[TriLUG] Fwd: Safeco moves IT offshore

[Mike M]

On Thu, Sep 30, 2004 at 07:28:44AM -0400, Carolinux.com wrote:

> initiative dubbed "SmartSource," which will involve using offshore
> vendors.

SmartSource, RightSource, You'reScrewedSource, 
KissMiddleClassGoodbyeSource. They should stop with the 
sugar coating.  Just use plain English and announce that
outsourcing is necessary to maximize profits as we realign
the world's resources with the world's opportunities.

I read some "stop whining" economist's article that said the
difference between IT jobs and textile jobs is that IT
job numbers are growing are growing in the US and that textile job
numbers are shrinking. I also read that if we lined up all
the economists end-to-end, it would be a good thing.

Obviously this economist (Samuelson, in Newsweek) has not had 
the pleasure of getting a technical degree and devoting a good
portion of his life to becoming a useful and efficient technical
professional only to discover that you are suddenly not as useful
to the economy.  If he had, then he would be better tuned in to
the effects of losing a job and not being able to find an 
equivalent replacement.  At least then he might make his arguements
with a little more insight as to what is happening to the economy.
Things are going to change and it's going to be painful as jobs
leave high priced places and go to low priced places.  Or the
pain will be felt by doing more work for less money.

I wish more folks would wake up to the fact that IT outsourcing
is the second wave of a bigger storm.  All service jobs can be
outsourced.  I can't wait for the neurosurgeons to start whining
about job loss to India and China.  Of course, they will fire up
their PR machines (AMA) to cast doubt on the competency and
cleanliness of the offshore medical facilities (it's already
happening). And then there will be legislation enacted to put
a surcharge on medical travel tickets or maybe there will be a
special medical travel permit required to allow you to return to
the US.  Yeah, I can't wait for that.  I'd go under an Indian
or Chinese surgeons knife without a second thought if I needed 
surgery.

Too bad technical folks are so organizationally challenged.  They
couldn't mount a PR campaign if they needed to.  Probably because they
are so attached to the concepts of "truth" and "logic", the banes
of any PR or political campaign.
-- 
Mike

Moving forward in pushing back the envelope of the corporate paradigm.