Think big and bold: reengineer yourself.

• Position: Views of George T. Shaheen, Managing Partner of Andersen Consulting - Special Section: Being a Global Leader

Think Big and Bold: Reengineer Yourself

Recently, we witnessed one of the greatest military triumphs in history. Rarely has a battle been as swift and one-sided as Operation Desert Storm. While few of us in the business world can claim the title "military strategist," we can speculate about why the victory was so decisive by asking, "What created such a gap between the United States forces and the Iraqi forces so that actual ground combat was only a matter of hours?"

The answer is twofold. First, the victors acted globally. The U.S. coalition with the Saudis, English, French, Italians, and more than 20 other countries created a powerful international force. Each country played a unique role, mixing military, political, and financial support. Success was achieved because of global cooperation.

Second, the winning forces used technology for strategic advantage. Some of this was hi-tech, some traditional; some was offensive, some defensive. But all technology worked in unison to achieve a single mission: Free Kuwait.

That global, technological military effort serves as a valuable example for American companies. We, too, must be prepared for international battle. We, too, must use technology and strategy in an unbeatable combination focused on a solitary goal.

Although our battle won't be so readily won, American companies must understand and embrace these two phenomena: taking a global perspective, and igniting technology.

A global perspective is one of the most significant business and economic trends of the late 20th Century. As international commerce and finance grow, emerging global companies make fewer decisions based on national allegiance. While we must meet the needs of local markets, the dynamics of global competition are dictating our decisions.

Increasingly, American companies sell more products outside of than inside this country. Coca-Cola Co., for example, earns more income from non-U.S. operations than domestic ones. And all-American companies like McDonald's Corp. and Procter & Gamble Co. are finding success in places like Moscow, Tokyo, and other previously "exotic" locales.

This trend is not purely American. Foreign companies are appearing rather red, white, and blue: employing countless Americans, facilitating technology within our borders, boosting our trade balance, and supporting our economic health. They also own such all-American brand names as RCA, General Electric, and Magnavox, whose parent companies could be...