35. Business relations are infected through and through with the disease of short-sighted motives. We are so concerned with immediate results and short-term goals that we fail to look beyond them.
Assuming that the term business relations can refer to the decisions and actions of any organization―for instance, a small family business, a community association, or a large international corporation―explain the extent to which you think that this criticism is valid. In your discussion of the issue, use reasons and/or examples from your own experience, your observation of others, or your reading.
I agree with the speaker that decisions and actions of businesses are too often infected by short-sighted motives. Admittedly, attention to immediate results and short-term goals may be critical, and healthy, for survival of a fledgling company. However, for most established businesses, especially large corporations, failure to adequately envision the long-term implications of their actions for themselves and for others is all-too common and appropriately characterized as a disease.
The business world is replete with evidence that companies often fail to envision the long-term implications of their actions for themselves. Businesses assume excessive debt to keep up with booming business, ignoring the possibility of a future slowdown and resulting forfeiture or bankruptcy. Software companies hastily develop new products to cash in on this years fad, ignoring bugs and glitches in their programs that ultimately drive customers away. And manufacturers of inherently dangerous products cut safety corners to enhance short-term profits, failing to see the future implications: class action liability suits, criminal sanctions, and shareholder revolts.
Similarly, businesses fail to see implications of their actions for others. Motivated only by the immediate bottom line, movie studios ignore the deleterious effects that movie violence and obscenity may have on their patrons and on the society at large. Captains of the energy industry pay lip service to environmental ramifications of unbridled energy use for future generations, while their real concern is with ensuring near-term dependence on the industrys products or services. And manufacturers of dangerous products do a long-term disservice to others, of course, by cutting corners in safety and health.
In sum, I think the criticism that businesses are too concerned with immediate results and not concerned enough with the long-term effects of their actions and decisions is for the most part a fair assessment of modern-day business.
Heads I win, tails you lose
Keep his feet to the fire
Deer in headlights?
Written all over it?
All comers?
Manufacturing hits brick wall
Straws in the wind?
Victory lap?
Look the other way
Always on the outside looking in?
Leaving it at that
Rubbing it in
Stay the course?
Small beer?
Have baggage?
Forks in the road?
A qualified ‘yes’?
A no-brainer?
Don't expect anyone to cut you any slack
No strings attached?
Safe and sound?
Get it out of your system
耶鲁校友谈美国老师的教育方式
Ahead of the curve?
耶鲁校友支招 如何选择国外院校(二)
Off and on?
Ripple effect
The penny has dropped
Off the table?
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