The nation's businesses are currently issuing their 1993 annual reports, with prose carefully crafted by some of America's top public-relations specialists. A reader's key:
COMPANY
SEARS
ANNUAL REPORT STATEMENT
"Our dramatic downsizing certainly attracted a lot of attention over the last 18 months."
TRANSLATION
50,000 layoffs
COMPANY
IBM
ANNUAL REPORT STATEMENT
"Shortly after I (CEO Louis Gerstner) joined the company, I set as my highest priority to right-size the company as quickly as we could."
TRANSLATION
35,000 layoffs
COMPANY
BOEING
ANNUAL REPORT STATEMENT
"Boeing continues to take the steps necessary to adjust to the market downturn."
TRANSLATION
28,000 layoffs
COMPANY
PHILIP...