Michelin emphasizes new 'culture': dealers like improved Alliance program.

Take a look at the "new" Michelin. It's a company developing a new "culture" and a more cooperative attitude toward tire dealers.

It's more responsive to market conditions.

That message was repeated over and over again during the recent Michelin Americas Small Tire (MAST) dealer sales meeting in Orlando, Fla.

What's more, these ideas seem to have made an impact at least on the 380 or so passenger and light truck tire dealers at the five-day affair.

Most agreed the modified Alliance program has helped their business.

In talking to dozens of attendees, the only serious complaints we heard concerned the company's poor tire fill rates.

Top company officials spelled out a simple strategy for growth:

* Continue to introduce a flood of new products for all MAST brands.

* Tailor these brands to better-defined market segments.

* Expand MAST's Alliance program into a close partnership with about 350 key independent dealers in 1997 and concentrate on their …