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The Legacy Of Lincoln Electric Company

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In the movie “300”, the Greek King of Sparta Leonidas, leads his army to face the approaching Persian hordes. Spartan culture accentuated strength, discipline, and putting the needs of the many above self. Spartans were feared far and wide for their battle prowess and relentless commitment to mastering the art of warfare. Lincoln Electric, shares many of the qualities that made Sparta great. It is a company with a focus on mastery, frugality, industriousness, and a culture that aligns everyone towards domination of an industry that they have held leadership in for nearly one-hundred twenty (120) years. In fact, as recently as 2014, they were the largest provider in the welding supplies industry, with over 14% global market share (Samani, 2014). 120 Years of Founder Influence Lincoln Electric Company was founded in 1895 by John C. Lincoln, who was joined by his brother younger brother James in 1907 (Lincoln Electric, Inc., n.d.). From the very beginning these no-nonsense brothers set about building a company that valued its customers first, prioritized frugality, focused on delivering ever increasing value and lower consumer costs. The company has a borderline fanatical commitment to achieving competitive advantage through an employee incentive system that drives productivity well beyond any norms for the industry, or manufacturers as a whole. To this day, the influence of the founders is clear in the entire structure of the company and its operating philosophies.

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