If 'fear drives productivity' is that why the GOP don't want a good health care program?

[applegrove]

Cause if there isn't a lack of coverage in the national health care program, due to unemployment, preexisting conditions, etc. , then the Corporation has less of a 'stick' to cow employees with.


An Economist Explains How Fear Drives Productivity
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-09/an-economist-explains-how-fear-drives-productivity

[tech3149]

1. I don't even have to read the link to know the writer is full of it

My most productive work was the joint efforts of many to do a hard job or do it better. Productivity was never a thought initially. The driving force in the beginning was to do it better, to provide more value in the final product. It was never a simple task of trying to find a way to do it faster and cheaper. There are very few and limited advantages in doing that. That was only considered after the fact.
A truly successful business isn't so much concerned with productivity but with a love of what they do and providing the best product or service. Any company that relies on productivity for their advantage will always be prey to those that truly love what they do. It figures this comes from an economist, hell I might even go read the article for a laugh and jot down a note or two on their flawed premises.

[applegrove]

2. Are you kidding? CEOs in the USA have been obsessed with productivity in the last two decades.

That is how they die or get a big bonus. That is why workers are now only allowed bathroom breaks at certain times in the USA (in canada there has not been a big productivity push in our business community and we are happily way behind in productivity (and richer because we didn't have a subprime mortgage meltdown because we properly regulated our banks)). There is no way the average CEO in the USA is concerned with a great product in these times. It is $$$. And that means productivity. Only money that drives them. I agree it isn't the way it should be..but that is how it is.

Now somebody starting a new business may care quite a bit more than your standard ceo. But the push was all for efficiencies and productivity increases in the business community. The corporations actually figured out that it was worth losing the customers to not make websites for their products and that is why if you go online to a corporate website you cannot "contact" them. There is, more often than not, no way to connect with them... and you are their customer. Costs them money to answer emails. Customer service is down the tubes. Selling cheap junk is common. Selling fashionable stuff in fashionable colours that will go out of date is common. Nothing is made to last. I bought a tv last year. Its sound went bonkers 6 months into my ownership. Customer service? I laugh at that.

[laundry_queen]

3. I don't necessarily think the premise is flawed.

But I do think that focusing too much on productivity is not healthy for a company or for an economy. Canada has terrible productivity numbers, yet our economy is doing much, much better overall.

[Aerows]

4. Love what you do

And the rewards come as a byproduct. CEO's have been preaching that people shouldn't love what they do, so that they can drive the price down. Look at Kotick of Activision/Blizzard that wants to take the "fun" out of game development. See where that has gotten them. Diablo 3 is a damn disaster because of this philosophy of taking the fun out of the work place and imposing draconian policies.

The day Activision/Blizzard and executives like Kotick drop dead, the better for human life. Selfish people that exist only to deny other people happiness are going to be the ruin of us all.

[dogknob]

8. Still stuck in Skyrim with Dawnguard for PC coming out now.

Diablo 3 looks Laaaaaame, but do tell. Why is it a disaster?

[Aerows]

11. It is a grind

that isn't fun - you are a hamster on a wheel trying to get better items because the only way you can advance through Inferno is via items, but the drop rates for things that can get you through Inferno are extremely slim. They have a real money auction house that they want you to use because they get a huge cut of the profits. Post an item for $50, and Blizzard gets $15 dollars. There is much evidence that they are manipulating the item market so that the only people that can advance need to spend cash.

Basically, they designed it to be a hidden subscription fee that turns out to be far more expensive than just paying a subscription fee, with very little fun, to boot.

[dogknob]

7. I agree with everything you just said, but you should read the article anyway.

The only flaw in your argument is that you are using the "literal" definition of success. American English now uses the "Mordor" definition.

[Freddie]

5. Why the Repugs are opposed to anything resembling Universal Health Care

Regardless of how it would be achieved, and this goes back to Hillarycare days:

Because people would really like it, and would never give it up once they had it. And they would (rightly) give the Democratic Party credit for it.

They're willing to inflict bankruptcy and death on the nation rather than work with our party to find a way for everyone to have health care. Selfish bastards.

[gkhouston]

6. Fear drives *activity*, which is often confused with productivity.

Someone who's perpetually worried about losing their job may work a lot, but that doesn't mean they work smart. And I'd be surprised if their health doesn't suffer, as well.

[woo me with science]

9. Unless you are a CEO,

in which case even mere uncertainty can be enough to paralyze you and keep you from creating even a single new job.

[applegrove]

10. Exactly.