英語翻譯
Paul and Ron are the sons of Alan,who founded the furniture manufacturer; ADL Alan began the business as a sole trader producing wooden furniture for the growing domestic market of Ashburton - a provincial New Zealand town near the major South Island city of Christchurch.In 1975 he registered his business as a private company specialising in lounge furniture,dining furniture,cabinets,coffee tables and side tables for the broader South Island market.Under his tight control,the company continued to expand within the growing New Zealand furniture industry until 1987 when manufacturing growth and customer demand for New Zealand-made furniture hit a plateau.In the same year,Alan passed ownership of the family business to Paul and Ron,who had worked in the business for fourteen and seven years respectively.Paul,the elder son,loved making furniture.He started helping his father in the factory at age four and by the time he took over the ownership was a “hands-on” operator.A gifted craftsman who enjoyed working in the factory,coming up with new furniture designs and achieving production targets,he was very much in the mould of his father.He also,like his father,took an autocratic approach to running the company’s manufacturing operations.His style of managing staff was paternalistic in that he viewed the company’s employees as inherently inadequate as workers,yet had a sense of immense responsibility for their welfare.Ron,a serious and intense individual,differed from his brother.He showed no early interest in the furniture industry and reluctantly entered the family business,initially to maintain the company accounts.From there,he slowly built up his skills in general management and sales,but never developed the passion for the industry held by his brother and father.The company’s staff were,in the main,long serving.Many of them had started at ADL as apprentices.All employees were engaged in the furniture manufacturing,which emphas