Allow me to add to the rule: Any person of superior status must protect
their position by not providing information available to their level to
persons of lower status. If information is passed to individuals of lower
status, then they may benefit from this new found perspective and
arrive at conclusions and develop ideas of same value. Is this also true?
Oh the woes of middle management!
I believe we are finally beginning to realize the extent this rule plays
into our organizations. Our executives are recognizing the need to
educate everyone on the principles of business which includes
cash flow, cost management, and customer focus. They realize
that we have been withholding a lot of information from the
general populace because we believed they did not needto know.
But when we try and explain cost reduction impacts, e.g., organization
flattening, centralization of activities, and downsizing, it is obvious
that our people just don't get the message. How can they? They don't
have the necessary information and make the connection.
The trick, as I see it, is to reach the point where every individual in the
value chain understands the cost of their product(or portion thereof),
and the costs associated with their processes. Then feed them
competative costs so they can measure where they stand as a supplier
(cost-wise). I can even see a discussion on salary increases as it
affects the overall cost of their product. Will these costs make them
less competative and begin a nasty cycle of
sales loss > revenue loss > job loss? I would expect that our people
could better understand the complexities of business decisions
facing the company. But, Learning comes first.
How do others in the manufacturing environments treat cost data at
the shop floor? Do your people know costs to this detail?
-- ** Life is not a matter of trying to become, it's a matter of realizing and being (Jack Hawley; Reawakening the spirit in work) ENJOY! ** David Reed (206)655-3245 Web: dpr9989@kgv1.bems.boeing.com