Helpful definitions ;)
Your definition of 'holding down': preventing economic "development", as defined by prevailing economic thought.
My definition of 'holding down': preventing social and technological development by placing short-term gain over long-term gain.
This is a greedy algorithm, in CompSci-speak. Greedy algorithms are NOT guaranteed to find an optimal solution. I think it's probably safe to say that under such a complex system a greedy algorithm is almost guaranteed to NOT find an optimal solution! (Tobot, comment?)
Yeah, I know we were using different definitions.
OK, so back to argument: Standardisation improves efficency, lowers cost: lowers customer service quality (cf: MacDonalds - shitty food but cheap and WAY standard). Is this always true? Niche services: higher price, fewer customers, but must make money or people wouldn't do it.
This is the one thing driving first-world economics (broad sweeping statement warning - Comment, proxything?): Our willingness to accept extremely poor quality service (monotonically decreasing!).
More to say, but comments first!
FK |