January 7, 2011 at 15:39The perfect company?
It just so happened that I had to either work on my own or collaborate with companies of various sizes and levels: from two-person firms to transnational monsters. Theoretical pros and cons (flexibility versus resources, etc.) are known and obvious. However, based on personal experience, some considerations arose about how companies of different sizes work (and how to work with them), which I want to share with Habrachitateli.
Note: we will not consider the sphere of trading in consumer goods - beer and bread stalls, as well as supermarkets, have slightly different means of struggle for the client. It will be mainly about large-scale production, development, IT and industrial automation (the areas that I know best).
Most often, LLC, maybe even an IP. In many ways, the work style of such a company is determined by the history of its occurrence, and here options are possible.
Option 1 . An excellent specialist, tired of working "for uncle", goes into free swimming. He usually has a reputation (which he values) and, as a result, a ready-made client base. The best option for cooperation: if the specialist is also a good leader - we have competent and responsible performers, working with them is a pleasure.
Option 2. Very characteristic for Russia. The ignorance from where in the hands is a certain resource around which the business is being built. There are many examples: communications in government agencies (or in the leadership of a large company) provide an order or help crush competitors; managed to withdraw the customer base from the previous employer; the debtor paid with equipment, etc. etc. The head often does not understand much about what his company is doing, compensating for this with the ability to communicate and communicate - the main thing is to conclude an agreement, and there we’ll come up with something. A characteristic feature: hiring instead of qualified specialists, students who, having gained experience, will run away, making way for new ones.
If you have to choose such a company as a contractor, the choice at first glance is obvious: option 1. But do not forget which country we live in - if, in addition to performing the work itself, some kind of coordination, approval, etc. (for example, facilities controlled by Rostekhnadzor) - the presence of the company’s relevant ties can make life easier.
LLC, CJSC or even OJSC. This may be a small production, a relatively large regional supplier of equipment, etc. Based on personal experience, in such companies everything is arranged in the most reasonable way: in order to solve a problem it is not necessary to go through all the circles of the bureaucratic hell, there are enough resources to work stably and at the same time not so much - to spend them unreasonably.
In such companies, the relationship “client - money” is still felt quite strongly, therefore they value the client and hold on to a profitable order.
Very large. This can also include most state-owned companies, regardless of their size. A characteristic feature: from the point of view of personnel outside the headquarters, money is not paid by clients, but by an uncle in Moscow, Germany, Switzerland ... well, depending on where they have their “uncle”.
An example from personal experience. The enterprise, which is part of a large international concern, lost about 800 thousand rubles a year at an excessive consumption of raw materials. The headquarters ordered that the losses be overcome, for which the company purchased equipment worth 10 million rubles. Losses were reduced, they reported to the headquarters on the implementation of their orders, the headquarters was satisfied: she is not aware that the equipment will wear out before it pays off.
A typical example. Instead of saving, reducing some costs by raising others, instead of modernizing production, introducing “progressive forms of management”, instead of motivating employees, team building, instead of quality, quality management.
And who is not familiar with the situation: at the end of the year, the remaining money in the budget is urgently spent. For anything - otherwise next year the budget will be cut.
At the same time, I had to read and hear more than once about how everything is great in giants such as Google, Apple ... I don’t know, maybe they lie, and maybe it all depends on what mission its creators chose for the company: make more money money or change the world. After all, a large company is capable of both of them ...
Note: we will not consider the sphere of trading in consumer goods - beer and bread stalls, as well as supermarkets, have slightly different means of struggle for the client. It will be mainly about large-scale production, development, IT and industrial automation (the areas that I know best).
Type 1. Small company
Most often, LLC, maybe even an IP. In many ways, the work style of such a company is determined by the history of its occurrence, and here options are possible.
Option 1 . An excellent specialist, tired of working "for uncle", goes into free swimming. He usually has a reputation (which he values) and, as a result, a ready-made client base. The best option for cooperation: if the specialist is also a good leader - we have competent and responsible performers, working with them is a pleasure.
Option 2. Very characteristic for Russia. The ignorance from where in the hands is a certain resource around which the business is being built. There are many examples: communications in government agencies (or in the leadership of a large company) provide an order or help crush competitors; managed to withdraw the customer base from the previous employer; the debtor paid with equipment, etc. etc. The head often does not understand much about what his company is doing, compensating for this with the ability to communicate and communicate - the main thing is to conclude an agreement, and there we’ll come up with something. A characteristic feature: hiring instead of qualified specialists, students who, having gained experience, will run away, making way for new ones.
If you have to choose such a company as a contractor, the choice at first glance is obvious: option 1. But do not forget which country we live in - if, in addition to performing the work itself, some kind of coordination, approval, etc. (for example, facilities controlled by Rostekhnadzor) - the presence of the company’s relevant ties can make life easier.
Type 2. Medium company
LLC, CJSC or even OJSC. This may be a small production, a relatively large regional supplier of equipment, etc. Based on personal experience, in such companies everything is arranged in the most reasonable way: in order to solve a problem it is not necessary to go through all the circles of the bureaucratic hell, there are enough resources to work stably and at the same time not so much - to spend them unreasonably.
In such companies, the relationship “client - money” is still felt quite strongly, therefore they value the client and hold on to a profitable order.
Type 3. Large company
Very large. This can also include most state-owned companies, regardless of their size. A characteristic feature: from the point of view of personnel outside the headquarters, money is not paid by clients, but by an uncle in Moscow, Germany, Switzerland ... well, depending on where they have their “uncle”.
An example from personal experience. The enterprise, which is part of a large international concern, lost about 800 thousand rubles a year at an excessive consumption of raw materials. The headquarters ordered that the losses be overcome, for which the company purchased equipment worth 10 million rubles. Losses were reduced, they reported to the headquarters on the implementation of their orders, the headquarters was satisfied: she is not aware that the equipment will wear out before it pays off.
A typical example. Instead of saving, reducing some costs by raising others, instead of modernizing production, introducing “progressive forms of management”, instead of motivating employees, team building, instead of quality, quality management.
And who is not familiar with the situation: at the end of the year, the remaining money in the budget is urgently spent. For anything - otherwise next year the budget will be cut.
At the same time, I had to read and hear more than once about how everything is great in giants such as Google, Apple ... I don’t know, maybe they lie, and maybe it all depends on what mission its creators chose for the company: make more money money or change the world. After all, a large company is capable of both of them ...