Foreword VERYONE seems to have a favor Eve vite simile to describe the Department of Commerce. In briefing President Carter and members of the Cabinet on new directions for the Department, I compared it to Noah's ark; the difference, however, is the fact that the Commerce Department has only one of each thing. It is true that Commerce has a great number of seemingly unrelated programs. We have the Maritime Administration, the Domestic and International Business Administration, the National Bureau of Standards, the Census Bureau, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Economic Development Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, the Office of Minority Business Enterprise, the United States Travel Service and the Patent and Trademark Office. Such a range of activities raises legitimate questions. What does oceans policy have to do with telecommunications research, or fire prevention with trade and travel promotion? The seeming illogic of Commerce's organizational maze begins to make sense, however, if we view the Department's role in the context of its relationship to its overall mission: to facilitate commerce. One of our major goals is to use more effectively the enormous statistical and informational resources within the Commerce Department to assess the state of the economy, its impact on people and firms and the trends that signal new problems and opportunities. We must also improve our measurements of social well-being and the quality of life so that we can determine our gains and losses not only in terms of gross national product but also in terms of environmental qual ity, work conditions, and quantity and use of leisure time. To improve the conditions of the marketplace, we must redouble efforts to create an environment conducive to new investment, to increased productivity, and to employment. In many instances, this will require reform of government programs and regulations that needlessly impede business development; in others it requires direct assistance on our part to enable business to operate to its fullest potential. The increasingly serious fiscal, economic and social condition of our cities have made public intervention essential if we are to make any significant inroads into city problems. But just as crucial to successful urban economic development programs are the contributions of the business sector. No amount of fiscal transfusions from Federal, State and local governments will suffice without effectively leveraging public monies with private sector investment. The Commerce Department can serve as a bridge between investing institutions and government institutions. It can utilize those human, capital, and community resources that are now idle because of economic decline in certain regions, states and cities. It can promote more balanced economic growth throughout the Nation. And it can help to find ways to deal with business decline, seasonal and structural unemployment, and regional dislocations. Commerce should serve as a catalyst, encouraging business to assess its views and evaluate the adequacy of its performance in meeting its social responsibilities with respect to consumers, employment, and the general formulation of public policies. Throughout history, there has been an artificial barrier between people and departments of government interested in economic goals and those interested in human goals. I am convinced that we must build a private enterprise system that develops our greatest human potential, even as it develops programs tailored to deal with specific needs. In today's world that system requires a balance between technical and economic concerns and social and hu man concerns. The business community is asserting leadership in developing this new consciousness, and the Commerce Department will facilitate and provide further leadership in these directions. In so doing, it is my hope that the Department itself will help to achieve a balance between technological advancement and human aspirations. Juanita M. Kreps Secretary of Commerce |