Stupidity....was: Friedman's "World is Flat" outsourcing book

On Mon, 18 Apr 2005, Tim Keating

I think Tim Keatings analysis is correct....but just today my issue of CIO magazine came in the mail slot and in it is a big article on how Bush needs to appoint a technology czar (because China is pouring all this money into education, industry, development, etc., and we need to match that). The article starts on page 51 (its the April 15, 2005 issue, and I think they are on line. I have two comments.

First, its amazing that all this complicated, managerial machinations are being presented as a solution when the real problem is that China (and the other BRICs) have cheap labor. THAT is the major factor. But, how many articles are written which focus on that problem? Very few.

Second, this article reminds me of the Micro Computer Consortium started some, what, 15 years ago and headed by Bobby Inman (from NSA), and started as a strategy to deal with Japan! Remember, it was them that blew away our electronics, cameras, etc., industries (which are now largely in China etc)? The MCC failed mainly because the members of the consortium, who were big corporations and were supposed to help fund and benefit by jointly funded research also were too selfish and too secretive to make meaningful contributions. Eventually, the MCC was shut down. The Japanese counterpart was MITI which, perhaps in Japanese culture, was more successful but other componenets of Japanese business practices managed to keep OUT US inroads to their system (protectionism, built-into their society).