THOUGHTS ON BUSINESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 118, 9 May 1908, Page 6

THOUGHTS ON BUSINESS

j A (h')ijijt e under.KUiiid as to who i-. in hoiiiy is ail important thing tor any Few things cause more I rouble and coiifu.-ion than leaving men hi duubt as to who.se orders take lirsl. lank. Not to know thi- fundamental point, is to have a feeling of uncertainly, unsecurity, aiul .suspended conclusion —• a feeling which tendencies, attitudes. and the character of the work in hand. two men are associated in the management of a manufacturing enterprise, r 'H-h ha\ing charge of part of it, ami both having occasion to come in touch I '\ith the other part. Neither one hid , b.-eu full authority, neither revog- ! i.'i cd lh" other a* his superior, and harmony did not ri'ign between them. Kmjdoycei lound ihemseives governed by coullietiug instructions, much to the disadvantage and disorganisation of the whole enterprise. The trouble did not abate until the owners intervened and e>tablished a definite understanding as ; to the extent ol each man's authority, i There is usually one principal reason ' why rjiicli conditions are allowed to exist in the first place. It is the unwillingness to face the problem for fear of an unpleasantness. But this is seen to be a very poor reason when it is considered that the same problem in aggravated form will almost certainly have to be faced later—after much harm has Ix'en done, and perhaps an irreparable breach has been made.