Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

Let's not lose focus/track on this very important subject that we all should stay aware of and hopefully united on. Foreign outsourcing is the key point here, not outsourcing in general. (or ranting about dodging responsibilities.) Displacing American workers is a huge problem for the short and long term US economy by foreign workers. We are number one when it comes to technology and we are training droves of foreign workers who first take our jobs through work visas. Second, they will start foreign businesses that will later compete directly with us. We have to pay US workers more to build schools, roads, and maintain the lifestyle many take for granite. Take a trip to other nations and you will find how fortunate we are. We should all guard against threats to our way of living and this is definitely one of them.

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

The discussion thread implies there is something wrong with outsourcing. Let's not forget that there are plenty of American companies hire displaced workers when a business outsources it's IT services and the employee usually gets better pay and benefits and a much better environment for professional development. This is the type of outsourcing we should be encouraging as opposed to "offshore" outsourcing.

[David Abramowitz]

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

There is another reason. Managers may have outsourcing thrust upon them by executives, and then told to make it work or else. The executive just had lunch with the auditing partner, and guess what, the auditing firm has a subsidiary firm that performs outsourcing services, and will (of course) save the executive's company a lot of money and improve the bottom line. And just to be on the safe side, how can the board go against the executive, when it was the auditing firm's recommendation in the first place. If the whole thing goes south, as it often does, you get to see a rather large circular firing squad. Dave

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

Chuck, Some managers are doing what is best for the corporation and some are doing whatever they can to hide themselves from blame and responsibility. Recently, I have seen - and - am talking about the latter. I guess I should have made that clearer that there are good managers out there. If you are doing what is best for the business, then you won't have any trouble sleeping at night will you.

[David Abramowitz]

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

Wellllllll, I suppose that the "guarantee" takes you off the hook, if no one shows up! OTOH, one scenario is that is if on-site support needs are very few, then the fee paid will exceed what the cost would have been in-house. Naturally the converse is true if there are many on-site support needs. Somewhere in the middle, there is a break-even point. Dave

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

Scott said: "I can't help but think that a strong motive for management to outsource anything is a silent way of being able to give away their responsibilities." Wow! This is a pretty myopic statement. We have 43 retail stores in 7 states plus a headquarters location with about 900 people. We only have 7 computer support personnel (tech support) to support all of those locations. Often we have an emergency at a location that may be 1500 miles from where the nearest support person is located. It may take two days for an employee to get to that store. That's completely unacceptable. We've engaged an outsourcing company that can guarantee that they'll have a tech support person at any location within 4 hours of a call. And, the cost is considerably less than a plane fare on short notice. To label that as "giving away responsibilities" is a little strange. I call it being responsive to the business needs. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

I can't help but think that a strong motive for management to outsource anything is a silent way of being able to give away their responsibilities. I have seen "business decisions" that really didn't make much sense in relation to outsourcing. The only thing that did make sense was that those managers would not be in a position of accepting blame. Management would have to "manage" the contract but it would be much easier than managing employees.

[J.Pluta]

Article: Downsizing jobs, outsourcing lives

Susan, I've never been a real supporter of the visa argument. Obivously, I've never been in favor of foreign nationals displacing American workers in American firms, but it's been my opinion (and still is) that our industry in particular is its own worst enemy, contributing to its own demise by its workers insisting that each new generation of tools make their job easier and easier, which in fact makes it that much easier to outsource these positions. However, my recent research into the entire issue, especially the L-1 visa, have finally swayed me into your camp. I'm not sure how swayed I am yet - is it silent fuming swayed, vote with my ballot swayed, write my congressman swayed or protest in the street swayed? I've yet to decide. But in any event, I am now firmly opposed to any extension of or increase in H and L visas, and believe that a serious investigation of firms taking advantage of them should be undertaken (both the foreign companies and those American firms that employ them). Joe

Susan, It's the price of improved worker productivity. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer. "Susan Behrens" wrote in message news:6ae6ba8b.-1@WebX.WawyahGHajS... | ... The American economy will be employing fewer engineers, accountants, information technology workers, stock analysts, radiologists, architects and research and development scientists - all highly trained top earners who ought to form the backbone of a vigorous and vibrant economy. And I'm talking the lock, stock and barrel loss of careers, not a temporary shortage of jobs. ... | | <http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/ar...TICLE_ID=32789>