The Cluetrain Manifesto: The end of business as Usual, Chapter 5

Library Reference: none

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Cluetrain-Manifesto-End-Business-Usual/dp/0738204315

Learning Expectations:

            Based on Chapter 5, I expect to learn how hyperlinks threaten the functionality of hierarchies inside a fort business or inside a company. I also expect to learn how connection and communication with each other controls the effectiveness and efficiency of the workers.

Review:

            Companies in the world today are building forts or establishments that lets them control everything inside it and sometimes even outside their perimeter walls. They control a lot, from the performance of their workers to the people going inside and out their fortress. They don’t want any problems popping out somewhere they don’t expect that is why they are preventing employees from having a conversation to people outside the walls during work time. Supervisors in a company also don’t want any distractions or interruptions to their employees to become much efficient and effective like robots. The production of a company should be quick and fast and also in masses to have a lot money go back to them. They push their workers for the big increase on profits, which in a way is kind of selfish.

            People inside companies or organizations had made the org chart. It is information regarding about the things that determine who’s the big boss and who’s to work for. It also tells the employees what to do and how to do it inside the borders of the makeshift castle. Employees within a company are arranged and managed how they will do their jobs. Their performance should be coordinated with the others to produce an effective and efficient product. This is sometimes unproductive because the true expertise of some employees aren’t used to where it should be used.

The hierarchy in a company is shaped like a cone because it narrows as people go along upwards. The bottom starts as flat as possible and a lot of people reside in this area inside a company. These people are those who are new or just starting to work their way up the hierarchy. The people on the top of the hierarchy are those who control everything in the company. They are those who establish themselves as the best and claims that they are the kings or queens of the company. The hierarchy is also the way how the employees would know what they would do. It is also the way on how the employees could get information and establish their goals inside the company. The deadlines of the products or projects are the measuring stick of the integrity of the company. That is why employees work their asses off just to make the deadline and keep the reputation of the company as high as possible to avoid loss of clients. Professionalism is also looked at the employees to determine whether they are worthy to go up the ladder of hierarchy or not. Dressing in a corporate way is only one of the ways employees should do to have the right to go up the hierarchy.

There is a force that the fortress of companies is having problems with, and it is the hyperlink or connection. It is a force to be reckoned with because not only it can change how the employees think but it can also change the whole company whether it may be positive or negative. Connections of people are somehow a problem for a company because this group of people can do something to the company in a big or small way. Either of these two outcomes will make a change inside the company which is something the people from the top of the hierarchy don’t want especially when the company is running stable and flat. These changes could make or break the company which is why companies don’t want any changes within their make shift castles. Hyperlinks are disregarded because they are not organized. They are messy and sometimes uncontrollable. But despite of these things, employees need something to release their hard works and temper. Employees can release their displeasure through the internet and connect to other people.

The internet having the connection of people around the world is used by people mainly to converse and communicate with others to release some steam from all the works they have done inside the companies they work for all day. The connections between the people make new ideas and give people knowledge they need and want to do their job much effectively and efficiently.

Fortunately, some companies today are breaking their walls down and letting their company and employees communicate with each other and let them connect with each other. This connection is making a lot of changes within the company. Customers or clients are telling the marketers what they want and need ahead of time for the marketers to know what they should do. Even before the companies would release some new products, they are rest assured that someone will buy their products. The customers that they had talked to and gave the information they need would be the ones who would buy the products because the things that they need and want are inside the products that the marketers made for them.

Lessons Learned:

            I have learned that people having connections with each other can really change how people communicate with each other. They can break the walls down a company and let the employees know what they want and need.

            I also have learned that hyperlinks can also disrupt the hierarchies working in a company. People in a hierarchy are afraid of changes that may be present in their company due to the connection their employees are establishing with the customers.