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Humanitarian sciences in Siberia

2015 year, number

MOBILITY OF THE DEFENSE ENTERPRISES MANAGERIAL STAFF IN WESTERN SIBERIA DURING THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR

I.M. Savitsky
Institute of History of SB RAS, 8 Nikolaev St., Novosibirsk, 630090
Keywords: defense industry, enterprise-plant, director, mechanisms of appointment and dismissal from the office, causes, stable operation, results

Abstract

Before World War II the Novosibirsk region was the most industrialized region beyond the Urals. That is why the majority of evacuated defense enterprises producing various types of ammunition and weapons were concentrated in Novosibirsk along with Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Tomsk, Omsk, Barnaul and other cities. Based on the equipment and personnel of evacuated plants more than 60 enterprises of various defense Narkomats were re-established in West Siberia. Their directors were appointed from among the evacuated managerial staff. The latter was also used to form the pool of candidates for director posts. The mechanism of directors selection, appointment and dismissal was developed at the central and local government levels. The majority of directors were specialists with higher technical education, experienced in organization of production and personnel management. They were expected to meet the highest requirements, especially during the first year and a half of the war, when the state reserves of ammunition and weapons were exhausted. Directors were removed from their positions if their enterprises failed to complete the State Defense Committee’s task of supplying the front with ammunition and weapons. By the second half of 1942 enterprises had completed the reconstruction of technological processes, their personnel had been formed, while directors had gained experience in organization of production and guiding the work of thousands of employees. Factories began to work steadily, achieving their plan targets and better supplying the front with ammunition and armament, so the directors turnover reduced. On the whole the war period was marked by a high mobility of managerial staff, especially at the enterprises subordinated to Commissariats of ammunition, aircraft and tank industries, as well as some enterprises of the People’s Commissariat of Weapons.