In less than two decades -- about "two minutes" in world history time -- Japan will succeed the United States as the world's productivity leader, and in the twenty-first century this Pacific nation will become the world's economic leader. The United States will drop back to number two or three in the global economy, burdened with a large foreign debt, and faced with a relatively lower standard of living, following the path of decline of Great Britain and other former world leaders. So predict C. Jackson Grayson, Jr., and Carla O'Dell, two of the world's leading authorities on productivity, "unless" American government, management, and labor can work together-and soon -- to revive American productivity growth and bolster the quality of American products and services. Showing how hundreds of companies including Xerox, Federal Express, Ford, IBM, and Motorola are successfully responding to the competitive challenge, the authors make a compelling case that American industry can benefit from the lessons of history, learn to adjust, and thus retain its world economic leadership. Speaking directly to managers, Grayson and O'Dell offer a wealth of practical suggestions for American business in their specific ten-part "Agenda for Adjustment." Based on their experience with successful firms, the Agenda spells out workable recommendations for improvement -- from operating systems and organization structure, to employment stability and compensation systems. "