Commentary: Innovate or evaporate
By ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVEUPI Editor at Large
WASHINGTON, April 12 (UPI) -- He was voted one of the "50 Great Americans," holds 28 honorary degrees, received, not once, but five times, the U.S. Defense Department's highest civilian decoration -- the Distinguished Service Medal.
At different times, Norman R. Augustine was chief executive officer of Martin Marietta, CEO of Lockheed Martin, chairman of the Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program, chairman of the National Academy of Engineering, chairman of the Aerospace Industries, chairman of the Defense Science Board and of the American Institute of Aeronautics.
His book of management maxims is modestly titled "Augustine's Laws." And when he has something to say, the powers that be listen carefully.
This week in Washington, Augustine triggered alarm bells about the United States' continuing decline in the global educational sweepstakes.
Since 2000, he said: "One-third of U.S. manufacturing jobs -- 5.5 million jobs -- have disappeared. 42,000 factories have closed. Further. It is no longer simply factories that are moving abroad. The list now includes research laboratories, administrative offices, financial offices, prototype shops, and more."
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