Brett: Lenovo is only here because they bought a US brand (IBM personal computers). Otherwise, no one would know of them. I would use the example of Danby. They make small refridgerators and air concditioners. They are really dominating their markets now and under their own names. They are also making superior products, and broke into North America by developing a breakthrough product (small wine fridges).
SK: I fully understand your perspectives on the US, but I take a different view on some of it.
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“No national design agenda”. It’s true, the US government spends 0 on promoting design. In my opinion though, American design is more integrated into business than anywhere else on the planet. I think that is because designers were forced to show their value rather than depend on outside support. I really noticed that when I moved out of the country!
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The US did develop latin america, and then left. When the US signed onto NAFTA (it’s a free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, ie, 0 tariffs), there was a loud sucking sound as industry moved to Mexico. Unfortunately, labor costs in Mexico are higher than China. So, all the makers who could move their tooling easily, left!
Today, the US has recently expanded the free trade zone to all of Central America. I don’t think it will change the balance of trade though.
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New York and LA are the epicentres of US design for the very reason you mention: dynamic cultures. The reason US design doesn’t reflect that is that products that are designed for Kansas sell globally. Until that changes, design briefs won’t change.
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Again, as an American living outside the country, I really miss Yankee ingenuity. My friends and family were far more eager to shake things up, or start up a new business than most people I meet in Canada. I have the impression that Americans are, on average, far more willing to strike out on their own with something different than any other population.
cisabella: I am with csven on this one. Value for money is more important that cost. And on that front, US designers are still in front.
Your post also reminded me of something a foreign friend told me about his out-sourced to Asia graphic design department, “They are soooo f***ing lazy”. If my friend wasn’t asian as well, that would have sounded so much more racist than it is.