A Better Way to Learn?

Andrological and Pedagogical Training Differences for Online Instructors presents an insightful alternative to traditional training methods for the self-directed (usually adult) student.

Firing People Raises Morale ?

In response to Carlton Vogt's post in Enterprise Ethics Weblog about the HP layoff of thousands of employees, this came to mind...

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

What's the incentive for mass firings?

(1) Large short-term reduction in costs which usually increases stock price which attracts more investors and increases net worth of stock holders and makes personal profits if liquidated.

(2) Any negative repercussions of the firings is usually short-lived. Morale plummets initially causing reduction in individual productivity (which is not perceived by management since the massive numerical increase in productivity caused solely by fewer people now responsible for doing more work dwarfs it). However, without more layoffs, the remaining workers lose their fear of "being next" after a few weeks. That's when a trickle of new hiring begins which is hyped extensively, internally and externally, to show the company's new found "strength". Over a year or so, monthly figures are released showing "new job creation". In short, the one-time massive layoff was largely to allow the company to show months of "growth".

(3) Undesirables can be purged without following disciplinary procedures.

(4) The company can call itself "lean and mean" which somehow is considered good nowadays despite the fact that, in nature, "lean and mean" would usually describe an animal that is starving and desperately attacking anything and everything they encounter.

Hmmm...

Perspective

Father, this latest leader of theirs greatly disturbs me.

How so, My Son.

He claims to know The Absolute Truth in all things -- "from the highest authority" -- and has half the population believing him.

Worked for you didn't it?

Perspective

Touch is the most universal and most powerful of all senses.
Beauty is the most desired of all virtues.
Intimacy, the most cherished of all relations.
Why then does The Church restrict, demonize and vilify these things that are so good, Father?

How else would they get any work done?

Perspective

I see they're at it again, Father.
Why do they hurt each other?

Fear.

Of what?

Of each other.

Perspective

Watching them again Father?

Endlessly fascinating aren't they My Son?

I suppose.
A pit of cobras is fascinating too... as long as you're not in the pit.