Frank Li Jan. 10, 2016 in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Contents
1…The motivation of topic
2…The shocking reality in Canada
2.1…Canada’s Depression: Surging Crime, Soaring Suicides, Overwhelmed Food Banks
2.2…The poorest productivity among 19 industrialized countries
2.2.1…Canada’s productivity lags U.S. in ‘virtually every instance
2.2.2…Canada’s Manufacturing Crisis Is Worst In Developed World
2.2.3…The cost of Canadian manufacturing is higher than that of Japan or Britain
3…Poorest Canadian corporate culture caused poorest productivity
3.1…Toxic employee made good manufacturer NCR moved to Mexico
3.2…A drunkard employee made a good PCBs manufacturer closed
3.3…The Fatal DNA destroys RIM and Canadian Enterprises
3.4…My rational proposal caused inhuman bullying
3.4.1…Got more paid by rationalization proposal in china
3.4.2…Got punished by rationalization proposal in Canada
3.4.2.1…Improper production equipments made big waste of meat products
3.4.2.2…The example that equipment makes good products as garbage
3.4.2.3…To reduce the waste by simple improving on equipment
3.4.2.3.1…To extend input conveyer into inside of the Freezer to pre-cooling products
3.4.2.3.2…Replace Freezer belt by the one of lesser causing waste
3.4.2.3.3…To save water by flatten the nozzle of water gun
3.5…ISO50001 saves Energy 30% proved Chaotic in Canadian business
4…Why China is in developing and Canada is in declining
5…Great US corporate culture makes higher productivity
5.1…Grote Industries distinguishes work performance by computers
5.2…The DNA of the Success of IBM
5.3…Top managements go along with the idea employee suggested
5.4…Jack Welch kicked out 170 thousands poor performer in 20 years time
6…Sad reality of Canada is caused by poor governance
1…The motivation of the topic
When writing Canada Pension Plan must develop in kind base as key body of state-owned econmy and The feasible steps for improving Canada’s health care system radically, I touched many information about tough life of Canadians, especially that comments “they are better prepared for death than for life in the years following the end of work” shocked me very much, since then, I am staying the state as a fishbone stuck in the throat, and producing more want to speak out.
I continued to ask that why rich natural resource Canada develops as such a step.
An affluence life comes from rich material wealth. The rich material wealth comes from creation by hard working. Poor Canadian corporate culture destroys manufacturers – the main body of the material wealth creation.
Therefore, I say that poor corporate culture is destroying the life of Canadians.
2…The shocking reality in Canada
2.1…Canada’s Depression: Surging Crime, Soaring Suicides, Overwhelmed Food
Banks
Dec. 23, 2015, Canada’s Depression: Surging Crime, Soaring Suicides, Overwhelmed Food Banks
May 21, 2014, They are better prepared for death than for life when facing retirement
Dec. 29, 2015, Food prices set to rise in 2016 as weak loonie takes a … – CBC
May 04, 2015, Seniors in Ontario make up 30% of bankruptcies: report – CBC
Dec. 07, 2015, Suicide rate in Alberta climbs 30% in wake of mass oilpatch layoffs
Dec. 24, 2915, Canada’s Oil Country Is Bleeding Jobs and Suicides Are rise in Alberta
Aug. 08, 2014, Canada’s Manufacturing Crisis Is Worst In Developed World
Jan. 23, 2014, Wishful Thinking On The Economy Will Achieve Nothing
Nov. 16, 2013, Canada No Longer Knows How To Sell Anything Except Oil
Dec 28, 2015, Canada’s mining sector decline 30% at the end of Dec. 2015
There are too much such reports, I have felt too suffocated to continue reproducing.
Observing reality is most painful thing, but, there are few people able to get free from the reality.
2.2…The poorest productivity of Canada among 19 industrialized countries
Over the years, in Canada, many scholars and social elites, anxiously, eagerly, provide recommendations with the hope of reviving economy, and while governments at all levels are also actively doing their best to develop economy; however, Canada’s economy is more and more disappointing.
People blame the decline of economy for the uncontrollable global economic recession objectively, especially the oil prices slump. However, such views are not fully in line with the actual.
2.2.1…Canada’s productivity lags U.S. in ‘virtually every instance
Oct. 1, 2012, the article that Canada’s productivity lags U.S. in ‘virtually every instance’: Deloitte said with that:
“Canada’s economy and ability to compete internationally is being hampered by its businesses’ inability to sustain growth over the long-term, says a report released Monday by consulting firm Deloitte.”
“The study shows Canada’s productivity lags behind that of the United States in “virtually every instance,” including those industries that have been the cornerstone of Canada’s economy for decades — mining, oil and gas, financial services and manufacturing. The manufacturing sector was called out as a particularly poor performer, noting that U.S. productivity in the manufacturing has grown at a rate six times faster than that of Canada since 2000.”
