And beside of these, to be convinced that your action is with large social benefits and the democratic society worth this, not only how much money I gain if I do this? On the other world, a society based on 10 God orders in much more worth full than a society based on 10 God orders and also on the 10 opposite God orders, specially due to money need, I may say terrorism? To make maximum profit from terrorism? So, better society would be beneficial for work ideals and quality and we can not underestimate the above.

SUGGESTION: FIRST QUESTION TO BE: DO YOU FOLLOW ONLY 10 ORDERS OF GOD? DO YOU,SIR? With deep respect and consideration, Constantin ROBITU

The constant mantra being hammered into employees is "profits must grow!!". The employees may ask "Why? When its salaries and benefits are shrinking, its market shrinking, its product deteriorating, shouldn't profits be expected to suffer a bit also?"

It seems to me that everyone, be they investors, shareholders, employees or managers want more not less. Employees want more benefits, better working conditions, better pay, better pensions. Investors want bigger profits and better rates of return on their money, managers want better performance from their staff and better productivity so they can earn bigger bonuses and, last but not least shareholders want bigger dividends and higher stock prices. There is only ONE way to ensure all of that is possible and that is to bake a bigger cake.

Unfortunately most unions and management battle each other for a bigger share of the same cake. If someone gains the other loses and there is no practical way to rationalize all of these competing interests if the cake is the same size. The only way for everyone to have better anything is for the size of the cake to get bigger.

That is precisely the problem. No-one appears to want to work to make the cake bigger.

To make bigger cakes needs more investment money to buy more materials, better baking practices and equipment to make the cake baking more efficient, better managers to manage the baking process and employees dedicated to baking the best cake they can possibly make and selling it to willing cake consumers.

I read a recent North American study that indicates that one out of every two employees is disengaged from their work (read could not care less about the job) and is looking to go else where.

That hardly bodes well for North America to make bigger and better cakes now does it. Sadly for the Western economies we have developed an "entitlement mentality" that has many people convinced that you can get what you want without working hard or producing more or better products. Just ask for more money and carry on doing what you were doing before. Better salaries, benefits and pensions do not come out of thin air and they certainly do not come from doing as little as possible. They come from the work of people and they come from putting capital to work efficiently.

Unless we do both investing and working a whole lot better everyone's "entitlements" to good pensions, good investment returns, good wages and good health care will disappear as we collectively squander what previous generations have worked so hard for.

Many members of the modern work force appear to believe that working hard at ones job - whatever it is - is somehow a mugs game. Similarly (and much more troubling) is that many modern day investors think that making a fast buck is preferable to investing for the long term to build businesses.

Both are completely wrong and the result of this collective stupidity (aided and abetted by politicians who promise what cannot be afforded) can only be increased borrowing to pay for the entitlements mentality.

Sooner or later the creditors (China, Saudi Arabia, India) will come calling and all will find out soon enough what they are really entitled to for a lifetime of laziness.

The American and Canadian dreams are on life support with no doctor in sight.

Malcolm

Why should shareholders have any expectation of making more when the products are crap and the market is shrinking. Generally those problems are mirrored in the stock price and shareholders do indeed take a beating on the stock price if companies perform badly. Investors are not obligated to invest in any business and likewise employees are not forced to work for their employers. They can both leave any time.

Unfortunately employees rarely get to communicate to shareholders directly and it is the CEO's job to communicate to employees and shareholders. Frequently that communication could be a whole lot better.

I am a supporter of more employees becoming investors in the companies that employ them. That way employees get to see the results of poor and good performance in a very direct way. Indeed as the number of employees shrinks as a result of automation and intelligent computers, employees will have no other option than to become investors as it will be the only way left to make a living.

Very good discussion.

Malcolm

I know Westjet the Canadian Airline has exactly this philosophy and I fly with them all the time because the service is first rate and the employees top notch....a stark contrast to Air Canada where it always seems like the people had to be dragged out of their beds to work. I do not know what structure Westjet has set up for Corporate ownership by employees but it sure seems to be making a difference.

With most Corporations abandoning their pension plans and very few offering any form of ownership it is no surprise that employees have no attachment or interest in the Companies that employ them other than a pay cheque.

As I have noted in other posts i think the days of "the job" are numbered in our society as intelligent machines take over more and more of the work of humans. One of the reasons for the so-called "jobless recoveries" from recent recessions is in part due to automation so I see a day in the not too distant future when the job as we know it no longer exists. We all need to become investors since the notion of employment will be a thing of the past and an employee a rare breed indeed. Malcolm