ASDA STORE CHIEFS GO ON WARPATH

ASDA are going native to win the latest round of supermarket wars - by training to be Red Indians.

Groups of up to 50 managers a time will be transferred from the aisles to a huge tepee in the wilds.

There they will spend three days bonding and learning about teamwork, Redskin-style, to pass on to the warriors and squaws working on various counters and the check-out.

It is the first time the company, bought by US firm Walmart last year for pounds 6.7 billion, have adopted such as an unusual approach to training.

It's thought staff need to be ready to compete with their American colleagues.

The ASDA tribe will also come to know the ways of the squirrel, beaver and goose - creatures whose virtues are held in high esteem by Native Americans.

The only difference is that the geese will be plastic while the squirrels are models stuck among trees painted on the sides of the tepee. There's even a painted lake scene for added effect, while the great tepee itself is a marquee at Ribby Hall Holiday Village near Kirkham, Lancs.

The four hunting lodges complete with Red Indian ornaments and traditional animal hides hanging on the wall are in fact holiday cottages that usually reverberate to the whoops of Northern families on their annual break. ASDA, Britain's third largest food chain, have based the scheme on the best-selling American book Gung Ho, by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles.

They are the first company in the world to adopt the book as their management bible.

Gung Ho custom is based on the spirit of the beaver, squirrel and the goose.

The example of the squirrel shows just how important and worthwhile work is - such as when they store food for the winter. It is also hoped the executives will be as busy as beavers at the end of the three days.

And acccording to the custom, geese are great team workers.

Their honking as they fly is a signal of vocal encouragement and praise.

The Gung Ho battle cry adopted by the ASDA teams is: "Don't stop. Never give up. Hold your head up high. You'll reach the top. Let your colleagues see what you have got. Doing it with Gung Ho!"

A total of 800 managers will complete the course by the end of May.

ASDA staff development officer Sue Newton said: "Our aim is to make the courses memorable.

"There are valuable lessons to be learned from team work and motivation."

TROUBLE-HIT Marks and Spencer are finally dropping their credit card ban in a bid to boost sales.

They now aim to accept cards by May 2 at the latest.

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