RE: Saving the System i: Fight Rather Than Switch

I'd say a combination of d & b (I won't say it the other way around lest
it trigger a filter).  Mainly:

- Many times a company wants to do business with another company.
Preferably one of similar size.  They want to go with recognized market
leaders or those with long-term, well-established reputations.  

- Larger entities have bigger bank accounts and more liability insurance
should something go drastically wrong.

- If the quality of the work is unsatisfactory, it's relatively easy to
call a large shop and say "get so-and-so out of here and bring in
someone who can get the job done" while working with small/one-man shops
you may actually have to break the contract and then go looking for new
people.

c could be a factor but any decent manager knows you have to pay for
talent.

a would be a consideration but I don't think it'd be a major factor.
I'd think relative experience backed up by references would trump this.

John A. Jones, CISSP
Americas Information Security Officer
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.
V: +1-630-455-2787 F: +1-312-601-1782
john.jones@xxxxxxxxxx

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Raby, Steve
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 10:11 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Saving the System i: Fight Rather Than Switch

Just had a thought as I am coming to the end of my current contract, why
is it that most (well virtually all that I have come across) managers
would rather pay twice or three times the amount to go through an agency
or software house than take out a contract with people like me directly?


Is it;

a) The knowledge that a software house or agency can do the job much
better than the humble freelancer?
b) Some sort of security (i.e. getting the job done) issue?
c) Resentment that the contractor may be earning more money than they
are?
d) Something else?

a & b) I know the answer to, Yeah right!! c)Going on the comments of
some people I come across YES (tho they never seem to take into account
the job security(not much of that anywhere tho'), tax, pension,
healthcare, expenses issues).

Is this very expensive attitude part of the problem with the perception
of the iSeries? Is it that they cannot find programmers for the right
price rather than not find programmers at all? I know that some agencies
heap as much as 50% or more on top of what the contractor receives, for
what? How do they justify that? A software house I worked with increased
their prices, quite a lot, and when one of us asked how they came to
that figure the reply was "We think that is as much as we can get
without the customers complaining too much." 

So are grasping agencies and software houses also killing off the
iSeries?

Just opening a conversational oppertunity window. :-)

Steve
 

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