2.2.2…Canada’s Manufacturing Crisis Is Worst In Developed World
Aug. 8, 2014, in the article Canada’s Manufacturing Crisis Is Worst In Developed World, Mr. Daniel Tencer described that:
“According to this database of manufacturing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, flagged in a recent piece at the Globe and Mail, Canada has seen the largest decline in manufacturing output among 19 industrialized countries.”
“Manufacturing output shrank 11.5 per cent in Canada between 2002 and 2011. Compare that to the U.S., which saw output grow 23.2 per cent during that time.”
“Even the crisis-wracked economies of Italy and Spain have managed to retain more of their manufacturing output. Norway, an oil exporter like Canada, grew its output by 20.3 per cent.”
2.2.3…The cost of Canadian manufacturing is higher than that of Japan or Britain
Aug. 20, 2014, the article that Canada losing steam in its push for an export boom said that “It is now cheaper to make goods in once-high-cost countries such as Japan or Britain than in Canada, according to a new map of global manufacturing competitiveness.”
“The consultants’ report benchmarks the relative cost of making goods in the top export economies by comparing the cost in each country to levels in the U.S. On an index where U.S. costs are equal to 100, Canadian factories tick in at 115 – a rise of 11 points since 2004.”
“Statistics Canada data show that only 1.7 million Canadians were employed in the manufacturing sector this year compared to more than 2.3 million a decade ago. Auto makers, in particular, have been pouring billions of new investment dollars into the United States or Mexico while giving this country the cold shoulder.”
3…Poorest Canadian corporate culture caused poorest productivity
Dec. 21, 2010, I was shocked by the earlier death of the business owner of my first job in Canada (See The death of a Canadian business owner), I started to consider that how to help those business owners who are hard working and being psychological tortured by those toxic employees and according to my personal experience from working in different businesses to have written many articles.
3.1…Toxic employee made good manufacturer NCR moved to Mexico
In the article Canada’s Corporate Management and Reducing psychological pressure in Workplace, I cited a toxic employee made a good manufacturer closed, which was NCR that once located in Waterloo Ontario with 1300 employee in good payment and work-environment. It was a branch of a transnational company headquartered in the U.S. in manufacturing machines of banking and cashing.
In before Christmas 2006, I newly work there through a job agency with other 6 people to assemble cashier machine.
In my team, there was a gentleman Jimmy who was in a very good appearance with good personal civilized, but he was supervising others to slow down their work with smile. Due to that my team was in the final section, thus, the production capacity of whole production line has lowered 50% around. NCR was moved to Mexico before outbreak of Financial Crisis 2008. Jimmy and other 1300 people lost high quality jobs – good paid with good work environment, which is that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been striving for hardly.
After the NCR Company was moved out; in a same supermarket, I met Jimmy two times when waiting to pay at cashier machine. In first time, he was working for a job agency, and second time he was looking for a new job after a couple of months in job agency.
In NCR, his payment was over $20 per hour due to he has worked there for a long time, and in job agency was around $ 10 to $12. I am still wondering that why Jimmy did that? His behavior was no any interest for himself or any others? If it was not what I had seen, I would never believe that was true.
The employees as that of Jimmy are common in Canadian businesses, their boldly pranks greatly reduce the productivity; it also can cause business failures indirectly, such as the supervisor John that introduced in my article Family Business and Management Board.
People might ask that, why no management person stops their ridiculous behavior? Why do not fire them? The answer is not as simple as that of people’s common sense.
The gut of those employees dared boldly play their stupid in workplace is encouraged by a kind of organization, and the organization is protected by Holy Canadian Laws and Great Canadian Values, which is one of great advantages of great Canada.
But the advantage is conducive for small group of individual, while harming great many of hard working Canadians.
3.2…A drunkard employee made a good PCBs manufacturer closed
In the article Canada’s Corporate Management & Reducing Psychological Pressure in Workplace, I cited Triton Company – a Canadian PCBs manufacturer that once located in Kitchener Ontario. Its main customer was GE of the United States.
There an operator John was a drunkard and heavy smoker. Due to the bad habit damaged his brain; he was unresponsive hands palsy. He obviously cannot do a perfect job, especially the production of PCBs, which needs more mental concentration and deft hands. But, because of that supervisor also was a heavy smoker and at break time they belched out smoke and swallowed in fog together.
John could not do any job properly; supervisor changed his job position many times, finally sent him to make final functional testing for PCBs by a test-machine. Obviously, this was a critical position that controls the overall quality before sending to customers.
