Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site oliven.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!oliveb!oliven!danw From: danw@oliven.UUCP (danw) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: a monopoly Message-ID: <745@oliven.UUCP> Date: Thu, 6-Dec-84 22:57:05 EST Article-I.D.: oliven.745 Posted: Thu Dec 6 22:57:05 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 9-Dec-84 03:34:08 EST Organization: National Cobalt Testing Range Lines: 41 [] ( please excuse the reposting this is worth reading twice. ) >A company that has been operating for several decades in an unregulated >market without patent protection and has what most people would call a >monopoly is "Lincoln Electric" of Cleveland Ohio. Lincoln has had a 95% >market share for several years. It makes electric welders. >They have never laid off a worker, and the have always made a very good >profit (or nearly always). Lincoln's workers once voted down a proposed >air conditioning system fearing the company's profits would suffer (they >have a profit sharing plan). When the company has to cut back in the >number of hours worked, everyone's work week is shortened. There is also >a generous reward paid to workers that submit cost saving suggestions. >Lincoln's employees are non-union, and have repeatedly voted down going >union by very wide margins. Other companies could take a lesson from >Lincoln's employment and management practices. >Lincoln has been getting competition from Japanese companies recently but >they are still doing quite well last I heard. >The company was the subject of a Fortune magazine article once. >>To be fair, I've heard complaints from people that worked there once. >They were criticized by their coworkers for not working hard enough ! > Larry Cipriani > cbscc!cbsch!lvc --------------------------------------------- (-: This is just the sort of monopoly we will ALL have to live with when we are "slaving" away under a repressive libertarian regime. I continue to support mindless socialism. I know that my industry and profession will be secure , no mater how incompetent any of us are. ( I KNOW that a "proper industrial policy" will surely support my industry at the expense of others . ) Far better the promise of womb to tomb security, than the cold, hard reality of hard work and opportunity! :-) danw