Page 45 - The Drucker Lectures

26 [ The Drucker Lectures

unemployment” a real danger is to try to prevent technologi-
CAL CHANGE 4HIS ONLY MAKES CERTAIN THAT TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
WHEN IT COMES WILL BE CATASTROPHIC CHANGE
!ND lNALLY THE !MERICAN APPROACH RAISES THE QUESTION
whether there is not a great deal more actual “job security” in
THE !MERICAN SYSTEMˆAND BY INFERENCE IN ANY ECONOMY THAT
consciously and systematically works on its own constant expan-
SIONˆTHAN IS CUSTOMARILY RECOGNIZED
3TUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT EVEN DURING THE 'REAT $EPRESSIONˆ
AND EVEN DURING n WHEN WE HAD THE MOST RAPID DE-
cline in productions and employment—70 percent or more of the
workers of the great majority of enterprises were in no danger
of losing their jobs and usually not even in danger of having to
WORK SHORT TIME EXCEPT FOR A WEEK OR TWO AT A STRETCH !NOTHER
WAY OF SAYING THIS IS THAT EVEN DURING THE $EPRESSION MANAGE-
ment in the United States had a serious problem of “turnover”—
THAT IS OF VOLUNTARY QUITS DESPITE THE GREAT AND UNDERSTANDABLE
fear for job security that pervaded the employees.
)N OTHER WORDS THE PROBLEM IS PERHAPS NOT SO MUCH THAT
of changing the pattern of industry from one of great built-in
employment instability to one of greater stability. The problem
MIGHT VERY WELL BE THAT OF BRINGING OUT MAKING VISIBLE AND IN-
STITUTIONALIZING AN ALREADY EXISTING VERY HIGH DEGREE OF JOB STABIL-
ITY IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IT STRENGTHENS THE INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE
STRENGTHENS THE ECONOMY ADVANCES PRODUCTIVITY AND ADVANCES
the individual’s opportunities and freedom.

From remarks submitted to the Eleventh International Management
Congress in Paris, on behalf of the American delegation.