In the 20th century,managers of railroads let airlines,barges,pipelines,and trucks take business away from them because their strategies were developed only for the railroad business,rather than a broader definition of the ________ business.
A)transportation
B)transcontinental shipping
C)passenger travel
D)product delivery
E)bulk cargo

Question

In the 20th century,managers of railroads let airlines,barges,pipelines,and trucks take business away from them because their strategies were developed only for the railroad business,rather than a broader definition of the ________ business.
A)transportation
B)transcontinental shipping
C)passenger travel
D)product delivery
E)bulk cargo

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Professor Theodore Levitt saw that 20th century American railroads defined their business too narrowly,proclaiming,"We are in the railroad business!" This myopic focus caused them to lose sight of who their customers were and what they needed.So railroads failed to develop strategies to compete with airlines,barges,pipelines,and trucks.As a result,many railroads merged or went bankrupt.Railroads should have realized they were in "the transportation business.

In the 20th Century,managers of Railroads Let Airlines,barges,pipelines,and Trucks Take Business