Outsourcing is a natural consequence of globalization. The fact is that if we averaged the resources of the world among its population, our nice American standard of life would not be sustainable. So I see no realistic alternative. We either close all borders and not do any commerce with anyone, or we accept the fact that jobs will go to the better/cheaper workers.
Imagine how expensive that computer you typed your email from would be if all its components had been made in America. As communications improve, why would we curtail the rights of corporations to use the most cost effective workers for other things, in the same way they did with manufacturing? IMO, all this is a consequence of the system we chose to live in. Capitalism aims to maximize profit, not happiness, not health, certainly not people's standard of living. It seems to be the most successful system so far though. Sadly, it is specially successful in places like the US, where the smallest hint of regulating it labels you as a commie. So unless we do something about the system (and I cannot imagine what that would be) I think outsourcing is something we'll see a lot of in the near future. Hopefully we'll reach an equilibruim at some point. j On 2/11/06, Bob Shell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > BTW, peripheral to this, let me tell you about a friend of mine. He > worked for a major computer hardware/software company for a lot of > years, and had advanced to the upper levels of the company. Four > years ago the company opened a subsidiary in India. My friend and > everyone else at the company were assured that the Indian subsidiary > would be handling business in India, China, and the rest of Asia, and > that the US company would continue as always serving the North and > South American markets. My friend began to make regular trips to > India, and used to call me from Bombay to tell me how interesting the > place was and how exciting it was to be setting up their operations > there. > > To make a long story short, just after Christmas I sent him an e-mail > because I hadn't heard from him for a while and wondered how he was > doing. I sent it to his office e-mail address as I usually did. It > bounced. I got hold of him a few days later and he told me they had > outsourced his job to the man he trained in India and let him go. > Now this is a very personal version of a story that I know has been > repeated over and over in the USA. His bosses just flat out lied to > him to get him to train someone who could replace him for 1/10 the > salary. > > Business is business, they say. But morality has to enter the > picture at some point, and this sort of BS is just morally wrong. > Destroying people's lives to make a buck has become the new > management style. My friend has sunk into a deep depression and sees > his life as wasted. There must be a way to stop this. I'm doing my > part as much as possible by not buying products from companies that I > know have done this. Dollars and cents is the only language they > understand. > > Bob > > On Feb 11, 2006, at 10:00 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > I have a friend who works for a computer consulting firm. > > > > They were offered a job to write some software for handing China's > > telephone > > satellite system. (I think I have that right. Anyway, it was the > > telephone > > system, and I think it involved a satellite). > > > > The government wanted them to leave a back door in the software so > > they could > > spy on their citizens. I.E. If they made antigovernment statements > > they might > > be arrested. > > > > My friend wrestled with his conscience (it wasn't said why the Chinese > > government wanted a backdoor, but he could deduce it). > > > > He told his boss he couldn't do it and why. Big contract. > > > > The consulting firm turned down the job. Well-aware aware someone > > else WOULD > > do it. > > > > But still... I felt glad his boss supported him and showed backbone. > > > > I don't think he'll mind I shared this, I've kept it general enough. > > > > Marnie aka Doe > > > > -- Juan Buhler Water Molotov: http://photoblog.jbuhler.com Slippery Slope: http://color.jbuhler.com
