Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

hbr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 149 posts

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#131

Post by lightedman »

lacampbell wrote: post #40
lightedman wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Therein lies another problem - verification. Quite often, the Chinese simply do not listen to what you tell them (or just can't understand it even when broken down into simple specifications. I've run into this with many Chinese LED manufacturers) and quite often you end up with a product you didn't ask for. I've never had that problem ordering anything from Germany.

Try Taiwan - especially for LEDs. It'll cost more but the QC is much better.

In the 10 years I've done LED lighting, Taiwan's LEDs may have better quality but the efficiency is horrid.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#132

Post by toomuchtodo »

_nedR wrote: post #122
jbigelow76 wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Watch enough YouTube videos and I hear you can build a whole house. http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/13/us/mother-house-youtube-build-...

I am pretty sure that wiring your house is (rightly) illegal in many countries unless you are a licensed electrician, because of the fire Hazard and all.

At least in the US, if you apply for the permit and have a licensed electrician sign off on the job when it's done, you can perform the work yourself.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#133

Post by CPLX »

gambiting wrote: post #118
laughingman2 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'd look to lower the inheritance to children to say 10% and abolish trusts that fund generations of lazy, spoiled brats living from their great-great-grandfather's money. Exactly, these leeches have to be stopped. And the money could be instead put to some good common like free college, health care leveling the playing field for everyone.

Out of curiosity - let's say I was rich and wanted to set up a trust fund for my children so they could live like spoiled brats their entire lives. Why, especially in the "land of the free" would people want to stop me from doing so? I mean, it's my choice what I do with my money(that was legally earned and that I paid taxes on), is it not? This is purely theoretical, as I am neither rich nor have children, but I tak…

Nobody wants to stop you from doing it. They want your kids to pay taxes on it. That's different.

If I go to work this year and get $100,000 for doing stuff, nobody seems confused that I have to give a massive chunk of that to the government.

So if you don't go to work this year but get $100,000 from your parents, you shouldn't act confused that people expect to cough up your share as well.

When families transfer money to the next generation it changes hands. The way we finance our society, generally, is that when money changes hands a substantial portion of it is remitted in tax.

So you already paid taxes on it, sure, but that's irrelevant, your kids didn't. When you give money to your nanny or your driver they have to pay taxes. When you buy dinner at a restaurant the chef has to pay taxes. So when you give it to your kids they should pay taxes on it too.

Because when people get money they have to pay taxes on it. That's how taxes work.

The real question is why the rich kids think that the specific way they get their money is special and shouldn't be taxed.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#134

Post by ant6n »

skolos wrote: post #56
mtempm wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is so German actually. I've been living in Australia the past year (which has a lot of Germans) and twice I helped someone change a flat tyre. Both times a German also came to assist, and both times it was an American who didnt know how to change a flat (there arent that many of them in Aus).

People go too far with generalizations. I teach my kids not to judge people by nationality, gender or race. My German wife doesn't know how to change tire. These are nice anecdotes though.

I'm a German, I spend a lot of time in the US. My US friends here seem to analyze what I do often based on my nationality ('Oh you cook, must be a German thing'). Analyzing/Interpreting people's behavior based on nationality must be an American thing.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#135

Post by lukas099 »

ant6n wrote: post #134
skolos wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People go too far with generalizations. I teach my kids not to judge people by nationality, gender or race. My German wife doesn't know how to change tire. These are nice anecdotes though.

I'm a German, I spend a lot of time in the US. My US friends here seem to analyze what I do often based on my nationality ('Oh you cook, must be a German thing'). Analyzing/Interpreting people's behavior based on nationality must be an American thing.

"Dang Americans and their stereotypin'."

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#136

Post by dozzie »

easilyBored wrote: post #119
dozzie wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The owner, who is German himself.

I meant government rules and codes .

I know, but that's kinda the point: Germans tend to obey the rules even if the government isn't watching at the moment.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#137

Post by anentropic »

I don't find the arguments presented in the article for "why" to be very convincing.

- The most important difference is the continuity of the leadership. The leaders of the Hidden Champions stay at the helm for an average of 20 years

ok yes, could be

- the German history of many small independent states (until 1918 Germany consisted of 23 monarchies and three republics), which forced entrepreneurs to internationalize early on in a company’s development if they wanted to keep growing

there must be lots of countries where this is the case

- Scientific competencies also play an important role

there must be lots of countries where this is the case

- the unique German dual system of apprenticeship, which combines practical and theoretical training in non-academic trades.

ok yes, could be important

- Tax advantages are another reason.

skeptical

- the international openness of a society is an essential factor in the globalized world of the future. Germany is far ahead of other large countries with regard to mental internationalization

skeptical that this vague claim is true, let alone an important factor

I was expecting to hear something about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_company_law

e.g. "in companies with over 2000 workers just under half the seats on a supervisory board are selected by the workers"

seems like shareholders have less power and employees have more, under the German system, and it seems fairly logical that this could lead to long-lasting companies producing high-quality products

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#138

Post by mcv »

DinosaurArms wrote: post #82
mtempm wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is so German actually. I've been living in Australia the past year (which has a lot of Germans) and twice I helped someone change a flat tyre. Both times a German also came to assist, and both times it was an American who didnt know how to change a flat (there arent that many of them in Aus).

Most cars (from my experience) in Germany have separate tyres for winter, so changing them is something you need to do twice a year. Back in New Zealand I drove for about 12 years and never had to change a tyre.

No need to change a tire in Germany (or elsewhere) either. There are plenty of shops that will happily do it for you. It's an easy thing to plan for.

Besides, the northern US has more extreme winter weather than Germany, so based on this, Americans should be better at changing their tires than Germans.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#139

Post by mcv »

lacampbell wrote: post #41
lima wrote: post #2

The apprenticeships are particularly important. Many brilliant friends of mine who failed university or even high school did an apprenticeship instead. Among them are CEOs, R&D managers and founders.

I've often idly wondered if you could do Software Development as an apprenticeship. Use industry tools in your work day, and theoretical computer science at night schools/block courses.

I think that would work very well. You can't learn software development on just theory.

Re: Why Germany Still Has So Many Middle-Class Manufacturing Jobs

#140

Post by Arnt »

dozzie wrote: post #136
easilyBored wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I meant government rules and codes .

I know, but that's kinda the point: Germans tend to obey the rules even if the government isn't watching at the moment.

Germans want rules to be obeyed and things to work. Which may very well be related to the original subject.
Post reply on HN