Sir Michael keeps them on the run
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IF BRITISH managers are as effete as Sir Michael Edwardes, Dunlop's new head, says they are, it is just as well that only about a third of the 150 or so new MPs elected at the last general election claimed to have had any direct business experience. Conversely, it is arguable that all the managers would be better off in Parliament, where they would do less harm to the economy.
Sir Michael believes that managers should change jobs more often and when he is in charge they certainly do. He accuses them of cowardice, compromise and fudging failure. But at least they are trying through the Confederation of British Industry to improve productivity at a time when British unit labour costs are rising at four to five per cent a year, whereas in Germany and Japan they are decreasing by about that amount.
John Fleming, chairman and managing director of Vauxhall Motors, was one of a distinguished panel of speakers at a special CBI conference on productivity on November 29. The managers were able to give the politicians a lesson at least in civilised discussion. The exchange of views was rather more elevated than that recently heard in the House of Commons.