NEW YORK: The latest “Star Wars” film opening this week has a dark side, according to one analysis it will cost US employers as much as 627 million dollars in lost productivity. Consulting firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas said the buzz around the new movie will likely prompt many people to skip work to be among the first to see “Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.”
“Already, we were looking at huge opening weekend audiences who have long anticipated the grand finale in this 28-year journey,” said John Challenger, chief executive officer of the firm. Challenger researchers calculated the loss from workplace absenteeism assuming that attendance on the first two days of the last in the series will at least match that of the previous Star Wars movie.
About 9.4 million people attended “Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones” on the first two days of its release in 2002. Challenger researchers estimated that about 51 per cent of those likely to attend the movie this week are full-time workers. Based on the average daily pay of 130.60 dollars, the cost in terms of lost wages and productivity resulting from 4.8 million absences would be 626,880,000 dollars.
“Of course, these estimates are probably on the conservative side in light of the great reviews the moving is receiving. Absenteeism may even start on Wednesday for those who want to see the first screening a midnight on May 19,” said Challenger.
“There is, of course, a very positive economic impact from the movie opening. It will result in increased consumer spending on movie tickets and refreshments, increased foreign and domestic tourism, and increased business in shops and restaurants near the movie theatres.”—AFP
