Bridgestone/Firestone management shuffle looming

TOKYO (Sept. 25)—Bridgestone Corp. could decide this week on a management shuffle at its Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. subsidiary to secure increased control of the U.S.-based unit, according to a Bridgestone spokeswoman. ``He will conclude within the month how he will (affect the changes),´´ she said. One apparent goal of the parent firm would be to instill Bridgestone´s operating standards at the U.S. firm. ``If we had made technology and quality (at Firestone) match the Bridgestone standard, I don´t think accidents would have happened. From now on, Bridgestone will control everything´´ at Firestone, Yoichiro Kaizaki, Firestone CEO said at a recent press conference. Kaizaki also plans to dispatch investigators from Japan to look into links between Firestone tires and accidents allegedly caused by their failure.