Wow, now there's a thought

Today on Bloomberg.com, Rosabeth Moss Kanter made what might be a revolutionary statement.  

Ms. Kanter holds the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship at Harvard Business School, where she specializes in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change.  Her article, entitles "In a Recession, Put Everyone in Marketing" She says the way out of a recession is marketing.  Specifically, she says,

"Start looking for new markets now. Companies dependent on a few large customers are particularly vulnerable to changes in their customers' fortunes, but all companies need the flexibility to move quickly into promising markets. In uncertain times, managers should increase efforts to identify additional uses for company products and additional sources of customers for the future.

"Creative thinking can find opportunities to offset losses from current customers. Starting research now on less-familiar industries or parts of the world will help prepare managers to move quickly when conditions improve. This might involve sales calls, tests of a new channel, postings on Web sites targeting new areas or industry segments, sending more people to speak at industry conferences and cultivate relationships - good investments even if they seem like the first candidates for cutting. During slow times, employees who might otherwise be idle could be deployed to gather information by discussions with end users. If travel costs are too high, the telephone can be augmented by Internet research."

What?  You don't think that's revolutionary? Do you know any companies in your sector that are doing that?  That's why I think it's revolutionary. Not very many companies are.