Sep 11, 2006 4:29:19 PM cite

Thougths touching on different aspects: Capitalism and its colden cow - the stock exchange - (any many people dance around it) - has created a system where money is valued more than people. It's not about profit anymore, it's about MORE profit. The original idea of profit was to reward the owner for his entrepreneural risk taking. I have the feeling that we lost this idea. Now it's not about reward, it's about competition, about higher, bigger, the most. At any costs. With the lost of the close ties between local companies and their direct influence in society I think we've lost the direct connection between our actions and the consequences for them. Anonymous CEOs driven by fear (losing job, dignity) and/or greed (having lost dignity and looking for payoff) float through a quarterly world of reports by anonymous analysts. They don't feel, they don't bear the consequences of their doing and their decisions anymore. When money is the only value that counts we all are losing. When money can free people from carring the consequences of their actions we all are losing. When money is used as a subsitute for dignity we all have lost.

by madhu

Sep 11, 2006 2:47:20 AM cite

Come on, Marx did already answer this questions...

by LabMonkey

Sep 10, 2006 4:04:15 PM cite

I see all this economical nonsense and being a teen who is about to step into life I won't get into dependence of these companies. There are enough, and usually even more pleasant jobs, that maybe don't pay off so much but isn't happiness also a factor. I hope these developements will encourage people to think about whose companies they will buy products from and maybe a social network that is morally intact and respects peoples beliefs. This is the time it's possible to change something if the people want it.

by Tantegans

Sep 9, 2006 7:42:29 PM cite

The purpose of Allianz is to yield its shareholders some return. It is to provide me as a customer an insurance that is not overpriced. I cannot see any single requirement that would justify a social responsibility of Allianz In fact I have a relative working at Allianz and what I hear I interpret as she is heavily over paid and under utilised. As a customer I really do not want to continue paying for her.

by Mr Process

Sep 9, 2006 7:02:35 PM cite

...a good running company, let`s say a fast food restaurant. And you would need, let`s say 3 waitors to do do the job - would you hire 5? Companys serve the general public the best when they try to be as efficient and profitable as possible. Profits will always be reinvested in any way - and will therefore create (more efficient!) jobs anywhere else. Hard for the individual, indeed - best for commonality.

by maccom

Sep 9, 2006 5:37:13 PM cite

Money has no intrinsic value, bankers create money out of thin air yet charge mathematically unsustainable compound interest to people, governments and businessess. People are collectively participating in a system that is enslaving them. www.seek2know.net/money.html

by Atma

Sep 9, 2006 4:11:56 PM cite

Allianz will fire 10000 workers to increase its profit since the must satisfy their shareholders. From a local point of view this might seem socially irresponsible but if you take a look from a global view you will see that: Satisfying shareholders will increase share-prices and dividends. Therefore funds and savings of people and institutions will grow. The economy will benefit. If you save your money for retirement you will have some sort of fund or life-insurance (maybe by Allianz) you expect and demand good performance. Therefore you demand profit of the companies you have invested in. Therefore you maybe demand firing 10000 workers.

by ArthurDent

Sep 9, 2006 3:28:21 PM cite

I am an M.Sc. in Business & Administration and maybe I can help out answering that question. First, you should look at the Allianz company in an abstract way. There is CEO Michael Diekmann and he wants to keep his job. Now his investors tell him that even though Allianz made a huge profit, there are other insurance companies worldwide, which are even a little bit more profitable. So, if he doesnt try erything to win the competition against the other insurance companies, those investors threaten to move their money to the other MORE profitable insurance companies. And whats the result? Due to the pressure of his shareholders, Mr. Diekmann rather releases 10.000 employees that loosing his investors - and his job. Dont get me wrong: I totally deny these management ways, too. But if you know how the system works, you might understand that human beings with human motivations make the decisions. And sometimes these motivations are focused on their individual benefit. The Allianz CEO doesnt want to loose his high paid job just because he saves other peoples jobs.

by 10823berlin

Sep 9, 2006 2:59:32 PM cite

How many peoply would buy a product for 100 Euro.. if they could buy it for 20 Euro????

by shybyte

Sep 9, 2006 2:41:00 PM cite

I mean really and truthfully. Is there anyone around posting to this thing. This could be HUGE! I would think that the peopel around the table would be posting to this or something. Anyone got closeup video or sound to the dialogue?

by newhaventeacher