Job Pump Inc.: Another reason for fast drain of jobs from America

[lostnfound]

Working as I do in Purchasing for a fairly large US corporation, I've been confronted recently with offers from major "management consulting" firms to contract for their services in 'global outsourcing'.

Were we to sign on, they'd make a list of every little thing that we currently buy to run the business, and they would identify sources in China, Singapore, Eastern Europe, and Mexico who can make it cheaper. They presented a lovely little chart that showed labor rates in the US at $20 - $30 per hour including overhead vs $1 - $3 per hour including overhead in China.

They do all the hard stuff. Identify, translate, qualify, negotiate, etc. Gosh, wouldn't it be irresponsible of me not to take them up on it? It could save our company money, and we're running losses now.

The road to hell is paved with consultants. The giant sucking sound that Perot warned about years ago is automated, catalyzed, by these specialists. How long will it take before US labor rates match Mexico's, if not China's?

[brokensymmetry]

1. Not long. Not long at all, I fear.

And with that, comes the end of the American middle class. From that will evolve a stratified society. And from that...the end of the American dream?

Unintended consequences...

[NMDemDist2]

2. with no middle class, there will be no one to buy the corporate

products. Do they not see if they gut the middle class, they have no consumers to consume?

[lostnfound]

3. Short-term, selfish interests prevail. And no "altruism".

If everyone else is doing it, one company's principles won't uphold the middle class all by itself.

[yankeedem]

4. Let's outsource "management consulting firms" first

I hear MBA's in India make $5/hr.