This article is aimed at four groups of people. 1) University lecturers (especially in engineering) or other trainers of engineers, 2) those who run businesses that create appliances and other machines (including cars) and 3) anyone who cares about not turning the world into one big landfill and 4) anyone who is sick of things that break down and cannot be repaired.
It may also be of interest to engineers, politicians, and ordinary consumers who are curious about why things are changing.
“Governments talk about sustainability, yet they completely ignore durability!
“You cannot be GREEN if you are building machines for a landfill.
“True environmentalism isn’t about a recycling BIN, it’s about a servicable machine.
“We shouldn’t be selling NEW just to prop up a false economy.”
The problem? Our first theory is duplicated in this video. We think that Bosch is putting the accountants in charge of the engineers. But is that the real cause?
Another possible problem is the way the engineers themselves are trained. I took a class in Java programming (java the computer language, not the coffee or the island) in the last century. The last millenium. Some people might call it the 1900s, but it was the late 1990s. If you call it the 1900s, you might as well call it the one thousands, because there were no computers that could run Java in 1909 or even 1911.
Anyway, is this just another old man complaining that things don’t last like they used to? I mean, look at the colloseum, it’s not that perfect, but it’s in better shape than many houses built in the last one hundred years.
Well, you wouldn’t expect a company that claims to care about the environment to purposely send more electronics to a landfill. Yet, that is just what companies like Apple and co try to do. (Remember Apple complaining that uniform chargers stopped innovation? That wasn’t the real problem. They want to force you to buy their accessories and to buy new products. Look at how flat apple computers are! They are difficult to repair on purpose!)
Okay, so Bosch still makes good machines. But they are only good until they break down. Some people look at how difficult the parts are to replace and say, they are made difficult to repair on purpose.
Some of the aspects are pretty obvious. Why have only four or five sizes of a machine with over 500 types of drums! It seems like you don’t want people to be able to find a replacement drum. It is like the opposite of legos. The incapatability between machines and their parts drives many customers to look for a new machine rather than repair the old one.
But why does a washing machine need a circuit board? Yes, there was a point in bringing up Java class. Our instructor predicted that Java would be used in vaccuum cleaners and every household item. I thought that Java might disappear, like Pascal (which I heard about in the news and might have tried to learn once for fun.)
While I can see the use of programming in a vaccuum cleaner or a lawn mower, as they can run around by themselves after you hit the on switch, the circuit board in a wachine machine does not add much value. I wouldn’t take me any less time to do laundry if I had a washing machine with a circuit board, or AI, or any Java (or other language) programming. A circuit board in a washing machine is merely of an environmental toxin that hurts the customer and the environment alike. (But, I can see “create a circuit board for a washing machine” as an assignment given by an ignorant university lecturer.)
So, it might be the trend to teach engineers how to code (and AI) that might be destroying environment and the reputation of old companies. It might be the way people just follow the leader. You don’t need to know how to code to build a good appliance. In fact, it could be a hindrance. You might build an inferior product because you are trying to fit the latest “neat” or “cool” square technology into a round peg.
But if it is the nefarious accountant (or CEO, or consultant) who doesn’t care about the customer or environment, who puts profits above people and planet, then that devil will be disappointed to find that people will leave Bosch because of it. If you don’t have more durability with Bosch, you will look to cheaper brands. You will not recommend Bosch. And the accountants of your clients will see how expensive Bosch (or Apple) is in the long run and stop recommending Bosch.
This is bad business not just for Bosch’s customers, but for its shareholders and employees too. Because when Bosch loses market share, there will be more job cuts (and hopefully, they won’t forget which “accountants” or “experts” gave them the dumb advice of destroying the great brand.)
However, Bosch can still turn things around. Bosch can stop following the trends, and return to being a company that won customers through reputation.
Look at Lego. Despite the fact that they lost the patent, their blocks are still interchangable, and the brand is still strong. People prefer to buy Lego over cheaper brands because they know that Lego will last. They know that if they lose a piece, they can replace it with a piece from another set. Toys that keep changing sizes and become incompatible with the older models do not last.
What does this have to do with Cluj? Bosch employs a lot of people here. Not only might their employees here be able to change things, but they can also start looking out for their own careers. Perhaps you are a Bosch engineer who is dissatified with the way the business is going, and are considering starting out on your own. Well, here is your opportunity.
You could create machines that lasted like in the old days, which have moving parts. You could still innovate, but it ways that were more environmental and economical, not less. You could make a lot of money on the after market if you create quality parts. You could be the Lego of washing machines, if you have the talent and courage.