They now aim to have robots replacing 70% of their assembly-line work force within three years.
By March, Microsoft announced team-ups with 350 commercial partners on applications for hospitals, assembly lines, work-force training and so on, including many big corporate names, like American Express and Toyota.
(A slightly upgraded version was released in May). By March, Microsoft announced team-ups with 350 commercial partners on applications for hospitals, assembly lines, work-force training and so on, including many big corporate names, like American Express and Toyota.
The system does not work on production lines, where the work force and speed are dictated precisely by the pro duction process.
The name (pronounced say-ON-ik) was formed by combining CE (the larger entity's original name), Ceyon (sort of rhymes with the future-sounding "beyond") and IQ (to evoke the intelligence of the product line and, presumably, the work force).
Mr. Poulter said the company also expected to add about 3,700 new employees to bring the skills of its work force in line with its strategic objectives in research and development.
Some analysts, like Mr. Rubin, have said cuts of 25,000, or even more, are needed to reduce the work force in line with the size of Ford's declining level of business.
While the payouts — expected to top $5,000 at Ford — underscore the turnaround being celebrated at the Detroit auto show this week, they also foreshadow the enormous challenge awaiting the rebounding companies: how to maintain and build on their financial health while keeping their historically restive work force in line.
Hershey will close more than a third of its assembly lines and eliminate 12percentt of its work force after sales fell for the first time in 3 ½ years, the company said yesterday.
Under the plan, France aims to bring public sector workers -- more than one-fourth of the French work force -- in line with the private sector by 2008.
Under the plan, which calls for modest reform, France intends to bring public sector workers -- more than one-fourth of the French work force -- in line with the private sector by 2008.
