You make the assumption they (foreign competitors) have the talent and innovative drive to beat us in these markets. They will only have the know-how if we move the jobs overseas and train their third-world arses.
These moves are short-sighted and will create a whole new classes of competitors in the future. I predict these same companies will go whining to the fed about IPR and copyright infringements in the near future. We'll here them say "something must be done, we can't compete with them". Right now it's the techies who are suffering, later it will be the short-sight corporations facing their new low-overhead competitors.
These moves are short-sighted and will create a whole new classes of competitors in the future.Which will benefit those of us who buy PC's.
I'm not for keeping a few quaint jobs here in the U.S. at the expense of overall economic development. The money that is ultimately saved by consumers--especially business consumers--through this outsourcing will be invested in new companies and new technologies and will thus create more jobs and real economic growth. To protect jobs that are better sent elsewhere does not help economic growth and is counterproductive.
Besides, IBM offers a great severance package. Some of these programmers--the more talented ones--may go on to start their own businesses with the money, and then employ still others.