Lincoln Electric Vision Analysis

Lincoln Electric’s tradition of innovative solutions, technological leadership and commitment to customers, employees,

and shareholders stems from the vision of its founder, John C. Lincoln and his brother, James F. Lincoln.

The Lincoln Electric Vision

We are a global manufacturer and the market leader of the highest quality welding, cutting and joining products.

Our enduring passion for the development and application of our technologies allows us to create complete solutions

that make our customers more productive and successful. We will distinguish ourselves through an unwavering

commitment to our employees and a relentless drive to maximize shareholder value.

If fulfilling customer needs is the desired
The industrial manager is very conscious of his company's

need of uninterrupted income. He is completely oblivious, evidently, of the fact that the worker has the same need.

He is just as eager as any manager is to be part of a team that is properly organized and working for the advancement

of our economy... He has no desire to make profits for those who do not hold up their end in production, as is true of

absentee stockholders and inactive people in the company. If money is to be used as an incentive, the program must

provide that what is paid to the worker is what he has earned.

James Lincoln saw the customer's needs as the raison d'etre for every company James Lincoln said, "that the

customer'sinterests should be the first goal of industry."

Lincoln has never had a formal organization chart. The objective of this policy is to insure maximum flexibility. An
Richard Sabo, Manager of Public Relations, relates job-enlargement to participation. "The most important participative

technique that we use is giving more responsibility to employees." Mr. Sabo says, "We give a high school graduate

more responsibility than other companies give their foremen." Lincoln puts limits on the

degree of participation that is allowed, however. In Mr. Sabo's words,

A medical plan and a company-paid retirement program have been in effect for many years. A plant cafeteria,

operated on a break-even basis, serves meals at about 60 percent of usual costs. An employee association, to which

the company does not contribute, provides disability insurance and social and athletic activities. An employee

stock ownership program, instituted in about 1925, and regular stock purchases have resulted in employee ownership

of about 50 percent of Lincoln's stock

Ownership of stock by employees strengthens team spirit. "If they are mutually anxious to make it succeed, the future

of the company is