WDW IT Layoffs 1/30/2015

[ford91exploder]

I understand what a lot of you are saying. I'm in the middle of all of this in my role anyway. Look at it this way. What is WDW's mission? I'm going to make one up.

WDW's mission is to provide the best entertainment, lodging and theme park experience in the world at a cost most people can afford which will bring value to our stockholders. ​

OK. So where is IT in that? Well, that's not what they do. So they decide to get another company to do that, bring in Infosys, or Tata, IBM, Dell Services, somebody. This displaces a lot of people, but WDW focuses on it's mission. Does this save them money? Probably not. Sometimes it's more expensive to outsource. What it does is keep the employees focused on the mission. It's why a lot of companies do this. IT companies will handle IT while you focus on your primary business.

So sorry you see IT on par with janitorial services, Good IT is the DIFFERENCE between market leaders and also rans, Where do you think Amazon would be without a world leading IT organization or even WalMart there is little magic in trucks and warehouses however managing the data that efficiently gets product from vendor to customer is priceless and that difference is IT.

Heck look at Disney MM+ is now central to the park experience and you want to OUTSOURCE that!

 

[ford91exploder]

Do you think Disney will eventually just settle behind closed door's?

Nope this has gotten too big for that, If Disney loses the H1B program itself is in danger.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Do you think Disney will eventually just settle behind closed door's?

They'd be foolish not to try. But it all depends on how vindictive the plaintiffs are. The relevant question would be are they more interested in (a) money, or (b) making things miserable for Disney?

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I understand what a lot of you are saying. I'm in the middle of all of this in my role anyway. Look at it this way. What is WDW's mission? I'm going to make one up.

WDW's mission is to provide the best entertainment, lodging and theme park experience in the world at a cost most people can afford which will bring value to our stockholders. ​

OK. So where is IT in that? Well, that's not what they do. So they decide to get another company to do that, bring in Infosys, or Tata, IBM, Dell Services, somebody. This displaces a lot of people, but WDW focuses on it's mission. Does this save them money? Probably not. Sometimes it's more expensive to outsource. What it does is keep the employees focused on the mission. It's why a lot of companies do this. IT companies will handle IT while you focus on your primary business.

Legally speaking ... if Disney was controlling the decisions of the outside vendors, they are culpable. The law is what it is. It's very easy to prove if it is explicit control; far less easy if it was implicit.

 

[ford91exploder]

They'd be foolish not to try. But it all depends on how vindictive the plaintiffs are. The relevant question would be are they more interested in (a) money, or (b) making things miserable for Disney?

I'd say B because Disney effectively blackballed the Employees represented in the suit, That was a BIG mistake.

 

[GrumpyFan]

It seems from the standpoint of those suing, it might be difficult for them to prove Disney's intent on this. And, with the swarm of lawyers they have at their disposal, I have to wonder if there's even chance these guys are able to win.
I'm curious too, when is the Labor department's findings due, and what will the punishment be, IF they are found in violation?
Regardless, I wish these guys luck in the suit. From an outsider's perspective, it just sounds like there was a serious wrong committed, and they should be required to compensate.

 

[righttrack]

So sorry you see IT on par with janitorial services, Good IT is the DIFFERENCE between market leaders and also rans, Where do you think Amazon would be without a world leading IT organization or even WalMart there is little magic in trucks and warehouses however managing the data that efficiently gets product from vendor to customer is priceless and that difference is IT.

Heck look at Disney MM+ is now central to the park experience and you want to OUTSOURCE that!

I am IT. It's just the way the world works now. It's an outside service now, rather than a core service, except for those companies whose business is IT.

Architecture, design and business/IT connection is retained by these successful companies, but most services are commoditized and outsourced. It's the way the economy works now. Disney was certainly one of the last.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I am IT. It's just the way the world works now. It's an outside service now, rather than a core service, except for those companies whose business is IT.

Architecture, design and business/IT connection is retained by these successful companies, but most services are commoditized and outsourced. It's the way the economy works now. Disney was certainly one of the last.

You're exactly right. I'm seeing it in my company as well. It's basic rules of business, all about trying to cut costs or find a more efficient way to make it all work. About half of our North American jobs have been "off-shored" in the last 5 or so years to lower cost countries and providers who are about 1/3 the cost. Mind you, we haven't brought in outsiders to replace existing jobs, but when a position in North America is opened due to someone leaving, they're quick to look at lower cost countries to fill that gap. I've done my best to fight for onshore replacements, and fortunately I oversee some unique (antiquated) systems that it's hard to find reliable resources for, but even harder to find them in other countries who are focused on newer technologies and systems.

 

[flynnibus]

It will come around... eventually companies will see the error of their ways. When the world is moving more and more towards being digital and agile... you aren't going to get ahead with cookie cutter, inefficient, ineffective outsourced services without solid leadership.

The idea we are an on-demand economy for everything just won't work for those looking to stand out from the pack. Eventually they'll get it...

