Editorial technology for Armenia?

Every thinking Armenian knows that technology is here to stay. We can look around us here in Armenia and see our train lines and level crossings controlled by radar, automatic vending machines, our electronic means of communication. We all know that this modern technology is a valuable means of providing extra safety and convenience for the public. Technology saves money, time and sometimes lives. But are we getting TOO dependent on the super-technology of today? Would we be able to manage by ourselves if our computers and electronic machines were taken away from us? And is it wise to introduce so much new technology that so few people understand? Nowadays, nearly all Armenian firms use some kind of computer systems to store their information and to carry out their administrative tasks. Most of the people who use these machines do not really understand them at all. So who is it that is in control of this highly specialized knowledge upon which we are so dependent? There are only a few highly trained experts in Armenia who are conversant with electronic and computer systems. The more technology we introduce, the more our society will become dependent on this tiny minority. And because most of these people come from abroad, it will be difficult for us to remain independent. If we introduce technological equipment, we must introduce it with the spirit of responsibility. We must not install foreign products, run by foreign experts, that we in Armenia do not yet understand. Let us, by all means, move into the technological age, but let us do it by educating our own experts in our own universities. The opinion of the “Yerevan Times” is, “wait”. Let us wait until we are ready for the more futuristic kinds of technology, and until we are able to run it for ourselves.

Brief for negotiating

You are: Karen Tanyan, Personnel Manager of RSA. You are expecting another visit from Jim Davies, which you hope will result in Davies accepting the job. There is, however, a new problem: Claude Schmidt, your Managing Director, having reconsidered, is not pleased about having to offer this key job to an American. He feels that in a few years’ time there will be enough qualified and experienced Armenians capable of running the computer department. To employ an Armenian would be much cheaper, and much simpler, as there would be no language problem.

You are therefore prepared to offer Jim Davies the following:

1. $10,000 for his transfer expenses.

2. A maximum salary of $60.000 per year. (The cost of living in Armenia is much lower than in Germany).

3. A contract for two years only. Davies could renew after two of four years, but could eventually be replaced by an Armenian. You would not be able to fire him during the two-year contract period.

4. He would have up to ten weeks annual holiday. Decide how much you want to offer him first.

5. You want to include in Davies’s contract that he must attend a one-month intensive language course to learn Armenian. It is essential that he should speak basic Armenian.

6. As an alternative to all this, you could offer Davies a contract on the normal RSA scale for permanent staff. This would provide him with the security he wants, and the salary would be $35.000 a year; but you could not pay any transfer expenses. You cannot negotiate the permanent salary scale.

You will have to negotiate on all these points (except 6). First, get together with all the Personnel Managers and decide how far you can compromise on all these issues (you may decide to offer more salary). Decide what your upper and lower limits are. Then get together with Jim Davies and try to make a deal.

Further Exercises

1. Jim accepts a contract for two years with RSA at $60,000 per annum gross. At the end of this two-year period, he is faced with the following choices:

a To sign another contract with RSA on the same terms and with the same salary.

b To accept a job as a computer programmer with the American army in Dallas, USA. The job provides security and a pension. Working conditions are generally good, although there is something of a military attitude in the way the managers treat their colleagues. The salary is $24.000 per annum.

c To go back to his previous position in Frankfurt at the previous salary.

d To accept a job with an international oil company in the Middle East. Working conditions are terrible, and the political situation in the country is very unstable. There is no security in the job. Salary is $100,000 per annum.

Instructions:

Get together with a partner, and one of you takes the role of Jim, and the other the role of Jim’s wife. Decide together which job Jim should take. Then discuss your decision with the rest of your class, giving your reasons.

Writing Exercises

Write a memo from Karen Tanyan, the Personnel Manager, to Claude Schmidt, the Managing Director, informing him of proceedings of the final meeting with Jim Davies, and what agreement, if any, was reached.