Or to look at companies that were more conversative about ramping up, used natural attrition more effectively to avoid the need for layoffs, used early retireme

Or to look at companies that were more conversative about ramping up, used natural attrition more effectively to avoid the need for layoffs, used early retirement or separation incentives before layoffs, etc. Of course, that's difficult to research since it's not as newsworthy to do the right thing :)