Ireland should be run by a company like Google!

Fat Nav · 05-11-2013 01:25AM

Mardy Bum wrote: »

I have a feeling we would be complaining just as vociferously. CAOs of multinationals get paid far more than any public service will pay. Its hard to really say for certain how the country is doing now compared with 2008 but we should know in five years time as hindsight is 20/20

Don't get me wrong, I believe this government is better than the last shower and are doing their best but its just not enough by a long way.

I certainly would be happier paying top dollar to whoever could do the job properly and paying big bonuses to them for delivering on their mandate instead of paying people well for basically doing feck all except looking out for their own interests.

Hopefully in 5 years time we are all in better positions please god

April O Neill · 05-11-2013 08:27AM

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Ye that's right, all big corporations pay nothing towards society. I'm willing to bet google pay more towards irish society than you ever will

Considering USC revenue is pretty much neck-in-neck with corporate tax revenue, you'd be very wrong there. Add on the other employment and personal taxes and Irish citizens are contributing far more to society by a country mile. Now, I'm aware that corporations are providing employment, but up that ol' corporation tax rate and they'd be goneski!

Kettleson · 05-11-2013 09:20AM

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Senior civil servants do the job you are ascribing to MOL already. You m
ay want to change them first. The politicians didn't write the property tax letter. The hullabaloo about it was comical also especially the TDs who said they couldn't read it. They should be the first for the chopping block.
We need a much greater social and cultural change if we want to change politics and the management of the country.

Senior Civil/Public Servants are not impartial enough to do the job right. Their positions are compromised. Yes they need to go. That needs a hatchet Man/Woman.

Permabear · 05-11-2013 09:59AM

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April O Neill · 05-11-2013 10:12AM

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

I don't think she's criticising that part. Just all the nauseating bullshít that surrounds it in Google.

April O Neill · 05-11-2013 10:13AM

Sunglasses Ron wrote: »

As always, despite its rep, the DM has more details than any other outlet.

That's why it's so popular, we know they'll dish the dirt.

Tom · 05-11-2013 10:18AM

The first thing any CEO worth his salt would do when taking over a new company (or country in this case) is strip out the unprofitable parts of the company. First to go would be the west of ireland - sold off to the highest bidder for scrap. A good deal of the midlands would be next - outsource it to India. By the end of it all Ireland would be an office building in the IFSC with the head office in the Caymans to save on tax.

Sunglasses Ron · 05-11-2013 10:19AM

April O Neill wrote: »

That's why it's so popular, we know they'll dish the dirt.

It has a agenda but it amazes me how people refuse to acknoledgw it is the worlds most concise news source.

Its analysis is ****e.

Its columnists and contributors are brutal.

The sport section, in terms of football at least, is a load of made up **** about non existent transfer negotiations and managerial sackings/ hunts.

But as for actual, raw, unopinionated news, there really is nobody who covers as much.

April O Neill · 05-11-2013 10:25AM

Tom wrote: »

First to go would be the west of ireland - sold off to the highest bidder for scrap.

I dunno, the western seaboard from Donegal all the way down to Kerry comprises the most beautiful part of the country, which is very valuable to us. :pac:

Tom · 05-11-2013 10:29AM

April O Neill wrote: »

I dunno, the western seaboard from Donegal all the way down to Kerry comprises the most beautiful part of the country, which is very valuable to us. :pac:

Some of the most beautiful parts of the world imo - but how much revenue does it pull in

Sell it to Disney - they're great at making theme parks and would make it much more profitable.

Fussgangerzone · 05-11-2013 10:31AM

Deadly, we can all work 60 hour weeks.

05-11-2013 10:37AM

"I tell you who we should get - that fella in Anglo, Sean Fitzpatrick. Sure that bank is flying lads! He's making a fortune, and so are the ballsy people investing with him. THAT'S the kind of entrepreneurial type this country needs at the helm"

Joking aside - that was the kind of thing people would tell you with a straight face about 6 or 7 years ago.

