As a "bean counter" I have to say that these decisions fall under the purview of management, marketing, and R&D. "Bean counters" tell you numbers, they don't make the decisions. Most "bean counters" I have met can tell you that cutting costs usually results in lower quality and sales.
Therein lies the problem.
It's when those people are put into the supreme management positions that things generally go south. Not always, but with some things, that seems to be the pattern.
Any R&D person or engineer will chew your ear for hours about bean counters,
They are the very reason that most things you buy are junk.
They run their numbers based on annual production, and look at the final bottom number.
We don't buy annual pruduction, we buy units.
I don't GAF that they save 50 cents on a too short zipper,
75 cents buying cheaper fabric,
And 50 cents not properly sewing the seams.
I would gladly give them $3 more a pair for jeans with a decent zipper, that would last a little while.
Rant over.
