Not to be paranoid, but these PCs could also offer management a great tool for spying -- which is certainly a part of Ford's "corporate culture." From the newly published: _The Management Century_ by Stuart Crainer: "[Henry] Ford's 'rigid discipline' involved the creation of a 'Sociology Department.'
This basically spied on employees and at one time had fifty investigators. Those who supported unionization were fired.... Employees with drinking or gambling problems were identified and dismissed. Those with financial problems were similarly dealt with."
Carl ---------
That certainly was my first thought. But this depends on the kind of PC, its OS and its hook up. If all these elements are coordinated properly, then Ford will have something as good as a video tape machine (a virtual foreman) in every employee's life outside the plant.
Let's say that Ford also offers company controlled credit cards, credit union, mortgage loans, and investment companies to manage employee savings and benefits. Let's say ditto to health, retirement, home and auto insurance. Well, then you get pretty much the same company owned town of the 19-20c, except it is all done as a virtual system instead of a physical place. The employees go to company picnics, company vacation spots, use company travel agencies, etc, etc. Its all a kind of totalizing exploitation plan so that no matter what, Ford gets a cut out of every aspect of its employees lives on or off the job site.
Great plan. Virtual serfdom sold as company benefits.
Chuck Grimes