Thread: Twinkie for your thoughts

And an unfortunate truth begins to rear it's ugly head...





FYI - Upper management is better compensated in America then anywhere else... sigh. Oh and by the way lol - stating that doesn't make me a commie lol - it's a serious issue!

Don't take my word for it:

The ratio of CEO to worker compensation: Are they worth it? | The Economist

David --
In your quasi-expert opinion as a serious student of economics, what do you think were the necessary steps to prevent this?

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

David --
In your quasi-expert opinion as a serious student of economics, what do you think were the necessary steps to prevent this?

Seriously! That would be good times right there MLA . But it would take a bit oh reading.

And as it stands I don't have the time right now - I have to present on "manipulating others by knowing yourself" tonight... and I haven't started yet lol! Managerial Skills... seriously lol!! Who needs them!

That kind of thing is why I've always avoided the corporate life.

Originally Posted by earcutter

And an unfortunate truth begins to rear it's ugly head...





FYI - Upper management is better compensated in America then anywhere else... sigh. Oh and by the way lol - stating that doesn't make me a commie lol - it's a serious issue!

And how many Twinkies had to be sold to cover that $7.6 million? And what was the profit margin that had to be concurrently covered?

Thankfully, this comic is the only hint at bailout I've seen or read so far. I did think initially and have seen evidence since, that there may be a re-org that will allow us to still get Twinkies.

Lately, perhaps because we're older and more aware, perhaps due to a shift in morals, my fiance and I have noticed that more and more businesses go for the quick dollar. I mean, getting the most for the least the quickest as opposed to a long term, sustainable approach. Make a million in 5 years and go under Vs. making half a million a year for 20 years and slowly growing.

My fiance was having a talk with the original owner/ founder, who actually put money into his staff and facilities instead of just his pockets. He created and built the company up. Employees from under his management are still there, 25, 30 and 35 years later. He has transitioned his roles to his sons. Same family, same values right? Wrong. Staff turnover is insane, profits are closely measured, equipment get's older and is not updated or replaced, employee attitude is CYA and look over your shoulder, benefits are minimal, pay is minimal, creativety is lost, the remaining old dogs cling to their old tricks for job security. At the current rate, they should be out of business or bought up by a competitor in 5-10 years. With the initial ideals of the original entrepreneur, this factory could have provided quality products and sustainable jobs for several generations... even promoted creativity (you know, when you have happy, well paid employees, they get neat ideas).

So, I think capitalism is fine, but I see the benefits of long term sustainability outweighing those of turn and burn profits.

hiplainsdrftr --
I hear a voice in the wilderness!
I'm not that old (early 50s), and my memory isn't perfect, but what you posted seems to ring true with my recollections of an undergrad econ class lecture of how businesses should be operated. It also carries traces of nostalgia for simpler times.
"Do it fast, do it yesterday, and do it the cheapest way" seems to be the order of the day in the modern business world. I see very little of "Do it right", which is admittedly a subjective standard. I imagine that some folks in their 80s and 90s have been having the same lamentations since the 1960s...

Originally Posted by mapleleafalumnus

hiplainsdrftr --
I hear a voice in the wilderness!
I'm not that old (early 50s), and my memory isn't perfect, but what you posted seems to ring true with my recollections of an undergrad econ class lecture of how businesses should be operated. It also carries traces of nostalgia for simpler times.
"Do it fast, do it yesterday, and do it the cheapest way" seems to be the order of the day in the modern business world. I see very little of "Do it right", which is admittedly a subjective standard. I imagine that some folks in their 80s and 90s have been having the same lamentations since the 1960s...

There was a supreme court judge once who while ruling on a porn case stated, that he didn't always know how to define art from porn, but he would surely know the difference when he saw it. LOL.

Quality is usually at the mercy of profits, and though at first blush it might not be obvious because we have all become so accustomed to products being junk BUT, most of us know that allot of stuff for sale today is junk.

Another supreme court judge once said that, you can't suck and blow at the same time! In business, you can't make huge profits quickly and still sell quality.

Being a publicly traded company can have a schizophrenic push-pull relationship. Wall Street usually wins.