He's an idiot and I would never want to work for him.
However, the publicity might be good for my job prospects if there any jobs for vain self-promoting failed wannabe business executives...
Yes, it's another series of has-been tycoon giving completely pointless jobs out to people who should be more than smart enough to know better.
I mean, Alan Sugar - he's got a lot of cash, but he's not Branson or Stelios is he? He failed miserably to exploit the PC business, back when he was in a dominant position, and he's now reduced to selling set-top boxes to Sky for his main business. Woo.
So, why do they bother?
He's an idiot and I would never want to work for him.
However, the publicity might be good for my job prospects if there any jobs for vain self-promoting failed wannabe business executives...
Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story
Personally, I don't understand why they bother with any of these reality TV shows. I can't stand them, but I guess they must get an audience somewhere or they wouldn't keep making them.
I think Alan Sugar is one of the most arrogant, rude and self-obsessed people I've ever seen on television and I've only watched a couple of his interviews- but I guess that's why he's made mega-bucks and I'm still a poor, lowly NHS physiotherapist....
Why did you bother starting this thread David! Now there's a place to discuss this dross... and I am adding to it...
Nooooooooo........
You are sooo right, StokeBloke!!
Because if they do well, they'll likely be set for - if not life, at least the foreseeable future.
(or pregnant with the child of the most noxious person on the programme - take your pick )
Just seen the first episode of the Apprentice. They were introduced as the brightest and best in the UK …… if that is the case I think we should emigrate now. I know we haven’t seen all the candidates yet there was little to be impressed about. Given that these guys are supposed to be supreme examples of real business, they made so many fundamental mistakes in the exercise, and exhibited such appalling man management skills, its really depressing.
The real irony is that it’s the same exercise that was run in series one in the original American Apprentice … didn’t they even do their homework?
Having said all that, I prefer Sugar’s attitude and commentary to Trump’s. Will probably keep on watching .
The guy is worth #800m. What are you worth. Branson is a suprb example of busines ... but his verison of the Apprentice sucked. I think Sugar is worth more than Stellios .... and some may say that Sugar is a better businesman that StelliosOriginally Posted by David James
Idiot??? What the heck do you base that on????? It never ceases to amaze me how people who have never worked in proper business make simplistic comments about someone being cr@p at business just because they have afew disasters. MANY succesful businessmen have gone bump at some stage ... Trump included. You have to take risks to succeed. Plesae don't underestimate Messr Sugar. Probably best not to underestimate some of the appretices. Give it six or seven weeks and maybe some class will emerge.
well thats another thing
Having worked for Sir Alan...........................
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I say no more.
But If you wanna have a bet let me know
:fingers in ears:
Lalalalalalala this isn't happening!!! ..... has it stopped yet? Tarnations I'm still adding to this dross...
Nooooooooo......
My interpretation of "He's an idiot", although admittedly might not be Ducasi's, is that, at least as far as this show portrays, he's another arrogant businessman with too much money, who pushes people around, not proffering any common courtesy towards people he appears to think are lesser than he. Sure, that is the business world and I'm living in Cloud Cuckoo Land if I believe that normal rules of social etiquette should extend there, but I have to say I prefer it up here! And I would call myself anything but a socialist.
The fact that this programme is contrived for our "enjoyment" to me is more than a little frustrating. This programme, along with Dragons' Den, makes me cringe with embarrassment, partly for the naive planks who put themselves up for this public humiliation, but mainly for perpetuating the outside world's perception of the rich and wasteful West, which throws money around like it was going out of fashion. I don't like my nose rubbed into the fact that certain people have so much money they can't spend it fast enough, even if they've worked hard for it. It's boasting, and I don't find that an attractive quality in anyone about any characteristic they possess. I work hard, as a teacher. Am I "worth" that much less? Yes, in the business world, very much so, but, still...
Sorry, high-horse-rant over, but my friend loves all these shows (along with Big Brother and Pop Idol etc) and I find myself having this discussion everytime they come round again. I leave the room if we end up with this on tele!
Phew, I feel better already.
Oh, and one more thing...
Isn't it great that the Beeb (following Channel 4's lead) get to make a secondary spin-off "You're fired" where the latest victim gets to be interviewed for their 15 mins of fame?! Two shows for the price of one. Budget TV with little creative thought at all.
I can't believe "we", the public, have been sucked into this craze.
Happy thoughts, la la-la la la...
Hmm. Ive watched quite a few episodes and haven't picked up any arrogance at all. Lots of confidence of course ; its clear he doesn't suffer fools gladly and he's very forthright - but surely thats the point of the program. I don't understand the "he's an idiot" comment either.
Oh come on - it's obvious! Anyone who makes a decision I utterly disagree with is an idiot. When they make a decision I utterly disagree with, brook no argument, and do it on national TV, they're arrogant!
Clearly.
Now we've cleared that up, who's your money on to win this thing?
My view is that he is doing business in a very male and '80s way - it is an old-fashioned, Gordon Gekko style, possibly hammed up for the series, but certainly it is not the only way to do business. For good television, at least in the last series, it seemed that the contestants had done very little homework - pretty much no-one appeared to know anything about Alan Sugar - certainly they'd not read his biography nor knew anything about his business. Come one - if you're going for an interview, you at least read the company's last annual report!
There are other ways of doing business. Many businesses are selling and working in a much more courteous way - often run by women. There are many businesses who have bosses choosing to put their own stamp on the way things are run - the first major one that springs to mind is Pret a Manger (yes, know it's run by a guy).
The two things that I dislike about The Apprentice are (1) viewers may think this is the only way that a business can run, and therefore either shy away from running their own or if they do, they'll get out their shoulder pads and run things in a way which is not true to their heart or their vision (& ultimately posssibly fail because of it) and (2) the contestants apparently include "single mothers". Why do we never hear of "single fathers"? Has anyone checked recently to see if the male contestants are parents - and if so - are they raising children on their own? Even if they are, what does that have to do with the price of eggs?
Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story
Also, as said, it promotes a view of capitalism and competition in general which is less-than-positive, it's not all about brutal Darwinian selection, there's such a thing as enlightened self-interest after all.
Plus, again as said, who's to say that someone who spends their time and effort working for, say, £14K a year in the charity sector is "worth" less than Alan Sugar? Not me.
John Lewis is another good example - it's held in trust on behalf of its employees, who get a large (double-digit percentage - 18% last year) profit-sharing bonus each year, and who have a large day in how the company's run.
Last year, they had a turnover of £6.4 billion, and a profit of £319.2 million, so they're doing a heck of a lot better than Amstrad.
It'd be nice to see someone do a TV programme trying to follow that cooperative model rather than be "personality-only" focussed. But I guess that wouldn't be good telly...
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