As for Michael O'Leary. If he was in charge, the property tax letter would have gone out telling you to pay by Ryanair credit card on the 1st Novemeber. Using any other credit card would cost €10. Late payment would incur a charge of €40. All payments must be made online, no alternatives. There would be no phone line or department you could call. You wouldn't be moaning about how hard it is to get them on the phone, you just would not be able to. Full stop.

And people want that???

05-11-2013 10:37AM

A company =/= an economy =/= a country

There is a local election due next year - if you get an opportunity challenge those going for election on whatever topics interest you - an engaged electorate can only be a good thing.

Jimoslimos · 05-11-2013 11:34AM

You mean like a company, that with the exception of a re-badged laptop and phone, doesn't actually produce anything tangible for export. A vastly over-valued company with a grossly inflated stock market share. Bubble anyone?

Sounds like Ireland has already tried that approach.

Fat Nav · 05-11-2013 12:40PM

As for Michael O'Leary. If he was in charge, the property tax letter would have gone out telling you to pay by Ryanair credit card on the 1st Novemeber. Using any other credit card would cost €10. Late payment would incur a charge of €40. All payments must be made online, no alternatives. There would be no phone line or department you could call. You wouldn't be moaning about how hard it is to get them on the phone, you just would not be able to. Full stop.

And people want that???[/QUOTE]

If O'Leary was in charge and ran the country like Ryanair we would soon see the benefit's .
It seems to me the Revenue are taking a leaf out of O'learys book with the property tax .

1. looking for next years property tax this year if you want to pay by cheque or debit/credit card.

2. If you don't pay they will take it from your dole or wages etc whether you can afford it or not .

3. Late payments will cost you far more than the €40 Ryanair would charge.

4. Im sure revenue wont be behind the bush taking people to court for non payment.

Its all 20/20 vision now and a bit late but what Icelands government did when their banks collapsed was the right thing, jailed the bankers and bailed out its citizens.

SpaceTime · 05-11-2013 12:43PM

You can't run a country like a company.
Countries run for reasons other than shareholder profit and companies are essentially run as dictatorships by a board with employees who are motivated to be there by being paid.

It just wouldn't work.

Also Google's successes are based upon very innovative technology and huge market investment in it. Google's organisational structure may have little to do with their success.

Without the search engine technology and Android (which they acquired) I'm not sure how strong Google would be.

What it does show though is the extreme importance of technology led innovation.

Kettleson · 05-11-2013 12:48PM

SpaceTime wrote: »

You can't run a country like a company.
Countries run for reasons other than shareholder profit and companies are essentially run as dictatorships by a board with employees who are motivated to be there by being paid.

It just wouldn't work.

Agreed, however there should be a balance of the two.

Government ministers and their cronies, were making fiscal decisions out of personal interest. That must never happen again.

We need shrewd, experienced, unbiased financial know-how, and not attacking soft targets like taxing Pensioners and so on.

SpaceTime · 05-11-2013 12:51PM

What we need is a transparency placed on a constitutional level so things like the Freedom of Information act can't just be watered down.

There also needs to be a lot more accountability in the public service. I don't really think having this Yes, Minister model where the bureaucracy operates without any public oversight is great at all.

We tend to distribute the responsibility in such a way that nobody is responsible for anything.

AlanG · 05-11-2013 01:06PM

Democracies are about protecting the weak from the strong. Most countries in history have been run like Google or any large corporation – those who are of use to the people at the top get lots of benefits and those who are a burden are removed. It does not generally end well for society.

Fat Nav · 05-11-2013 01:20PM

SpaceTime wrote: »

You can't run a country like a company.
Countries run for reasons other than shareholder profit and companies are essentially run as dictatorships by a board with employees who are motivated to be there by being paid.

It just wouldn't work.

Seems to me this country was run like a company for years and a very badly run one at that.
If this country was run as a properly managed company for the benefit of the country and its citizens surely it could only be a good thing.
The country at the moment is run by a government with one man calling the shots (sounds like dictatorship to me) and has a group of TD's hand picked by him sitting at the board table with civil servants working for the government as the employees and im sure they are just as motivated to be there by being paid.

