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Jim wrote:
> (3) It is NOT the ambiguity of the
circumstances that prevents metrication. People who own and run businesses
deal with extreme levels of ambiguity on a daily basis. I would go so far as
to say one of the key factors of success in business IS dealing with
ambiguity. My point with the list of questions was that, as ambiguous as those
questions are, the people who run each company are the ONLY ones who have a
clue about the answers to many of them.
I accept that (and your
previous points). My thoughts however are about the inhibiting factors outside
their control.
>(4) More US businesses do not metricate
because they do NOT see the need to metricate! It is as simple as that. Given
the hundreds of factors, many ambiguous, that enter into the question of
whether and how much to metricate, many businesses look and say
"Why?"
>Our challenge is to show them "why," then they will
automatically do it, and they will deal with the ambiguities and challenges of
doing so, and they certainly don't need bureaucrats or politicians helping
them.
The politicians and bureaucrats need just as much pursuading. If
they were to intervene they'd have to explain and justify it all and I wouldn't
have it any other way. However if you're views on this point are typical of the
business community in America I can see why they won't touch
it.
> If the "why" includes "it will save you
money" - "it will increase your markets" - "it will improve your ability to
export" - "it will let you make one product for US and EU markets" etc., then
most businesses will start doing it (except where laws impede
them)
> On the other hand, if we cannot demonstrate any of the
above, why should they metricate?
> (4) I have argued against any
"nationwide program of change" many times, so I won't bother again. Let me
just repeat something else I have said many times: if we only made the US
Federal Government purchase metric-only products, we would provide a HUGE
impetus to metrication in this country, without passing one new rule on
private businesses, nor creating any more government enforcement
bureaucracies. There are thousands of companies that sell to the US Feds, and
a huge portion of them would immediately start metricating just so they could
continue to do so. They would then pressure their suppliers (as has already
happened to military contractors), etc.
Yes I've seen you argue that before
and I agree with you, it certainly would help. The problem is how do you bring
this about?
(5) I would be the first to admit that
metrication in the USA has been proceeding slowly. However, I believe that we
are getting much closer to a critical mass, or a tipping point, where
progressive companies no longer fear any backlash from metricating, and less
progressive are starting to see the need. I will be very surprised if, within
the next 10 years, there is not a dramatic increase in metrication across the
board, including consumer products.
The laggards will be the
politically-driven organizations, meaning federal and state governments.
Partly because they are huge, sluggish bureaucracies, partly because they are
political.
But I expect to buy food by the kilogram long before I drive
in kilometers per hour.
Jim Elwell
That's good to hear and I
certainly hope you're right.
Phil
Hall
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