《大公司效益，小公司效率》
Big corporation’s effectiveness with small company’s efficiency
刘小鹰
By Steve Lau
在一般人的印象里，大公司应该具备以下特点：规模庞大，资金雄厚，人数众多。在“大公司”工作，工作环境好，待遇优厚，是一份“铁饭碗”的好差事。“大公司”里，当高级经理的位高权重，出入乘坐商务舱，住五星级酒店，应酬于高档酒家….很多人与“大公司”打交道都习以为常，深知“大公司”流程复杂、环节多、决策慢，，甚至觉得不是这样就不正常，因为它们是“大公司”嘛。
Most people have the impression that “big” companies should have the following characteristics: large scale of operation, strong working capital structure and lots of head-counts; these big companies promise employees a secure job, offering employees a better pay and working environment,; Senior executives in “Big” companies travel on business class flights, stay in five star hotels and entertain clients in high class restaurants. People get used to work in such an environment as something for granted.
曾经在国内赫赫有名的一家电脑公司叫“实达”，在创业时期公司上下非常齐心，每个人均有共同的奋斗目标，想把企业做大。由于公司小，只有数十人，结构扁平，信息透明。总经理亲力亲为，人人一夫当关，对市场反应快，公司推出新产品非常切合市场需求。结果是业务发展迅速，业绩成倍增长。几年间在行内挤身前五名。渐渐进入了“大公司”的行列。这时管理层觉得传统的小公司做法不适应了，凡是要讲系统化，现代化，遂花巨资请来国际上有名的“麦XX”公司顾问，对管理和业务大动手术。空降高材生，遗弃老功臣，多元化分散投资，新部门和副总增加了好几个;诸如战略研究室，投资发展部，公关部等。办公室扩大了，资金分散, 费用增加了，但结果是扯皮多了，决策慢了，导致新项目的失败，公司库存与应收款加大了。公司业绩一落千丈，陷入了财政危机。
Once there was a well-known computer company in Mainland China. Initially the company started with a small team of 10 staffs. But everyone from the top to the bottom shared one common goal: “To grow with the company” and everyone performed his role. The company was young and quick to respond to the market demand for new products and services and experienced an exponential growth year by year. It became one of the top five enterprises in China within a couple of years. As the company became big, it spent a fortune to engage McKxxx Consulting to review and set up corporate hierarchical structure, to draft up sophisticated rules and procedures, to segregate functions for each departments… With these inflexible and rigid rules in place, the company found itself losing competitive advantages over time because of high overhead expenses, slow response to market demand, strong politics, failed to bid new projects due to slow decision-making. Consequently, the company suffered from slow sales turnover and increasing aging account receivables and finally the company went into financial difficulty.
其实，所有的公司不论大小，均有其生命周期：创业期、成长期、成熟期、衰老期。公司规模与产值在这四个阶段将会不断变化。但是其根本的老经济”生意经”却是永恒不变的, 如现金流, 利润, 成本等. 不过每一个阶段都会给公司的管治带来挑战和危机。记得2000年网络股高潮时美国有个网上商店公司总裁说过：”由于我们是高科技, 业务与规模增长佷快, 必须采用新经济的经营模式。” 在投资银行股东的推动下，他们抛弃了”老经济”的生意经,而采用了新经济的所谓点击率, 交易次数, 客户数量, 市场份额等目标去做大量投入，结果也是不言而喻, 成为千万家倒闭的网络股公司的一员。
In fact, every company, no matter its size, has a life cycle of start-up, growth, maturity and downturn. The size and turnover of the company may move up and down during these four periods, but the way of running a business is more or less the same within the company life cycle. The management may focus on cash flow, profitability and costing etc, but in every stage, the management needs to confront challenge as the business moves on.
Prior to April 2000, when the IT and dotcom market was at its peak, the CEO of an American online store said ,” we are in a high-tech industry, which is dynamic and fast growing, we need to adopt a new way to run our new economy business”. With the capital injection from its investment banks, the CEO abandoned old management style and re-defined the key performance indicators, to pursue so-called “page-view rate”, “frequency of transaction”, “number of clients”, “market share” and so on. Without exception, the online store finally closed down as the Internet business bubble burst
根据统计，“大公司”真的不绝对是铁饭碗，70年代的世界500强企业，到了90年代，排名发生了很大的变化，其中有30%甚至不见了或破产了。在这20年间，很多小公司从创业到高速发展，从不值一提到迈进世界500强, 如微软, DELL戴尔, SUN等。在中国，如果我们细心比较，会发现10年来，科技百强企业名单也今非昔比。本期介绍的新书“戴尔公司传奇”戴尔电脑也是80年代才创业的公司，戴尔先生从大学校园尝试直销个人电脑开始，十多年来，在许多大公司IBM、康柏、HP、苹果的夹缝里生存并茁壮成长为业界龙头，其成功秘诀不外乎三条：直销、直接服务、直接生产，其流程和效率一直秉承小企业的风格。
According to statistics, “big” companies are not always safety like a “Iron-rice-bowl” (a Chinese old saying) Looking back at the Fortune 500’s corporations in the 1970s, around 30% of them dropped out of the list, or even went bankrupt in the 1990s. During the two decades, many small companies grew rapidly and climbed up to the ranking list, like Microsoft, DELL, SUN, to name a few. Back to Mainland China, you may have realized that the ranking of Top 100 high-tech companies have also changed a lot within the last ten years. In this issue of “Fortune Telecom Journal”, we introduce a new book, called “The legend of Dell”. The founder, Mr. Michael DELL started his business in year 1983 by direct selling PCs on the campus. After ten years’ hardworking, his company survived from the ferocious competition among “big” companies such as IBM, Compaq, HP, Apple, and becomes a leader in computer industry. Dell’s story reveals the keys to its success being direct sales, direct customer services and direct production. This mirrors the traditional skill of managing a “small” company.
