The perception is the reality. The press has knocked the American brands for so long, that reality has taken.
As for imitating the Asian brands, the culture difference is immense, whereas the Japanese rebuilt from ground up, the American brands dont know how to overcome the disaster that is the union/healthcare/retiremnet plan morass they are in. Management isnt the most innovative, yet lack of funds and political gamesmanship really screw up change, plus, you add it oversized bureacracy, and change isnt easy, if at all possible ( just look at govts ). Start fresh with new contracts and plants and all, then the competitive aspects of the Big 3 would be much different.
