• affiliate@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    the problem is that making the line go up even a little gets exponentially harder with time. because the graph not going up at any given point in time is so unimaginably horrible to them, they keep having to think of new insidious ways of satisfying it

    • spankinspinach
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      1 year ago

      I actually find myself wondering lately “what’s so bad about stable (+/- 5%/annum) profits for some stretches of time.” Sure you’re not eating up market share, but a couple million in the pocket every year really isn’t that bad…

      I… May not be cut out for capitalism…

      • FlexibleToast@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Only private companies can get away with thinking like that. Companies that can put the stakeholder’s interest ahead of the shareholder.

      • Wolf_359@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Companies who stay private can do this. It’s when you have investors that you’re fucked and the ponzi scheme starts.

        The idea, in its purest form, is that companies will innovate to keep investors happy. They will keep expanding and making wonderful new products. As an example, a printer company will start making phones, then laptops, then maybe expand into chemicals or farm equipment, making bold innovations at every step.

        Companies who can’t innovate do this shit (inflate prices until they suck) and then they die because they’re no longer competitive.

        …in theory.