Ever since the first cavemen bartered clamshells and spears, business has been about people interacting. In simpler times, commerce was conducted according to the look in someone's eye or the feel of his handshake. Today we have computers, fax machines, modems, e-mail and cell phones - all powerful tools that have increased our productivity. Those devices have shrunk our world, but, in some ways, they've also distanced us from each other by reducing personal interaction. In the name of efficiency, profitability and progress, we've found ways to place orders, sell products and exchange information without ever coming into contact with another human being.

In 1968, Stanley Kubrick released the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, based on the story by Arthur C. Clarke. Back then, 2001 was a long way off. It was the future, a time of unknown marvels, amazing discoveries and technological achievements. Now we're in 2001. But while Clarke's and Kubrick's visions of 2001 took place in outer space, what captures my imagination this year is cyberspace.

When you to to IMTS, you expect to see hoopla. The mass of machines and bodies gathered in one place should create an unmistakable level of energy and enthusiasm. IMTS 2000 seemed uncharacteristically quiet...

Normandy overwhelmed me when I first went there several years ago. I was sobered by the sea of white crosses in the cemeteries, I was inspired by the memorials and their tales of courageous soldiers battling impossible odds, and I was horrified by the visions of carnage that came to me as I stood on the scarred beaches of one of the most significant conflicts in human history.

I'm a big believer in the value of IMTS as a marketplace where gear manufacturers can go and look at the latest machine tools and processes; compare hobbing machines, gear grinders and inspection equipment; see turning, milling or grinding machines in action; and ask questions of the various vendors all in one place. This year's IMTS promised to be the biggest ever, and I have no doubt that it will be a valuable experience to those who go there looking for ways to improve the way they manufacture products.

Most Navy brass would say that Commander D. Michael Abrashoff ran a loose ship. But his style of empowering his crew by delegating authority is changing the way the Navy thinks about management. His speech at the recent annual meeting of the American Gear Manufacturers Association offered a simple, common-sense approach that can be applied not only to running a ship, but also to gear manufacturing or any other industry.

I just got off the phone with an associate of mine at a large gear manufacturing company.I was congratulating him on being awarded a new contract when he told me that they had just experienced a substantial downsizing.

I learned much of what I know about the machine tool business from my father, who learned it from his father before him. One of the lessons he taught was that no matter how important the details seem, it's equally important to look at the bigger picture.

No matter what business you're in, you need customers. More importantly, you need customers who can and want to pay for your goods or services. It's in our best interest to do everything we can to make sue our customers are successful with the products or services they buy from us, as I believe that our wages are paid not by our companies but by their customers.

Although the cultures and areas of expertise of Solomon and Sun Tzu are worlds apart, the two offer similar opinions on the importance of seizing the moment. Their ancient wisdom may have increasing relevance to modern manufacturers in a global economy, particularly those contemplating whether now is the time to invest in capital equipment.