Soon, a large number of products’ returns happened, then the orders reduced, and then Company’s door was being shut down.
Obviously, that John has played a key role in the closure of the Triton Company. We may say that is a mindless employee to have ruined a good business – good products with stable customers. But the key cause was the chaos in the management; it could not exclude such an incompetent staff timely.
3.3…The Fatal DNA destroys RIM and Canadian Enterprises
RIM – Research In Motion Limited, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of wireless solutions for the mobile communications was no any business with oil at all, as a successful high-tech enterprises with 20 thousands employees, once was the pride of Canadians, now has been declined as BlackBerry Limited.
Jan 27, 2014, in the article The Fatal DNA of RIM & Canadian Enterprises, I indicate that:
The successful enterprises are mainly driven by motivating their employees fully exerting intelligence. The failed enterprises are mainly due to that their employees cannot free exerting intelligence.
For RIM’s decline, people can find many sound reasons, however, I think that, the most fundamental one is the stifling intellectual work environment, which is that suppresses the free exertion of intelligence of the employees without a proper channel for employees expressing and practice their ideas freely to have damaged the driving force for continuously self-revolution to fit the market that is increasingly rapid changing For example.
Faced with Canadians prided RIM declined as Blackberry, a senior RIM exec has to express anxiety by Open letter to BlackBerry bosses.
The start of the open letter and the 8 suggestions as follow:
“To the RIM Senior Management Team:”
“I have lost confidence.”
“While I hide it at work, my passion has been sapped. I know I am not alone — the sentiment is widespread and it includes people within your own teams.”
“Mike and Jim, please take the time to really absorb and digest the content of this letter because it reflects the feeling across a huge percentage of your employee base. You have many smart employees, many that have great ideas for the future, but unfortunately the culture at RIM does not allow us to speak openly without having to worry about the career-limiting effects.”
The 8 suggestions:
1) Focus on the End User experience.
2) Recruit Senior SW Leaders & enable decision-making.
3) Cut projects to the bone.
4) Developers, not Carriers can now make or break us.
5) Need for serious marketing punch to create end user desire.
6) No Accountability – Canadians are too nice.
7) The press and analysts are pissing you off. Don’t snap. Now is the time for humility with a dash of paranoia.
8) Democratise. Engage and interact with your employees — please!
The open letter was not only pointed out the problems, but also offered suggestions in workarounds, especially reconstruction of management, interaction with employees and to be managed in accountability. It shows the writer’s honesty in deep concern for RIM’s future with well thought out.
The suggestions revealed the chaotic in RIM’s management and were all to hit on the root cause of the decline of RIM and perfect suitable for any Canadian businesses, due to they are under similar corporate culture that based on similar social ideological.
However, RIM’s responds to open letter was not only with no thanks, instead, was somewhat hatred condemnation. Not mention to save RIM by the suggestions.
After reading the open letters and responds, I once talked with a material scientist who is working in the lab of RIM. She said that she once wrote a suggestions’ letter to the management of RIM, but without any response. She felt that the corporate culture of RIM is not worthy for appreciation.
The stifling intellectual work environment is playing a role as Fatal DNA destroys RIM and many Canadian Enterprises.
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3.4…Rationalization proposal caused inhuman bullying
According to my personal experience, those what happened in former RIM are common in Canadian enterprises. And also, RIM was very gentle in treating suggestions’ provider.
3.4.1…Got more paid by rationalization proposal in china
In China, I worked in an Institution of a Steel and Iron Company in Steel and Iron researching. A lot of research jobs without direct relation with Company’s production, besides Company has to pay for all cost of the institution.
After introducing market economy into plan economy when economic reforming of China, the company has to be self-financing, and then Company ordered the Institution on R&D toward large scale production with new products developing and production cost saving, by which way to make income in self-fended.
The Company extracts 20% of profit that made by the R&Ds in one year period as only funds for the survival of the Institution. Then the Institution extracts 20% from the funds as bonus to R&D’s contributor.
Thus the Company gains about 10% profit each year from R&D, also, the Institution and researchers got great income than ever before.
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3.4.2…Got punished by rationalization proposal in Canada
Due to such a hobby in R&Ds produced in China, in Canada, I got big trouble in the workplace. My foods were dumped, my car was scratched, and even being deducted payment with only reason that I suggest some senior management to reduce wastes of production in face to face.
3.4.2.1…Improper production equipments made big waste of meat products
Above photo are Chicken products that fell down from production line as garbage. Each day, the good products became garbage with several bins. Each bin eyes estimated about 50 kilograms.
We should be aware that there 4 production line in 2 shift daily, running in day after day, month after month, year after year. In long term view, the useless waste will be a big lost.
