Is the series "Undercover Boss" an attempt to make GOP values appealing?

[nolabear]

I watched it last night, and while on the surface it's a feel-good series about the CEOs of companies (7-11 in this one) going undercover and working with the average workers and learning how hard those jobs are, I got concerned about a number of things. The CEOs are really appealing guys, deeply concerned about their employees and charmingly incapable of doing the mopping up while the generally noble (one woman was working between dialysis sessions, for Christ's sake) employees teach them about how hard it is out there for a working person. There was a long exchange with an immigrant about how America's the land of opportunity, how "only in America" could a guy with only 50 dollars become a truck driver working the third shift delivering deli food to stores, etc. Eventually the reveal happened, everyone felt good and the employees got the adult equivalent of a pony--well, to be fair, they got some help in job advancement.

But it felt like an ad for how great the CEOs of corporations treat their people, how as soon as they know there's something wrong they leap in to fix it, how much they truly are emotionally invested in the wellbeing of their employees rather than profit.

Maybe...but I'm really dubious.

[rucky]

1. There may be something to that.

with some of the CEO's. they got where they are partially through charm, I guess.

But the first episode with the Waste Management COO - that seems authentic to me. He admitted that some of the policies that he created were unrealistic in practice and I think he really enjoyed climbing down from the ivory tower.

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

2. just like "24", If I do not watch it, it can't hurt me

or can it ?

[John Q. Citizen]

3. It's a PR fix to sooth the widespread and palpable anger.

[4_TN_TITANS]

27. Exactly my take....

Don't expect to see a CEO learn the hardships of his employees and then get caught on camera saying 'piss on them' - eventhough that's what they do with their policies.

It's one big PR event to try and soften the mood toward the elite and make them personable, while they make off with salaries hundreds of time greater than the employees.

[truebrit71]

34. Yup..I concur...

..."See, we're really just like you...only shitloads richer"...

[Skittles]

4. it is propaganda

[annabanana]

5. I suspect that the interpretations in this thread are correct.

I would much rather watch a camera follow around a CEO that was compelled by a court ruling to work for a year and subsist on the same salary that he pays his lowliest employee.

[Touchdown]

6. It was on in the background. I didn't pay too much attention to it.

It certainly didn't draw me in, which isn't hard to do. I watch Burn Notice fer Christ's sake!

[mediaman007]

7. I noticed that each one of the people the CEO worked with received a

special perk. Just how many others in the corporation are worthy of that perk? I would guess that just about everyone has a compelling story if they work at 7-11.

I'll bet that the perks made the CEO feel good about himself.

[Myrina]

8. I think it's to make us hate CEO's less ...

... to have 'pity' on them for not "realizing" what us grunts go through, to feel bad for how isolated and out of touch they are with everyday life.

As if I'd do anything more than spit on one if it got close to me. :puke:

[anonymous171]

9. It is a corporate charm offensive meant to reinforce the "rich people are benevolent and nice" bs. n

[ellenfl]

10. last night's was my second show and i had the same misgivings.

seems too pat to be real. it reeked of propaganda. there was so much treacle i almost went into a diabetic coma . . . and i am not diabetic.

ellen fl

[pepperbear]

11. ...

all of these companies are so big (or impersonal) that their employees don't even recognize the boss.

[NYC_SKP]

12. Well, we can wonder about that. I'm impressed that these are jobs that are still in fucking America

Let's see the CEOs of companies with companies in third world countries, lets see the filth and depression.

I don't know if it's designed to make us feel differently about CEOs, but I'm proud to see all those dedicated workers.

Though embarrassed by the jackass last week at Hooters who should have been fired on the spot.

[The Gunslinger]

13. The show is a sham.

Like CEO's or any high management care about labor. It is nothing but a cost to them. and they will do anything they can to get the most use out of their human resource they can, or throw it away when there is no more use for it.

[customerserviceguy]

14. The way I figure it

the only CEO's they can possibly get to do this are the relative handful that either A)may possibly care about their employees, or B)are looking for the free advertising for their companies, so they will feign concern.

In any case, this can't last more than a season or two, the premise for allowing a film crew in is that they're trying to show a typical day in the life of a new hire worker. This will only work for a short while, then it will be like the 1960's: "Where's Allen Funt? Is this Candid Camera?!!" and the jig will be up.

[Touchdown]

15. Well, I know my CEO won't be on this show.

To pose as a new hire, he'd actually have to hire some people. In my building, the last time anybody was hired was 1999. Everybody has at least 10 years worth of service (minus the 1 year of lay off and call back). If he showed up as a "new hire", he'd be suspect.

[On the Road]

16. I Understand Your Point,

but not referring to it as "GOP values." There's not reason government has to have business as its own territory. If you have any doubt that large business is consistent with Democratic values, read "Up the Organization." It an eye-opener by a very successful CEO (Robert Townsend of Avis).

There's no doubt in my mind that the CEOs are being candid. Contrary to what you might think, the majority of people at the top of sizeable corporations didn't get there by ruthlessness and cutthroat behavior. It is more common to rise by being trustworthy, efficient, personable, and maintaining a good reputation. But when you have ten levels of management reporting to you, you no longer have any idea what's going on at the working level. All the dirty stuff gets lost as it trickles up.

