Comments on: The Web Matters in a Meat Space World http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/ Rebooting the workforce Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:27:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Pressing the Flesh in the Web World http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-143123 Pressing the Flesh in the Web World Fri, 10 Aug 2007 20:34:15 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-143123 [...] this week, Web Worker Daily’s Mike Gunderloy posted a reaction to an Information Week blog posting from Andrew Conry-Murray titled “Meat Space Still Matters in [...] [...] this week, Web Worker Daily’s Mike Gunderloy posted a reaction to an Information Week blog posting from Andrew Conry-Murray titled “Meat Space Still Matters in [...]

]]> By: Chris Ainsworth http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-142895 Chris Ainsworth Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:15:49 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-142895 Of course...my question was mostly rhetorical. I'm glad you spelled it out though. You would think "2.0" companies like Google would learn by now that great talent can be found and can live anywhere. Not everyone can be pre-IPO, cash-in and buy a house in Palo Alto or Mountain View. Or wants to, even if they could. They can be a solid leader and contributor remotely though. I think smart companies are learning this now. Of course…my question was mostly rhetorical. I’m glad you spelled it out though. You would think “2.0″ companies like Google would learn by now that great talent can be found and can live anywhere. Not everyone can be pre-IPO, cash-in and buy a house in Palo Alto or Mountain View. Or wants to, even if they could. They can be a solid leader and contributor remotely though. I think smart companies are learning this now.

]]> By: Mike Gunderloy http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-142441 Mike Gunderloy Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:56:02 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-142441 I think there are a variety of reasons for that, Chris. Without trying to be exhaustive about it, and in no particular order: - Old thinking. Companies are used to building big huge campuses, so they assume this is how companies should behave going forward. - Prestige. A big huge campus shows how Important and Forward-Thinking and Respectable your company is. - Network effects. With a large mass of people all in one physical spot, there is the chance of serendipitous meetings triggering creativity. - Recruiting aid. Generally speaking, the big huge campuses are in places where people actually want to live, and not in Moose Flank, North Dakota. - Control. It's a lot easier for management to feel like they are in control when they confine workers to buildings under their immediate physical scrutiny. - Economy of scale. When you have to treat employees in bulk for things like insurance and reviews, it's simpler to handle when they're all in one place. Again, though, I'm not claiming that such campuses are completely outmoded or irrelevant - just that they are not necessary to success across the board. I think there are a variety of reasons for that, Chris. Without trying to be exhaustive about it, and in no particular order:

- Old thinking. Companies are used to building big huge campuses, so they assume this is how companies should behave going forward.
- Prestige. A big huge campus shows how Important and Forward-Thinking and Respectable your company is.
- Network effects. With a large mass of people all in one physical spot, there is the chance of serendipitous meetings triggering creativity.
- Recruiting aid. Generally speaking, the big huge campuses are in places where people actually want to live, and not in Moose Flank, North Dakota.
- Control. It’s a lot easier for management to feel like they are in control when they confine workers to buildings under their immediate physical scrutiny.
- Economy of scale. When you have to treat employees in bulk for things like insurance and reviews, it’s simpler to handle when they’re all in one place.

Again, though, I’m not claiming that such campuses are completely outmoded or irrelevant – just that they are not necessary to success across the board.

]]> By: Chris Ainsworth http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-142428 Chris Ainsworth Thu, 09 Aug 2007 21:17:37 +0000 http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/09/web-matters-in-a-meat-space-world/#comment-142428 Why do Google, Yahoo! and other valley companies invest millions of dollars to build huge campuses of thousands of employees (many of whom they relocated there at no trivial expense from all over the world), when any number of them could work as easily and efficiently from remote locations? Why do Google, Yahoo! and other valley companies invest millions of dollars to build huge campuses of thousands of employees (many of whom they relocated there at no trivial expense from all over the world), when any number of them could work as easily and efficiently from remote locations?

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