上期长远报介绍WAL-MART“沃尔玛”, 其创办人Sam Walton从60年代创业时的家庭式小折扣店 (当时美国如Eaton等大型百货店林立)发展到现在世界最大的百货连锁企业，多年来，公司均保持独特的企业文化，非常扁平的结构，Sam本人也非常勤俭，经常到处走动，和员工,客户保持亲密接触。Dell与Wal-mart的成功都有共同点，他们都是在创业时作为小公司面对强大的竞争对手，但是小公司创新的商业模式, 低成本和高运作效率这些核心竞争优势让他们找到了生存成长的空间。后来对手们如Eaton、HP、康柏想复制他们的模式，但是船大掉头难，最后都是半途而废。
Last issue of “Fortune Telecom Journal” introduced a retail giant, called WAL-MART. The founder, Mr. Sam Walton started up with a small and family-oriented discount store in the 1960s ( at that time shopping malls like Eaton spread out everywhere and dominated the retail market), now became the largest retailer all over the world. During many years, the company had developed and kept up with a unique corporate culture and business ethics. The organizational hierarchy has a short span of management and very efficient. Sam himself is not bossy but friendly to staffs. He often comes down to talk with staffs and maintains a close relationship with customers . DELL and WAL-MART succeeded in different business sectors, but they shared something in common: they both faced fierce competitions from big rivals when they started as a small company. But a "small company" has competitive advantages over a big company in terms of low operating cost and high efficiency, fast response to market demand and direct customer service. These advantages won them business opportunities to survive and to grow.
举个更近的例子，我们的主要供应商在面对其它手机竞争之下尝试发展省代模式，也是看中了较小规模的省级公司有其灵活性和更贴近市场的特点。当然在实施过程中碰到了其它问题已是后话。这足以证明较小企业有其天生的竞争力和吸引力的。
Let me give you a life example. Our major supplier was trying to restructure its distribution channel by picking various smaller local companies in different provinces so as to compete with other brand handset suppliers. Although they had encountered some problems consequently after execution, but this example really reflects the distinguished attractiveness of smaller and localized companies in competitive advantages of efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility, which a big company might usually lack off
其实，小公司的活力是非常宝贵的，小公司的数量也多如繁星。没有她们就没有今天的微软、沃尔玛、DELL甚至联想、娃哈哈、康师傅。比尔盖兹不也是从家里的车库起家的吗? 这些大公司在创业之初不也是小公司吗？为什么很多公司变大后，就把他们的核心价值和成功之道忘得一干二净呢？归根结底，走下坡路的大公司就是犯了所谓“大公司病”，如结构臃肿，流程复杂，内耗大, 效率慢，会议多且议而不决，严重的更有管理层的问题，如骄傲自满，好大喜功, 甚至为了粉饰业绩,，假帐真做等。其中最重要的原因就是这些“大公司”忘记了大小公司同样重要的和最基本的核心价值：现金流、盈利、成本控制、增长模式。就如街上每天卖水果的小贩子或者手机市场的夫妻档口，其商业运作模式是大小公司一样的，但小贩子们对现金流的重视，对顾客心理的了解，对市场变化的反应，对成本的控制力度是很多”大公司”人望尘莫及的, 因为他们真正体会到每天要为口奔驰的滋味.
In fact, most “big” companies started from a small business. Without these small companies, there would be no Microsoft, WAL-MART, DELL , Lenovo, Wahaha, Kan Shi Fu and so on. Bill Gates also started his business from his garage, didn't he? But why these small guys after growing big abandoned their key elements to success?
One of the reasons that “big companies” go wrong could be explained by being suffered from “big company sick”, such as in-efficient procedures and workflow, complex corporate structure, departmental politics, slow decision-making process, endless but unsolved meetings. These big guys simply forget the core skill of managing a business, as mentioned earlier: cash flow, profitability, cost control and growth models etc.
Think about a fruit retailer on the street, or a small handset retail shop in the market; they run a small business as a big company does, but these small operators know exactly what customers wants, and response quickly to satisfy them and in turn; have better control over cash flow, and know if a particular transaction is profitable right away…many “big companies” could never match them in these aspects.
