Disney Outsourcing!!

[goin2disneyagain]

It's interesting to note that those who agree w/ the outsourcing are in professions that could not be outsourced to other countries (family physician and new home sales.)

Good point.

 

[Tiffany]

It's interesting to note that those who agree w/ the outsourcing are in professions that could not be outsourced to other countries (family physician and new home sales.)

I also agree with the concept of outsourcing and I work for a global financial services company that has moved jobs from offices here in the US to offices in India but we have offices all over the world. There are functions done here in the states for clients that "belong to non US offices". The market place is changing and the key is that Americans want to pay low prices but they want to make big money for low skilled jobs that people in other countries are willing to do for less. Companies have to maintain and grow their profits how do you do that? Raise revenue and cut costs. If you do not cut costs then you would need to charge more for the product you sell and the consumer does not want to pay more so what happens. The consumer buys the cheaper product your product sits there and then you are either going to go out of business - and everyone who works for you is out of a job- or you outsource the positions that can be done by others at a cheaper price and stay in business. Employing less people but at least some people.

This topic can be discussed and debated to death and what is comes down to is making sure that you have skills that are tough to replace. Make sure your children are not going into fields with limited growth. The more skills you have in todays marketplace the better off you will be.

 

[crisi]

I work in IT and have seen tons of jobs going overseas. So I'm retraining. Unless you are willing to buy higher priced products (and what I've seen on the budget board is mostly people who can squeeze dimes and get nickels to fall out) the jobs NEED to be sent overseas. Don't like it, stop shopping Wal-Mart, buy American and vote with your feet. It will be hard to do - nearly everything manufactered or created has a global component. And when it can be done, expect it to be expensive.

 

[disneysteve]

I work in IT and have seen tons of jobs going overseas. So I'm retraining. Unless you are willing to buy higher priced products (and what I've seen on the budget board is mostly people who can squeeze dimes and get nickels to fall out) the jobs NEED to be sent overseas. Don't like it, stop shopping Wal-Mart, buy American and vote with your feet. It will be hard to do - nearly everything manufactered or created has a global component. And when it can be done, expect it to be expensive.

And remember that it isn't just the wage difference that results in outsourcing. It is also the cost of benefits, particularly health insurance. So while I may have a career that can't be outsourced, I'm still deeply involved in some of the issues behind the practice.

As for buying American, as crisi points out, that isn't so easy. Its hard to find an item 100% produced in this country. The line between foreign and domestic goods has blurred considerably. Here's one example:
My car, a Toyota, was built in the US by American workers but is considered a foreign vehicle.
My friend's car, a Chevrolet, was built in Canada by Canadian workers but is considered an American car.

Of course, Wal-Mart is another good example. They are one of the largest employers in this country. Yes, Wal-Mart buys and manufactures much of their merchandise overseas which might cost this country manufacturing jobs. But if they were to suddenly close up, 1.2 million Americans who work for Wal-Mart would lose their jobs. So just not shopping there might save one job but jeopardize another. It's not such a clear cut issue and there are no easy answers.

 

[bdcp]

We do live in a free market society. It's economics because labor is cheaper overseas. Without cuttings costs, a lot of american companies would go under. Publicly traded companies have to please their stockholders and they can't if they don't turn a big enough profit. Also, it's true, lots of companies outsource here. There are a lot of European and Asian companies who have employed Americans to work for them here as well as manufacturing their items in the US. Honda, Mercedes, as well as pharmaceutical and technology companies are all here from France, Germany, Japan, etc. It's only become a big deal since the advent of the internet and overseas phone calls becoming relatively inexpensive and someone figured out how to get the same thing done cheaper. We have to participate in the world market if we want to maintain our standard of living here.

If you plan on dropping every company, credit card, etc that outsources, I hope you deal with what that really means, as in autos you drive, clothes you wear, medications you use, etc. In 1984 I was in France and bought a pair of socks, guess what? They were made in the US for a French co.

And I know that IT jobs have been outsourced, but from what I've heard it's because the demand is higher here than the supply and companies had to go overseas economically and to keep jobs filled. Americans are quick to jump from job to job and that makes it difficult to keep a full employee base. I live in No. VA and there are tons IT jobs in the paper everyday. Sometimes you have to move if you want to stay in your field. It happens in all fields.

 

[deplion]

And remember that it isn't just the wage difference that results in outsourcing. It is also the cost of benefits, particularly health insurance.

And, it is also the cost of lawsuits and especially the cost of complying with governmental regulations.

