Customer Reviews

Corporate Executions: The Ugly Truth About Layoffs -- How Corporate Greed Is Shattering Our Lives, Companies, and Communities

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Alan Downs knows whereof he speaks when he details the rationale, strategies, and methodology of corporate downsizing in the 90's. His spellbinding expose is written from the standpoint of a converted "corporate reconstructionist," and he pulls no punches. He takes you behind the scenes, into boardrooms, managerial conferences, and strategy meetings, in which employees are little more than pieces of play on a game board, manipulated by corporate henchmen in an attempt to drain every last drop of profit from an undervalued workforce. Mr. Downs' insightful, caring treatment of the workers' modern day employment dillemma both comforts and informs. If nothing else, the reader leaves with a greater understanding of why he or she has been buffeted about in the economic storm that has characterized the greedy 90's. Such understanding allows the victim of a layoff to salvage an othewrwise devistated sense of self worth, knowing that they are not alone -- that the fruits of "profits before people" ideology are widespread. Corporate Executions is also recommended to the thoughtful exec who realizes that short-term profits derived from a decimated workforce are over-shadowed by negative factors engendered by trimming the sinew with the fat. Low worker morale, lost job knowledge, confusion as to job responsibilities, a general lowering of work accuracy, etc. plague workers to the detriment of the stated corporate mission and precious bottom line. Alan Downs' suggestions on how to structure a kinder, gentler, and, yes, more profitable company are well worth the read

The author of this book, Dr. Alan Downs, performed corporate downsizings for years and now explains they seldom attain the goals a company wanted.

Dr. Downs explains that, contrary to what we read, life in the workplace is deteriorating for nearly everyone. He explains that greed is the driving force behind company lay-offs and it must be checked. He advocates a new "social contract" between companies and employees.

America's businesses must begin to understand that they are often responsible for the tension in our society that invites the rampant drug use. Top-down, authoritarian, do-it-my way management defies research into human development that has been with us since 1927 when the "halo effect" was discovered. More harmony and less friction is needed between labor and management and this is what Dr. Downs writes about. He states that businesses need "rejuvination, not dismemberment. He is right!!

Many books have been written and studies have been made that show management is not as good as it is cracked up to be and it is time for change. Worker friendly institutions will only be brought about in the 21st Century by managers who know how to inspire workers. Companies who heed this advice, based on sound research will benefit across the board as will communities and the people who work in them.

Dr. Downs book reveals a hidden truth about corporate America that government officials should pay attention to, but they may not as special interest groups are at the very top of these companies that promote this "ugly truth" with large pay checks in the form of political contributions.

If you are a CEO, in high level management, a politician or a union leader, read this book and go to work on correcting this ugly corporate structure sure to play havoc within America sometime in the 21st Century.

Norman Jones, Ed.D author of Performance Management in the 21st Century

In Corporate Executions, Dr. Downs shows how the government and top executives foster top-down management practices that are helping to create unwanted and unneeded tesnion in our country. Years ago it seems that companies had the best interest of communities and employees in mind, but this book dispells that long lost attitude. To his credit, Dr. Down rebukes the downsizing, the re-engineering of companies because he participated in these tragedies and makes recommendations to increase the performance of companies without affecting the morale of people. His book should be read by every politician and every CEO and taken to heart as a measure that would make us a safer, calmer nation. The recommendations of Dr. Downs are even more important than he writes about as I believe he touches upon the attitude of big business that creates tension in our country and delivers a message to young people that the future is going to be a lot rougher on them than the past has been on people in the world of work. Dr. Down's ideas should be put into practice soon, but I fear he is going to be one of many authors who will only be able to set back and say, "See I told you so."

Dr. Downs' book will probably not be a best seller because it tells the truth about corporate greed. Every member of Congress should study this book, but to act on correcting what is reported as wrong doing in the book would be a death blow to those who need the money and votes from the companies Dr. Down's is talking about. It is interesting that this book was published several years ago and recently the executives at Merrill-Lynch earned $3.62 billion in bonuses even though the compnay was given $10 billion in bailouts. Greed, as Dr. Down's so eloquently states, is the motivation behind layoffs and it is killing America. Will it ever happen where leaders understand that capitalism, carried to a greedy extreme rebukes Democracy? Norman Jones, Ed. D. author of Main St. vs. Wall St.:Wake-up Calls for America's Leaders

This book is a critical view of layoffs from a corporate layoff consultant.

What's impressive about the book is how comprehensive it is, including the many effects on the corporations, community, and of course the employees.

Mr. Downs looks at many issues:
* Profit as the single focal point in a "culture of corporate narcissism".
* The influence of Wall Street investors and how quarterly profits always outweigh long term growth.
* What part age and pensions play in decisions about who gets the ax.
* The three enablers of "corporate narcissism"- the business media, management consultants, and Wall Street analysts.
* How mistakes by executives can lead to layoffs while the CEO exits with a "golden parachute".
* The steps in "succession planning."

On page 203 the author makes an observation that is even more relevant today than when the book was published.
"The company house organs broadcast the necessity of cutbacks and concessions while top executives haul their loot out by the wheelbarrows."

This book is a comprehensive yet readable book on layoffs with some innovative alternatives to layoffs.
Mr. Downs has made this subject an interesting one for the common reader. Highly recommended!

I have not read this book, but I listened to an interview on Wall Street Journal This Week (podcast). It is sad that corporate and Wall Street has driven the "front line force/employees" to the ground and view employees as a commodity. However, this corporate greed, arrogance and uncaring attitude has promoted one thing - entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, entrepreneurship takes a good amount of capital, something that many employees do not have. Therefore we are stuck with the mercy of our corporate employers, while we pursue the American Dream - the welfare of our family. But that American Dream could also be that you part of, for example, the Google team.