What Goes Around Comes Around

By John Malmo

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-912792.mp3

What Goes Around Comes Around, by John Malmo

Memphis, TN – The reason I love cliches so much is that nothing is more dependable than a good, old, trite cliche. Take this one: what goes around comes around.

About five decades ago, foreign brands came after the U.S. car market. American companies went out of business. One U.S. brand after another disappeared. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost in the U.S. automotive industry. But that lasted only until the Asians and Germans could build their own factories in America. Now, hundreds of thousands of Americans are employed in the auto industry making foreign brands.

About 25 years ago, the Asians came after the U.S. furniture market. First from Singapore and Taiwan. Then Malaysia and, finally, China. The American case goods furniture industry has become virtually a thing of the past. Most American factories closed, and tens of thousands of furniture workers lost their jobs. Low and behold, here they come again: the first Chinese furniture maker has announced plans to establish its U.S. headquarters in Marion, IN, and build a $24 million factory and distribution center. It will create a hundred new jobs by October. Others are sure to follow.

It wasn't just cheaper labor that took our manufacturing offshore. It also was new, modern factories with the latest computerized machinery. But you and I know what goes around comes around.

John Malmo is a Memphis marketing consultant with more than fifty years experience. He is former chairman of Archer Malmo Advertising and specializes today in helping small businesses grow. To reach Mr. Malmo - or to buy a copy of his book When on the Mountain There is no Tiger, Monkey Is King- go to http://www.johnmalmo.com.