20
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1990
AIMS FULLY FAMILIAR WITH OVERALL
THEY AND OBJECTIVES,
WERE DIRECTED BY COMPLETELY FLEXIBLE IN THEIR METHODS. INSTEAD OF BEING STRICT
AND CONTINUOUSLY SUPERVISED, THEY WERE SELF-CONTROLLED, SELF-THINKING AND SELF-MOTIVATED.
REGULATIONS
AND
"ALL EMPLOYEES FEEL THEY ARE PART OF THE FAMILY ENTERPRISE DEVELOP A BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF HOW THEIR ROLES FIT INTO THE GENERAL FRAMEWORK OF THE ORGANISATION," HE SAID.
COMPARING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPANIES RUN IN THE TRADITIONAL WAY WITH THOSE ADOPTING THE MODERN APPROACH, MR EVANS SAID THE TRADITIONAL MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WAS RIGID WITH LONG CHAINS OF COMMAND FROM THE TOP TO THE WORKERS.
THERE WERE "BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS" AND "WHITE-COLLAR
AND NEVER THE TWAIN SHOULD MEET.
11
IS
STAFF"
"THE MODERN STRUCTURE ON THE OTHER HAND
FLEXIBLE WITH AN OPEN COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, MR EVANS SAID. "ALL STAFF WORK CLOSE TOGETHER AS A TEAM.
11
EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF EMPLOYEES WAS CRUCIAL IN THE MODERN SYSTEM, WHEREAS IT WAS OF LITTLE CONCERN UNDER THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH.
MR EVANS SAID, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, HONG KONG INDUSTRY HAD DEVELOPED WITH A TRADITIONAL STYLE OF MANAGEMENT AND A SYSTEM OF DOING THINGS WHICH HAD SERVED US IN GOOD STEAD.
"I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT THESE SYSTEMS ARE NO LONGER VIABLE BY MODERN INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT STANDARDS AND CANNOT PRODUCE CONSISTENT MANUFACTURING PRODUCTS OF HIGH QUALITY ACCEPTABLE ΤΟ THE MORE DEMANDING AND SOPHISTICATED OVERSEAS MARKETS.
"WHY HAS THE SITUATION CHANGED?" HE ASKED.
+
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REASONS. FIRST, CUSTOMERS EXPECTATIONS HAD CHANGED; SECONDLY, MANUFACTURING COMPETITION WORLDWIDE WAS FIERCER; AND THIRDLY, THE LABOUR MARKET WAS CHANGING, WITH NEEDS THESE DAYS BECOMING SOMEWHAT MORE SPECIALISED.
MR EVANS QUESTIONED WHAT A HONG KONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY NEEDED TO DO TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF ALL THESE CHANGES.
"IF IT DOES NOTHING, HE SAID, "THEN IT IS LIKELY TO GO OUT BUSINESS IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS BECAUSE OF COMPETITION, HE SAID.
OF
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