Case 1:
In 1981 I was appointed Engineering Manager of Harrison Lister Engineering Ltd. to restructure the Company with a view to making it a profitable concern. Within a few months I informed the Chairman that this could not be turned around and it should be closed down. He in turn consulted my counterpart from Britain to examine my conclusions. My British counterpart agreed with my conclusion and the company was closed.
Case 2:
In 1982 Sri Lanka State Trading (Tractor) Corporation, a business undertaking of the Government of Sri Lanka employing a workforce of about 1500 employees was running with colossal losses each month and the Government was subsidizing the loss. US Aid and the World Bank gave the Government of Sri Lanka an ultimatum of turning it around within one year, and failing which to close it down.
In 1982 I was appointed General Manager and given the above mandate. Within one year the Tractor Corporation was able to cut the losses and break even. To the satisfaction of US Aid, the World Bank and also Messy Ferguson of Britain. Messy Ferguson had also given the Government notice that they would take a Private Company as their Agent if within a year the Corporation did not significantly improve sales. I continued as General Manage until 1986 during which time the financial status continued to improve and the Corporation became the most profitable Corporation according to the Central Bank report. I also visited Messy Ferguson in UK, and Switzerland to ensure that they would give added sales support with the increased sales.