Termyn8or
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Joined: 11/12/2005
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So now I am the first repondent to your thread, so there !
I used to say that there are two sides to every story, but often there are more. Wears my fingers out.
Either Nokia or it's parent company is no doubt publicly traded. As such, if they find a way to make more money they are bound to do it or risk the consequences.
It is very rare that I would recommend a movie, other than things that are totally off the wall, but most people would find Other People's Money w/DeVito quite enlightening. In it there is a truly likable character with a successful business. Actually they might have done well without ever going public, but noone really knows, the fact [in the story] is that they did.
The company had some land holdings and practically no debt load. As such it became a prime target for a leveraged takeover, which is exactly what happened. It is a fine illustration of the way business is done today. That is the best way to describe it because it is fiction. They did a damn good job at holding the viewers' interest about a subject that would seem so mundane. But those who are interested in what is happening in the world could find it quite interesting.
If I were the guy who lost his business, I would have become not so likable in a hurry. Every dirty trick was used to wrest control of this business, but he refused to engage in such things, I suspect he might have been religious, I dunno. But as the result of him not playing dirty the plant was closed by the new management. Workers who had been there decades, some had become friends, all lost their jobs. In this world only the strong survive when it comes to business, and there is another fact. If a competitor beats you to the punch in a cost saving manuever, you are no longer competitive.
If you were to happen to have significant holdings of Nokia stock the other side is easy to see, with any luck in a year or two hopefully you'll see an increase in dividends.
But I am not saying it is right, I am saying that the system, the way business is done and stocks traded and such forces these actions. I do not like seeing every "good" country lose all of it's manufacturing base to countries simply because they have a large, cheap, labor pool. That is what it is called, a labor pool, and in the boardrooms they figure out ways to take a dip, that is their job.
I would be the first to advocate a change in this situation, but honestly I can think of no way to make the transistion sufferable. It would be hard. I mean I am not stupid, but I just can't think of how to do it without serious consequences to the world economy. I have figured out problems to things that would put hair on your chest, curl it, and take it off in one fell swoop, but on this one I draw a blank. Perhaps someone who knows more than I will ring in with some ideas. I regret that I have none.
As far as the boycott goes, I don't think it is going to have all that much impact. Boycotting is a Jewish invention, and quite old. In days past, many times there were Jewish neighborhoods, or areas. By word of mouth they would spread it around and the entire community would cease buying a certain product, or more buying from a certain company or individual.
It is a powerful and useful tool when the people have solidarity, especially in the past when alot of businesses were locally owned. Thus they were vulnerable. Today though I have doubts about the effectiveness of a boycott for two reasons. Time will tell in the Nokia case, but my prediction is that it is going to happen as planned and Nokia will be looking for translators.
Germans are known to have some solidarity, and loyalty. At least that is the impression I get. But can they cost Nokia the entire German market ? I doubt it, for 2,300 jobs in a nation of how many millions ? I don't doubt that in the local area of that plant closing, Nokia dealers might as well close up shop or find another vendor for their phones. But what portion of Germany will that affect ?
And even if they cost Nokia the entire German market, it's a big world. Germany is not the only place they sell Nokia products. In fact there will most likely be a market opening up in the new country ! All of these things have been considered in the boardroom.
So, unfortunately the boycott, even if it ever becomes a real boycott, is not likely to have any great impact on Nokia.
Haliburton moved to Dubai, they make so much money off the US it is much more scathing than Nokia's move. I would like to find out what gasoline and other products are made from the oil that they overcharge for every day and never buy any of them again. Even if that were possible, it would have such a miniscule impact it isn't worth it.
Even if all Americans simply stopped driving and we reduced our oil needs to near zero, there are plenty of countries that will buy it. Huge markets like China, Russia. Well Russia does have it's own oil, but if the price is right they will buy it. Right now the price isn't right though, but that is only because they got us over a barrell (take the pun if you want to).
Which brings us to the radical part. You did expect the usual radical part I hope.
I wish US Citizens had solidarity. Even if I could take over the media and get the word out I doubt a boycott would work here. But if someone could get it together and get people to say, get everything they need for like three to five days, and for those days do not leave the house, do not go to work, do not buy ANYTHING. If that were to happen it might have an impact, but it never will. I don't think there has ever been a boycott on that scale, and my hopes are not high. People will not even stop buying toys with lead poisoning in them ! I swear if they didn't take them off the shelves some people would still buy them.
As far as people switching to other brands than Nokia in Germany, even entire companies who provide phones for their employees, and who knows what other losses they will incur, this has all been calculated. Once the numbers say that they will make enough more money, even in the light of the cost of public opinion in a certain region, they are gone.
Simple as that.
I wish it was different but it is not.
T
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anti nokia backlash grows in Germany - 
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