We continue to elect politicans who pass laws that make it tougher and tougher for businesses to be competitive in the U.S., and then we whine that these businesses are not being "fair" when they send jobs overseas to improve their competitive position. In reality, we are leaving them little choice.

Want to keep jobs in the U.S. and keep our economy humming? Quit whining about outsourcing and start electing people who are more business friendly and provide a competitive environment that reduces their incentive for packing up and leaving in the first place.

 

[jekjones1558]

Unless you are willing to buy higher priced products (and what I've seen on the budget board is mostly people who can squeeze dimes and get nickels to fall out) the jobs NEED to be sent overseas. Don't like it, stop shopping Wal-Mart, buy American and vote with your feet.

I may be only the proverbial "drop in the bucket," but this is what I do. I do not even read the Walmart ads. I ALWAYS buy an American made product, even if it is more expensive, when available (e.g., just bought Tropitone patio set, made in USA and NOT one of the many much cheaper Chinese alternatives.) My extra cost contributes to the paycheck and benefits package of a fellow citizen, it helps to keep that person off of unemployment, welfare and/or government paid healthcare. It helps the trade deficit, supports the value of the dollar. It means that child labor has not been used.
Trouble is, things have deteriorated to the point that I no longer have an American option in some cases. US-made women's shoes, even New Balance, are rare. Electronics?--almost impossible. Try buying an American-made t-shirt in WDW, even at the American pavilion in Epcot. VERY few in any park or DTD. I know because I look. Clerks have no idea when asked and look at me funny for even inquiring. I found this website Buy American, which has helped. I cannot change things globally, nor can I judge others, but my value system says that it is not right for me to want a high standard of living based on the use of goods produced by others who live in extreme poverty.
I am not an economist. But I do believe that the Walmarts of the world WOULD change their inventory, not close their doors, if Americans chose to buy American goods and the imports rotted on the shelves. JMHO. YMMV and I understand that my opinion is NOT in the majority here!

 

[SnowWhite]

It seems to be an everyday event around here now that we hear that one company is packing up here in Canada and heading south to the USA, and the same day you hear that a USA company is re-locating to Canada. It just seems to keep cycling like this. I agree that there seems to be alot of companies who are now using India and other places that are cheaper wages to outsource their call centres. I believe that this will eventually bite them in the butt, as when consumers stop purchasing the product because of the poor customer service the company will change this proceedure. Make sure to speak to a manager and let them know that this will be the last purchase you will make due to poor quality customer service. I don't mind others making money, but when I get a call from someone who can't even say my name correctly whether it be north american or elsewhere it really burns me. Lately it seems to be the credit card solicitors that can barely speak anything that resembles english. I find it frustrating even to listen to them on the phone and usually just tell them I am hanging up. I don't slam the phone or swear at them as I know they are just trying to put food on their tables too, but shame on those who hired them making them think they were prepared for that job!

 

[disneysteve]

My extra cost contributes to the paycheck and benefits package of a fellow citizen, it helps to keep that person off of unemployment, welfare and/or government paid healthcare.

This is all true whether you buy American or not. If I buy something at the mall, regardless of where the item was made, my purchase contributes to the paychecks of the store employees and to the rent collected by the mall. If the item is being sold by an American company, I'm also contributing to them even if that particular item was produced overseas.

The economy is global. There is almost nothing totally 100% made in America with no foreign raw materials or input. And the flip side of the argument is that nothing foreign-made sold in this country doesn't benefit Americans in some way: dock workers who unload the boats, truck drivers who transport the goods, retail workers who sell the stuff, etc.

my value system says that it is not right for me to want a high standard of living based on the use of goods produced by others who live in extreme poverty.

I think this is a different issue. I would also not buy items made in sweatshops or by exploited children. But with outsourcing, that often isn't the case at all. I've read several reports regarding the growing wealth among young workers in India thanks to US outsourcing. They are by no means living in poverty. In fact, thanks to their new found incomes, they are spending more than ever on US goods and services so much of that money pours right back into our economy. Huge malls have popped up with all the same stores you see at your local US mall. This has allowed many US companies to expand their sales significantly.

As for customer service issues such as those SnowWhite refers to, I don't believe that keeping customer service departments in the US/Canada in any way ensures better service. I set up a wireless home network recently. I had to call the router company customer service twice. Both times I spoke to someone in India. Both times, my experience was outstanding. They spoke perfect English with a very minor accent. They walked me through every step of the process I needed to get things up and running. Honestly, I didn't care if they were in New Jersey or New Delhi. All I cared about was that the person on the other end of the line knew what they were doing.

Again, the issue is not as simple as some would like to believe.