Few industries have had more impact on American society (and workers) than the auto industry. The famous “Big Three” of General Motors (GM), Ford, and Chrysler evolved from hundreds of small carmakers, a pattern seen in many industries to this day. The weak are “shaken out.” Then the big firms battle for market share, continually innovating, creating and killing brand names as they go. All business leaders can learn from studying the auto industry’s early evolution.