第一期长远报介绍的美国”通用电器”, 其CEO杰克.唯尔奇就是创造性地把600多亿美元产值的跨国集团巧妙地分解成6000多家独立核算的小公司, 大大地精简了集团总部的人员和结构, 利用先进的I.T.系统加快了信息流, 节省了管理成本, 同时给这些分公司带来无穷的活力, 因为这6000名CEO不仅要保饭碗, 自负盈亏, 还要实现每年的业绩增长, 结果给集团业绩带来了突破性的增长.
不管是戴尔, WAL-MART沃尔玛, GE通用电气还是微软, 难得的不是她们在激烈竞争中从小公司到大公司得到成长, 而是她们在成为大公司后, 还能保持如小公司一般的动力和效率, 使得公司保持持续增长的业绩.
The first issue of “Fortune Telecom Journal” had introduced the story of General Electric Inc. After the CEO, Mr. Jack Welch came into power, he proceeded to re-structure this multinational conglomerate, which was worth 60 billion dollars. He successfully transformed the centralized organization into more than 6,000 independent business units or subsidiaries. The re-structuring cut jobs across the board; keep corporate structure intact; simplify workflow and procedures; the application of advanced IT system accelerated information flow and brought about cost savings. Moreover, the reform brought autonomy and high degree of motivation to the other six thousand chief executives. They not only have to keep their jobs, keep their “small companies” profitable, but also need to achieve yearly business growth. The overall results are that they have made full use of their expertise to drive the company forward and to create the legacy of General Electric Inc.
No matter it is Dell, Wal-Mart, General Electric or Microsoft, what we need to learn is not that they transform themselves from small company to huge enterprise under a competitive environment, but that after they become big, they can still maintain the momentum and efficiency as if they were a small company. This is the essential element to ensure that the company will keep on growing on a continuous basis.
在很多外人的印象里, 长远应该是个大公司 (可我们还不是). 的确, 长远是有远大发展目标的, 我们不单只要做手机营销专家, 更要建立百年企业, 因为我们有较好的基本因素, 如市场潜力, 朝阳行业, 融资能力, 企业文化, 团队精神等. 但请长远人记住, 不管我们以后有多大的发展, 在任何时候都绝对不能以大公司自居, 因为我们作为分销商和服务商, 核心价值就是灵活机动, 高效服务. 假如将深度分销比喻赛车, 我们有些分公司已经可以自己开快车, 但有些刚打着发动机, 有些正在提速, 所以我们必须互相促进, 让整个长远车队既能每辆车独立参赛, 又能够获得团体赛冠军. 故此,,我们的分公司经理就应该像小物流公司车主, 也应该像街上的小贩子, 每天要考虑能揽多少活, 或担心水果卖得慢变坏了怎么办? 今天卖不掉明天哪里找钱进新货? 战战兢兢地关注自己手上的这盘生意, 嗅着市场上的气息, 聆听着大小客户的声音...
As an established national distributor, Fortune Telecom is growing rapidly in terms of branch offices, head-counts and business volume. Many people think that Fortune Telecom is a “big” company (actually we think we are not). Certainly Fortune Telecom does not only have the mission to be the leader of handset distribution specialist in China, but also have the mission to be a long lasting enterprise. Fortune Telecom’s prospect lies on favorable market environment and its competitive advantages of huge market potential, strong finance capability , unique corporate culture and team spirit. .
But we must bear in mind to keep Fortune Telecom operating like a small company regardless how big we are in the future. This will enable us to take full advantages of flexibility and efficiency as a value added distributor and service provider; not to duplicate the mistake of other failed big corporations.
If we could think of the penetrating distribution as car racing game, some of our branches at the moment are in a fast lane and speeding up ; but some are about to start engines; some are gearing up. Therefore, we must help each other to ensure every individual is able to participate in the race; meanwhile work as a team to win the championship as the goal.
Having say all that, our provincial branch managers must think, like what an owner of a corner fruit store or a truck thinks: what to do if too many fruits left over by the end of the day? Where to get money to pay the next shipment? How much we need to sell to breakeven today? Is this transaction making money? Pay full attention to the business, keep up with the market information; maintain close contact with all customers.
随着深度分销的推进，我们如何把握运作一个较大型分销企业而保持小型经销商的活力和效率, 这个题目表面看有些难度, 但绝对可行, 而且是值得重视和深入探讨. 在长远的企业文化里, 不难找到类似的启示, 如”人为本, 企业为家” ”精简扁平, 细化透明”, “雷厉风行, 亲力亲为”, 让我们把“大公司运作，小公司效率”这句话作为每年工作计划的开场白并持之以恒。
As we move along with penetrating distribution, how can we operate as a comparatively bigger distribution enterprise without losing the flexibility and efficiency of a small company? This seems to be difficult but it is absolutely practical, and it is worth emphasizing and investigating.
Back to the company culture, you may find mottos such as “People as foundation, Enterprise their home”, “Simplify and flat corporate structure and transparent communications and detailed in all work”, “everyone responses and works fast ; everyone works hands on and do his best”. Let us take “big corporation’s operation with small company’s efficiency” as the opening remark for evry year’s Work Plan and calendar and keep it up.