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Peter the current business concentration on quarterly results is sure to harm the future. I have been in both industry and government employment and both had too short a view of the future, In UK the government works on annual funding while the work requires 5 to 25 year plans. The result is forced poor decisions which give inadequate results at vastly greater cost. In industry it was different in tone but no better in results
I pretty much agree. When you are focused on "profit" and "growth" (though a market may be saturated and there is no growth potential because your customers can't afford your product) cutting costs and corners to save "money" isn't the way to go. Outsourcing your jobs, in the long run ruining your customer base (an American company who decides to "outsource" to Asia and thereby reduces the number of jobs in America) just isn't following ethical procedure.
Part of the overall picture we're missing here, is that the western world is currently "bootstrapping" China and other countries into the "modern" world, and there just aren't enough resources for us to do that. Abandon that and focus on each country taking care of itself. If China's major "export" is however many billion people they have for cheap labor, let them use it on their internal market, be it growing food for themselves or whatever. Let the industrial countries focus on producing goods that keep our society running, such as tractors for farming, clothing manufacturing, etc.
We really don't "need" our current level of technology at all, and in fact it is hurting us to rely on "shuffling paper" in the paperless office, which is causing job cuts constantly as computers evolve to do things that office workers typically did just ten short years ago, let alone twenty, thereby reducing the number of jobs overall.
It used to be every office had secretaries to type, check the mail and organize schedules. Now, EACH worker is expected to do that for themselves using such unnecessary electronic technology as "smart phones" and laptops.
Part of the overall picture we're missing here, is that the western world is currently "bootstrapping" China and other countries into the "modern" world, and there just aren't enough resources for us to do that. Abandon that and focus on each country taking care of itself. If China's major "export" is however many billion people they have for cheap labor, let them use it on their internal market, be it growing food for themselves or whatever. Let the industrial countries focus on producing goods that keep our society running, such as tractors for farming, clothing manufacturing, etc.
We really don't "need" our current level of technology at all, and in fact it is hurting us to rely on "shuffling paper" in the paperless office, which is causing job cuts constantly as computers evolve to do things that office workers typically did just ten short years ago, let alone twenty, thereby reducing the number of jobs overall.
It used to be every office had secretaries to type, check the mail and organize schedules. Now, EACH worker is expected to do that for themselves using such unnecessary electronic technology as "smart phones" and laptops.
Nailed it, nailed it, nailed it! Here is another interesting article in the same vein. It discusses how MBA-style management isn't always a good thing.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2012/04/20/sayonara-sony-how-industrial-mba-style-leadership-killed-once-great-company/
Companies have generally lost their way. They don't seem to have customers anymore, but "income streams". I can't see any way that can be good. Are the 1%ers that run these companies so disconnected from the rest of us that they have to dehumanize us? The entertainment industry sits at the top of this steaming pile. Their refusal to provide customers a product they want and can use is mind boggling. People are either left out or resort to piracy to get the entertainment they want. Either way the industry gets zero revenue and therefore zero profit. On top of that they have lobbied lawmakers to ensure the pirates are punished worse than violent criminals. How is that good for anyone? It's not like they're going broke, but their greed and insistence at squeezing every last dime out of every human alive is beyond comprehension.
Their excessive influence on governments and laws is another big issue. Although businesses have always tried to manipulate politicians, the level of this in the U.S. is ridiculous. They have manipulated our laws so they can operate with near impunity. Also, it seems many, if not most new laws passed these days involve giving some business or industry an advantage or protecting their profits. What ever happened to government by the people, for the people?
I worry about the world where my grandchildren are growing up. I realize that is nothing new, but I don't see any good outcomes along our current path. We will eventually hit a breaking point. I wonder what that will be and when it will occur.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2012/04/20/sayonara-sony-how-industrial-mba-style-leadership-killed-once-great-company/
Companies have generally lost their way. They don't seem to have customers anymore, but "income streams". I can't see any way that can be good. Are the 1%ers that run these companies so disconnected from the rest of us that they have to dehumanize us? The entertainment industry sits at the top of this steaming pile. Their refusal to provide customers a product they want and can use is mind boggling. People are either left out or resort to piracy to get the entertainment they want. Either way the industry gets zero revenue and therefore zero profit. On top of that they have lobbied lawmakers to ensure the pirates are punished worse than violent criminals. How is that good for anyone? It's not like they're going broke, but their greed and insistence at squeezing every last dime out of every human alive is beyond comprehension.
Their excessive influence on governments and laws is another big issue. Although businesses have always tried to manipulate politicians, the level of this in the U.S. is ridiculous. They have manipulated our laws so they can operate with near impunity. Also, it seems many, if not most new laws passed these days involve giving some business or industry an advantage or protecting their profits. What ever happened to government by the people, for the people?
I worry about the world where my grandchildren are growing up. I realize that is nothing new, but I don't see any good outcomes along our current path. We will eventually hit a breaking point. I wonder what that will be and when it will occur.
Haven't you heard? Citizen's United declared the businesses are people. So we still have government by the people, for the people; it's just these new "people" that are being referred to.
Our paycheck says we are "cost". And the department isn't called "Personnel", anymore... and when talk of "the economy" is said, is it ours... or someone else's?
On the plus side, predatory tactics used to wipe out competition can now be seen as "murder", "rape", et cetera, except we both know the double standard for companies is only for when companies reap profit off of it. Ethics aren't for them...
On the plus side, predatory tactics used to wipe out competition can now be seen as "murder", "rape", et cetera, except we both know the double standard for companies is only for when companies reap profit off of it. Ethics aren't for them...
A long term CEO at a company I used to work for - a small bank - once told us that the business was a triangle
We had to give good value and services to customers and they would continue to support us. We had to give good value to shareholders so they got a reasonable return on their investment. We had to appropriately reward staff and provide them with a good place to work so that they could continue to provide the service that made the profits. Three equal legs of the triangle.
These days in most companies it is all about the shareholders, customers are a nuisance and staff are to be abused and exploited.
A return to a nice balanced triangle would be a good way to proceed for the future.
We had to give good value and services to customers and they would continue to support us. We had to give good value to shareholders so they got a reasonable return on their investment. We had to appropriately reward staff and provide them with a good place to work so that they could continue to provide the service that made the profits. Three equal legs of the triangle.
These days in most companies it is all about the shareholders, customers are a nuisance and staff are to be abused and exploited.
A return to a nice balanced triangle would be a good way to proceed for the future.
...we all seem to be on the same page here, along wit h many of my colleagues in industry. Sooner or later it has to get fixed! Thanks for all you interesting inputs. Peter
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