Re: Dice article on IBM layoffs

[Dale Miller]

In the mentioned article <http://news.dice.com/2013/06/14/delving-into-ibms-layoff-numbers/ 
> "Scott M." replied:"I worked for IBM for almost eight years, and I  
left because they no longer recognized the value of their experienced  
technical people."
Very early in my IBM employment (IIRC) I wound up in an IBM class on  
project management wherein they strongly emphasized that their  
research showed that the best ROI on technical projects was achieved  
by using the most experienced (albeit expensive) technical leaders.
We have in years since moved into a school of management group-think  
that worships at the feet of Ayn Rand and who cannot conceive of any  
kind of management decision that does not minimize labor rate costs.  
It appears that the mentality has even gone so far as to incorporate  
the idea that managers should get rid of experienced (expensive)  
workers, claiming that they didn't have the skills needed for the new  
technology (think "cloud"), then hire PFCSK's fresh out of CC's or  
ITTTech or from India which they can get for a much lower salary. Now  
they are saying they need more 1B visas because they can't find  
qualified IT people. What about the tens of thousands laid off in the  
last year of two from Cisco and HP? Have they all found jobs? Why  
don't companies feel any moral obligation to the people they are  
discarding to provide them or even help them get the skills management  
claims are lacking?
I know the old excuse that management is legally bound to protect  
their stockholders' equity, but there are quite successful companies  
that emphasize employee training, compensation, and job satisfaction.
(Costco and Discount Tires come to mind. - Their CEO's don't beat  
their chest and say "I built this.", rather they say "our employees  
did this.".)
After all, "General" Sarnoff didn't single-handedly win WWII - it took  
Rosie the Riveter and Alan Turing and many thousands of GIJoes to do  
the job.

Dale Miller
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