Measuring performance is harder than you think 0 2003 E&&w Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Strange things have hcen happening recently. With many companies

reporting a down-turn in profits and &\vn-sizing in st sff numbers you

would think that the or&r hooks nzx11d he lxrc, but no and in some

companies far from it. Around this time of year lxlging o&r lxx)ks

can be amazingly ccxrimonplace. In fact, there are tales of slippliers

being offered, not asking for, hut actually offered 25% Lvith that or&r.

It is then you realise that the end of the financial year is upon many of

us again and last year’s hard iought for lx&et must hc spent somc‘holv,

otherwise how can next year’s he justified? This is all well and god,

but it does produce a ‘blip’ in the performance figures, which can ~nah-e

other periods look poor hy comparison.

It is amasing how a set of figures can make or break a business

operation. Moving money around can sh<lw 21 profit or loss by a

company or suhsictiary. It can c~xrw ~1s quite ;I surprise 10 those \vho

find themselves transfaxd from a profit to a loss centre following

a meeting of the company’s financial directors. Sally, it is often

those who have consistently performed well and Diane their very

best that are ma& to look unprofitable ad feud wanting hecause

of the need to ‘park the blame somewhere.

Occasicmally, b i xxx performance is rewarded nol necessarily internally,

hut from the market itselfard when your customers are telling JYNI ttlat

you are doing ;l god job, you must he doing something right. $0 those

of you who have not already done so, there is still time to vc)tc for the

British Ihnp Manufacturer-c Associaticm (ISI’MA) Industry Awards.

Although the 13MI’A is had in the UK, the awads are for companies

all over the globe and this is reflected in the sponsors - John (Zrarie,

KSR, Sterling/SSI~ HMI) K on tr 0, WIX; Motor and IJrives, ITT

Industries ad last, but not least, Worlrl Pumps.

The Awds are your chance to give someone who you think

descrvcs it ;I pat on the back. Not only, that hut you GIII c~~lle

along to the gala dinner itself and meet the winners. It promises to

he a superb night out with plenty of opp~~rtunity to renew

acquaintances and make new ones in. So hook ;i table and bring

your friends. Details can he i011liJ on ww\\r.piau;ardsoIitti~n~t .net.

ALAN BURROWS EDITOR

WOIILD PUMPS March 2003 13