Clash of Vision Highlights The Dispute of Bambang and McD






The settlement of dispute between Bambang Rachmadi and McDonald's Co. meets a long way off. It seems that each side still bears deep disappointment from the time of their partnership.

According to Bambang, their business visions were often at odds too. Bambang had a dispute with McD Co. because the company was reluctant to close down outlets that were on the brink of bankruptcy after the 1998 crisis. McD Co. argued that those outlets could still survive.

When Bambang was president director of the joint venture, some of his policies also disappointed McD Co.'s side. For instance, his decision to apply corporate social responsibility (CSR) for McD, by giving business trainings for micro, small, and middle scale businesses, was heavily opposed by the corporation.

At least 1,500 micro, small, and middle scale businesses in Java and Bali received training on how to manage a restaurant, - about serving fried chicken and french fries, keeping hygiene, and financial management strategies. "McD Co. thought that I was doing something that could potentially encroach on the market of McD," said Bambang, though he didn't give up.

When KONTAN tried to contact McD Co, Wednesday, the American fast food corporation was reluctant to comment. "Currently McD Co. is still unable to make a statement," said McD Co.'s spokesman.