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Remember MA Bell?ATT?Bell LAbs?
I`m a retired 3rd generation in the old Bell System, dating back from 1930 when my grandfather started. I started in 71 with NJ Bell, and was given an offer in 2003(at age 49) by Verizon. Of over 30 relatives in the Bell System, only 2 have been able to retire. Most of them were ATT, and were laid off at one time or another. One even got SOLD to IBM. This was after the senoir staff suddenly got transferred on Friday, and Monday they were told they were sold and can`t come back.
I guess the point I`m trying to make is I watched ATT work layoffs for 20 years, finally leading to their demise. I worked in both Corporate headquarters of ATT and could see the rat race they caused, cut throat as hell. Once people focus on surival, you can forget any worthwhile business plan. This also leads to management watching out for #1 and destroying many people and business relationships in the process of trying to make themselves look good.I witnessed similar layoffs in Bell Labs.
Being a tech I worked in 10s of thousands of businesses over the years. These are just two of the worst examples I can think of, but I saw many others lead themselves down the road of self destruction.
The employees should be any company`s most valuable asset, yet most are treated as a liability.This has also led to another side affect, this new generation of worker who couldn`t care less about the company and only worries what is in it for him. Dinosaurs like me who worked for the same company for over 30 years are a thing of the past.I read somewhere that the kids toady will do at least 5 career changes in their working life.
From what I gathered here, it seems HP is going down a well worn road. I wonder if they`ll see their own graveyard among all those in that graveyard. I doubt it.
Posted by: OldTimer1   Posted on: 07/19/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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Unemployed and living in California  Roger Ramjet | 07/19/05
Quite a testament to failure  Protector | 07/19/05
failure may be innocent - corruption is not  dmennie | 07/25/05
why?  cedes@... | 09/02/05
Half true  mabricen | 07/19/05
IT Industry Had Better Watch These Mass Layoffs  itanalyst | 07/19/05
14,500 less people fueling the economy  Protector | 07/19/05
not quite....  Levelhead | 07/19/05
Current Corporate Mentality  lchurch2@... | 07/21/05
Catch-22  jjjslater@... | 07/20/05
Shrinking Their Way to Success?  PMC-CON | 07/19/05
Yes, But Would You Have The Guts To Lay Off 14,500?  itanalyst | 07/19/05
They need to snap  thirstydog@... | 07/19/05
These CEOs don't have a conscience  ebrke | 07/20/05
Remember MA Bell?ATT?Bell LAbs?  OldTimer1 | 07/19/05
Thanks for Sharing Your Example  PMC-CON | 07/19/05
True, how true.  jelloslug | 07/20/05
Me first in America  Yenelli | 07/21/05
Success  SC-man | 07/19/05
Very good point  GoPower | 07/19/05
Layoff = Bonus  Art Royce | 07/19/05
I knew some IDIOT would bring MS/Gates into it...  John Zern | 07/19/05
Redmond and Issaquah  Yenelli | 07/21/05
Microsoft hired.  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
But the same company is guilty  Linux User 147560 | 07/19/05
Does Hurd work for HP or is it IBM & Dell  Old-DEC | 07/19/05
Yet yesterday ......  Linux_4u! | 07/19/05
Are You Serious??  itanalyst | 07/19/05
Here ya go  Real World | 07/19/05
15 mil  SC-man | 07/19/05
schools and what they teach  russell858@... | 07/19/05
Funny you should mention Harvard.  enduser_z | 07/19/05
Little Correction  bka1959 | 07/19/05
BOYCOTT HP PRODUCTS  itanalyst | 07/19/05
I'm with ya on this one  Protector | 07/19/05
It's not the CEO...  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
Doesn't Matter, CEO Pays The CIO's Salary  itanalyst | 07/19/05
CEO's make more than CIO's.  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
NO MORE HP  IT-sys | 07/19/05
Funny HP Door Prize - 8M(!) USB Flash Drive  PMC-CON | 07/19/05
That's funny  akishet2004 | 07/20/05
Boycott HP  aforencich | 07/20/05
Brother is by my side  akishet2004 | 07/20/05
If Anyone Wants To Contact Mark Hurd And Give Him Your Two Cents  itanalyst | 07/19/05
Letter I Just Sent To Mark Hurd  itanalyst | 07/19/05
Like he's goingto read it  thirstydog@... | 07/19/05
Great letter  BXLE | 07/20/05
Letter I Just Sent To Mark Hurd  ew0k1 | 07/20/05
