Enterprise Management "Wang Yongqing: When facing bad luck, one should learn to endure hunger like a thin goose
As the founder of Formosa Plastics Group, Wang Yongqing is revered by entrepreneurs asThe God of ManagementThe way of enterprise management and operation is highly respected.
Born into poverty, Wang Yongqing went from being a small rice shop owner to founding the Formosa Plastics Group, and then becoming the plastic king of Taiwan. How did he earn his first bucket of gold in life and lay the foundation for his future success? hisIce Cream Philosophy "and" Lean Goose Theory "What insights can it bring to business operations?
From a rice shop owner to a plastic king
On January 18, 1917, Wang Yongqing was born in Xindian, Taipei County. My father has been making a living by growing tea for several generations, with a meager income, barely supporting the normal expenses of a family.
At the age of 9, Wang Yongqing, who graduated from elementary school, went to work as a laborer in a tea garden to help his mother share the burden of life after his father fell ill and recuperated. Later, he became an apprentice at a millet shop for a year. In the second year, Wang Yongqing made his first important decision in life to open a rice shop and become the owner himself, with the start-up capital being 200 yuan borrowed from others by his father.
Over the years, the rice shop business became increasingly prosperous, and Wang Yongqing took the opportunity to establish a rice mill, earning his first bucket of gold in life. With his experience in managing rice shops, Wang Yongqing has successively ventured into industries such as wood and plastic. Among them, the plastic business is thriving, but it is also quite bumpy.
In the 1950s, plastic was still a rare commodity in Taiwan. Due to a lack of technology, most entrepreneurs are hesitant to invest in this industry, except for Wang Yongqing who is an exception. After conducting a series of in-depth investigations and research on the plastic market, Wang Yongqing began to establish the first plastic company on Taiwan Island, which was completed and put into operation three years later.
In the early stages, the development of plastic factories was not smooth, with only 20 tons of the first batch of 100 tons sold in Taiwan, resulting in oversupply. According to the usual practice in the business world, production should be reduced when there is an oversupply, but Wang Yongqing did the opposite and ordered an expansion of production. This kind of action may seem "absurd" to outsiders, but Wang Yongqing has his own "plan".
After conducting an in-depth investigation into plastic production, Wang Yongqing found that the reason for the unsold products was not really due to oversupply, but rather high prices were the "culprit". Therefore, only by increasing production and reducing costs can we win the favor of users.
In the second year, Wang Yongqing invested in the establishment of the South Asia Plastic Factory, directly producing a portion of plastic raw materials into finished products to supply the market. As expected, with the decrease in product prices, sales naturally opened up, and both Formosa Plastics and South Asia companies benefited greatly.
So, what ideas and methods did Wang Yongqing use to respond to the changes in the world and maintain Formosa Plastics' long-term sustainable development for 50 years? How can enterprises survive in winter and accumulate strength for future challenges?
Regarding these issues, Taiwan's "god of management" Wang Yongqing may be able to provide us with some valuable ideas.
Ice Cream Philosophy "and" Lean Goose Theory "
Let's talk about the philosophy of ice cream first. Wang Yongqing once said:“卖冰淇淋必须从冬天开始，因为冬天顾客少，会逼迫你降低成本，改善服务。如果能在‘冬天’的逆境中生存，就再也不会害怕‘夏天’的竞争。”
商场风云变幻，经济状况繁荣亦或是萧条，我们并不能完全把控。若想把企业做大做强，则需管理者在经济萧条时保持探索精神，发现“冷门”商机，并为经济复苏时的发展奠定基础。
而“瘦鹅理论”则是来自于王永庆自己真实的经历。在经济萧条时期，他意外发现每户人家养的鹅，在冬天时都因为没有食物而骨瘦如柴，而它忍饥挨饿，是为了等待春天的到来，有了青草，它就能吃饱和肥壮起来。
王永庆冬天里把瘦鹅买回家，到了春天，把鹅养得肥肥胖胖再出售，并借此发了一笔小财。
养鹅的经历让王永庆带意识到：企业经营在不顺利时，要像瘦鹅一样能忍饥挨饿。只要企业不垮，一旦行业景气到来，企业就会像瘦鹅一样，迅速成长壮大。
其实，仔细推敲，我们可以发现，冰淇淋哲学与瘦鹅理论其内核是极为相似：逆境中往往会潜伏商机，能够在逆境中抓住机会并坚持，顺境时才会有大的发展。
在市场低迷期，王永庆提出通过增加生产来降低成本，吸引顾客；在2008年上半年，越南的经济遭遇寒冬，股市大幅下挫，外资纷纷逃离，王永庆却一掷81亿美元，在越南投资建设全东南亚最大的钢铁厂，收益颇丰。
作为掌管企业命运的管理者，不仅需要有一个冷静的头脑，有条不紊地去推进企业的改革和升级，提高企业的竞争力，而且要懂得把握适当的时机，做长远的战略性投资。
“台塑的绩效是吃出来的”
在对中国企业管理之魂的阐述上，王永庆认为要靠中华民族的“勤劳朴实”、“止于至善”的精神来办好企业，这也是民族精神的精髓。只要以这个民族精神为“根”，经过不断实践和思考，再实践再思考，没有企业办不好的。
人们常说：“沟通就是管理。”如何实现上下持续有效地沟通，是保障企业永续发展的关键所在。
在企业如何“活化”日常沟通方面，王永庆的也有自己的一套内功心法。其中，最惹人注意的非“午餐汇报制度”莫属。而这也成为后来各层级的管理者效仿而成为台塑的软性制度。
“午餐汇报制度”主要是指，在中午吃饭的时候，王永庆会召集基层负责人开一个午餐会，汇报各部门的工作情况及棘手问题。负责人有权发问，如果发现汇报的某一方面工作有问题，王永庆会当即提供改善方案。
有人曾问：为什么王永庆老先生不在上班时开会，而要用午餐开会？这是谈工作，又不是聊天。
对此，王永庆这样回应道：“如果用上班时间的话，他们都陪着我，就没法做工作了。我不能耽误他们的正常工作，所以只能利用午餐这个时间。”
王永庆对此深信不疑，在他看来，沟通制度决定着执行的结果和质量。只要领导或部属发现有“异常现象”，领导就要在午餐会上追根问底，问几个“为什么”，一直到提出有效解决办法为止。干部们反映每次午餐会的印象，多是“追问在情理之中，而答案则往往是在意料之外”。
“午餐汇报制度”在台塑一经推行，便持续几十年。得益于这一制度，一些管理上的疏漏和死角得以消除，这对台塑集团多年来持续稳定发展也是大有裨益。
于多数人而言，即便今日商业环境大幅度转变，但最基本的管理、行事、待人原则仍旧是优秀企业家的终极依归。
多年来，王永庆致力于研究企业管理之道，在他眼中，管理的终极目标，是给每人发展空间、发展目标、发展希望，让每个人有“切身感”。
information来源：饕餮财富
Editor He Yang of this website/Organizing
