Why are German and Japanese firms generally better at managing market volatility than
American firms?
A. Their emphasis is on beating competitors.
B. They value employees highly and eschew layoffs.
C. They maintain limited product lines.
D. They reduce prices faster and raise advertising expenditures during booms.
E. They consider market share to be a strategic goal.
For most American firms, where corporate cultures emphasize beating competitors,
such stabilizing measures as maintaining broad product lines and broad market
coverage, raising prices faster and reducing advertising expenditures during booms,
ignoring market share as a strategic goal, eschewing layoffs, and focusing on stability
are usually given only lip service. Conversely, German and Japanese firms value
employees and stability more highly and are generally better at managing volatility in
markets.