The SVDP is a charitable organisation but is run as a not for profit company to help those most in need so could we not have something like that rather than a google type company Surely

Valmont · 05-11-2013 01:41PM

If Ireland is going to be run like Google does that mean we can choose to not interact with it? To not pay their taxes or follow their rules? When an institution has easy money from taxation, all incentive to behave efficiently like an actual business goes out the window.

Fighting Irish · 05-11-2013 03:16PM

April O Neill wrote: »

Considering USC revenue is pretty much neck-in-neck with corporate tax revenue, you'd be very wrong there. Add on the other employment and personal taxes and Irish citizens are contributing far more to society by a country mile. Now, I'm aware that corporations are providing employment, but up that ol' corporation tax rate and they'd be goneski!

lol

foxyboxer · 05-11-2013 03:27PM

Google = Globex

You just know behind the innocent and friendly front they put on that they're secretly trying to take over the east coast of america.

April O Neill · 05-11-2013 03:29PM

Fighting Irish wrote: »

lol

I know, RIGHT?

Kettleson · 05-11-2013 03:38PM

Google hasn't got a patch on Big Pharmas exploitation and global manipulation/financial stranglehold on the total world population and its health.

Fussgangerzone · 05-11-2013 03:44PM

Kettleson wrote: »

Google hasn't got a patch on Big Pharmas exploitation and global manipulation/financial stranglehold on the total world population and its health.

So, you're saying we should run the country like Big Pharma™ ?

hansfrei · 05-11-2013 03:47PM

Kettleson wrote: »

Google hasn't got a patch on Big Pharmas exploitation and global manipulation/financial stranglehold on the total world population and its health.

Our government supports that, don't think Google does. The two of them do support shadow banking. Much worse in terms of inequality.

Agricola · 05-11-2013 03:51PM

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

F7ck no. From what I know about the place it's a highly competitive working environment where people are nearly afraid to go home in case someone else gets ahead of them. And most of the people it employs are hipster w&nkers. All of those companies that go on with the 'our staff work in jeans and we have a playstation lounge!!!' are just sucking in the weak minded, that's corporate codswallop. They exist to make a PROFIT!!! And they employ the young, well educated and articulate - where would most of the population fit into this new Utopia?

And I would HATE all that enthusiasm - all those articles you see with smiling young Googlians with their lovely Italian skin and bright Danish smiles, gushing about how wonderful the place is, like Benetton models on crack. Gives me willies.

You can keep your poxy Google.

I agree. The fake crazed smiles and enthusiasm would wear me out too. I worked for an American tech company that was very much Google lite. All chillout zones complete with big couches and consoles and the "we all work together, who needs a union" mantra. Delve alittle deeper and you see that you were micromanaged to within an inch of your life, performance stats were your daily rituals and you'd in down in HR for being 1 minute late!

Its a very American approach, bread and circus management. Distract the employee enough with big TVs and a good canteen and they'l do anything for you. It obviously works for a well educated young workforce and Ive seen it work at the other end of the scale too. Not for me though.

Sonics2k · 05-11-2013 03:53PM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

You mean like a company, that with the exception of a re-badged laptop and phone, doesn't actually produce anything tangible for export. A vastly over-valued company with a grossly inflated stock market share. Bubble anyone?

Sounds like Ireland has already tried that approach.

Google also provides Fibre Broadband in the US, Google Glass, moving into Smart-watches and also self-driving cars, as well as a few other "tangible" things. Obviously not including the healthcare plans and devices they're working on too.

Google has gone a bit beyond a standard Internet Search company like Yahoo! and Alta Vista.

Kettleson · 05-11-2013 03:59PM

Fussgangerzone wrote: »

So, you're saying we should run the country like Big Pharma™ ?

Well I'll certainly be needing some ankle bite ointment if I hang around here much longer. A tube of " Be Reasonable Cream" might come in handy too.

Ireland should be run by a company like Google!

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