The IBM Lesson: The Profitable Art of Full Employment, by D. Quinn Mills (HC, 1988, $2)
"IBM found that by standing by their people they were actually protecting their profits. The bottom line is that people who are part of the corporate culture are valuable assets, and by reallocating those people instead of firing them, IBM has prepared itself for the next movement in the industry as a whole."
Those were the days. Ten weeks ago IBM announced a large "resource action". Some of the people "RA"ed had worked for IBM for 20 years. Call it "Reduction in Force", "resource action" or a lay-off, the employee is still left without a job. Sure sounds to me like being fired.
On the other hand, if a company doesn't adapt, it won't be able to compete. Life in 1988 is not life in 2012. Remember the way things used to be. It can be found on the new non-fiction table, avail. 5/27. (L-fin)
