corporate governance

"The Corporate World" what a term! It is so. These large companies are like little countries. They have their own laws, rules and standards. The hierarchy is fascinating. It's a necessity so there is order and coordination between the differing departments all with there own jobs/tasks/procedures. Inherent and built in to this hierarchy are many flaws. The social division seems to me to be the basic reason for any or all of these flaws. This division is struck across lines of salary and education. People who have degrees naturally feel elite compared to those who do not. People who are salaried also tend to look down on the hourly worker. Now a days we have the contract or part time worker which has become the new under class. Delegation of work is encouraged. The lower levels of the work-force invariably get strapped with the lion’s share of the tasks. Dependent on the productivity of these workers is the evaluation of the upper management abilities. In some states where the workers are not considered valued people on a responsible social level the penalties for low productivity are damaging and harmful. The consequences are frequently dismissal from the corporation without proper encouragement or training. This makes for a transient workforce that migrates from corporation to corporation with no chance of a dignified retirement. Upper management meanwhile continues to insulate himself or herself from the bulk of the workforce. This further causes them to lose site of their responsibilities to address workers respectfully and honorably. Here is an example that I would like to share from my personal experiences in the medical community. Look in the parking lot. The nurses and the allied health people all drive middle class cars but the management teams always drive really nice new cars. The charges for health care are out of the realm of reality. No one seems to have an answer for why that is but it's obvious. The upper-management teams of the hospitals, insurance and pharmaceutical companies have separated themselves socially from the bulk of society and greed has infected them. They have no compassion or reservation for raising the rates and prices and they stuff their bank accounts with the profits. The universities and the colleges have made matters worse because they have encouraged a "club" mentality a standard of entitlement. This is so insidious and hidden in the exclusive terminology and languages they use to converse and ply their trade. So people come out of the educational system with a ruthless attitude and a business like self-righteousness. This evolves eventually into an out of touch, upper management, corporate type royalty. There is little conviction of their responsibility to a generation that needs their expertise to help them have productive meaningful lives. Instead everyone else is looked at as a burden and/or asset to be taken advantage of, or used. Eventually if this is not addressed and seen as a problem our society will be severely and adversely damaged. I'm hoping these words will expose the flaw and produce a spark for a good change. I'm concerned however that my observations will be labeled as counter productive and incorrect. I know I'm right though. The evidence is everywhere, from the higher fuel prices to the cost of housing and land. Of course the cost of drugs and alcohol hasn't changed much. Perhaps if people stay "under the influence" they won't notice. edeichinger2006, 

 Lackner’s research http://www.thebreakthrough.org/blog/2008/03/ from_synthetic_trees_to_carbon.shtmloncarbon