Womcothree men are presidents all

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33694, 18 November 1974, Page 20

Womcothree men are presidents all

The National Management Game

When it comes to gamesmanship, the men from the Ministry of Works are the ones to watch.

Even from the time of entry the Auckland departmental team WOMCO has given notice that it does not plan to be upstaged again. Its Turangi counterpart Rum Towers is one up after producing its light-flashing bellringing Applied Logic Market Analyser (admittedly a fake) when winning the 1974 national final of the game last month.

WOMCOTHREE, as the Auckland team calls itself to mark its third year of entry in the game, has not only designed its own distinctive logo, but has incorporated it into a special letterhead for its official notepaper. The letterhead describes the company as “manufacturers of fine products for the National Management Game.”

The same five, names appear on the letterhead as played for the team last year. But this time they, are not just board members, they are all “presidents.” Enjoyment of the National Management Game can start well before the contest begins in February. The first decision is, in fact, to find a code name — aimed at disguising the organisation from which they enter, but somehow apt if possible.

Thus Twenty Canaries, Lord Byron’s Bubble Company, Maggie Carpet Company, Robbers and Key Investors all come from wellknown organisations — as do, without giving much of a clue to their identity, Pancho’s Pirates, Hicksville Development Corporation and The Cheetahs. On the other hand, such pseudonyms used in past years as Stuart’s Burger Bar and Buy Bargain and Sell surely represented a wellknown firm of accountants? All prospective entrants

for the 1975 games should be choosing their names now, because entries close on November 30, or in a fortnight’s time. Inquiries should be made from, and entries sent’ to, the Administrator, National Management Game, P.O. Box 24-045 Royal Oak, Auckland. Entry forms may also be obtained from “The Press.”

The National Management Game is being conducted jointly for the fourth year by the New Zealand Herald Business News, the New Zealand Society of Accountants and International Computers (New Zealand) Ltd. It is sponsored by “The Press” in its circulation area.

Rum Towers, the 1974 national champion from 452 teams which entered, will travel to Sydney at the end of this month to play Australia and the champion team of Malaysia.