At first sight, you may wonder how “American Work Ethic” (or decline thereof) ties into a blog about search engine optimization (SEO) and Internet marketing. I will try to sum this up quickly by reminding you of another term that has been equally misunderstood and ignored, and that is “Globalization” or “Global Market” and the increasing comparison of American workers to other nations.
Comparing American Work Ethic
When comparing American work ethic, a useful measure is in the entrepreneurial success enjoyed by many immigrants to the USA versus natural born citizens. According to a November 2008 study by the Small Business Administration, immigrants are 30% more likely to start a business than non-immigrants. The study also shows that while immigrants comprise only 12.5% of the total American population (2000 US Census), they represent 16.7% of all new business owners in the United States.
With a deeper look into the culture of immigrants to the USA, we can see a greater willingness to sacrifice today for a better future. Immigrants also do not see the challenges that many Americans blame for their lack of achievement, but rather see all of the opportunity that natural-born American citizens overlook. It is common that immigrants will keep to a more humble lifestyle, avoiding the need to show off their hard work in the form of a flashy car or home. This can be attributed, in part, to the fact that even a less than magnificent lifestyle in America is often still much more luxurious and comfortable than found in their country of origin.
When comparing an average American worker to their counterpart in other nations, it spells out a picture of being very spoiled with luxury, and taking much for granted. As an American worker myself, I have enjoyed many of the spoils, and I am not at all removed from this. I can imagine that most proud Americans would agree with the statement that for the most part, we have had it really good here in the USA. All the while, many people from other nations will work much harder and display greater work ethics to achieve the luxuries that Americans take for granted. Such luxuries in America as food on the grocery store shelves, paved streets, running water, and functioning sewage systems, are not government entitlements in many countries.
The American Work Ethic: Possible Causes
Family: The question of declining American work ethic could be related in some ways to the question parents have always pondered of whether kids are really getting worse “these days”, or are we just viewing it from a different perspective. It is easy to argue each side of the equation, but if you try to quantify it, I think the answer is yes, kids are getting worse in many ways. The decline in the American family due to divorce, job demands, and many other environmental factors has left many kids to be raised by their peers. Clearly, if you look back 20, 30, or 50 years, you will find violent crimes, drug use, teenage pregnancy, and many of the other woes of America today were at much lower levels in the past. You cannot sum this up to just having our eyes closed in the past. These are real problems that have become much more common as time goes by. Relating this to the American work ethic is not a big stretch.
Entitlements: Americans as a society base much of their security on entitlements. This entitlement mentality has worsened with time, to the point much of America relies on things that have no perceived cost. If you put figures on the cost of any given family, many American families would be shocked to find that while they believe they are contributing, they are rather taking multiple times more than they give. This multiple would grow to an epic level for any family with a member in one of our overcrowded luxury prisons. Those entitlements I mentioned above, are not entitlements in many nations, and they have a cost. In America, these luxuries are supposedly gratis, because some rich uncle named Sam just makes it all happen for them. This is not to say that USA is not a better nation with many of the entitlements, but without careful limits there is a point when it all breaks down. When entitlements deter work ethic, and when corporations jump on board and are entitled to bailouts, we have perhaps found that point of failure.
American Work Ethic: Decline in Rewards
The rewards for high work ethics in America have declined. This decline in reward for achievement has become more apparent in 2008 and 2009 than in recent years, with a decline in the global economy. The majority of Americans have cut back in spending, while often working more than before. This makes the reward for high work ethic a tough adjustment for many Americans. Adding to the struggle is a vast improvement over USA in technology and education in other industrialized nations. This makes it more important than ever for Americans to recognize the sweeping influence of the “Global Marketplace” or “Globalization“, and to take action.
At perhaps the worst time ever, the American society continues to threaten incentives for future generations. A frightening factor in the future of a globalized market is an American education system that is increasingly accepting the notion of eliminating the system of rewards in our schools with the A, B, C, D and F grading system, but rather incentivizing efforts. I remember the words of a great sales manager I once worked with. He would always remind his sales team to “never confuse efforts with results”. Sadly, the systems of incentive are breaking down, and make no mistake, the results will follow.
De-incentivizing excellence out of concerns for marginalizing the average is completely counter to productivity. If you take out the incentive and make it tougher for those with the means to pull the train, the train will stand still. There will always be a 20/80 rule in life that shows that 20% of the work force will produce 80% of the results. This is not a myth, and it is not a new notion.
Americans in a Global Marketplace
How Americans can prosper in the global marketplace comes back to the purpose of my blog. I cannot offer a magic pill to cure the American condition, but I can give some useful information on how to remain competitive in the face of globalization. Some will have a position of defending their standing in the global market, while others will embrace globalization. Whatever your position, the Internet, particularly the search engine, is your front line. The Internet has held a huge role in expanding globalization, and is also your best means to work within or to defend yourself against a market that is increasingly globalized. Your best leverage of the Internet is with high quality search engine optimization (SEO) to place your Website in the most visible top rankings in searches.
Search engine optimization (SEO) holds an even greater role than ever before in reaching your market, whether locally or globally. There is neither job nor company immune to the expanding reach of globalization. If you are waiting around with a “wait and see” mentality, you will find that you will have accrued a great cost of lost opportunities, and a much steeper hill to climb when you reach your decision.
It is not time to form a committee to meet about thinking about talking to a SEO professional and taking five Americans to do the job of one decision maker. It means that the train is coming down the track, and you must choose to be on board or be left behind.