People as a competitive weapon
In an age when services can be provided from anywhere in the world, what
can justify a difference in wages? Only quality of service.
Developed countries have (relatively) high wages. If they do not provide
more value to the customer, in an international market-place, what is the inevitable
consequence?
People are a competitive weapon. We are in the era of the
knowledge-worker.
What does it take to be a knowledge worker? People who do the work knowing
what matters to their customers, developing a
relationship with their customers, seeing their purpose in customer terms. People who do
the work knowing how well they are doing and having the means to improve what they are
doing - having control over their work, not being
controlled.
It is impossible to develop knowledge workers in a 'command and control' system.
Tom Peters argues:
Companies now need to learn to improvise, to look at business in totally
new ways. In countries which pay (relatively) high wages, the only way to compete is to
provide 'high-value-added' services. He says we should focus on the "wow" side
of products or services.
This can only be done through people.