 

[righttrack]

It will come around... eventually companies will see the error of their ways. When the world is moving more and more towards being digital and agile... you aren't going to get ahead with cookie cutter, inefficient, ineffective outsourced services without solid leadership.

The idea we are an on-demand economy for everything just won't work for those looking to stand out from the pack. Eventually they'll get it...

I don't think so. The jobs that are outsourced are gone forever. Those services (base infrastructure, web, server management, maintenance programming) are all made more efficient elsewhere by the outsourcers. There are new tech jobs all the time however, in the US. Big data, data science, analytics are huge.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't think so. The jobs that are outsourced are gone forever. Those services (base infrastructure, web, server management, maintenance programming) are all made more efficient elsewhere by the outsourcers. There are new tech jobs all the time however, in the US. Big data, data science, analytics are huge.

The reduction in effective service and customer sat will not be tolerated by the 'next guy' who isn't going to settle for the crap company that caused him/her to leave the last company. The tide will not turn at the last company, but at the next company that will eat the old one alive.

 

[righttrack]

The reduction in effective service and customer sat will not be tolerated by the 'next guy' who isn't going to settle for the crap company that caused him/her to leave the last company. The tide will not turn at the last company, but at the next company that will eat the old one alive.

It's been well over 15 years for most large companies who have had their IT outsourced. Nobody is going back. They just manage their contracts better, and replace the crap outsourcers with better ones.

 

[ford91exploder]

It's been well over 15 years for most large companies who have had their IT outsourced. Nobody is going back. They just manage their contracts better, and replace the crap outsourcers with better ones.

You mean the large companies which will be forced out of business by smaller more nimble organizations who own their own IT infrastructure,

The key difference in outsourcing vs internal is goals alignment, An outsourcer's goal is to deliver the smallest amount of service for the money paid, A good internal group wants to add value to the companies bottom line by reducing friction in both customer facing and internal systems.

 

[flynnibus]

It's been well over 15 years for most large companies who have had their IT outsourced. Nobody is going back. They just manage their contracts better, and replace the crap outsourcers with better ones.

Don't confuse 'support' or call center with all of IT. Ops, Design, Innovation, etc are all elements people used to contract out thinking it's not a core competency of their organization. And those companies struggle to innovate in the digital frontier.

 

[Phil12]

The plain fact is that people that make their living from IT think that the world revolves around their skill and they want it to be the centerpiece of all operations. The rest of the corporation realizes that IT is a tool that can be more efficiently operated by outsourcing. IT is like a password. Make it secure and change it often.

 

[flynnibus]

The plain fact is that people that make their living from IT think that the world revolves around their skill and they want it to be the centerpiece of all operations. The rest of the corporation realizes that IT is a tool that can be more efficiently operated by outsourcing. IT is like a password. Make it secure and change it often.

Way to go Scrooge - you'll be passed by those you dismiss because they realize these things should be assets - not simply expenses.

Differentiating works by leveraging your strengths - not by optimizing things down to the common denominator.

Imagine what Amazon would be if they just treated logistics, warehousing, and web dev as just services someone can do for them cheaper as an outsource.

 

[danlb_2000]

Way to go Scrooge - you'll be passed by those you dismiss because they realize these things should be assets - not simply expenses.

Differentiating works by leveraging your strengths - not by optimizing things down to the common denominator.

Imagine what Amazon would be if they just treated logistics, warehousing, and web dev as just services someone can do for them cheaper as an outsource.

But logistics, warehousing and web dev are their core business. Just like there are 1000's of small e-commerce companies out there that do no do their own web site or fulfillment but just focus on their products. There are times when it makes sense to outsource things that are not your core competency, the trick is to know when to do this and when not to.

 

[Phil12]

Way to go Scrooge - you'll be passed by those you dismiss because they realize these things should be assets - not simply expenses.

Differentiating works by leveraging your strengths - not by optimizing things down to the common denominator.

Imagine what Amazon would be if they just treated logistics, warehousing, and web dev as just services someone can do for them cheaper as an outsource.

 

[ford91exploder]

The plain fact is that people that make their living from IT think that the world revolves around their skill and they want it to be the centerpiece of all operations. The rest of the corporation realizes that IT is a tool that can be more efficiently operated by outsourcing. IT is like a password. Make it secure and change it often.

Don't confuse 'support' or call center with all of IT. Ops, Design, Innovation, etc are all elements people used to contract out thinking it's not a core competency of their organization. And those companies struggle to innovate in the digital frontier.

Yes they do, An outsourcer does not care if your web presence or ability to accept payments is down as long as they are within their SLA it's not their problem. If your SLA is 99% availabillity well your SLA has not been broken till you are down 3.65 days per year. If that happens to be during the holidays well tough on you. Your outsourced service provider is still in compliance with their contract.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Nope this has gotten too big for that, If Disney loses the H1B program itself is in danger.

Wasn't it Ted Cruz that proposed a minimum wage on H1Bs at 100,000. Companies in real need can still get them and the undercutters get their knees whacked.

Sounds fair.