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3.4.2.2…The example that equipment makes good products as garbage
Above left photo is the products were brought back into freezer by metal belt and has to dump as garbage, usually about several to 10 kilograms each shift, occasionally may reach dozens, even hundreds kilograms.
Above right photo is the outlet area of freezer metal belt, where is also the area, once there some products are iced on the belt will be brought back into Freezer from the area under the belt.
Above left photo is metal belt to be put a scraper to cut down the iced products. It made more good products to be cut as debris, and more debris may be brought into bagged products. And also it makes more good products as defective one.
From above right photo, we can understand that most of products will be self-loose down from the metal belt deformation with rotating, but, they cannot fully self-loose down until the belt turning to the area of nearly back into freezer.
Due to the position of the scraper is too high, where the products are mostly still iced on the belt, the amount that produced debris by scraper would be much more than that of products to be brought back into Freezer as before without the scraper.
The mechanic who installed the scraper agreed with my view. He said that he understood that when he installed the scraper on, but, he dared not speak out. He is about 50 years old with well understanding about Canadian corporate culture. Any suggestion would make big trouble for him-self in Canadian businesses.
I have told mechanic supervisor a better method of Freezer self pre-cooling to avoid products to be brought back into Freezer by preventing them to be iced on the metal belt, but useless besides get big trouble with punishment to be ordered one day off.
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3.4.2.3…To reduce the waste by simple improving on equipment
3.4.2.3.1…To extend input conveyer into inside of the Freezer to pre-cooling products
Above is the input area of the Freezer with strong cold fog, where the input conveyer transfer fried hot products from Fryer into Freezer.
The Liquid Nitrogen Coolant made a minus 60 degree centigrade in the freezer and it make the belt produced a snow like layer that can prevent products to be iced on the belt. But the products may melt the layer and to be iced on the belt once the products are too hot.
To extend input conveyer into inside of the Freezer about one meter long, thereby make the products pre-cooled before going down on the belt and avoid to be iced on the belt.
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3.4.2.3.2…Replace Freezer belt by the one of lesser causing waste
On above two kinds of belt, left one there are lesser products iced on belt, and the one of right there are more products iced on the belt.
It is better to replace the right belt by the style of left side one.
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3.4.2.3.3…To save water by flatten the nozzle of water gun
Follow is some of my improvements.
3.4.2.3.3.1…Improved efficiency of water gun
It is said that the cost of fresh and used water is about $15 per cubic for industrial use. For cost-saving concern, it is better that used water as less as possible in the condition of making equipments clean. In particular, for that boiled high pressure water will be with extra energy cost.
The role of water gun is to spray boiled high pressure water to take off and move away the adhesions of wastes that produced when production, thereby to make equipments clean for next time quality food production.
I improved the work efficiency of water gun by hammering the nozzle to flat. From follow pictures, we can see the times increase of the water work efficiency.
Above photo is the water flow before and after nozzle to be flattened.
This improvement was also made trouble for my-self due to that was against the regulation of Company and was not allowed to use tools in maintenance workshop.
My supervisor told me to make it when there are no people in maintenance workshop. Now, the water gun in my workplace is mostly to be replaced with flatted nozzles.
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3.4.2.3.3.2…Fixed metal conveyer that is acting as cutter in damaging products
There two sections of the metal conveyer on the platform of the top of packing machine to transport products into packing machine by reciprocating horizontal movement.
The first section is receiving products from a lifter to second section, and the second section feeds them into packing machine.
Above is the second section.
On the middle, there is an open area in a square of around 40x40cm with a same size square-cover-A, it did not properly fit in the open area with several millimetres gap in both direction of vertical and horizontal.
The reciprocating horizontal movement of the conveyer is quickly. When it’s working, the square-cover-A acts as a cuter to damage the coatings of bread crumbles on the products with producing cut-debris down to the dustpan under it. The cut-debris even produced about dozens of kilograms per shift, and needs longer time and more water to clean them out. Even if water them down to ground, it still needs more water to push them into sewer.
At the same time, greatly increased the amount of sewage for purification treatment, and sometimes it even caused entire water system cannot work, we must wait.
The unfitted square-cover-A caused dual cost of damaging good products as debris and waste more time and water to clean up and sewage for treatment.
I appealed for fixing the problem many times, but with no an effective help. I have to fix it by clothe hangers and metal bar finally.
The clothe hangers and a metal bar under the square-cover-A.
The square-cover-A after fixed
There are very less cut-debris on the dustpan under the square-cover-A after fixed.
Before fixed, the gaps of square-cover-A the is similar as that of B area. The A is in 4 sides, the B is in 1 sides. The B is also acting as cutter when conveyer quick movement.
