| Title: | The Digital way of working |
| Moderator: | QUARK::LIONEL ON |
| Created: | Fri Feb 14 1986 |
| Last Modified: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Last Successful Update: | Fri Jun 06 1997 |
| Number of topics: | 5321 |
| Total number of notes: | 139771 |
Stop the Madness
=====================
It seems that these days we are reacting to all the information
that is published on the press. If our stock did not react to our
Qtr. 4 earnings, then lets do something (cut a little more). Our leaders,
after telling the press, our stockholders and all of us, that we were not
going to have a major TFSO during FY'94, closed the Kaufbeuren Manufacturing
Plant and sold Westminster, affecting over 1,000 employees.
Now the press is telling our leaders, you done your job cutting
costs, its time for the 'real work': increasing market share, therefore
creating/achiving company growth. However, this message have not
permeate our leaders as well as the easier task of cutting costs. Everybody
agrees that we have the technology (ALPHA), we have the products and
we have the people (or what is left of us) to achieve the turn around.
Do we have the leadership ? That is the real question that we have to
ask ourselves and our leaders. There is no more the economy won't make
me do it. There are other technology companies doing it (H/P, Microsoft,
etc.).
Why don't we stand back and access the damage made ? Why we
continue with the madness ? Do we really understand were we are
and were we are going ? Do we really understand our business ?
Are we being reactive instead of pro-active ? Do we have our eyes/efforts
to accomplish the future or are we still being hunted by the past ?
| T.R | Title | User | Personal Name | Date | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2635.1 | ZOLA::AHACHE | Men are from Mars, women Venus | Wed Aug 25 1993 17:50 | 5 | |
Bravo Jose, mui bien...
Adele
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| 2635.2 | MIMS::PARISE_M | Wed Aug 25 1993 18:34 | 3 | ||
Then again... a break-even Q1 would be a quite unexpected surprise
to the investment community.
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| 2635.3 | ECADSR::SHERMAN | Steve ECADSR::Sherman DTN 223-3326 MLO5-2/26a | Wed Aug 25 1993 20:22 | 9 | |
re: .0
Um ... seems to me that layoffs in FY94 weren't "planned." That's
different than saying there wouldn't be big layoffs in FY94. I have my
doubts as to whether any manager has gone on record as saying that
Digital wouldn't have big layoffs in FY94. Of course, I could be wrong
...
Steve
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| 2635.4 | GLDOA::KATZ | Follow your conscience | Thu Aug 26 1993 12:13 | 14 | |
Well we all hope(dont we?)that Bob Palmer will turn out to be
a real leader for this company. The truth is he is untried as the head
of a company this large and with this many problems. It did not
take too much creativity to dump employees to reduce the debt.
Breaking the company up into Business Units is nothing new just
look at 3M. They have been dg it for years.
Bob Palmer has only been in power for 10 months and he has turned
the company around to the point where we are not unstable anymore.
The real test of his leadership is just starting and only time will
tell if he passes the test. He IS making decisions though, and for
that I am glad. I only hope they are the right ones.
-Jim-
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| 2635.5 | Just wondering. | RICKS::PHIPPS | Thu Aug 26 1993 12:34 | 5 | |
How many people do you know that have been tested as the head of a
company the size of Digital that would have been eager to move into
the spot?
mikeP
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| 2635.6 | AXEL::FOLEY | Rebel without a Clue | Thu Aug 26 1993 13:07 | 5 | |
Akers?? :-) :-) mike | |||||
| 2635.7 | GLDOA::KATZ | Follow your conscience | Thu Aug 26 1993 14:38 | 1 | |
Ross Perot? | |||||
| 2635.8 | Did anyone ask them? | RICKS::PHIPPS | Thu Aug 26 1993 16:26 | 3 | |
Besides, Ross was too busy at the time.
mP
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| 2635.9 | AKA 'May you live in interesting times'... | DRDAN::KALIKOW | Supplely Chained | Thu Aug 26 1993 17:34 | 4 |
"Akers on both your houses."
:-)
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| 2635.10 | NPSS::BRANAM | Steve, Network Sys Supp, TWO/A9, DTN 247-3027 | Thu Aug 26 1993 17:47 | 14 | |
<<< HUMANE::DISK$DIGITAL:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>>
-< The Digital way of working >-
================================================================================
Note 2635.6 Stop the Madness ! 6 of 9
AXEL::FOLEY "Rebel without a Clue" 5 lines 26-AUG-1993 09:07
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Akers?? :-) :-)
mike
What's the symbol for laughing so hard tears come out of your eyes?? 8^)
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| 2635.11 | Stop the Insanity - Part II | ELMAGO::JMORALES | Thu Aug 26 1993 19:27 | 62 | |
Continuation (Stop the Madness Part II)
------------
Cost Competitiveness
--------------------
Much has been said about cost competitiveness. American
industries have physically relocated around the world from
Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Ireland to more recently India,
Mexico, Australia, Brazil among others.
It seems that every time a country becomes 'non-competitive'
we move to the next one. How many expenditures we have incurred
in doing this other madness ? Other countries have proved that
Cost is not a competitive advantage but the combination of Timeliness
(past, present and future), Quality (past, present and future) and
Cost (past, present and future) will give you a competitive advantage.
My theory is that if you only use one (ie: Cost) as your
competitive advantage, then you become an 'also have' (commodity).
Customers, these days, want more than cost we want:
I) Timeliness:
-----------
1) Before the fact: On time, correct and detailed
information on the product/service
that I'm requesting.
2) At time of purchase: On time delivery of correct
product/service that I
requested.
3) After the purchase: Timely/cost competitive service
and maintenance of product/service
that I purchased.
II) Cost:
-----
1) Detailed product/service information including
cost, repairs/maintance and potential resale value.
2) Potential Upgrades
III) Quality:
--------
1) Reliability - Short and Long Term
2) Repair/Maintenance Service
3) Resale Value & Useful Life
4) Commitment/Warranty
Therefore, my conclusion to all this insanity is, those companies
that ONLY have implemented Cost Competitiveness as their overarching
goal, will not be leaders in their industries and many will
desintregate one way or another.
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