Hello Mel [Krimel mentioned] --
Not for profit operations often operate less efficiently and squander any chance of surplus and returns less if anything to community.
[Krimel]:
This is not only wrong it is down right offensive. Non-profits tend to be mission driven. Unlike for profits they have a purpose for existing beyond the mundane profit motive. They have Values. Some non-profits like the Salvation Army, the Red Cross or even the Catholic Church have assets and annual budgets in the billions of dollars. Others like small business are run by well meaning people with high ideals and little administrative ability. Like entrepreneurs these too can fail.
Blanket labeling again! "High ideals" are to be found in ALL sectors of the business community, whether they make a profit for their investors or operate as non-profit organizations. I can't speak for charities, but my business experience includes several industrial advertising agencies, a PR firm, two electronic equipment manufacturers, and a major chemical corporation. While the profit motive was evident in all these associations, so were business ethics and the rule of advancement on merit. By the way, none of these firms was unionized. (I say this because I suspect that those ensconced in the ivory towers of academia view the "captains of industry" as ruthless money-seekers who have no regard for their employees.)
I also worked for a nonprofit (non-charity) national research organization for 12 years, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career. ECRI was headed by a physician, who also served on the board of Consumers Union, and it provides liaison between hospital purchasing departments and the medical equipment industry. For a yearly fee, purchasing agents obtain assistance on order placement and pricing information on pharmaceuticals, radiation and surgical/therapy devices, and patient equipment such as orthopedic beds, stretchers, wheel chairs. This saves them bundles of money, prevents purchasing errors, and alerts them to new FDA regulations. ECRI's technical reports are held in high esteem, and the medical suppliers are most cooperative in seeing that we got reliable data. The firm owns its own building in the suburbs, operates openly and democratically, and rolls all income over into projects involving new product evaluations. It was an ideal first job for anyone just graduating from college or for individuals (like me) with some medical knowledge, an ability to write, and experience working with sales reps.
Mel, if you're looking for organizations that squander money and ignore efficiency, check out the government bureaucracies. When bureaucrats are allowed to operate on an unending supply of taxpayer money, they have no incentive to economize or maintain high ethical standards. Since almost half of America's citizens are govenment workers, you can probably get a comparative report from your next door neighbor. When Obama becomes president, we'll all be working for the government.
Regards, Ham Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