Townsend instituted a practice whereby every new employee, including executives and programmers, had to spend some time waiting on customers and learning the car rental business. In addition to other benefits, it chased away the kind of applicants who sneered at entry-level work. And all managers had to spend some in the field every year.

The selection of CEOs may not be random, but I have no doubt the ones they choose are genuine.

[noamnety]

17. Eh, the hooter's CEO got there by privilege and entitlement.

And it showed, I might add. He got the business from his daddy, just like dubya.

His comment about his experience: "I didn't want to see it come to an end, I was having so much fun,"

That was after clearly seeing one of his managers demeaning the women who worked for him and watching his employees struggle to make ends meet. It was "fun."

I've watched 3 episodes. The only guy who I think really got it was the waste management one. He really considered how the policies he put in place were creating misery for his employees, and he seemed to be on a path to put their needs above pure profits. The other two were definitely in the "giving out ponies" mindset.

[On the Road]

21. I Didn't See the Show,

but it is not in the least surprising to hear that about the Hooter's guy.

[angstlessk]

18. what universe do you habitate?

"Contrary to what you might think, the majority of people at the top of sizeable corporations didn't get there by ruthlessness and cutthroat behavior."

[On the Road]

20. I Actually Inhabit the Corporate Universe

I am not saying that that behavior doesn't exist, but in my experience those are not the majority of people who end up getting the top jobs.

[Greyhound]

25. I've met dozens, perhaps hundreds, of these guys over 15 or so years

and my experience is just the opposite. Out of all of them, only three met your description, the rest were variations on vicious, greedy, not-too-bright-but-very-cunning, con men/women. A charismatic and charming stage persona along with being born into the right family seems to be the primary (often the only) requisite.

Idiot Frat Boy was a typical example, born into a family that ensures a lifetime of failing up.

[Selatius]

30. The real test in my mind is this: How many of these CEOs are pro-labor union?

There is where the rubber meets the road in my opinion.

[nolabear]

19. Thanks for the responses( so far). I'm still trying to figure out what I think.

To clarify that "GOP values" statement, I meant that capitalism is humane and that you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps only in this country, among other things. I'd like to think that CEOs are idealists or that, if not, they're basically terrific people who do the right thing. But the events of the past few years have led me to believe that many are not. I dunno.

[Selatius]

24. CEOs are ultimately human. Most are average. Some are bad. Some are truly good.

If we assume that is true, than only a small number of them are truly good. The rest just sort of muddle on by or fail spectacularly and somehow get bailouts from the government or help from their fathers like that George W. Bush fellow.

[MindPilot]

22. A slice of life from both ends.

My job for the past couple decades has taken me into the executive offices and board rooms. Executives are not universally bad people. Sure like any other group there are few assholes and fuckups.

The backstory of the Waste Management CEO struggling with his disabled daughter is just as valid as the woman at 7/11 who puts everything into her job and still get dialysis three time as week.

Sure it's honed for TV and probably a little bit contrived, but it is putting a human face on both the paneled office and the shop floor.

[Arctic Dave]

23. I haven't see it yet but I would have to say this, I seriously doubt they would allow this

to be shown on TV if it didn't look for the company involved.

edit: computer hiccup.

[Alias Dictus Tyrant]

26. I hate to tell you this, but most CEOs are actually like that

I know the CEOs of a few publicly traded companies (and many more at private companies). They are normal, nice guys that care about their employees by and large and the job they have to do is not easy.

I think people conflate Hollywood caricatures with reality far too often. Consider, for example, how the senior military people are often portrayed in movies, as ignorant testosterone-fueled Neanderthals. When people meet the senior brass of the US military for the first time, they are always shocked to discover that it is a group of super-smart, well-educated, and basically extremely nice people with none of the pathologies they are normally portrayed with.

Which makes sense. If CEOs and other folks were as asshole-ish as the caricatures often suggest, they would be failures because no one would want to work with them. In reality, these guys get the position because they are affable and willing to cooperate.

[Selatius]

31. Of the ones who ran publicly traded companies that I've encountered, most were the opposite.

The companies I'm speaking of have pretty much solidified their positions against real competition and upstarts through their sheer size, and it reflects in the corporate culture. They have become decadent and complacent and are averse to change, only moving fast when it comes to stopping an upstart or stopping real competition. The largest company I worked for is still under the thrall of a moron despite being removed as CEO. They, unfortunately, allowed him to gain a controlling stake in the company, so even though he isn't CEO, he still pulls strings on the Board of Directors, and the current CEO is ultimately just a puppet of said moron as a result.

[Alias Dictus Tyrant]

36. Competitive churn gets rid of the riff-raff

Unfortunately, in some industries the companies and people that run them are way too safe. You can be an asshole as a CEO if that has no consequences to the company because there is no real competition.

[Rebubula]

28. Sometimes...

...people read too deeply into something is designed simply to sell advertising minutes.

Perhaps it shows that there ARE some good folk running some businesses in America. We all know there are some shitty ones...logically there will be some good ones.

[PVnRT]

29. It's an hour-long advertisement for those companies, nothing more

[arcadian]

32. Good call. It's a fix

I seem to recall an article recently telling upper management to start investing in firearms to protect themselves from the unwashed masses. They are very much afraid and they are spinning themselves into the "everyman".

[chaska]

33. It's pretty disgusting propaganda, alright.

[SoCalDem]

35. A one-hour freebie infomercial with extra-added propagangoodness

just the latest in fake-ality shows:(