Trading Talents Instead Of Cash
from the local-economies dept
If you ever study alternative economies, "barter economies" or local currencies designed to stimulate the local economy, it's likely that you've come across Ithaca Hours at some point or another. Designed as a way to help build up the local economy in the small city of Ithaca, NY, it was basically a barter system that let local merchants easily manage trade with each other, without involving government sanctioned currency. The system got plenty of hype and has been copied around the world (often with help from those who created Ithaca Hours). It appears that the concept has clearly made its way to South Africa, with an internet twist. According to this article (which doesn't mention Ithaca Hours at all), South Africans are using an online bartering system involving "talents" which are priced per hour, and function quite like Ithaca Hours. The article even quotes someone who claims to have "retired from the conventional money system," and who won't go anyplace that doesn't accept "talents" as payment.
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Ithaca hours are over-hyped
I lived in Ithaca and worked for a company that accepted Ithaca Hours and from what I saw nobody really liked them. We grudgingly accepted them largely to not piss off the oddly large sandal wearing community. When we had a few the CEO would use them to pay for part of a meal with a special evil glimmer in his eye. No business person really wanted ithaca hours and only dirty, food-coop, hippies would spend them regularly. Seriously.
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Re: Ithaca hours are over-hyped
A more sophistocated bartering or trading system has been developing over the last 30 years in the U.S. and around the world.
It is a business to business system. Properly run it will create the same cash profit as currency transactions with an advantage that even cash lacks.
Because all purchases are paid for with new sales from the system; it now means that for the first time companies can use their necessary overhead expenses as a way to grow their own business's sales and profits.
My company, Metro Trading Association, has brought hundreds of millions in new sales to businesses in Michigan and Ohio over the last 26 years.
To find out if their is a business to business trading system in your area check the "yellow pages" and the International Reciprocal Trade Association(www.irta.com) or The National Association of Trade Exchanges (www.nate.org).
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Re: Ithaca hours are over-hyped
Just needed to change URL to: metrotrading.com
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