Ignorance may be bliss for some, but according to this article in today’s Guardian, it can also cost big bucks, and get some folks in hot water:
Insensitive computer programmers with little knowledge of geography have cost the giant Microsoft company hundreds of millions of dollars in lost business and led hapless company employees to be arrested by offended governments.
The problem has damaged the company’s reputation and the “trust rating,” which is seen as key to keeping the company competitive, has dropped, a senior Microsoft executive revealed yesterday at the International Geographers Conference in Glasgow.
Pretty heavy, huh? Who ever thought geography to be a business concern, right? Reading the rest of the article will give you a sense of how much is at stake for a multi-national company, and how much attention to detail matters in the “real world.”
Be careful, be correct, and for heaven’s sake, pay more attention to Mr. Farney, willya? 🙂