4 ms·

>The transaction is quite simple: you spend $X, you get $BOOK. Perhaps later you spend $X2 and you get $BOOK2. I believe this has analogues to how Jack Welch s

>The transaction is quite simple: you spend $X, you get $BOOK. Perhaps later you spend $X2 and you get $BOOK2. I believe this has analogues to how Jack Welch says (paraphrasing) "At the end of the week when the you have your paycheck, you and the company are even"-- implying that there is not further obligation. I find this hard to believe on a professional level. If I am a key person on a team, I have an obligation to give no less than 2 weeks notice, and probably much more if I want to remain in good professional standing w/ the company I work for (eg, more notice for small companies) . Why? Because despite the lack of contract and resolutions, there is more at stake than just what is stated on paper, there is reputation, business continuity and implied continuations in the relationship. I see it similarly with an author. Yes, there has been a transaction that takes place and is complete. But if GRRM wants to keep relationship and reputation intact, then there is more to the picture than money in and book out. There is the way the customer feels when they hear the series is cancelled, for example.

mikeash 12y ago
Welch may get it wrong for an ongoing relationship where you're dedicating 25% of your life to the company, but I think he has it exactly right for an occasional one-off that you pay a small amount of money for, and where the other guy doesn't even know who you are. I mean, you're talking about a situation with two weeks notice as somehow being relevant to a situation where the ideal involves multiple years between transactions. You say "if GRRM wants to keep relationship and reputation intact...." I agree with that. But "keep relationship and reputation intact" is completely different from "obligation". Yes, if GRRM wants to maintain his reputation as the author of a series worth reading, it would be helpful if he could get new installments out on some sort of regular basis. (But who are we kidding: people will buy them by the million regardless.) But if he decides that he doesn't care about people buying his books anymore, that's his choice. There's no obligation on his part to maintain his reputation.

mikeash 12y ago

Welch may get it wrong for an ongoing relationship where you're dedicating 25% of your life to the company, but I think he has it exactly right for an occasional one-off that you pay a small amount of money for, and where the other guy doesn't even know who you are. I mean, you're talking about a situation with two weeks notice as somehow being relevant to a situation where the ideal involves multiple years between transactions. You say "if GRRM wants to keep relationship and reputation intact...." I agree with that. But "keep relationship and reputation intact" is completely different from "obligation". Yes, if GRRM wants to maintain his reputation as the author of a series worth reading, it would be helpful if he could get new installments out on some sort of regular basis. (But who are we kidding: people will buy them by the million regardless.) But if he decides that he doesn't care about people buying his books anymore, that's his choice. There's no obligation on his part to maintain his reputation.