Management Objectives Remain Static

Greenbaum and associated thinkers consistently make the outrageous claim that the shift in workplace dynamic is a product of not only a change in technology, but also a radical modification in management objectives. This could not be further from the truth. Capitalism has claimed a defining role in American society from the pre-colonial tobacco days, through the industrial age, and into the digital era. Management objectives are contingent upon the guiding economic system – managers in a capitalist setting will execute their tasks in a given manner, which observably differs from the methodology employed by managers in a socialist setting. Nevertheless, the consistent presence of capitalism has allowed management objectives to remain static – the pursuit of profit is the sole quest of any capitalist manager. In order to maximize profit, costs must be minimized and profits maximized. The ruthless chase of these twin ambitions defines modern capitalist management objectives, just as it has in the past. The tobacco magnets of the Jamestown era did not hesitate in assuming possession of the vast quantities of Native American land needed to grow their crop, often utilizing force to achieve their ends. This lack of concern for native populations continued through America's industrially powered push into the western wilderness – hunting and tribal grounds were seized with nigh impunity in order to facilitate the expansion of railroad lines. Today, capitalist managers continue to exploit underdeveloped populations. Actions are dependent upon objective; the clear consistency in action readily attests to a consistency in objective. The differences that do arise are a product of technology – advances in communication and transportation allow the capitalist manager access to a global reserve army of labor that was previously unusable. In conclusion, management objectives have not changed – profit has been and will continue to be the most prominent operative benchmark in a capitalist society.