a higher price.

He could make his product more efficiently, enabling him to sell more of it, and he could provide good customer service, thus encouraging repeat business. In such circumstances, there was a direct cause and effect. A pride in workmanship existed in time past, but this pride has been lost in many segments of our contemporary work force.

Most people who were in business way back then operated as sole proprietors or, from time to time, in simple partnerships.

This historical closeness to the customerdemanded a certain level of quality, serviceand value because the customer had direct contact with the supplier and routinely expressed satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction directly to the person performingthe work. There was no place to hide!

Blame was not an option for the producers. If they wanted someone to blame, they might just as well have looked in the mirror. Also, in the past, there existed virtually no mass print media, no electronic broadcast media, and practically no multicity, county, state, ornational distribution capability.All of this translated into a need to keep customers satisfied at the local level.

Chapter One extract (improved)

To understand much of what we see in business today we need to know where we’ve come from.

In its early phases, American business operated from a paradigm totally different than today. Before the Industrial Revolution, with workers controlling their entire work process, they naturally inclined toward improving due to the immediate rewards. The cobbler, making the whole shoe himself, could therefore get a higher price by constructing them of better quality.

He could be more efficient, enabling him to sellmore, and with good customer service encourage repeat business. Such circumstances evidenced direct cause and effect. However, the pride in workmanship in times past has noticeably disappeared from today’s work force.

Most people in business back then were sole proprietors or, from time to time, in simple partnerships.

This historical closeness resulted in a certain level of quality, service and value because the customer could directly and routinely express satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction to the supplier. There was no place to hide!

Blame was not an option for the producers. Forsomeone to blame, they might just as well have looked in the mirror. Also, with virtually no mass media – print, electronic, or broadcast – and practically no multicity, county, state, or national distribution, the need was solely to satisfy local customers.