Many now are actually located
in different countries - usually "third world", especially India, where a great many
people speak reasonable English. (And with the UK's large Indian populartion, who's
to tell whether its local or overseas?). Service levels must
be reduced to (below) minimum thresholds, to maximize profit, and contiune "productivity
gains".
Companies must of course do this, as the most important
thing for any company to do (its goal in existence, after all) is to maximize shareholder
returns.
Combine this with politically assisted globalization,
and eventually even the dumbest "common man" will begin to wonder why his life seems
to have gone downhill. By that time it'll be too late, but the richest 5% of population
will be laughing (well, when they are not fearing for their lives from growing attacks
and worldwide political instability).
Sorry about the rant,
especially if you believe that Apartheid-era South Africa is the best model for the
"global village".
The Moderator.
"All things in moderation"