[Futurework] More branding

[Ed Weick]

George, thanks for passing on Ken's thoughts, and Ken, I hope you don't mind my passing your thoughts, minus personal references, on to the Futurework list, which is run out of the U. of Waterloo.  I'm sure some on the list will find your classification of exportable and non-exportable industries interesting.  If you want information on 'Futurework' go to http://www.fes.uwaterloo.ca/Research/FW/   Just a few comments, Ken, on the points you make.  I'm not sure that what the Americans have done or are doing could be described as "ruthless drive for efficiency".  In ever so many respects, they are the least efficient society on earth, consuming vast resources and indulging in a very wasteful lifestyle.  In many parts of the world, people make do and operate complex societies with far less.  I would agree that Americans have been very innovative and that it has been possible for them to be that because they have had few constraints imposed on them.  Until very recently, they've had access to almost unlimited resources and a very wealthy market able to absorb almost anything they've produced.  That very fortunate period may now be passing into history.  Resource stocks are beginning to run down and wealth, both natural and manmade, is being depleted.  That jobs that have produced income in the American homeland are being exported won't help.   And, as a second point, I'm not so sure that other countries are going to adopt the capitalist system, if by that system you mean something like the American system.  Americans were lucky because they didn't have much of a system to begin with, so they could invent it as they went along.  Other countries have had systems in place for a very long time, and much of the current international struggle is about maintaining those systems in the face of the pressure of globalization, American style.   I'd also question whether we can seriously expect to maintain a healthy society and economy if we were to export several of the activities you list.  Could we really expect India or China to do our engineering, research and marketing for us? Ed   The Americans have been successful I think because of one thing – they have perfected a system that holds as it's one goal the ruthless drive for efficiency. As other countries adopt the capitalist system, it's only a matter of time before things even out. As developing countries invest in infrastructure (roads, power/water, communications, education), and as the educational level raises, am thinking more high level 'thinking' type jobs are going to move off-shore. Jobs that can be exported are: > manufacturing (software and goods) > clerical work (government / financial / insurance) > telephone sales / marketing > web development > engineering > research > The jobs of the future that can't (or won't) be exported: > teaching > civil service > building trades > transportation (trucking and ware-housing of goods) > fire, police, ambulance > Medical (doctors, hospitals, dental) > Mining and forestry > Travel (hotels) > retail/commercial sales and service > agricultural Looks like the old economy all over again. Ken.