I have tried to make the gap smaller in B area, but can not fix at current structure of the parts. It is still cutting good products as debris everyday.
The gap in B area should be completely eliminated by welding and the end edge area followed the B should be bend down to reliminate the harm as cutter.
In consideration of year to year production, the amout of to be chopped bread crumbs will be huge – hard made good products to be debris and good end-products become defectives.
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3.4.2.3.3.3…Re-use of failed connector of water hose
Above is the photo of Connector of water hose that connects for Water gun.
The shoulder area of the connector is easily expanded as too big in diameter to fit into water gun, which caused by inhomogeneous deformation in recycling hot thermal expansion under repeatedly heating by hot high pressure water for a certain time. Usually it is replaced with a new one. Indeed, it can be fixed by a simple grinding – sands wheel or rasp.
Fist time, I fixed it by grinding with sands wheel in the maintenance work shop. Soon I got warning that do not touch the tools in maintenance workshop.
Second time, I asked maintenance supervisor help me, he insisted that must be replaced with a new connector, but, after he checked storage, told me: it was not available and need to order purchasing.
I urgently needed water hose for work, and I asked a mechanic help me. He took a rasp to me, said: next time, use this one in any where out of maintenance workshop.
In past 5 years, I have fixed many times personally. It is not only saved cost in spare parts, but also save the time of others.
Usually, the problem is found in busy time of sanitizing work, if I ask supervisor to fix it according to normal work procedure, it will waste two people’s work time. On other hand, that grinding is much easier in a shorter time than that of replacing a new one.
This method can save expense in both of money and time. In production, operator’s time also is money.
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3.4.2.3.3.3…Supervisor praised me as Li Bing
One day, when we walked past quickly in face to face, my supervisor called me as Bing Li, I am very confused because his pronunciation deviated too far from that pronunciation in Mandarin. At that moment, I did not have time to response without any reaction.
Later, when I working, I found that the square-cover-A was properly fixed than that of I did, the clothe hangers and metal bar under it were all moved away.
Then, I understood my supervisor was to praise me as Li Bing who was a Chinese administrator and engineer in 2250 years ago. He has become renowned for the innovative construction of the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in Sichuan province, China in 256 BC, and it is still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 square kilometers of land in the region.
For over 2000 years, successive governments have been carefully dredging the rivers and maintaining the system.
Today, Sichuan province is hot in the economic development of China, due to where is the start of China’s Chongqing – German Duisburg Intercontinental containerized cargo train shipments. It has started in running and shortens the transport time to 16 days from 36 days of maritime transport, which attracted great many world class business giants to establish branches in Sichuan province.
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3.5…ISO50001 saves Energy 30% proved Chaotic in Canadian business
Feb. 09, 2014, in article Management is the Art of Playing Human Nature, I once discussed with 3M Canada saves Energy 30% by ISO50001.
March 13, 2013, the Canadian Manufacturing Online published the report of Power play, said that 3M Canada saves Energy 30% by ISO50001. The achievement was great, but the process was unexpected simple: “We try to treat the plant as we would our homes. If we leave a room, we turn off the lights and shut down equipment when it’s not being used. ”
There were reports taking the energy save 30% in 3M Canada as a proud achievement. However, I would like to question that, by the same group of people with the same equipments in the same place, why they could not effectively save the energy similarly before the implementation of ISO50001 standards?
Why they could not treat the plant as that of in own homes to turn off the lights and shut down the equipment when it’s not being used before the implementation of ISO50001 standards?
The achievement of energy saving is also reflecting the CHAOS in the management of 3M Canada. It is common in many Canadian enterprises, which is one of the reasons of the enterprises is declining.
I think that corporate management may be the most intricate and most grueling tasks, since it has to deal with the labors – human beings who are with the brain that can act of their own accord.
If there was no mandatory of the ISO50001 standard to strictly enforce the staff as that of the law enforcing social members, only relying on their management team and their own developed management rules, 3M Canada would never get such an achievement.
I have been involved in the development of ISO standard application for oil drilling pipe. The deepest impression was that every aspect of every operation in the production, there are written procedures with specific people to take responsible. In fact, the role of ISO is to trace responsibility by tagging on the forehead of specific individual.
The experience of 3M Canada in energy saving has a significant role of providing us a direction for reversing the state of CHAOS, which is to copy the model of ISO50001 standard to optimize our firms’ management.
We are clear that, in the business running, there are many management aspects besides energy saving with the plenty of room for cost-saving improvement. We can imagine that, if 3M Canada improves efficiency by 30% in all of their management aspects, then, see, what will happen? If we all firms in Canada are able to improve the efficiency by 30%, and then, see, what it will happen?
