LOS ANGELES, CA — President Obama asked, ‘What would it take to make iPhones in the United States? Why can’t that work come home?’

According to another dinner guest, and Job’s reply was blunt. ‘Those jobs aren’t coming back.’

At one time, United States was the world’s industrial powerhouse. While the Industrial Revolution began in England, as early as the 17th century, the late 19th century saw the United States become the world leader in industry and manufacturing. The United States has wore that crown for more than a century. But now, intense competition from other countries, especially China, is causing America to lose its lead. The reason lies in the fundamental differences between the United States and Asia and how work is approached.

Corporate executives have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize shareholder profits. This means finding the most profitable solutions for complex business problems. Manufacturing a product such as the iPad or the iPhone is a complex affair. A single iPhone will contain parts from almost every continent on the globe. The components are manufactured around the world, and ultimately assembled at factories in China.

After assembly, those products are sold around the globe.

Apple’s success as a corporation can be measured in […]