To the editor:
About “'Shortcuts' Depicting Boeing's Transfer Quality” (front page, March 31):
Unfortunately, the sad story of Boeing seems to be emblematic of this country. We are experiencing quality issues throughout our infrastructure. We have world-class institutions that struggle to maintain standards. There are political brands whose value has been devalued due to the extreme positions of some leaders.
Boeing was by far the world's best aircraft manufacturer until it was taken over by the management team brought in with the acquisition of McDonnell Douglas in 1997. However, the new management team after the merger emphasized return on investment and profitability over engineering and quality, and the corporate culture changed over time.
Charles H. Gessner
Marblehead, Massachusetts
The author was an in-house consultant for Swissair.
To the editor:
Regarding “Boeing chief resigns amid major personnel changes” (The Business, March 26):
Boeing's latest management shake-up will only achieve the necessary results if the company makes the hard work of changing its corporate culture.
Boeing has long been plagued by a corporate culture that is “broken,” “sick,” and filled with “secrecy and coercion.” Employees are notoriously afraid to speak up about issues that arise within the company.
Amy Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School, once described Boeing as “psychological safety, the ability to speak up, offer ideas, point out problems, and deliver bad news without fear of retaliation.” “This is a classic example of how a lack of 'guarantee' can have negative effects,” he said. With disastrous results. ”
Solving problems in any company requires a culture of openness and information sharing. It means prioritizing curiosity over condemnation. Employees should feel free to point out problems they see and admit their mistakes without fear that one mistake could end their career.
It's time for Boeing to stop looking for people to blame and start looking for the systemic flaws that allow these dangerous incidents to occur. The more employees can have a sense of support and a positive team mentality, the more Boeing can help prevent future disasters.
jason corman
miami
The author is the CEO of Gapingvoid Culture Design Group.
Arizona's abortion ban: “What century are we living in?”
In 1864, women could not vote, husbands were the masters, girls could be forced into marriage at the age of 10, and there was little indoor plumbing or electricity. And are we trying to bring women's rights back to those days?
I'm furious but confused. What country and what century are we living in now? I cry for Arizona and America.
barbara rosen
Fullerton, California
don't cancel your student loans
To the editor:
About “New Biden Bid to Help Pay Off Student Loans” (front page, April 9):
On August 14, 2023, a check for $8,653.90 paid off the remainder of my undergraduate student loans. It's no coincidence that his ending balance was less than $10,000. That's because they were waiting to see if the Supreme Court would allow President Biden to “cancel” federal student loans up to that amount.
When the court announced that it would not be allowed, I immediately transferred the money to avoid paying the interest that would accrue again. Thanks to several years of interest-free grace, we are proud to have accepted this obligation and completed it much sooner than planned.
I am disappointed that the government is once again canceling student loans for many Americans for two reasons. First, I believe this is a purely political attempt to rally support for what will likely be a very close election.
Additionally, I think canceling loans for some Americans is wrong because it releases people from obligations they willingly accepted and does nothing to address the rising costs of higher education. believe.
There are better solutions, such as lowering the interest rate set by Congress on these loans (the current rate for undergraduates is 5.50 percent). Lowering interest rates would help alleviate what Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has referred to as “runaway interest rates,” while also ensuring people have an incentive to pay off their loan debts as quickly as possible.
Christopher M. Palma
Little Silver, New Jersey
Why leave a “good” country?
They love New York City and traveling around the vast and diverse country, but they rarely want to live here permanently.
For example, people from “good” countries such as Sweden, Australia, Germany, and France want to return to their home countries, where health care and education from pre-school to university are free or low-cost. They don't have to worry about mass shootings or abortions, and even the food is better, they claim.
I knew one au pair from Poland who paid for her flight home, had a root canal, and flew back home for less than the cost of the surgery here. So, Donald Trump, if you want people from these “good” countries to come here, you're going to have to make some major changes.
Eileen Friedman
Port Washington, New York
“Pro-Humanity” protesters
To the editor:
“Gaza protests VEX Democrats from White House to City Hall” (front page, April 7):
In your excellent article about the Gaza war protests challenging Democratic leaders, you use the term “pro-Palestinian demonstrators” both in the caption and in the body of the article. Using this term can unnecessarily cause division and discord.
I am one of the vocal protesters of President Biden's policies regarding the war in Gaza. I am not pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian. I support Israel's right to defend itself, but not through the heinous tactics of siege and shelling that have reduced Gaza to rubble, killed tens of thousands of people, and brought Gazans to the brink of starvation. .
My America does not support these types of war tactics by any country, including our allies. This is a very moral issue for many of us and cannot be reduced to a pro-Palestinian issue. It is pro-humanity.
Nancy Ketchum-Colwill
arlington, virginia
Taking care of fish benefits us
To the editor:
On “Politicians Aren’t Even Fooling Themselves” by Gail Collins and Bret Stevens (The Conversation, April 2):
Stevens' comments about environmental regulation, “Let's protect people and not worry about, say, fish,'' predate Silent Spring. Protecting the health of fish populations benefits not only the ecosystem but also the well-being of industries such as commercial and recreational fishing and tourism. New Yorkers should be proud of their efforts to protect the Hudson River.
For national and global perspectives, readers are referred to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's One Health approach. This approach “recognizes that the health of people is inextricably linked to the health of animals and our shared environment.”
fred pinkney
Takoma Park, Maryland
The author is an aquatic biologist.