The CHAOS in the management of 3M Canada before the implementation of ISO50001 standards was also caused by the bad effect of the Crowd Psychology.
It also proves the correctness of my idea of the Corporate Management is the Art that plays human natures, which is to finish purposeful tasks with human culture nature by meeting human greedy of animal nature with payment under the enforcement of regulations. For well playing the Art of the management, the payment and the regulation is both indispensable.
4 …Why China is in developing and Canada is in declining
Above I only touched some problems that is easy to describe, there still many area need to be improved in the Freezer and packing area in the 1 of 4 production lines.
In the whole production processes of 4 production lines, there are still many areas that can be improved with great cost-saving.
Each day, there tons of end products, cheese, spices, flour, bread crumbs, and so on drop ground and being put in several huge garbage bins. Indeed, they all can be easily reduced or avoided by simple improvements on related production equipments.
But, the cost-saving is impossible under Canadian corporate culture. There many management staff are in low quality without a rational sense for improving production, but with animal instinct to put nuclear bombing endlessly by a right for farting once.
From my experience in China and Canada, we can easily understand that why China has been in high speed developing and Canada has been in high speed declining.
5…Great US corporate culture makes higher productivity
In article Management is the Art of Playing Human Nature, I indicate that human behaviors are determined by dual human natures: The natural (animal) nature of those inborn selfish instincts and the cultural nature of those acquired altruistic qualities. The Management is the Art of playing human natures, which is to finish purposeful tasks with human culture nature by meeting human greedy of animal nature with payment under the enforcement of regulations.
For well playing the Art of the human natures, the payment and regulations are both indispensable.
Here, I would like to stress that, do not simply use morality to cover up human animal nature
5.1…Grote Industries distinguishes work performance by computers
Grote Industries is a Family Owned manufacturers and marketers of vehicle lighting and safety systems with branches world widely. I once worked in its branch located in Waterloo, Ontario for more than one year time, and left there since shift cut when encountered Financial Crisis 2008.
The commendable point for this site is that distinguishes or may say that is supervising work performance of employees by computers, which can promote the production in highest efficiency with lesser psychological pressure producing.
In the production site, those needs to be processed semi-products are being put in the containers with a work log that provides the products’ information: name, quantity, batch number, barcode, a brief instruction of operations and the place for operator’s signature and stamp with a ID number stamp.
Usually, the operators take the semi-products for work by themselves without tasking in advance. This will save some work time.
First step is to scan own palm print, enter own work ID and scan work log barcode on a scan machine, and then start work. After finished whole container products, sign own name and stamp own ID number on the work log and repeat the first step again as an important procedure to entirely finish one container products. And then put them on a shelf for finished products before working on other products.
Here needs special to mention that, after finished above operation, in the bottom of the screen of scan-machine will appear a letter – Rank, and followed by a number. I guess that was work-efficient rankings.
Team leader only acts as a nice teacher and consultant. Due to the employees’ team is stable; everyone knew how to do the best job. So, in most of the time, in the workplace, you cannot distinguish who is team leader and who is general operator. The team leader is doing the same job with general operator together rather than as doing in the most of other Companies – just looking around. Here, no one was doing this kind job that is directing with an old management method inherited from slavery.
In the working time, everyone is focusing on own job without free talking unless the operation needed because that of work efficiency of the individual is being calculated and recorded between the two time’s scan before and after finishing one container products, which is acting as an invisible eyes to supervise people working harder.
Because the work performance evaluated by computer based on the daily records, no one would doubt its impartiality. Thereby reduce the displeasure or even argument between the staffs or staff with management personnel, which is the main generator of psychological pressure. The records may be used to peacefully solve the thorniest issue – layoff people when Company downsizing without hatred causing. Because the layoff process is based on the work performance backed by daily records. People would be self-convinced that they were being laid off by own work performance rather than by any individuals’ improper judgments.
Maybe you think that everyone works consciously without supervision is the most humanized working environment. The idea is perfect but is impossible, because the nature of people is different, not everyone could work faithfully, especially in an immigrant-based multicultural country. Non-visually supervising is perfect and necessary for running well any enterprises.
No doubt that reasonable staff performance evaluation is the ideal way to promote the production efficiency to highest level with lesser stress causing.
I worked in night shift with about 30 people. In more than a year’s time, there were about 20 people from the Job Agency to have left. Among those 20 people, the shortest working period was only one day, the longest was two weeks. Those people, some individual capacity were not suitable for the job, some are capable, but do not try to do their best.
Such as, some got smart, a Indian girl, in first day, was testing light-emitting of the diode on circuit board with test-instrument. Typically, a batch of products needed about 3.5 hours to complete, but, the Indian girl only took half an hour to complete. Obviously, she was not 100% tested. In next day, I did not see her again.
