Sunami - Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Sumatra - 26 Dec 04
#16
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BBC Estimate now 12000 dead
More than 12,000 people are known to have died after a massive underwater earthquake sent giant waves crashing into coastlines across southern Asia.
Full BBC Coverage:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/...er/default.stm
Full BBC Coverage:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/...er/default.stm
#18
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Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint is that a number of companies have outsourced call centers and BPO centers to the worst affected regions in Tamil Nadu and I fear that absenteeism will be heavy on Monday with the corresponding ripple effect on commerce. Already the local market call centers based in the region are operating well below capacity and that will only get worse as the international business day in Europe and North America gets underway. Alas, I think this incident might just prove once and for all that Indian workers cannot be relied on and will lead to a large scale exodus of outsourcing from South India.
#19
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint is that a number of companies have outsourced call centers and BPO centers to the worst affected regions in Tamil Nadu and I fear that absenteeism will be heavy on Monday with the corresponding ripple effect on commerce. Already the local market call centers based in the region are operating well below capacity and that will only get worse as the international business day in Europe and North America gets underway. Alas, I think this incident might just prove once and for all that Indian workers cannot be relied on and will lead to a large scale exodus of outsourcing from South India.
Cheers
Thomas
#20
Join Date: Oct 2002
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B747-437B - did you REALLY mean to write what you wrote?
I suspect that a lot of people in Tamil Nadu won't be at work today for the simple reason that they are dead. Or injured. Or traumatised after seeing a loved one swept to their death. In the next few days we will undoubtedly see a lot of people take time off work to attend funerals. I wouldn't call this "absenteeism".
9/11 caused a lot of business disruption too. No one ever suggested after 9/11 that New York wasn't a suitable centre for business, or that American workers cannot be relied on (if someone had I'm sure they would have been lynched!). Why use this tragedy as an attack on India and the Indian people?
(As it happens I don't like this outsourcing to India either - but it would never have occurred to me to use this tragedy as an argument for closing down Indian call centres!)
I suspect that a lot of people in Tamil Nadu won't be at work today for the simple reason that they are dead. Or injured. Or traumatised after seeing a loved one swept to their death. In the next few days we will undoubtedly see a lot of people take time off work to attend funerals. I wouldn't call this "absenteeism".
9/11 caused a lot of business disruption too. No one ever suggested after 9/11 that New York wasn't a suitable centre for business, or that American workers cannot be relied on (if someone had I'm sure they would have been lynched!). Why use this tragedy as an attack on India and the Indian people?
(As it happens I don't like this outsourcing to India either - but it would never have occurred to me to use this tragedy as an argument for closing down Indian call centres!)
#22
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint is that a number of companies have outsourced call centers and BPO centers to the worst affected regions in Tamil Nadu and I fear that absenteeism will be heavy on Monday with the corresponding ripple effect on commerce. Already the local market call centers based in the region are operating well below capacity and that will only get worse as the international business day in Europe and North America gets underway. Alas, I think this incident might just prove once and for all that Indian workers cannot be relied on and will lead to a large scale exodus of outsourcing from South India.
#23
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Well, our intepid FT QF Board member, Press Photog, got the call up to fly to Phuket to cover this story yesterday.
He should have arrived by now, so we are hoping he will post at some stage with news.
He should have arrived by now, so we are hoping he will post at some stage with news.
#24
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint
Alas, I think this incident might just prove once and for all that Indian workers cannot be relied on and will lead to a large scale exodus of outsourcing from South India.
I believe your comment is a knee jerk reaction without having a lot of thought behind it. How did New York react after 9-11 after the loss of two iconic buildings, 2000+ lives and so much intellectual capital?? It cleaned up and got on with the business of commerce, with companies creating new offices, hiring new people and getting on with it.
I think you owe the people affected by the tsunami an apology and a retraction...
#25
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Originally Posted by QF WP
I think you owe the people affected by the tsunami an apology and a retraction...
#26
Join Date: Sep 1999
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If you feel so inclined, http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ (Medecine sans Frontieres) are already set up to send medical personnel to the worst hit areas (unfortunately, in most of those areas, medical services are already stretched under normal conditions) and it's possible to make a credit card donation directly online. I mention MSF because I've read a bit about this organization, and they seem to be very effective (less than 15% of their budget goes to admin. and non-service related expenses), but I'm no way associated with them. If you know of other similarly worthy organizations, please post their web site here.
My thoughts go to all those who have lost family, livelihood or both.
My thoughts go to all those who have lost family, livelihood or both.
Last edited by honu; Dec 27, 2004 at 4:07 am
#27
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint
What a despicable thing to say
#28
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I trust the comment by B747-437B was a "in the heat of the moment" piece of typing without the usual degree of prudent consideration before hitting the "submit" button.
In my work place, if the family life of staff members is not in order, the business life will never operate correctly.
In my work place, if the family life of staff members is not in order, the business life will never operate correctly.
#29
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint is that a number of companies have outsourced call centers and BPO centers to the worst affected regions in Tamil Nadu and I fear that absenteeism will be heavy on Monday with the corresponding ripple effect on commerce. Already the local market call centers based in the region are operating well below capacity and that will only get worse as the international business day in Europe and North America gets underway. Alas, I think this incident might just prove once and for all that Indian workers cannot be relied on and will lead to a large scale exodus of outsourcing from South India.
I for one certainly would not want to have my posts moderated by this person (anymore).
#30
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
Tragic as the deaths may be, the bigger hassle from a business standpoint is that a number of companies have outsourced call centers and BPO centers to the worst affected regions in Tamil Nadu and I fear that absenteeism will be heavy on Monday with the corresponding ripple effect on commerce. Already the local market call centers based in the region are operating well below capacity and that will only get worse as the international business day in Europe and North America gets underway. Alas, I think this incident might just prove once and for all that Indian workers cannot be relied on and will lead to a large scale exodus of outsourcing from South India.