bobble economy
ASK employees at the Bavarian Motor Works in Munich about manufacturing costs, and they become defensive and defiant,though still polite. Siegmund Engel, 35, who puts together 3-series BMWs, is typical: " People say that costs are too high. It'struethat other countries are cheaper. That is bad news for us. But I think our costs here are..." (he pauses) "... appropriate."Siegmund says he cannot imagine getting less than the basic pounds 500 a week he now earns. His opposite numbers at Roverin Longbridge would no doubt be pleased to trade places. Siegmund himself readily admits that BMW, in common with the restof theGerman economy, is not run on the cheap.According to BMW, all but a few per cent of its workers earn more than DM60,000 (pounds 27,000) a year - in Longbridgethe average is pounds 16,000. The BMW workers enjoy a holiday entitlement which starts at six weeks a year (five weeks atLongbridge),and goes up from there. Plus there are the standard public holidays, which Catholic Bavaria is especially keen on -12 or 14 a year depending on how you count them (Britain has eight).Then there is Urlaubsgeld, or "holiday money" - approximately an extra month's pay, towards the summer
Today, it's only 99 per cent certain. Back on European home turf, however, Germany stays defiantly ahead. "No answer from anybody, " said the helpful switchboardoperator. "In global terms, it seems plausible that Western Europe's share of manufactured exports will continue to decline, as the Asianeconomic sun rises. When asked to comment onRover's weaknesses, the BMW chairman, Mr Pischetsrieder, accuses Rover of insularity, in the literal sense. DeutscheTelekom takes an eternity to do simple jobs; more complicated tasks take a little longer. Instead, it seems that disciplined Germany will remain the de facto European class prefect - imposing lots of rules, keepingthings vaguely on track and enjoying appropriate privileges. It is scarcely surprising that high manufacturing costs have become the topic of economic debate in Germany today. "Browsers welcome" is not a familiar motto; linger, and you riskbeing thrown out. Copyright c 1998 Infonautics Corporation. There is permanent Schopenhauerian unease.
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