There was a story, in Grote Waterloo, there was quarterly update meeting to sum up the past and look to the future. Once, the top director asked the meeting attendees to raise some unclear issue regarding his quarter statement, but no one answer. For easing the embarrassing situation, I asked him about the new product development, which was a question that I have not carefully prepared. However, the top director stepped close to me, listened and answered carefully. Since then, I felt him paid much attention on me – a general operator. Also I felt him a person who is paying full attention on Company future and I got an idea that he will never be limited in current products.
It is suggested that accurate assessment methods can quickly identify and remove incompetent person.
Finally please look at Grote Electronics Employee Reviews.
“Electronic Assembler (Former Employee), Kitchener, ON – November 24, 2013.”
“With good physical, mental and eye coordination, I improved work procedure which resulted in a 40% increase of efficiency during the Lean program. My work procedure was videotaped and being shown to other workers to follow.”
Unfortunately, he was not mention that how much reward he got..
5.2…The DNA of the Success of IBM
Dec. 22, 2011, I wrote article The DNA of the Success of IBM & America’s best-run companies by taking a Mandarin book 26-years’ IBM career as the main line of the article.
The writer of the book was Mr. Kenneth Chang, who emigrated from Hong Kong to United States in 1958 when 40 years old, after 4 years’ work from a beginner in production of semiconductor chip in GI Company, he transferred into IBM in 1963, and in the following nine years period, he was promoted 4 times and reached the highest technical position of IBM due to his creative works with many innovations and inventions, which shocked all people in IBM.
In book, Mr. Kenneth Chang introduced the patent and reward system with a Plateau Award in IBM.
Accumulates one point on each published article regarding science and technology on the Science and Technology Bulletin Of IBM.
For each patented patent, the inventor will accumulate 3 points. The bonus for first patent is $1,500, plus souvenirs and gold-plated pins, etc.. For each subsequent patented patent will award cash $500.
For each accumulation of 12 points, issue a Plateau Award $ 3600 with publishing the names and photos of the winner in company publications. Another accumulation of 12 points with another Plateau Award, and so on. Company may also give quota of awards depending on the circumstances from $10,000 to $100,000. It is very few of people who could achieve third Plateau Award.
Mr. Kenneth Chang entered the IBM in 1963, but until 1968, by the reminding of others, he began to pay attention on the reward system of IBM. And since then he achieved seven patented patents, published 9 papers, gained 30 points, and one patent application was on pending.
The incentive policy of IBM largely promoted the inventive activities of employees. The report of U.S. patent awards surge in 2010; IBM still tops is the vivid proof.
Besides, encouraging intellectual creation, Mr. Kenneth Chang also introduced relaxed working environment for innovation in the US companies. He can freely make innovation on the production line without the need of permission.
The success of IBM has benefited from its unique corporate culture. The success of Kenneth Chang also benefited from such corporate culture, which is emphasizing people-oriented, and taking the staff as “working capital” with an incentive system that encourages the employee to creatively work.
Suppose that Kenneth Chang was working in Canadian Companies, he would be ousted in weeks due to his self-determined to do innovation, and straightforward proposals for improvement. Because of under Canadian corporate culture, facing the proposals, in most of the bosses, supervisors, or colleagues, the first sense were that of they have been despised, the first psychological reaction is uncomfortable. Thus they would make everything possible even by despicable way to squeeze out the thorns from their eyes. They never care about the benefit would be gained from those proposals. This is not the nonsense; it was the personal experiences of mine in some Companies.
5.3…Top managements go along with the idea employee suggested
Dec. 19, 2015, there a Mandarin article This oil company made a $ 100,000 Christmas bonus to each employee reported Hilcorp Company, I excerpt and translate some as follow:
Why is Hilcorp so successful?
Hilcorp was founded in 1989 by CEO Jeff Hildebrand in the United States, now has grown into one of America’s largest private oil and Gas Company, with 1,100 employees (as of 2013). Hildebrand builds the company’s culture with special idea. For example, encourage absolute transparency and create a sense of ownership in employees.
Hilcorp shares information with all employees, in monthly open management meeting, publish detailed performance data and target to all employees, which made new employees usually surprised. Hilcorp, in turn, also want employees to contribute to decision-making.
Besides reward of cars and company allowances, Hilcorp also encourages employees to invest in the projects of company. The project is successful, there is their share. The company is also providing generous dividend also to all employees (annual average dividend payout ratio is 35% of the basic salary).
As a result, Hilcorp created a friendship workforce that composed mainly by the people that motivated enough with strong ability. Staff said: “We can get anything.” (In the survey responses, the employees often praise that managers can “quickly get rid of underperforming person.”)
