Hoffmann Tobacco

Curt Muller sat back. He had just finished analysing last month’s performance summary for the two manufacturing units, a review that confirmed the significant disparity between their results. After discussions, initiatives and promises, the Norwich plant’s performance was still well short of target. In addition, this was in marked contrast to the Edinburgh plant, which seemed to go from strength to strength. The reasons for this difference were not at all apparent. In fact, the similarity of investments and approaches undertaken at each site made comparisons easier to make and contrasts easier to conclude. The problem was to identify the fundamental nature of this difference, which was marked in itself and difficult to understand given the circumstances involved.