Capitalist Pebble

Baťa shoes | Tomáš Baťa The Baťa footwear company was founded in 1894 by Tomáš Baťa, a shoemaker from Zlín, together with his siblings. His procedures and technology were revolutionary for his time. He introduced many new concepts in the production and sale of his products, which still serve as examples for top management. He managed to establish the town of Zlín for his company, which was the base of social security for his employees. He constructed new homes, offered inexpensive meals in factory cafeterias and free medical care. He also took steps to identify management talent among the ranks of his workers and instituted a training program that was ahead of its time. The Baťa Company is still one of the best known marketing brands in the Czech Republic. Currently the company employs 50,000 staff and operates 50 production plants in 68 countries around the world and has sold over 221 million pairs of shoes.