The success of the Hilcorp proved my ideas that the successes of the Companies are depended on fully inspire, mobilize, and use of the intelligence of all members.
Dec. 19, 2015, after read article US company Hilcorp gives 1350 employees $137,000 bonus, I was excited to write article Top managements listen and go along with the idea employee suggested with comments that:
The company’s core values include: “Work Like You Own the Company”, “When Hilcorp Wins, We All Win” and “Get Better Every Day”.
The company’s website says Hilcorp is a company where the employees have the autonomy to make decisions, a place where all its employees can develop and grow a career in a field they are passionate about.
The Mission of Hilcorp: Entrepreneurs unlocking energy for the betterment of our employees and our communities.
The report says that Hilcorp is a great place to work. Other employees surveyed for the Fortune list cited empowerment, freedom, responsibility and communication as characteristics that make Hilcorp a great place to work, “When you suggest an idea to upper management they really listen to you and most of the time they will go along with the idea you suggested,” said one employee, “I never had that before with any other company.”
5.4…Jack Welch kicked out 170 thousands poor performer in 20 years tenure time
Sep, 18, 2010, CCTV Dialogue program interviewed with Jack Welch who was the former Chairman and CEO of GE. The interview once mentioned that Jack Welch set employees as three group, 20% best performers, 70% as general, and 10% as poor performers that have to kick out, and in 20 years period, he kicked out 170 thousands of incompetent employees by giving them advice for improvement, if they fail, giving them one year time to look other job else.
For this issue, Jack Welch explained with that, Business is a kind of game, in any game, Football, Rugby, Hockey; the team with the best players wins. Well, in the companies, the team with best players wins. If you did not have a good team, in the long term is not great. The achievements of GE did not made by my Jack Welch, but the employees. It was our employees to make these numbers a reality, because they have actively involved in the commercial activities.
The management consulting guru in ranking first in the world, Dr. Ram Charan, who works as a consultant of GE Company for more than 30 years. He once comments with that: Jack Welch spent 60% of time on the issue of people. If, other CEO could so, they also can get achievements as that of Jack Welch. Some people may think that they have done so, but, they were not really done at all. Jack Welch was not only to spend time on the issue of people, but, also he spent more time in thinking, thus, for 20 years.
People may easily think of that, suppose that Jack Welch was in Canada, he will encounter numerous legal proceedings, because of those fired staff had great many sound reason to sue him, and the great Judge of Canada would holy sentence those fired people return to GE, until bankrupt GE. This is big different between the US and Canada.
This is main reason that Canadians made a lower productivity and that Americans made a higher productivity.
Corporate culture is based on the social ideological; social ideological is difficult for advancement. For improving low productivity, Canada has a long way to go.
Even so, as rational Canadian, we should not passively wait, but, to positively creates conditions for boosting economy, even if it is a little.
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6… Sad reality of Canada is caused by poor governance
Some people will inevitably quibble that, because the manufacturing sector in Canada are mostly oil-related, they naturally would be implicated by oil prices.
However, please look at the economy of resources scarce Germany; especially Britain, the rising star of economy.
Oct 14, 2015, Germany upbeat on economy despite China’s slowdown: ”The German economy continues to grow. It is still well on track despite the dampened global economic outlook with weaker growth in China and emerging countries that are rich in raw materials.”
RIM, NCR and Triton are all non-oil related business with good products and stable customers, but were all ruined by poor Canadian corporate culture.
Apparently, the sad reality of Canada is due to self controllable reasons subjectively. As a rational Canadians, especially those rational policy makers, there is nothing to say besides shame.
Talking about reasons, the most fatal one is that governing function of electoral driven democratic government has been castrated; thereby those approaches for developing economy could not on a rational track, such as, incompetent in improvement of extremely poor corporate culture, to eliminate the main cause of lowest productivity.
I have been concerning about the economic issues of Canada. In the past 15 years I intended work in different type of enterprises of Canada and got a terrible experiences that most of them were poor managed, and even shrouding with absurd ideological with poor corporate culture.
In Canadian businesses, some employees, even some management personnel lack of the sense of responsibility, and even make vandalism in workplace. It is not only resulting in production inefficiency, but also caused many enterprises’ closure.
They boldly make nonsense without worry about being punished, since that has no proper law to regulate such behaviors.
The law is over protection of employees with lesser concern about businesses owners, in irrationally encouraging mindless people perfunctory work and striking for gaining more with doing less.
Instead, the managers or owners dare not strictly constraint employees with the fear to be prosecuted. The loopholes in the law encourage some mindless mind into mad action in workplaces.
Even, there some people take enterprises as the object of lawsuits to extort money.
The closure of some companies is simply caused by some mindless individuals.