Day 145 - 29 Jun 95 - Page 49
1 highly decentralised organisation where you empower people
2 to make decisions.
3
4 Q. You of course have the complete right of making decisions
5 on your own, as you have just said about 10 minutes ago?
6 A. I have the right to make certain decisions absolutely.
7
8 Q. So decentralised are you, but you cannot think of any
9 departmental minutes or records about policies or
10 guidelines that have been kept going back for a number of
11 years?
12 A. Not that I can think of offhand.
13
14 Q. Does that mean there are not any?
15 A. To my knowledge there are not any. I am not interested
16 in old history. I am interested in what is the situation
17 today, what do we need to address the situation. Then I
18 make my decision and move forward. The fact we did
19 something a certain way yesterday does not mean I should do
20 it the same way today.
21
22 MS. STEEL: Mr. Stein, you said you never lacked for information
23 if you needed it, that there are always people around who
24 you can ask for their recollection of what ----
25 A. If it becomes necessary, yes.
26
27 Q. Do they all have crystal clear memories and never have an
28 argument about what they remember even 20 years ago?
29 A. No. There are sometimes some really good discussions
30 that take place when that happens, but so be it, we then
31 sit down and figure it out. The essential thing in
32 business is what is the performance outcome you are looking
33 for; what is the result you are trying to achieve; what is
34 the goal, and then you work yourself towards at that goal
35 and then make your decision based upon what you think will
36 get you to that goal. Just because something was done a
37 certain way in the past does not mean it is the way to do
38 it in the future. In fact, if you get log jammed with the
39 past you are not going to be creative and thoughtful about
40 how to deal with the current situation. History is not
41 where it is at. It is being able to evaluate the current
42 situation and make valid judgment decisions.
43
44 Q. If you had minute of the meetings that took place over the
45 last 20 years you would not have o try to carry all that
46 around in your memory.
47
48 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think it is comment, you know, because you
49 have been over it a number of times with Mr. Stein and you
50 have asked other people as well about it. It has reached
51 arguing with the witness now, when you should argue to me
52 if you feel it is significant in due course.
53
54 MR. MORRIS: It is a practice, is it not, when there is ever
55 some kind of legal action that a party has access to
56 Corporation documents, can apply for discovery in the USA,
57 can they not, if it is relevant?
58 A. Yes, sure. Of course discovery is absolutely allowable
59 in the US.
60
