In the 21st century, not being able to have a blog or website actively talking about your business is just plain weird.

The Social Media guidelines unfortunately have further violations of the don’t be weird rule. On a page called The Rules of Conduct Applied to Social Media the guide explains a few things that are violations of the Amway Rules of Conduct. For example -

no posting any pictures of Amway products
no posting any Amway logos

From the perspective of a prospect investigating the products or business this is weird – particularly given non-IBO bloggers and journalists are free to do this, indeed are encouraged to do so! Some more -

no showing of the plan without physical presence
no sponsoring without physical presence

Yup, all those LOAs offering the ability to show the plan over the internet (a perfectly sensible thing to do!) are violating the rules. That’s weird. It’s clear Amway’s rules still need some work and in particular some proper definitions. In some sections they clearly imply that the entire internet is considered a broadcast medium technology, in other places such a definition would be inherently contradictory – it would for example ban me using email or my VOIP telephone to call a friend and invite them to a business meeting! Talk about weird. One gets the impression that a few too many lawyers have been involved in the rule-marking process.

When rules are unclear or contradictory, it invites people to break them. Once one is broken, it’s easier to break others – something nobody should want. The new Social Media guidelines are a good step in the right direction, but the underlying problem of Amway’s outdated rules still need to be addressed. What’s most disappointing about it is that North America is probably the most advanced Amway affiliate in this area.

It’s nearly 2010, Amway. The Internet isn’t new anymore. There’s smply no excuses for there not to be clear, modern, consistent guidelines. Amway – don’t be weird.

The news, which the Press said it obtained from a confidential memo distributed to employees earlier this month, deals a blow to West Michigan’s job market as well as to Amway’s carefully managed public image. It comes after the privately owned company celebrated its 50th anniversary and reported record sales of $8.2 billion for 2008. Amway also is in the midst of a major advertising campaign.

The alleged outsourcing of jobs overseas was a major criticism Democrats levied at former CEO Dick DeVos during his unsuccessful GOP bid for the governor’s seat in 2006, and company leaders have voiced their commitment to the local workforce.

The layoffs at Amway’s Ada headquarters will begin in the second quarter of 2010. Affected employees reportedly will receive severance pay, advanced notice and job-placement and training assistance.

MLive:

ADA TOWNSHIP – Amway Corp. is poised to move what could be hundreds of local jobs to Costa Rica as part of a sweeping streamlining of its global operations, according to a confidential memo obtained by The Press.

The Ada-based direct seller on Oct. 5 told employees it was moving finance functions currently handled locally to a new “enterprise process center” in Costa Rica.

Other centers are planned for central Europe and Asia that will affect operations in those regions.

“This move will have a substantial impact on current finance positions in North America, Latin America and Europe, though specific impact and numbers will not be clear for six to eight weeks,” a fact sheet provided to employees said.

The Warsaw International Film Festival has bowed under pressure from the Amway direct sale retailer and withdrawn a critical documentary on the controversial company.

The film, directed by Polish film maker Henryk Dederko, “reveals a number of the Amway corporation’s secrets – including obvious violations of Polish law,” claims the Warsaw Film Festival web site.

“To prevent these seeing the light of day, Amway obtained a court ban [in 1998] on the film, preventing its release. Director Henryk Dederko and producer Jacek Gwizda?a were sued by Amway several times on various counts. This was the first case of preventive censorship in the history of Polish cinema after 1989,” the web site continues as part of the original blurb on the film, enticing cinema goers to see this as yet unseen documentary in Poland.

Showing the film as part of the festival would have been the first time that a Polish audience could decide for themselves about Amway’s alleged “cult-like practices” and “pyramid selling structures”.

Here is a report from World Wide Group’s Free Enterprise Days by Dreamer’s Perspective:

All I can say about this past weekend is that it was amazing. I don’t know of any other organization/company that celebrates free enterprise and our veterans like World Wide DreamBuilders and Amway Global.

If you ever have the opportunity to attend one of these amazing functions you definitely need to go. There is just something about 10,000 plus people cheering on the presenting of the flags (US and Canada) as well as the presentation of the veterans that just makes you get goose bumps.

They recognized 3 veterans this weekend from WWII and their stories were absolutely amazing. It really makes you appreciate the freedoms we have in this country and remember the sacrifices that were given by the soldiers to secure those freedoms.

We were also blessed to have the music group Day One performing during the weekend which added an amazing dynamic to the weekend and an excitement. Thank you Day One for stepping in after the Goads amazing run with WWDB and doing an amazing job.

I always loved elements of F.E.D., especially the color guard and honoring veterans.

I did a little bit of digging and found confirmation…

The largest private residence in Kootenai County has come on the market this month. Owned by Ron and Georgia Puryear, the 26,000 sq. ft. residence is on the north shore of the Spokane River in Post Falls. Listed by John Beutler of Century 21, the asking price is $19.995 million.

Amway, one of the largest direct selling companies in the world, has signed Vodafone to provide mobile services to its New Zealand business owners.

With more than 100,000 Independent Business Owners in New Zealand and Australia, Amway offers a range of high quality products to consumers such as Nutriway vitamins, Artistry beauty products, Emma Page Jewellery and XS Energy Drinks.

“Amway is delighted to partner with Vodafone, one of the world’s largest mobile phone groups. Vodafone offers Amway an energetic high-tech partner to help substantially grow our business. This partnership will help Amway to connect with thousands of new consumers,” Michial Coldwell, General Manager of Amway of New Zealand and Australia, said today.

Here is the loan response from Amway.

Read the whole story.

ADA TOWNSHIP — An Amway Corp. manufacturing line has restarted production this morning after eight employees were taken to area hospitals and treated for breathing difficulty caused by a release of powder in the plant, company officials said.

The workers were treated and released and did not suffer significant injury, said Mike Larabel, Amway’s chief of fire protection.

Larabel said a dust collector clogged and was being cleaned about 6:15 a.m. when several workers complained of respiratory problems.

There were 40 employees in the area, where laundry detergent and dishwashing soap are manufactured. Authorities did not consider the chemicals toxic and there was no danger outside the plant at the company’s 7575 E. Fulton St. headquarters.

Many years ago, during a very bad week as a REALTOR®, I became involved with Amway. Three customers had tanked on me in one week, and I’d been working with all of them for months. Amway was presented to me as an alternative to real estate, and I bit.

While Amway did not end up making me the money I had imagined, it did teach me a lot about how to look at my business and my life. At that time, Amway recommended a path to success that included three things: ‘books, tapes, and functions’.

Here’s what they meant:

Books: Amway recommended reading one book each month. That book was written by someone like a Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnegie or an Og Mandino. They were books that had something to offer that would make you a better person.