The Entitlement Generation 18

[controlnovice]

I'm seeing this a lot in our engineering co-op students.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/the_entitlement_generation

I'm trying to figure out when this generation started? I'm at the very tail end of GenX, but certainly don't feel entitled. Born '67.

 

[epoisses]

You talk like capitalism has just been invented today. It hasn't, it's been around for years. And it does not mean mercilessly milking your employer, customer, supplier or whatever - experience shows that that is not a viable long-term strategy. People will not do any business with or employ anybody who milks them. Cynism will get you nowhere. "Tit for tat" is more helpful.

 

[moltenmetal]

All engineers need to demand proper compensation for their efforts. If engineers are willing to work for free it's no longer a profession.

Proper compensation means a level of pay which is commensurate with the demands of the job in all respects: educational requirements, personal responsibility and liability, compensation for extra effort, recognition of creativity, innovation and extra effort, and the contribution of the work toward the company's bottom line.

If you want to donate your services, there are numerous worthy volunteer agencies out there. Don't donate your time to profitable corporations people- you're just ripping off your fellow engineers.

As far as dedication to an employer is concerned, what goes around comes around. Treat me with respect and I'll give you respect. Keep me on when things are slow, invest in my continuous learning and offer me opportunities for growth and advancement ALONG WITH a fair compensation scheme which respects my contribution to the company and I'll give you my very best effort. Treat me as a commodity and lay me off when the economy takes a downturn and I'll leave the minute someone else gives me a better offer.

 

[2dye4]

epoisses
I am not sure i agree with you. I think it does
mean mercilessly milking your supplier,customers,
employees.
If as an agent of a company are you making deals with
others that are not the most optimal financially with
respect to the companies needs are you not giving away
the companies money??

I think the long term concern for a supplier is consistant
with the view of milking the supplier. The art of it is
to extract as much value without killing them if you do
not have any other suppliers that can fill in.

Likewise with employees. Pay them only enough to get them
to come to work regularly.

If you read the last line in my post I also do not think
this is a sustainable solution but so much is being made
of this practice it may be a while before a wiser version
of greed is commonplace.
A wise man I knew once said.
"Allways let the other guy make some money in a deal"
Troble is today the only value many can add is through
an extractive process.

not marx

 

[epoisses]

"If as an agent of a company are you making deals with
others that are not the most optimal financially with
respect to the companies needs are you not giving away
the companies money??" - Certainly. But one should always make a deal with the next deal in mind.

I think your theory is valid for a situation in which a supplier or an employer has a monopoly position. But if the customer or the employee has a choice, trying to milk them will put you out of business real fast.

My bank is trying to milk me. Unfortunately, all French banks follow your strategy. Everybody knows it. Everybody hates them. I'm staying with them for the time being, grudgingly. I make as little use of their (paid) services as possible. What will happen is predictable: a customer-friendly and cost-effective bank (foreign I suppose) will set foot here in the very near future and will gain millions of customers from day 1 including me.