I never heard of Wang Chuanfu or the company he created BYD until I read The quiet man of cars by John Reed and Patti Waldmeir (FT, November 3rd).
The writers state that 'life of leisure just wouldn't play well for the boss of batteries'.
Here is his take on life as reported:
number two but in China, work is number one and life is number two. Especially in my generation. I don’t know if the next generation
will be the same. I enjoy working very much, if you ask me to go
sightseeing for a day I probably wouldn’t enjoy it.”
BYD started as a battery company (cell phones, laptops) until they decided to use their know how to build hybrids cars. I was stunned to read that the company has 10,000 engineers on its payroll.
Wang Chuanfu does not lack ambition as he aims 'for BYD to be the world's largest car company by 2025' according to the FT article.
Megan Santosus begs to differ in All Work and No Play Makes for Bad Employees (CIO Magazine, April 2004).
According to All work, no play at Blair flagship school by Britain’s most expensive state school (Thomas Deacon city academy in Peterborough,
Cambridgeshire) was built without a playground
"because those running it believe that pupils should be treated like company
employees and do not need unstructured play time."
Alan McMurdo, the head
teacher said “We are not intending to have any play time. Pupils won’t need to let off steam because they will not be bored.”
Which is the sane way?
Stirring the pot for Monday Work Etiquette # 62