>I don't like the line, " the market dictates it".

That's a great example of what seems to be a new trend: managers applying macro-economic (or macro-political, or macro-social) theories to particular business decisions, in some vague attempt to justify the decisions.

Here's another good example: at one of my clients' christmas parties last year, I ended up stuck in a corner talking to a manager about the problems he was having with a few of his "team members." When I asked him what he planned to do, he answered: "the way I look at it, over time, the weaker employees will go by the wayside, and the better ones will hang on. You just need to be patient about these things."

Darwinism as management theory!! And, he meant every word.