The Japanese have a strong commitment to engineering, not only for continual product improvement but also for manufacturing process improvement. They also appear to learn from their mistakes. The result of this is that their products just get stronger and stronger. It's easy to see that they are the result of strong designs coupled with a well engineered manufacturing processes. There's a refreshing humility in their approach of continual improvement.
American management normally places engineering much farther down the priority list. In competitive markets, the commitment is minimal and grudging; just enough to stay in the race. Engineers are distrusted and often viewed as simply implementors of management's idea of the day. If the idea was bad or unworkable, the engineer is the scapegoat; especially if he voiced misgivings at the outset. Instead of learning from mistakes, my experience has been that it is a continual battle to keep management from repeating mistakes they've made before. The really bad ideas never seem to die.
Instead of engineering, emphasis is placed on management/marketing gimmicks, empty razzle-dazzle and schemes to end-run the system....hence the offshore movement of manufacturing. In contrast to the Japanese, the American approach seems characterized primarily by a hollow pride.
I admit the union environment most U.S. based manufacturers find themselves in is a tough nut to crack. Still, the knee-jerk response is not to face the problem and fight it through, but to cave in to union demands and to undermine production managers who try to discipline the troublemakers and slackers. Productive, conscientious union people (and they are the majority) hate this state of affairs as much as the production managers. They know that, in the end, it'll cost them their jobs.
But what do I know? My experience with Japanese products is limited to my Kubotas.
I think I've ranted enough.
Bob
