comand and control

In command and control companies everything is outsourced. An example of this is Dell computers. Today, most companies, including Dell, are no longer self-sufficient. They receive all of their parts from different companies. "Globalization has given us super-corporations such as Dell who have vast networks that span the entire globe (Stephanie)." Most of these companies rely on third world companies where they can get a high amount of production done, for cheap. Even when you call up technical support, you are reaching someone in another country who does not work directly for Dell. After reading the essay, “unmade in America: the true cost of a global assembly line,” I have come to realize just how many companies depend on outsourcing. The author states many problems with our economy relying on other countries. One major problem that the author draws upon is “how are these companies going to keep their production lines running if the supply key component were suddenly cut off?”

If this were to happen would it send our economy on a spiral down? I understand it is hard for companies to keep up with the fast pace of others. They are always trying to out beat each other, to prevent themselves from going under, or being bought out. I am sure it is hard to survive. It seems like a lose-lose situation. Nicole made a good point when she said, “One needs not look further than September 11 to see how one instance of less than 20 minutes could complete shut down an entire means of completing the production of goods.”