Half a month later, the First Branch Factory and Director Kong's Eighth Machinery Factory reached a preliminary agreement on a merger.
The two sides planned to consolidate their respective strengths and establish a new enterprise focused primarily on producing automobile chassis components. It would take in most of the original Eighth Machinery Factory's workforce and assume a small portion of its debts.
After the merger plan was reported upward, it received approval and support from several big shots in The Department, even earning a highly significant commendation.
Now this was an enterprise with a sense of responsibility. These were cadres with courage and vision.
What state-owned enterprise these days did not owe a whole crotchful of bad debts? They were plainly prepared to default. At worst, when you came knocking for repayment, they would treat you to a pot of watered-down liquor. As for actually paying you back, there was no door.
But when the two units merged, those debts would certainly become an obstacle that many parties would wrangle over.
The First Branch Factory's willingness to take on some debts with clearly assigned responsibility was meant to resolve the various obstacles in the merger process, but that did not stop them from earning a reputation for being "exceptionally righteous."
Of course, some people might consider that reputation foolish at times, but Li Ye did not see it that way.
As the era of the Great Layoff gradually approached, a great many high-quality enterprises would fall into difficulty. When that time came, plenty of people would want a bite of this meat. If you said you were trustworthy, why should anyone believe you?
Why should the people above support you?
Do not start talking about connections. When the time came, the whole pond would be filled with giant crocodiles, every