Troubling Business Class

[dd2003]

As a current student and huge supporter of human rights, I am deeply troubled at discussions inside business classes. I often hear phrases like "they will improve skills and require a higher cost so the business should outsource to Egypt or India" "It is all about the bottom line and the thought that a company would have to pay healthcare to its employees is troubling" and finally "business' have to pay so much in taxes these days that it just isnt competitive anymore to be in the US and employee US workers". Really? Really? Because according to facts presented, it seems most companies dont pay taxes, and sure as hell don care about US employees so why are so many of my fellow students reaching out to defend those who will throw them aside in a blink of a minute. I also find it frustrating that high education professionals asset such things as future leaders will just throw away jobs and not care for fellow man. I really believe that people think in statistics these days as if we all have barcodes and are just numbers.

[virgogal]

1. We are "units". That was in a movie or book or something.

[dd2003]

2. the expensive units

too

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. These students figure (wrongly) that they will be part of the few

that stay behind in some nice office in Irvine directing things from afar.

[zeos3]

4. It may be a good opportunity to make a few points.

Maybe it would be good if you tried to address the consequences of what is being taught in class to get your classmates to think instead of accepting what the instructor says as gospel.

Press the issue on what happens when all the jobs are outsourced and there are no more high paying jobs here. Where will the consumers come from? Who will buy the products or services of the business?

The healthcare issue should be the best one to talk about. A single payer system here in the US would actually be beneficial to businesses. Why wouldn't every business support the idea of single payer here? It makes zero sense unless the business is an insurance company.

Inform your teachers and classmates that having a single payer system would reduce expenses for the business. Not only would they not have to pay for their employees health insurance, but they would see their general liability insurance costs shrink also. Their liability insurance would not have to cover medical expenses. Their workers comp insurance would be cut in half by not needing to pay for the medical expenses.

Bring these topics up and see what happens. You probably won't change your teachers minds but you might get your classmates to think about things in a different light.

[tammywammy]

5. I go to a pretty conservative business school

I have yet to have a discussion like you presented. The students, regardless of age, seem most concerned about having a beneficial atmosphere, including providing good benefits, than outsourcing and people as numbers.

[Dawson Leery]

6. One of the dirty "secrets: that is never discussed

is that most business schools indoctrinate their students to maximize the bottom line at all costs. For PR reasons, business schools will claim to search for students with integrity. Reality, this is not happening.