A practical-minded reader objected that the commercial spongers to be soon fired (procurers, sales managers, corporate lawyers, etc.), fearful of losing their lofty perches, will do their utmost to thwart the transformation leading to their own layoffs.
And, given the insurmountable sabotage power of this horde of Comrades, the idea of a smooth transition into the radiant future degrades into something intangible.
That’s the way it will be – after a head-on attack.
As one of the most prominent military theorists of the past century showed, a head-on attack in any human activity is an incredibly stupid affair.
The end run doomed to success will look as follows in this case: the commercial divisions to be spun off are privatized in favour of their own commercial directors (some form of managerial buy-out).
All 100 % need not become the management’s property. What is important is that the weight and value of their personal interest should certainly motivate the people to work for all the shareholders’ benefit.
And the price of such privatization is profoundly secondary. The future benefits from successfully completed transformation will outweigh any one-time bad bargain.
The Hidden Treasures.
We believe (we rather feel) that commercial theft in an adequately managed company costs its shareholders some 2–3% of turnover.
Adequately managed companies are a minority in Russia.
If the commercial units are correctly privatized, all this money will soon return into legal turnover (from the company’s perspective).
With its influence, hard to assess in general but obviously beneficial, on the overall efficiency of the business processes and on all the stakeholders’ personal benefit.
P.S. particularly as the ‘thieves’ reducing gear’ (© Yulia Latynina) is eliminated: to steal a rouble for himself, an official needs to do at least ten roubles’ harm to society.