The health of American manufacturing has been a cause of real concern during the 1980s. Foreign competition, hostile takeovers, new technologies and a host of other factors have caused dramatic changes in this key sector of the American economy. Many ob servers of this process of change are singing the "rust belt blues," consigning U.S. manufacturing greatness to the history books. In April 1986, the Center for the Study of American Business at Washington University issued a study by its director, Dr. Murray L. Weidenbaum, which challenged this perception of American manu facturing's future. The report, entitled Learning to Compete, pointed to a variety of positive developments resulting from the ad versity faced by American firms in the first half of the decade: pro ducers had improved quality and productivity, reduced costs, and in creased emphasis on R&D. In November 1988, as a logical extension of this research, the Center held a conference on American Manufacturing in the 1990s. Focusing on American responses to the changing global competitive environment, this conference brought together the practical experi ence of business professionals and the more detached views of aca demic and media experts. In a day and a half of meetings, encompassing six separate ses sions, a luncheon address and an after-dinner debate, conference participants assembled an extensive profile on the state of U.S."

IF, WHEN YOU SAY "CONSUMPTION TAX, " YOU MEAN . . . by Ernest S. Christian, Jr. and Cliff Massa III Much has been said and written about consumption taxes in the United States, but mostly in a theoretical context. Dozens of schol arly treatises have been published, along with innumerable papers and speeches most of which were more argumentative than illumi nating in nature. Audiences have sat through uncounted confer ences on the merits or evils of consumption taxes, depending on the speakers' perspectives. There have been only three comprehensive legislative proposals to which these theories and arguments could be 1 applied, no one of which was acted upon in the Congress. Purveyors of conventional wisdom have suggested that this theo retical context might be replaced within a year or two by actual con sideration of a federal-level consumption tax. Some see enactment of such a tax as a desirable -- or at least a necessary -- means for reducing the federal deficit. The National Economic Commission, which was created by legislation in 1987 to recommend deficit reduction measures, was perceived by many skeptics and proponents alike to be the Trojan Horse which would carry a consumption tax Lrhe proposals were H. R. 7015, ''The Tax Restructuring Act of 1980," introduced by Rep. Al Ullman; S. 1102, ''The Business Transfer Tax Act of 1985," introduced by Senator William Roth; and H. R. 4598, introduced by Rep."

Business is becoming more global, more competitive, and more knowledge-intensive. Consequently, business executives are being required to reexamine and redefine fundamental relationships - both intra- and inter-company. The Dynamic American Firm explores the pivotal factors motivating the organizational changes that are sweeping American business, with a particular emphasis on the global marketplace. It provides a critical analysis of the forces that are shaping strategies and structures of American business, emphasizing that the process of adaption is more important than particular strategies and structures that develop along the way. The authors begin by illustrating the external factors that shape the development of the firm, including a combination of technological advances and increasingly global markets, and proceed to discuss corporate efforts to adapt to this external environment by means of changing relationships with other firms. They pay particular attention to the alliances that help American firms establish a presence in overseas markets, including the roles of mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. The book concludes with a discussion of the internal changes taking place in American firms, including shifts in organizational strategy and structure, the elimination of middle management, and the development of work teams.

Business is becoming more global, more competitive, and more knowledge-intensive. Consequently, business executives are being required to reexamine and redefine fundamental relationships - both intra- and inter-company. The Dynamic American Firm explores the pivotal factors motivating the organizational changes that are sweeping American business, with a particular emphasis on the global marketplace. It provides a critical analysis of the forces that are shaping strategies and structures of American business, emphasizing that the process of adaption is more important than particular strategies and structures that develop along the way. The authors begin by illustrating the external factors that shape the development of the firm, including a combination of technological advances and increasingly global markets, and proceed to discuss corporate efforts to adapt to this external environment by means of changing relationships with other firms. They pay particular attention to the alliances that help American firms establish a presence in overseas markets, including the roles of mergers, acquisitions, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. The book concludes with a discussion of the internal changes taking place in American firms, including shifts in organizational strategy and structure, the elimination of middle management, and the development of work teams.

The health of American manufacturing has been a cause of real concern during the 1980s. Foreign competition, hostile takeovers, new technologies and a host of other factors have caused dramatic changes in this key sector of the American economy. Many ob servers of this process of change are singing the "rust belt blues," consigning U.S. manufacturing greatness to the history books. In April 1986, the Center for the Study of American Business at Washington University issued a study by its director, Dr. Murray L. Weidenbaum, which challenged this perception of American manu facturing's future. The report, entitled Learning to Compete, pointed to a variety of positive developments resulting from the ad versity faced by American firms in the first half of the decade: pro ducers had improved quality and productivity, reduced costs, and in creased emphasis on R&D. In November 1988, as a logical extension of this research, the Center held a conference on American Manufacturing in the 1990s. Focusing on American responses to the changing global competitive environment, this conference brought together the practical experi ence of business professionals and the more detached views of aca demic and media experts. In a day and a half of meetings, encompassing six separate ses sions, a luncheon address and an after-dinner debate, conference participants assembled an extensive profile on the state of U.S."

IF, WHEN YOU SAY "CONSUMPTION TAX, " YOU MEAN . . . by Ernest S. Christian, Jr. and Cliff Massa III Much has been said and written about consumption taxes in the United States, but mostly in a theoretical context. Dozens of schol arly treatises have been published, along with innumerable papers and speeches most of which were more argumentative than illumi nating in nature. Audiences have sat through uncounted confer ences on the merits or evils of consumption taxes, depending on the speakers' perspectives. There have been only three comprehensive legislative proposals to which these theories and arguments could be 1 applied, no one of which was acted upon in the Congress. Purveyors of conventional wisdom have suggested that this theo retical context might be replaced within a year or two by actual con sideration of a federal-level consumption tax. Some see enactment of such a tax as a desirable -- or at least a necessary -- means for reducing the federal deficit. The National Economic Commission, which was created by legislation in 1987 to recommend deficit reduction measures, was perceived by many skeptics and proponents alike to be the Trojan Horse which would carry a consumption tax Lrhe proposals were H. R. 7015, ''The Tax Restructuring Act of 1980," introduced by Rep. Al Ullman; S. 1102, ''The Business Transfer Tax Act of 1985," introduced by Senator William Roth; and H. R. 4598, introduced by Rep."