Outsourcing

Outsourcing By Al Thomas

It’s about time someone spoke the truth concerning outsourcing. The politicians sure won’t. They prefer to do finger-pointing saying it is “his fault”. It is those greedy manufacturers who want to make bigger profits by having cheap labor in Asia perform your task for less money.

Did anyone ever tell you that if it wasn’t for outsourcing you might not have a job? Did anyone ever tell you that the underwear, shoes, jewelry and hundreds of other items you own would cost much more if it wasn’t for outsourcing? Probably not.

Sure, many tasks are being sent overseas. Why? Just because it is cheaper? No, because the manufacturer that item had to do it in order to be able to compete with other companies making a similar product. If your company or any company cannot remain in business then they will cease to exist and you will be out of a job. As a former manufacturer I will tell you it is dog-eat-dog out there and every company is doing its best to maintain sales and profits. The company did not go into business to make products and give you a job; they went into business to make money and if they can’t do that they (and you) will be gone.

Profits is not a dirty word. Again if it wasn’t for profits you would not have a job. The guy who owns the small business or the thousands of stockholders who own the big companies expect that company to make money or they will sell their shares and you will be gone too.

When you work for someone you want to do everything possible to contribute to their bottom line. Turning of the extra lights, keeping your machine properly maintained, getting a shipment out to a customer even if it means staying a few extra minutes and many other little things that you know better than I.

Until about 1975 we did outsourcing and no one objected to it. The widget manufacturer stopped making screws and bought them from the guy across town or in the next state who made exactly what he wanted and at a price cheaper than he could produce them in his widget factory. Now we buy the screws from China and India at a price that is half or less than those made in the USA. If not each widget might cost dollars more and be enough to lose business to a competitor. If the widget company did not outsource there could be a strong possibility they would go out of business. Outsourcing is not a U.S. phenomenon. It is happening to Canada, Germany, Japan, England, France, Australia and many other countries. Even Mexico is losing jobs to Asia because they can produce the same quality goods and services delivered here for less.

Outsourcing is not only here to stay, but is going to expand as competition becomes even more fierce.

Copyright 2005

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