Telecom bust: Rebound built on core values

0 Comments | USA TODAY, February, 2007 | by Kevin Maney

Q: After the telecom bust, Corning lost half its revenue and most of its market capitalization. How did you even think about a problem that profound?

A: You can't be wed to whether you were right or wrong before. You have to make a decision for the whole institution about the right thing to do.

Q: You were confident it could be fixed?

A: Absolutely. Because the core of the company was so sound.

Q: What core? You said that almost all of the business was built on fiber. What do you describe as the core?

A: The core of our company is our values and our people and our innovation culture. We're never about the products that we make because the products that we make ... will always change. What won't change is the core of the company...