The Expanding World

Thursday February 10 2005 08:13 IST

By Karmayogi

Man goes where money grows. There is no stopping him from pursuing the lure of money. Money condenses the entire power of human beings, their work, and their capacities.

Since Nixon opened up the Chinese market, US capital, US companies and US jobs are going to China. Labour is cheap in China. Even in India, labour is not so cheap. A tool that can be done in USA for $100,000 can be done in China for $10,000. But tools made in the USA are flawless, while those made in China are not.

Even to rectify a small error, one has to spend an equal amount. Still, the total cost is cheap. Work goes to China from USA in pursuit of low cost. Jobs are lost in the USA. The small US manufacturer goes out of business.

The nation faces this crisis. The national association of tool manufacturers is called NTMA, National Tool Manufacturing Association. They are of all sizes, from $2 million to $20 million. A few of the companies are worth between 70 and 100 million dollars.

Their annual conference this year is in Florida on the 5th of February. Two of the Society's members are addressing them. In the view of the NTMA members, this crisis is a disaster and a misfortune. We see it as the greatest opportunity for the members. How can that be told to them?

Even if we manage to speak it out to them, of what use is this sterile philosophy? Can we make them see that this is an opportunity and inspire them to act on that basis? The facts are on our side. We addressed their conference five years ago and earlier seventeen years ago. Out of the 2000 members, we have interviewed 40 or 50 of them. Several of them who were doing 2 or 3 million five years ago are now at 7 or 10 million dollars. That is a fact. But there is another side to that fact.

Several others have closed shop. Many others are frightened of the prospect of closing. The interviews clearly show that the MARKET is aggressive, but expanding. Those who rise to the occasion of aggressiveness are caught by the wave of expansion and move from two million to ten or twenty.

Those who are timid, and cling to their old ways are wiped out by the aggressively changing market. Success is for those who dare and act. India is in a similar general phase of growth. Several new types of jobs and educational opportunities are arising daily. One man moved from Rs. 7000 monthly income to 2.5 lakhs in 18 months. He had it only for one month.

But it reveals the spirit of the Times. Even if one is timid, he can succeed if he puts his TRUST in Mother and acts HONESTLY, availing of the changes in the market. Act, but act honestly.