NeoCorp2
“Today I’m going to be talking about labels and the need to examine carefully the perception they and you create. In this game you cannot willingly blind yourself with popular beliefs, you must examine as many of the underlying assumptions as you can. I’m going to start by giving you an example of this then, I’ll discuss some general techniques and we’ll move on to case studies after the break. As always a recording, the lecture notes, references and supplemental material will be stored in the course node in the faculty pool.
So, for today’s example I’m going to talk about the NeoCorporations.
That conjures all sorts of images and impressions doesn’t it? Mobsters with Digital Agents? Shadowy figures running corporate holding companies buying any profitable concern? Murderous business practices and shady agendas behind every familiar brand? And everyone knows that all of the corporations are ran by these organised criminals. Now, is it possible that maybe everyone’s wrong?
Quick show of hands please. Believe there’s more truth than not in the representation. Ok. Less truth? Ok. Not sure?
Right, so most of you aren’t sure, I hope that your just being cautious and I haven’t lost you all, already. But of all the people who are committing, most of you think less truth. As an aside, that is almost certainly because I prewarned you. In surveys among the student population at large it comes in at seventy-six percent believe it to be truthful. Maybe you’re just all cynics.
So anyway, returning to the subject. Let’s take a look at NeoCorporations shall we?
Ok, so let’s start with the all Corps are NeoCorps perception, is it true?
First off we need to dig down deep, look at the foundations as it were. What do we mean by a corporation? Anyone? No? Ok then, let’s start small and work up. I want a show of hands when you agree we’re there, ok.
So, a property owing landlord? Mom and Pop diner? Family grocery store? No one so far, eh?
What about a restaurant owned by a landlord? Or a dozen properties owned in common by a group of non-related people? How about two grocery stores owned by the same family? Getting warm, yet? How about a large factory owned outright by one man? Getting a few hands now, I see.
Right, for reference a corporation is any organisation that is legally separate to its owners. Which should give you some guidance on which of the examples are corporations and which aren’t. Everyone with me? Good.
So, how does that work in an area that doesn’t have any consistent formal law?
Question?
Ok, since I’m miked up and you aren’t. The question was whether we should consider an area that is part of the United States and hasn’t formally seceded to have no consistent laws. The answer is, since they aren’t consistently followed and we can’t consistently enforce them, yes we should.
Ok look, I’m not here to debate Reunification with you, come and find me after the lecture if you want to discuss it, ‘kay? Thank you.
Where were we? Right. So we can’t objectively define what constitutes a corporation within RimCity. But, what about outside the Froth, is the situation clearer there? Are the corporations we can identify run on the organised crime model we’ve been cultured to expect? Well, sometimes but mostly, not.
Sure, there are some corporations – mostly holding companies and venture capital outfits – that have undeclared boards and major stockholders. And quite a few of the larger ones caught up in the last corp. war restructured to a more locally autonomous model. But, they did it without changing the organisational hierarchy – mostly it was just about devolving more decision making to lower levels.
Even Militech still maintain their original business hierarchy to this day. As one of the two major combatants in the 4th Corporate War it should be that they, of anyone, would have reorganised to better resist decapitation strikes. It is true that they restructured their “Active Tactical Board” onto a more cellular structure. With again more devolved powers of action than previous in the war. The key is that this was a purely military wing of the corporation. The core business hierarchy remained firmly intact throughout.
When you look at the facts this comes up again and again. Most of the corps whose records we can access have the same business structure they’ve had for, in most cases, decades. Sure, a lot of decision making has been spun out to a lower level and extra emphasis put on what’s called “continuity plans” but, no real change in structure.
You got a question?
Ok, can you clarify that?
Fantastic, I was hoping someone would pick up on that. Nice one! Right, the question was whether that was also a basic description of a traditional organised crime group. With small groups having local autonomy feeding up to a top level group. And the answer is absolutely, you’ve pre-empted my next question about what is an organised crime model. Give yourself a pat on the back.
Right, let me just get myself back on track.
Ok so, the “fact” that there is a massive difference between the traditional normal corporation and the traditional organised crime group is one of those things that everyone knows. In reality they aren’t as different as you’d think. You can insert your own joke about paying taxes here.
Now the traditional normal corporation has a pretty large variation in structures and authority levels. And the traditional organised crime group has a pretty large variation. But, there is a not insignificant overlap on that spectrum. When you get right down to it, there are only so many ways to structure an organisation. The larger the group the fewer the ways that work and that is mathematically provable. Don’t believe me? Go over to the Bourbaki building and ask them about hierarchies and partially ordered sets.
Clear your diary, first.
So, what you have is a lot of organisations over the years exploring all of the various structures in a few related niches, and you’d better believe that the niches are related. Is it any surprise that they’ve developed similar shapes and ways of acting? The difference isn’t in structure. The difference was probably never in structure.
So what is the difference between a normal Corporation and a NeoCorporation and is there a simple way to tell them apart? Anybody?
Hah! That’s fucking brilliant, I couldn’t have put it better myself. The answer given was that it is exactly the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter.”
- Wichita-Butler university. Shaheed ‘Shady’ McKray, guest lecture series, partial transcript (lecture 3).
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