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How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

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Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 I think that apart the "less drunk drivers", "entrepreneurs", and all that fandom talk, Uber went ahead to bump heads with one of the most "exclusive" professions (taxi drivers are the favorite voters for any government), and managed to carve out a portion of their business, out-of-nowhere. It's like, me starting a soft-drink company and, take on Coca & Pepsi and carve out 10% of their sales globally within 5 year…

Rape? When did that happen?

India is the one I remember widely reported - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40296994

This case had an even worse history than I thought though:

Uber had investigated the complaint, obtained her medical records and speculated that she made up the claims to hurt the firm's business.

So Uber also steal peoples medical records, and only fired the guy who instigated that after it became a news story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40196055

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's not forget that, however you frame it, he might have done all that by exploiting the worst traits of digital capitalism. I.e. they found the cleverest way to keep the revenue flowing (and maybe profits, one day) while getting rid of those pesky liabilities called means of production, all with appalling levels of capital concentration and lack of redistribution. Kalanick might be out, but UBER now is hardly less…

+1 I think that apart the "less drunk drivers", "entrepreneurs", and all that fandom talk, Uber went ahead to bump heads with one of the most "exclusive" professions (taxi drivers are the favorite voters for any government), and managed to carve out a portion of their business, out-of-nowhere. It's like, me starting a soft-drink company and, take on Coca & Pepsi and carve out 10% of their sales globally within 5 year…

Good to see some acknowledgement for what Travis and his team has done in our daily life. It's something not all digital startups could do. Of course, their ops could have had more empathetic approach than their current one, nevertheless, Uber changed the way we commute - forever and Travis deserves some praise for it!

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#113
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bullshit. He made taxi services cheaper by pumping VC money into the market, with no obvious long-term strategy for profitability.

FWIW, I heard they convinced investors that economy of scales will make their pricing profitable in the future. At least that's what somebody said in this other Uber thread here. Whether their calculations will pan out is another story. Whether such tactics should be allowed - yet another.

I don't see what scales, their costs are per person/vehicle there is no way with their model to see a reduction in costs by acquiring new drivers. Even if you remove the driver and can have fully autonomous cars the costs are perhaps marginally reduced in the long term. The way they burn money I don't think they have that long of a term in them.

I always believe their intention was to become big enough and ubiquitous enough that they could become a monopoly supplier and therefore set profitable prices without the risk of being undercut, having consumed or removed their competition through subsidised rides.

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#114
post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He created a service that reduced drunk driving rates by 1/3, enabled nearly 200K drivers to become entrepreneurs, provided a valuable service to millions of customers, and accelerated the shift to self driving cars. That deserves serious credit.

Lets take this point by point: - reduced drunk driving rates by 1/3 Not going to argue with that one, it is good. - enabled nearly 200K drivers to become entrepreneurs I used to work in direct sales, aka multi level marketing. They too called the people there "entrepreneurs". Those very people your describing as "entrepreneurs" have been suing Uber for missing money. When confronted by one of these drivers about mone…

I think Google are doing a lot on automated driving as well as Tesla.

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#115
post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the downvoters, some evidence: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14577840- McDonald's forcing people to buy a special salt shaker "In early September, McDonald’s announced it would start offering all-day breakfast across the U.S. Customers will soon be able to order a limited selection of breakfast items past the usual 10:30 a.m. cutoff. That will require changes in the restaurants, such as finding room on the…

Why the downvotes?

Beats me. I wasn't debating the status of Uber drivers, just the assertion that McDonalds can't force you to buy expensive equipment.

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rape? When did that happen?

India is the one I remember widely reported - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40296994 This case had an even worse history than I thought though: Uber had investigated the complaint, obtained her medical records and speculated that she made up the claims to hurt the firm's business. So Uber also steal peoples medical records, and only fired the guy who instigated that after it became a news story: http://www.bbc.c…

I remember at least 2 cases from US.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/04/25/boston-uber-dri...

http://nypost.com/2017/05/10/uber-driver-accused-of-kidnappi...

This has a list of sexual assaults (both Uber & Lyft): http://www.whosdrivingyou.org/rideshare-incidents#sexualassa...

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#118
post #14

A commenter in another thread put it very well: you can have as many voting shares as you like, but you aren't in control of your company until you're profitable.

You are never in control of your company unless you don’t have employees.

Or customers

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why the downvotes?

Beats me. I wasn't debating the status of Uber drivers, just the assertion that McDonalds can't force you to buy expensive equipment.

Do you or do you not understand the difference between a franchise owner and a fry cook?

Re: How Uber Backers Orchestrated Kalanick’s Ouster as CEO

#120
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bullshit. He made taxi services cheaper by pumping VC money into the market, with no obvious long-term strategy for profitability.

FWIW, I heard they convinced investors that economy of scales will make their pricing profitable in the future. At least that's what somebody said in this other Uber thread here. Whether their calculations will pan out is another story. Whether such tactics should be allowed - yet another.

Making a loss on every sale, but making up for it with volume?
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