AIG

[classicman]

What drives innovation? What gives people the desire to achieve, to overcome to bust their asses for 80- 100 hours a week and take all the risks needed to be successful?
Greed seems like the simplest answer to me. Can we somehow control that while not stifling it? THAT, I believe, is the challenge faced. Especially with so much global competition.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by classicman

What gives people the desire to achieve, to overcome to bust their asses for 80- 100 hours a week and take all the risks needed to be successful?

If by "successful" you mean having lots of stuff, then it's advertising.

Oh, and a small-ish penis.

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by Brianna

If by "successful" you mean having lots of stuff, then it's advertising.

Oh, and a small-ish penis.

[classicman]

Whew

[sugarpop]

Originally Posted by classicman

What drives innovation? What gives people the desire to achieve, to overcome to bust their asses for 80- 100 hours a week and take all the risks needed to be successful?
Greed seems like the simplest answer to me. Can we somehow control that while not stifling it? THAT, I believe, is the challenge faced. Especially with so much global competition.

Not really. Most executives could learn a lot from Steve Jobs. He is like the anti-business businessman. According to him, he usually does the opposite of what they teach in business schools these days. And Apple is #1 on the list of most respected/innovative corporations, both in the states and worldwide, according to Forbes.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by sugarpop

According to him, he usually does the opposite of what they teach in business schools these days.

That's fortunate, considering what is taught in business schools is crap of the first order.

The corporation I work for won't hire an MBA. Everyone in management is some form of chemical engineer. But it's not an American company, and is thus not quite as stupid.

[TGRR]

Originally Posted by classicman

Greed seems like the simplest answer to me. Can we somehow control that while not stifling it?

Yes, it's called regulation. And it worked just fine from the 30s until Carter and all the dumbfucks after him.

[tw]

Originally Posted by classicman

What drives innovation? ... Greed seems like the simplest answer to me.

Great innovators are not driven by greed. Yes, they want to be justly compensated later. But when working with those driven to innovative, greed is obviously a least significant factor. Accomplishment is the driving force.

Use Einstein as an example. Or Bill Gates. Or Bill and Dave (Hewlett and Packard). In every case, challenge and accomplishment was the overriding objective.

In studies, what was the number one reason for working? Satisfaction. Income was number three. World's greatest innovators are driven first and foremost by the challenge and resulting accomplishment.

Why are the most successful major companies lead by some of the lower paid executives? How to find a company most likely to be in trouble? Its executives are the highest paid. They are greedy rather than accomplished. Therefore they neither do nor promote innovation. Those most driven by greed tend to be the greatest enemies of innovation.