dispatches from the new world of work

No Surprise!

We are speechless at the ability of China to use/exploit its bottomless labor pool. Well, guess what. Just like the U.S.A., the UK, Japan and the rest of the developed world, as Chinese workers prosper, they want what all who have come before them want. This quote from a worker in an FT (0601) article, "Chinese Workers Swap Angst for Anger":
"We're different from our parents' generation. Their wishes were simple—earn some money and return to their hometown. We want to stay in the cities and enjoy our lives here. But we demand respect."

Chapter & verse & punctuation marks, that's what our (USA) workers said in, perhaps, the 1930s, eh?

Tom Peters posted this on 06/04/10.

Comments

"We're different from our parents' generation."

Words such as these always get me thinking about this ancient wisdom about young people who rattle cages.

Tom – just a thought - maybe Socrates takes your crown as the first management guru :- )

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 4, 2010 11:54 AM

Tom, I believe American workers are saying the same thing today in the light of the unholy manipulation of markets, finance and offshoring that has demonstrated a bankrupt "leadership" cadre showing them no respect while enriching themselves. Corrupt leaders have ethics too -- robber baron ethics!

Posted by Randy Bosch at June 4, 2010 12:31 PM

Ooops!! - sorry - forgot the Socrates words!! - Apologies - he will forgive me I'm sure!

We're different from our parents' generation."

Words such as these always get me thinking about this ancient wisdom about young people who rattle cages:

“Our youth love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, and disrespect for their people. Children nowadays are tyrants. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble their food and tyrannize their teachers."

Socrates
469–399 BC

Tom – just a thought - maybe Socrates takes your crown as the first management guru :- )

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 4, 2010 12:46 PM

So people put out of work today can expect to get a descent job in 20 years.

What a kind sentiment

Posted by zorro at June 4, 2010 2:23 PM

Fascinating. Does that mean that China will follow US historical patterns? Probably not exactly, but it sure shows similarity between generational behavior regardless of where you are.

Posted by Dag Nybo at June 5, 2010 8:54 PM