[Info-vax] Life after Digital

[John Wallace]

On Oct 26, 1:56 am, Arne Vajhøj <a... at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
> ChrisQ wrote:
> > Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> >> You think any big corporation are different?
>
> >> They exists to maximize profit!
>
> > At the expense of everything else ?. I guess it must be ok then,
> > everyone else is doing it.
>
> The most relevant point is that there are no reason to complain
> over HP doing it.
>
> It is like complaining that winters are cold and summers are hot.
>
> If we should continue out of the off topic track, then I think the
> most common point of view is that:
> - it is perfectly OK for companies to profit maximize
> - it is the task of the politicians to make some good rules that the
>    companies have to profit maximize within
>
> > Good, long term business, like much else in life, depends on trust and
> > relationships. Anything lese is box shipper territory. Since the GB
> > days, some sections seem to have lost their ethical compass completely
> > and it will takes years to repair the damage.
>
> > If you think that's a good idea, then you are part of the problem, not
> > the solution...
>
> Nobody suggested maximizing next years or next quarters profit was
> good.
>
> But maximizing present value of all future profit is usually considered
> good behavior.
>
> Arne

Maximising present value of future profit is probably considered
"industry best practice", but other options more focused on the short
term are available and indeed have been popular. Just ask ex-investors
in Enron, Madoff, Lehmanns, etc.