Hitachi two years on

Article Abstract:

The Welsh factory site housing Hitachi's European Consumer Products Manufacturing was built in 1946, with the founding of Radio and Allied Industries by Sir Michael Sobell. The factory prospered in the 1950s from the assembly of black and white TVs, was re-established in 1960 as GEC Radio and Television Ltd., and continued to make profits until competition from Japan in the mid-1970s forced a joint venture with Hitachi in 1978. The joint venture, known as GEC-Hitachi TV Ltd., failed within five years. Hitachi bought out the GEC share in March 1978 and formed Hitachi Consumer Products (UK) Ltd. The new Japanese managing director and his team brought swift 'greenfield' changes, including termination (after a three-month notice) of 500 redundant employees, job flexibility, changing 'blue-collar' and 'white-collar' employee designations and conditions to single-status, and establishing negotiating rights with only one trade union (EETPU). This single-union agreement had a no-strike clause. Implementation of the new agreement was placed in the hands of the company members' board.

Household audio and video equipment, Management, Labor relations, Wales, Television equipment, GEC-Hitachi TV Ltd., Hitachi Consumer Products (UK) Ltd.

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A Swedish stamp on the customer service message

Article Abstract:

Swedish post office management initiated a staff-supervisor dialogue by means of a 52-question pilot survey administered to 6000 employees in four regions. Supervisors received responses collected from their immediate subordinates. Management had three aims: (1) to reinforce the notion that a former rule-oriented orientation was being replaced with a consumer-oriented approach, (2) to assure that supervisors understood their new roles in a recently decentralized administration, and (3) to develop methods ensuring continuation of the change process. A project advisory group reported strongly positive results, concluding that a dialogue had begun on working issues, management, and teamwork that might not have occurred otherwise. Post office management recommended that the system's 26 other regions adopt the project.

Human resource management, Sweden, Postal service, Customer service, Supervision of employees, Employee supervision

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