Trade may be truly called an ocean; and those that sail in it, however experienced, have always need of directions; the various changes and turns that it takes in the nature of things, and by the length of time , are such, that the most experienced tradesman may stand in need of new instructions and hints, and make daily discoveries of things, which he knew nothing of before.
This gives, a new face to things; and the manufacturer has daily new rules to learn, new customs to set up, and new measures to take, such as forefathers never knew; and so it will be to the end of time.
—Daniel Defoe, The Complete English Tradesman
It is not a new phenomenon this need for change. Far from it! It has been going on for centuries. Each generation comes up with a slogan to drive the change. Today's is "customer-centric." Ask any business leader if his or her organization is customer-centric, and the answer will...

