Confrontation in Rhodesia


The only virtue of the present proposals is that they represent at least some kind of a decision. For almost two years (one year since the new Steel Minister took over), the management structure of the steel plants has been in a state of confused flux. New general managers are being appointed, bu Hindustan Steel is still without a Chairman. One should have thought that it would not be so difficult to find a sub- situte for M S Rao ! A long-term solution of the problems of working and management of steel plants requires more than proper choice of top personnel though that is the first necessary step. The steel plants have to move away from a bureaucratic system to a management system of controls and organisation, which would require bureaucrats and accountants to shed their pettifogging. Fostering of organisation systems and teams, and setting up of a financial control m-echanism radically different from what has been operative so far are of far greater importance and urgency than so-called policy matters like the constitution of the board of Hindustan Steel. It is necessary that norms of performance be defined clearly and management judged on this basis.