hit the nail on the head  pesky_z | 07/19/05
HEY!! I think we're on to something here ...  Eggs Ackley_z | 07/19/05
Idealist?  mabricen | 07/19/05
Typical Lib Response.  richardpor | 07/19/05
Yeah, And How Long Do You Think He'll Last Before He Tanks The Company?  itanalyst | 07/19/05
Longer than six months...  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
What savings?  ExCorpGuy | 07/20/05
You're almost completely right...  Anton Philidor | 07/20/05
Typical blind meme. Here's the sad reality so drop the politics:  HypnoToad | 07/19/05
What hogwash!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
And every time they vote for Bush.  Atlant | 07/20/05
Politics Again -- Never See Cons Complain?  PMC-CON | 07/19/05
Fun Factoid Of The Day  itanalyst | 07/19/05
An excellent move...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
Nice try, Ax  Real World | 07/19/05
You almost got it...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
No sir, I got it  Real World | 07/19/05
Gee, have you seen their financials?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
So you propose what?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
You have to put it in perspective for them  John Zern | 07/19/05
If they had their life savings invested...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
If my life savings were in HP stock...  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
As per usual, you're missing the point  Real World | 07/19/05
Made the case to who?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
Message has been deleted.  itanalyst | 07/19/05
What planet do you live on?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
Making an assumption.  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
Not true at all Anton...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
You're talking about business strategies...  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
Re: Assumption  BXLE | 07/20/05
You're right.  Anton Philidor | 07/20/05
Stockholders are not the company...  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
In a weird way yes...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
How do these shareholders communicate?  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
Anton:  Real World | 07/20/05
In theory, companies care about long-term...  Anton Philidor | 07/20/05
Message has been deleted.  itanalyst | 07/19/05
And probably the very thing that will kill  ebrke | 07/20/05
What really toasts my nuggets  Justcauz | 07/20/05
nice call adolf  toxicfreak | 07/19/05
Excellant?  BXLE | 07/20/05
old days  flatworlddf | 07/20/05
Something are wrong  mabricen | 07/20/05
Making such desions are very, very tough.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
Understood, but...  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
Time is money...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/19/05
More accurate scenario  Anton Philidor | 07/19/05
Who says they haven't?  zspai | 07/20/05
agree  flatworlddf | 07/20/05
HP vs Institutional Investors  Freeloading | 07/19/05
cuts in service  pfs_inc | 07/19/05
no problem  pesky_z | 07/19/05
M$ have problem with sales  toxicfreak | 07/19/05
**** hit the worng button  toxicfreak | 07/19/05
10.0 -- Mike Cox Look Out!  PMC-CON | 07/19/05
A different perspective  akrman | 07/19/05
Typical Corp Greed  doctordawg | 07/20/05
Re: Typical Corp Greed  BXLE | 07/20/05
Turd as leader  flatworlddf | 07/20/05
Not surprising  systemBuilder_z | 07/20/05
Fiorina killed the HP Way, so watch out!  theoldman59 | 07/20/05
If everyone on this board...  elliemk@... | 07/20/05
Wrong way forward  heystoopid | 07/20/05
New Bosses Always Say Restructure  grinnerwolf@... | 07/20/05
but: Right way backwards ? (nt)  michael_t | 07/21/05
We can change a world getting smaller in a global economy  erdeckys@... | 07/20/05
Flat World/Sales  flatworlddf | 07/20/05
Globalization 3.0 of the individual  erdeckys@... | 07/20/05
x-box vs. study  flatworlddf | 07/20/05
Must agree  theoldman59 | 07/21/05
Another Case of Corporate Greediness  rdelaplaza-at-hotmail.com | 07/21/05
Looking back  mrobzo | 07/21/05
I wonder which HP MODEL they used ? .... (nt)  michael_t | 07/21/05
Vista....  docare69 | 07/22/05
Best Headline I've Read In Years!! - Kudos!!  mmorrison@... | 07/25/05

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