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Consider this example: I run the EMEA division of a multinational, I want to justify a bigger budget and/or get a bigger bonus and so I hire a data analyst to
by d4nt 12y ago
Consider this example:
I run the EMEA division of a multinational, I want to justify a bigger budget and/or get a bigger bonus and so I hire a data analyst to prepare some reports showing my division in a favourable light. The reports are well received and have desired effect for the first year or two until my competitor who runs AsiaPac realises what's happening and also hires a data analyst. The situation then returns to normal, but the company now employs two more data analysts than it did a few years ago. Neither one of us will fire our data analyst for fear of looking bad, but the data analysts are in competition and so have no net benefit to the company's performance or humanity as a whole.
- miscellaneous 12y agoI guess I was more looking for an entire category (or industry) of jobs that was deemed "BS" - since that is what I thought the author was implying. But nevertheless, I have considered your example. I have the following thoughts: -Are these data analysts preparing accurate (factual) reports? If so, then I would contend that they are in fact doing a useful service by allowing upper management to make better resource allocation decisions (i.e. more accurately determine which division is performing the best). -If the data analysts are employed to produce inaccurate or biased reports purely for the benefit of the division managers, then I believe this would be an example of illegal behaviour and an agency problem. For this reason, I would expect that the head office would employ (neutral) data analysts to avoid this problem.