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and then to a service-oriented society,” says Deskins.“ Most jobs are now in services rather than agriculture or manufacturing, but now we are moving toward a data-driven, information-based economy. That will be the newest revolution.”
For the state to move forward and create this new wave of jobs, internet connectivity is paramount. Smart manufacturers count on internet infrastructure.
“ An important point is connectivity,” says Lego.“ Without it, you will get left at the starting line. Smart manufacturing makes your operation more efficient and transparent. You have control over what happens at your fingertips, on your phone or Google Glass or on your monitor. Everything that is connected to the internet can provide you with insight.”
Stepping into the 21st Century
Major changes at any time make their mark on the socioeconomic landscape. Some companies will explode with growth because of smart manufacturing while others will be left to languish. However, Lego says companies can forge ahead by reaching out.
“ Do not try to be everything by yourself,” he says.“ Find the right partners. Oftentimes a good partnership is when manufacturing experts get help on the IT side. The two worlds often speak different languages. Bring a translator or a research institute or university partner on board. This has saved a lot of projects.”
As West Virginia companies step into 21st century manufacturing, they will become beacons of encouragement for other businesses. Building these kinds of practices into how we manufacture in the state can only make us more competitive. According to Deskins, now is the time for West Virginia manufacturers to embrace this new way of doing things and stay ahead of the curve to move the state forward.
“ There is an element of uncertainty,” he says.“ It’ s sometimes scary doing things differently because you don’ t know how it’ s going to unfold. But the world is changing, and we have to change with it.” •
David Fenwick, Partner at Goodwin & Goodwin, LLP
When you need a lawyer, you need
“ At will” employment means you can terminate an employee for any reason, as long as it’ s not an unlawful one. But your company just got served with a lawsuit by a former employee whose performance was terrible and was fired only for that reason. So how can he / she sue you? Can that really happen?
Unfortunately, it happens often, as the threshold for filing a“ wrongful termination” lawsuit that can subject your company to a year or more of expensive litigation is relatively low. However, the stakes can be high. You need an experienced employment lawyer who can help you explore an early and reasonable resolution, or if the circumstances warrant, aggressively defend the case through trial. In these situations, an attorney with over 25 years of employment law experience and an undefeated trial record in such cases can be an invaluable asset.
If your company finds itself in this unfortunate dilemma or would like to look at proactive measures that might avoid such a lawsuit in the first place, David and his team at Goodwin are ready to assist.
Call us at 304-346-7000, visit goodwingoodwin. com or email jdf @ goodwingoodwin. com.
Responsible Attorney: Booth Goodwin, Goodwin & Goodwin, LLP, 300 Summers Street, 15th Floor, Charleston, WV 25301
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WWW. WVEXECUTIVE. COM SPRING 2018
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