4 ms·

“the customer can decide how much he wants to pay everybody in the supply chain” sounds a bit to too much like a possible pitch for a startup.

Verdex 8y ago
True. But lets be clear. I'm tipping everyone in the supply chain. They also get paid by their employer. ... You know now that I'm talking about it. I don't think I tip stockholders of C-Corps. I did consider S-Corp stockholders and decided that they probably shouldn't get a tip, but C-Corps stockholders are kind of part of a financial supply chain if you think about it. Now that we're on the topic, can anything think of anyone else I'm leaving out? I wouldn't want to ignore the hard work of the people who make my daily life possible.
lovich 8y ago
I mean, if that utility of every part of the supply chain was actually surfaced and you could make payments directly to parts of the supply chain, I could see trying that business model out as a consumer. Whats happening here is that companies have figured out they can just extract value out of a subset of their employees and pass the cost onto their customers by manipulating social norms. If I'm paying the worker directly they should be treated like a contractor, but the companies want the control of hiring an employee and the responsibilities of hiring a contractor
- Verdex 8y ago
  I mean, I see what you're saying. I really do. But it feels a bit cynical to me. Personally, I think everyone should try giving 20% (or more, haven't you ever received some freshly cooked chicken nuggets and just knew that they were delivered to the store with extra care) to every individual and/or corporate entity in the entire supply chain. It just increases the feeling of community in an ever growing global landscape.
  - franciscop 8y ago
    I don't agree, I think money is a fairly poor incentice for increasing the level of community and might even do the opposite and make it too profit-based. I think everyone should be putting the extra effort on treating others with care instead! That increases the feeling of community. Got those lovely nuggets? Buy there again, tell their manager how great the service was, and be a great customer. Also, treat better the next person you interact with, don't just offset your morale to paying some dollars and then be an asshe...
    - Verdex 8y ago
      (psst, this series of responses are kind of a joke)
      - franciscop 8y ago
        What do you mean series? And I'm not joking, it's how it works in Japan and it seems to be working great here
wonderwonder 8y ago
maybe we should tokenize it and put it on the block-chain :)
- LyndsySimon 8y ago
  You say that in jest, but this sort of thing really is a potential use for the tech. Imagine a widget where every link in the supply chain is paid proportionately, instead of each layer trying to skim what they can. If a salesperson sells the product for 10% more, they get 10% more commission - and the distributor gets 10%, and the manufacturer, and the producer of the raw materials, and the transportation provider, and...
  - dependsontheq 8y ago
    Their jobs might have different value for this to happen at all. Usually that’s exactly what the market does, assign value. The 10% margin sounds in general fair but depends on so many factors, margin on what? Production, Research, Investment ?
    - LyndsySimon 8y ago
      I don't disagree, but I see nothing wrong with using a tool like that if everyone agrees it's a good idea. It needn't be the entire supply chain, either - individual portions could set up profit-sharing arrangements using contracts. I don't know if it would actually be used, but if you wanted to do something like this, a blockchain would make a good deal of sense; especially if payment for the finished product was made through the same mechanism.

Verdex 8y ago

True. But lets be clear. I'm tipping everyone in the supply chain. They also get paid by their employer. ... You know now that I'm talking about it. I don't think I tip stockholders of C-Corps. I did consider S-Corp stockholders and decided that they probably shouldn't get a tip, but C-Corps stockholders are kind of part of a financial supply chain if you think about it. Now that we're on the topic, can anything think of anyone else I'm leaving out? I wouldn't want to ignore the hard work of the people who make my daily life possible.

lovich 8y ago

I mean, if that utility of every part of the supply chain was actually surfaced and you could make payments directly to parts of the supply chain, I could see trying that business model out as a consumer. Whats happening here is that companies have figured out they can just extract value out of a subset of their employees and pass the cost onto their customers by manipulating social norms. If I'm paying the worker directly they should be treated like a contractor, but the companies want the control of hiring an employee and the responsibilities of hiring a contractor

Verdex 8y ago
I mean, I see what you're saying. I really do. But it feels a bit cynical to me. Personally, I think everyone should try giving 20% (or more, haven't you ever received some freshly cooked chicken nuggets and just knew that they were delivered to the store with extra care) to every individual and/or corporate entity in the entire supply chain. It just increases the feeling of community in an ever growing global landscape.
- franciscop 8y ago
  I don't agree, I think money is a fairly poor incentice for increasing the level of community and might even do the opposite and make it too profit-based. I think everyone should be putting the extra effort on treating others with care instead! That increases the feeling of community. Got those lovely nuggets? Buy there again, tell their manager how great the service was, and be a great customer. Also, treat better the next person you interact with, don't just offset your morale to paying some dollars and then be an asshe...
  - Verdex 8y ago
    (psst, this series of responses are kind of a joke)
    - franciscop 8y ago
      What do you mean series? And I'm not joking, it's how it works in Japan and it seems to be working great here

wonderwonder 8y ago

maybe we should tokenize it and put it on the block-chain :)

LyndsySimon 8y ago
You say that in jest, but this sort of thing really is a potential use for the tech. Imagine a widget where every link in the supply chain is paid proportionately, instead of each layer trying to skim what they can. If a salesperson sells the product for 10% more, they get 10% more commission - and the distributor gets 10%, and the manufacturer, and the producer of the raw materials, and the transportation provider, and...
- dependsontheq 8y ago
  Their jobs might have different value for this to happen at all. Usually that’s exactly what the market does, assign value. The 10% margin sounds in general fair but depends on so many factors, margin on what? Production, Research, Investment ?
  - LyndsySimon 8y ago
    I don't disagree, but I see nothing wrong with using a tool like that if everyone agrees it's a good idea. It needn't be the entire supply chain, either - individual portions could set up profit-sharing arrangements using contracts. I don't know if it would actually be used, but if you wanted to do something like this, a blockchain would make a good deal of sense; especially if payment for the finished product was made through the same mechanism.