September 22, 2004
fun new biz model
The corporate business model of the (very near) future is childishly simple to understand. Nike, Dell and Coca Cola already use it, and most big companies are gearing up to implement it ASAP.
THE FUN NEW BIZ MODEL:
The company is divided into two parts, Part A and Part B.
Part A is much, much smaller than part B. Part B is huge.
Part A is called “Creative”.
Part B is called “Outsourced.”
So, are you creative or are you outsourced?
Oh, Hugh, you slay me. I’ve missed the funny posts lately.
‘Natch, since humor and truth are basically one side of the same coin, I’m agreeing with you here…but I just wanted to say “heh.”
Amen to this post, Hugh!
bLOGS ARE SO GOOD
Yes, Blogs ARE good, aren’t they. (Wow, wonder which timezone that came from, it’s the wrong time to be that drunk in Europe.)
There are maybe three categories in that case. the one that you are missing is “manipulative”.
I’m so sorry, that should be “strategic”. Heh.
Does it occur to anone else that it might be a teensy problem for Western Civilisation that we are skilling up everyone to the do the next generations jobs in countries other than our own. When was the last time you saw an honest to God graduate trainee programme that looked like it was going to make the next generation.
Scene in 2014. “Major Corporation seeks anyone under 45 to perform accounting, to be based in Europe, hardship posting allowance for Indian and Chinese ex-patriates available.”
I’m glad that these countries are doing well, but fuck are we missing the big picture in the US and Europe. Still, keep those good quarter’s numbers comin’ you CFOs.
Education sucks, everyone does useless subjects to get good grades, and then no-one needs another media studies graduate, except for the governments statistics. Meanwhile, all the engineering courses are half full and we wonder where the hard creativity is going to come from.
I differentiate between hard creativity, like engineering design and software, bio-tech, etc., and soft creativity like writing, art, design, etc. Soft creative is hard, but generally doesn’t require a huge body of external knowledge, ONLY practice and talent. =-) Hard creativity is also needed, and we are loosing it.
This is the scary truth for most people. The problem is that I am not sure “creative” is something that you can really compartmentalize. The problem is that most people are creative just SOME of the time. By outsourcing corporations remove the incentive for even the low level people to be creative in their job– If you are a temp you are only working hard enough not to get fired, since after all you will get no credit for any creative thoughts or improvements you come up with.
Unless the government steps in and starts ensuring that people in this country can’t get rich by outsourcing their entire workforce (oh, but that would be socialism), I see a likely alternative in the future: outsourcing ourselves. As in, if Americans can’t make a living in America anymore, I can sure as hell see a number of us leaving to make a living in other countries — still working for American companies, of course, but now able to earn competitive wages in lower-cost of living nations with the other exploited… er, lucky stiffs in India, Pakistan and elsewhere.
There’s a cap on how many creative Americans can fit into the current American business model. After that, we’re all either proletariats or we’re homeless.
I have never seen a truer company hierarchy. It is really sad that it is so absolutely true.
Beware ! They are now going to outsource the creation…
Beware ! They are now going to outsource the creation…
Beware ! They are now going to outsource the creation…
Nah. It’s part A = ‘Suits’ and part B = ‘Outsourced’. How many non freelance creatives do you know?! Or is it different in Newcastle?
“and then no-one needs another media studies graduate,”
funny how they have higher employment rates than graduates of more traditional subjects…