Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cbscc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbsck!cbscc!lvc From: lvc@cbscc.UUCP (Larry Cipriani) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: a monopoly Message-ID: <4239@cbscc.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Dec-84 12:11:07 EST Article-I.D.: cbscc.4239 Posted: Mon Dec 3 12:11:07 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Dec-84 19:32:23 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus Lines: 25 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