November 15, 2007, 1:45 PM — We don't ask perfection of the companies we deal with. But we all like to believe
that, at least on a philosophical level, our employers, suppliers and customers
are inherently good. An occasional faux pas can be pardoned (we're all human
beings, right?), but moral degeneracy is something else again. Evilness will
not be tolerated.
Microsoft
is no stranger to the evil moniker. (C'mon: It's the first company you thought
of, wasn't it?) Microsoft has been called the Evil Empire, a "big bully"
and "a
killing machine without soul or conscience that only knows its own hunger and
appetites," though some would argue it's softened its image of late.
Oracle founder Larry Ellison reportedly said, "It's
Microsoft versus mankind, with Microsoft having only a slight lead."
But, of course, Oracle and Ellison aren't immune from the evil label-just ask
PeopleSoft devotees. (Ellison once famously said in an issue of CIO magazine
that if he were an animal, he'd be a red-tailed hawk because they only kill
to eat.) Or how about SCO
and those it has fought against in the courtroom? At one time, IBM
was considered evil (though many might argue it has redeemed itself...sort of).
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Google
angelically promised that it would never be evil ( "Don't
Be Evil," to be exact). The jury, however, is still out on whether
Google has been able to stick to its mantra or has become Evil 2.0.
There are several useful indicators that a company may be leaning in a malevolent
direction. If you see your company doing any of these, beware: You might be
working at an...evil company.
1. Arrogance Is Bliss
A wealth of arrogance does not necessarily mean your company is evil. It's simply
a necessary preexisting condition to becoming an evil enterprise.
One way in which corporate arrogance manifests itself is through the tried-and-true
press release or corporate statement. The gestalt of pre-evil press releases
is basically, "Hey! Look at what we're doing! Please notice us!" or
"Will pimp myself and company for publicity." You'll know your company
has made the switch to the dark side when the PR department has no problem issuing
a release that has this cooperative feel to it: "How dare anyone inquire
about our alleged stock-option backdating inquiring from the SEC! Back off,
stupid infidels. We know what we're doing!"
This transformation does not happen overnight. It is bound to occur, in small
increments, at most every growing company. But the evil company goes to great
lengths to protect itself and to disregard outside noise. The best way to identify
the relative evilness of a company is how defensively it responds to perceived
threats, slights and legal actions-such as its short and dismissive pronouncements
to the world.
Here are two excerpts from high-tech companies that, while they may or may
not be evil, exhibit this trait. The first
release is nothing if not to the point and brief: "We are not going
to enter into a public debate with Fred Anderson or his lawyer. Steve Jobs cooperated
fully with Apple's
independent investigation and with the government's investigation of stock option
grants at Apple. The SEC investigated the matter thoroughly and its complaint
speaks for itself, in terms of what it says, what it does not say, who it charges,
and who it does not charge. We have complete confidence in the conclusions of
Apple's independent investigation, and in Steve's integrity and his ability
to lead Apple." That's all of it, and thanks for asking!
