Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Li Yuanzhao frowned, deep in thought, but couldn't find a clue.

"If you say that, I'm even more confused. So what exactly is your method?"

Fang Zheng Yi smiled slightly: "If worker competition leads to lower wages, then what if we make the factory owners compete?"

"Then wages will rise, but the problem is they don't lack workers right now!" Li Yuanzhao frowned.

Fang Zheng Yi nodded in agreement: "Indeed, so we need to help them introduce some new things, such as culture."

"Culture?" Li Yuanzhao chuckled, "What's the point of culture when doing manual labor?"

"Your Highness is mistaken. Culture is just a general term. The core is to increase cohesion and coordination in work, ultimately for efficiency. A restaurant manages many waiters serving tea and water. This seemingly ordinary job requires many skills. Running a factory is the same."

"Since those factory owners have the ability to jump out and eagerly start factories, it means they are all clever people in the business world, daring to take risks and have brains. They must already have an awareness of management culture in their minds, but lack a formed theory."

Fang Zheng Yi spoke eloquently: "Right now, the best example is our Banshan Newspaper Office. After so many years of coordination and cooperation, it already has its own set of methods and culture. So, I plan to invite those factory owners to the newspaper office at some point, which should give them some inspiration."

Li Yuanzhao squinted: "I think it will be a great inspiration. They'll definitely learn our overtime culture."

Fang Zheng Yi said sternly: "Our newspaper office is different from them! They are sweatshops, we emphasize selfless dedication. How can we compare?"

"Whatever you say! But I think your method is a bit wishful thinking," Li Yuanzhao shook his head.

Fang Zheng Yi said: "Naturally, it's a bit too simple, but this is just the first step. After they arrive at the newspaper office, there is a second plan."

"During this period, the situation of the factories in the suburbs of Beijing has been collected quite thoroughly. I have arranged for Dongjiao University and newspaper staff to form a team to customize a scoring table for each factory. This includes many items, such as the cafeteria, accommodation, salary and benefits, and so on."

"Finally, a comprehensive score will be given, and a list will be ranked. In the future, every quarter, all the well-known large factories will be listed in the newspaper for public reference."

"Merchants value face and reputation the most, so... although there is no shortage of applicants in the market, there are also advantages and disadvantages among workers. As competition intensifies, the best workers will gather at the top. If they want to compete and not fall behind, they should actively think about how to achieve a leading ranking."

"Currently, many factory orders are related to railways. It shouldn't be a problem for me to control them. I think this trend should be promoted quickly."

Li Yuanzhao's eyes lit up: "Not bad! This method is good! If those factory owners who run black factories are announced to the world by the newspaper, won't their ancestral graves be dug up in the future?"

Fang Zheng Yi smiled.

Indeed, in this commercial society of later generations, there are no worries about running black factories, because everyone is a stranger.

But now it's different. In a clan society, if the reputation is ruined, it's not just one person's business.

"That's right, but we must also consider the degree of it. This is to achieve a balance between the factory and the workers. We must never force either side to death, otherwise it will be counterproductive."

"After all, we still have to encourage more people to set up factories and recruit workers to benefit the people."

"Therefore, when those factory owners come to the newspaper office to visit, in addition to informing them of this matter, we must also hold a meeting to discuss with them and jointly formulate the standards."

Fang Zheng Yi paused here, and sighed softly: "Actually, I think these methods are only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. To squeeze a person without anyone knowing, it doesn't take much effort."

"The problem is that technology is developing too fast, and the previous backward management thinking can't keep up. The people are used to suffering and don't think it's anything. If those people truly realize that there are better management methods, they can successfully change."

Li Yuanzhao curled his lips and put his hands on his hips: "So, you're saying that my method is the root cause? If you ask me, it's just that I haven't researched it for long enough. If I personally run a factory, with money and people, I might be able to research a good method in a year and a half."

"I have my own experience when building trains. If you want to improve the speed of assembly and research and development, you need a strict set of standards and process management. Fine division of labor... Actually, I think managing a factory and building a train have the same goal."

Good heavens, he really has a decent set of management theories!

Fang Zheng Yi listened to him nagging, and couldn't help but feel a little shocked. An idea suddenly popped up in his mind: "Not bad, Your Highness is very talented and has talent in this area. If Your Highness is willing to explore the way of management, and then summarize the experience, I can provide people and money to support you. This is a cause that will benefit future generations."

Li Yuanzhao became energetic: "You think I can run a factory? But the palace..."

"I'll help you fool the palace. His Majesty is not like before, and can still send people to stare at you every day?"

"That's right." Li Yuanzhao touched his chin, his eyes rolling around, "Then what kind of factory do you think I should run?"

Fang Zheng Yi tilted his head and thought together.

After a long time, he clapped his hands and said: "Don't run a factory, open a fast food restaurant, that thing is convenient!"

"Fast food? What?"

Fang Zheng Yi didn't waste any more words, pulled over paper and pen, and drew a hamburger on the paper: "Open a restaurant, sell food, just sell this!"

Li Yuanzhao leaned over to look, speechless: "Isn't this a hamburger? I've eaten it at your house. I want to open a factory, and you want me to open a restaurant?"

Fang Zheng Yi said seriously: "This is not an ordinary restaurant. To achieve standardization and process management, there is no better or faster way of thinking. There is a lot of knowledge in this..."

It would take too much time and be too troublesome for the Crown Prince to open a factory, and the factory is inevitably a bit dangerous, and it is not appropriate to run there every day.

But engaging in fast food is a good direction: convenient, easy, and safe.

Most importantly, those fast food companies that are famous in the world in later generations occupy an important position in management. Their model has a profound impact on management practice and the field of management.

Standardization and process management are exactly the knowledge needed to run a factory, as well as how to improve efficient productivity, team management, and leadership are all skills needed to run a factory.

And these are exactly what are indispensable for managing fast food, and can even be called a strength!

Not to mention brand management and marketing later...

If Li Yuanzhao can really make a start, there is no doubt that it is a great thing with immeasurable merit, and it will also be of great benefit to his personal reputation.

In terms of technology, there seems to be no obstacles now.

First of all, making hamburgers is not a technical job. The process is simple, unlike stir-frying, which requires a lot of complex techniques.

Moreover, the earliest fast food can be traced back to ancient Rome, and ancient Egypt also had similar concepts. There were fast food stalls supplying fast food in the pyramids and construction sites.

Although the modern fast food in the true sense has integrated a lot of automated equipment, it all boils down to management processes, and now human labor is not worth anything at all. If the automated part is not good, just use people to top it!

Li Yuanzhao was still a little hesitant after listening to Fang Zheng Yi.

To be honest, he looked down on this thing a bit... Factories and restaurants are not comparable at all.

Seeing this, Fang Zheng Yi said: "Your Highness, I'm just giving you an idea. In fact, it is very difficult to take action on this matter."

"To build a stable food supply chain, design processing procedures, and the final sales link, think about it, there are difficulties everywhere! And these solutions can also be easily adjusted and applied to the factory."

"And most importantly, if you really come up with it and summarize the management experience into a book, you will be the ancestor of merchants in the world. Moreover, scaling up the production of food will bring down the price of food, and countless people will eat well and have enough to eat. Who are they thinking about then? It's you!"

"How many emperors and generals have disappeared in history. People are pigs, and their nature is greedy. The people only forget what they eat... Then you will be recorded in history forever."

Li Yuanzhao was moved and licked his lips: "Is it really that awesome?"

"It's that awesome."

"Hiss... Then I'll try!"

....