Day 086 - 09 Feb 95 - Page 77


     
     1        I put it to you that you operate in your stores a system of
     2        authoritarian management in order to maximise production.
     3        What do you say to that?
     4        A.  You may say it, but you are completely wrong and
     5        misguided in saying so.
     6
     7   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, I wonder if the witness should be allowed
     8        to read the whole of the paragraph?  As usual, it has been
     9        wrenched out of its proper context, what Mr. Morris read
    10        out, no doubt for the sake of the audience.
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think it was fair enough.  He is reading
    13        Mr. Wignall's description of what an authoritarian manager
    14        would be which it is said McDonald's disapproves of.  It is
    15        being put to you that if you have to watch all those P's
    16        and Q's, it is an authoritarian system.  What do you say
    17        about that?
    18        A.  It is not an authoritarian system at all.  The reason
    19        why we train these people is that we do not have to be
    20        authoritarian with them.  They have enough skill and
    21        aptitude by the training that we give them, they can carry
    22        on the task without having someone over their shoulder all
    23        the time.
    24
    25        I believe in my statement that David Wignall presented
    26        before he was referring to the numbers and styles of
    27        management that we identify on one of our training courses,
    28        and the example that was given to me was the one that we
    29        discourage.  I still have not found the page where it is.
    30        I would appreciate the chance to read it through.
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is paragraph 85 on page 75.
    33        A.  Yes, I have read that.  It is right that we do point
    34        out that style, and then I think on the grid, I think it is
    35        a 99 manager:  Work is accomplished by committed people
    36        independently through a common state, an organisational
    37        purpose leads to relationships of trust and respect.  It
    38        talks about team building and team work.  That is how
    39        I would characterise a McDonald's restaurant and how it
    40        runs.
    41
    42   Q.   I have one more question and Helen has two or three to
    43        finish off with and then Mr. Rampton will come back.  Can I
    44        just say that normally I have to leave at half past four to
    45        collect my son from the minders, but today I have a
    46        babysitter so I am not under pressure.
    47
    48   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.
    49
    50   MR. MORRIS (To the witness):  Paragraph 68 of Mr. Wignall's 
    51        statement? 
    52        A.  Sorry, was that paragraph or page 68? 
    53
    54   Q.   Paragraph 68, page 70?
    55        A.  Yes.
    56
    57   Q.   Refers to the franchisees?
    58        A.  Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   "As such", it says here, "they obtain the necessary finance

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