17th January 2010, 02:12 PM
I wouldn't like to presume to tell a consultant how to do his or her business, since it's going to be their ability to bring in clients and profit that motivates the company employing him or her, not the rescue/recovery of archaeology per se. There's a tricky balancing act for those consultants who want a good job done all round. But - the profit probably wholly motivates the consultant who would prefer to use a company to do the job, as long as it's quick, and looks as if it was done to the best standards. Like when you hear of an estate agent representing a high net worth client who turns out to be running some racket, caveat emptor. Ie it's up to companies to consider carefully their choice of consultants! Would like to know how unions can deal with that, because there'll always be someone out there willing to do work for quick and easy cash, and not really care less whether the work's up to scratch. And since most work, even at supervisory level, is pretty short-term, there's no great incentive for staff to see the job all the way through to publication, is there? Are we stuck in the era of farming-out of piece-work to cottage industries who'll do it for less cash but have no control of their product - surely we have moved on?