BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE
MARCH 7, 2005 • Editions: N. America | Europe | Asia | Edition Preference
International -- Readers Report
Better Products: The Simple Way For Companies To Compete
In "The downside of higher productivity" (European Business, Feb. 7), Jack Ewing demonstrates how current global concepts of increased competitiveness are dictated to democratically elected governments by nondemocratic multinationals such as Nestlé (NSRGY ). It seems the entire point of his treatise supports corporate self-regulation. At what cost? In a Harvard University- or Massachusetts Institute of Technology-dominated world -- or a standardized corporate culture of elites -- rewards for average achievement would evaporate.
Productivity measures in a modern, globalized world should include stability and quality of customer/supplier relationships, social corporate responsibility, cross-cultural and union considerations. Should companies not learn how to compete more effectively simply by turning out better products or services? Talk to the workers about it, if there are still any left!
Daniel Costello
Visiting Professor
Kwandong University
Gangwon Province, South Korea
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