Horrified By Low Level Of Service

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30076, 9 March 1963, Page 5

Horrified By Low Level Of Service

(New Zealand. Press Association!

WELLINGTON, March 8.

Horror at the “complacent attitude of the business houses generally” and “the low level of efficiency and service in New Zealand” was expressed today by Professor E. A. B. Phillips, formerly of Rhodesia, who has taken up the new chair in business administration ait Victoria University of Wellington. Professor Phillips said many people in New Zealand were beginning to realise the deficiency, but they were not prepared to have any ideas on how to break out of the

present attitude. Professor Phillips said the general tendency was

to blame the labour force t for the low standard of sers vices. “I do not accept this I explanation because it still rei mains the basic function of I the management to ensure . that satisfactory levels are ■ attained.” ! The general attitude was ■ often blamed on what was ■ called the Welfare State, but he did not believe this was r the explanation either. j Professor Phillips said - Rhodesian employers prot vided facilities of all kinds s that would leave the New » Zealand Welfare State far behind and there was no 1 noticeable attitude there of s excessive complacency on

the part of the workers. “I think this is very much a matter for both sides of the business to put their minds to. “There may well have to be a change of heart on the part of the management as well as on the part of labour," he said.

“Victoria won’t pretend to try to bring about this change of heart. It will attempt to take a critical and unbiassed look at the situation and help others to see what they must do,” he said.