A strategy of change: outlining the terrain

The firm invested heavily in container technology and the business began to grow. It was also a small enough organization to allow flexibility in jobs during the change to contain- erized technology. Everyone mucked in tohether. Customs and Excise, however, still de- manded a detailed and itemized list of contents of containers bound overseas. They had always required this information, and with smaller crates and packaging it was a bureu- cratic chore but one which was not difficult to do or to check should queries arise. Cust-om and Excise provided a huge manual which listed all types of goods, each coded with an individual number. For each type of goods a code mumber had first to be found, then recorded (in multiple copies) prior to deparature for its ultimate destination. With the use of containers the task became increasingly difficult.The loads were greater in volume, more complex and often contained new materials not always to be found in the manual. Loads were delayed whilist recording was completed. Often arguments over the precise nature of the load would arise. How was a particular nemly developed chemicl powder to be classified? Precisely what was the intended use of the timber? How were particular pre-formed fabrications to be recorded? Were they completed goods or not? Each item had its separate code. No load coluld leave without being coded.