An article back in 2016 titled, “Out with the industrial economy, in with the service economy”, talked about the recovery from the last recession. Referencing a book written in 2010, they quote, “a shift from an economy based on making things to one that is increasingly powered by knowledge, creativity, and ideas” (As if the two were mutually exclusive). They assert we mass produced ourselves into having everything we need and now we have evolved into a society of primarily needing services.
They cited the trends of product saturation, information technology, and urbanization as the reasons for the rise in services.
- “……… products, we have found, not only make life easier, but can also be a burden. When you own a house, you have to spend money to fix the roof or the plumbing. Where’s the fun in that? And moving can be a big hassle when you have a truckload of stuff to lug along with you.”
- “This digital revolution is ushering in new ways to deliver, combine, and mix up services ……. streaming music …………. renting strangers’ apartments or cars by the day, negotiating bargain prices from airlines ……….
- “…..there is an increasing trend toward urbanization. ………. We are becoming an urban society and living more urban lifestyles. ……… Why are people moving to cities? Because cities are where the action is. There are more jobs—and more kinds of jobs available in cities …… the job in the city pays more. ……… And the more highly skilled you are as a worker, the more you stand to gain financially by moving to a large city. ……………. cities become more attractive to companies, too, because that’s where the skilled workers are. Cities pack a lot of people and businesses into a relatively small space, which is good for services companies in several ways.
Well how is that working for you now?
In light of the COVID-19 epidemic, who is out of work and who is still on the job providing essential work?
Many, including myself, have been singing the praises of the front line medical people like doctors and nurses, EMTs, law enforcement, pharmacists, grocers and necessary retail workers.
Not that we’re already used to flying under the radar, but who hasn’t been mentioned until now, when the THINGS those service providers need run short.
Who just now got singled out , asking for their help, MANUFACTURERS! The industrial complex is all of a sudden being recognized as that place where all those THINGS that the service providers use, originate from. And they need more, and they are asking OUR highly skilled workers and engineers to figure out how to get them more of what they need.
The most ironic part of the article I read, quoted the author of the book they referenced.
The whole approach of throwing trillions of public dollars at the old economy is shortsighted, aimed at restoring our collective comfort level. Meaningful recovery will require a lot more than government bailouts, stimuli, and other patchwork measures designed to resuscitate the old system or to create illusory, short-term upticks in the stock market, housing market, or car sales.
WOW, sounds a lot like what they are doing to salvage our SERVICE economy as well.
When you start thinking about what type of career your children and grandchildren should plan, remember back to this time. Who was essential, and who was sitting home. The working includes, healthcare, transportation/trucking, trades, MANUFACTURING, food production.
Oh, and thank a manufacturing person if you get a chance. Among a great many things, they’re manufacturing replacements for all the masks, gowns, and toilet paper you used up.
PlastiCert’s coworkers are proud to be continuing to report for duty every day and serve our customers. Providing them needed thermoplastic components and assemblies in the US and around the world.
(PlastiCert understands that this issue is cause for concern to many, and we offer our deepest sympathies to any that have already been affected. PlastiCert is included in this with immediate family members in healthcare and social work having been tested. Be assured that our leadership will continue to make decisions with the health and well-being of our members, customers, employees and communities as our highest priority.)