Thomas J. Bata
| Thomas J. Bata | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Native name | Tomáš Jan Baťa |
| Born |
17 September 1914 Prague, Bohemia, Austro-Hungarian Empire |
| Died | 1 September 2008 (aged 93) Toronto, Canada |
| Nationality | Czech |
| Spouse(s) | Sonja Bata |
| Parent(s) |
Tomáš Baťa Marie Menšíková |
Tomáš Jan Baťa, CC (Czech pronunciation: [ˈtomaːʃ jan ˈbaca], September 17, 1914 – September 1, 2008), also known as Tomas Bata Jr. and Tomáš Baťa ml. and "Shoemaker to the World", ran the Bata Shoe Company from the 1940s until the '80s.
Baťa was born in the Czech city of Prague, in what is now the Czech Republic, the son of Czech industrialist Tomáš Baťa. As a boy he apprenticed under his father, Tomáš Sr., who began the T. & A. Bata Shoe company in 1894 in Zlín, Czechoslovakia. His father, however, was killed in a plane crash when Tomáš was only 17, in 1932. Baťa's original surname is Batia. One of the least known reasons for his success was his vision to introduce new technologies to his company, taking the production to massive levels worldwide. Another factor was World War I, that ended the market that the company had under the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So between the 1920´s and 1940´s Bata installed factories in Asia, South America and Africa,( which he foresaw as virgin market), thus becoming the largest shoe maker in the world. In the 60´s and 70´s the Bata white canvas (sneaker/running shoe) was iconic in the third world, representing between 60% and 80% of the shoe production in the countries where it operated. In Asia and South America the company focused on everyday affordable shoe production, leaving for Europe the high quality, high price shoes.
In the mid 1930s, in the throes of the depression, the Bata Shoe company was faced with a serious dilemma: Mussolini needed boots for his army. Czechoslovakians were faced with ubiquitous layoffs and catastrophic unemployment. Bata decided to be pragmatic to protect his livelihood and that of his employees. He rationalized that if he did not provide the army boots, some other company would, and his employees would suffer. He successfully pursued the contract, which directly assisted fascism but also saved the company.
Tomas Bata was the equivalent of Ford in breakthrough technology for his time. The company´s warehouse in the then Czechoslovakia was the first automated installation in Europe (designed by Peter Behrens - Architect) and in his company headquarters in Zlin, the central shaft of the building was an elevator with its personal office that could move from one floor to another. Like Ford, he established a repetitive mechanical system of production, which he called "work factor". But unlike Ford, Tomas Bata had a social concern for his employees, paying fair wages and contributing to their welfare with social programs and sports facilities sponsored and financially supported by the company.
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