I have been at a manor house in the Cotswold for a week and spent most mornings in the reception area which had wifi. Also doing that morning activity, was a retired senior miltary officer from Canada who enjoyed his time in the Cotswold whilst doing his Masters at the Miltary Academy in Shivenham. We chatted talked about many things but it was extremly interesting to see his view point on many subjects.
As expected from his background, he believed very much in control and order (aka management). The quality and effectiveness of management were usually the centre of his arguements, more akin to the mindset of “Closed, Selective and Controlling”(CSC). I was coming from the viewpoint of a self employed person and was not accountable to anybody for my actions but more akin like “Open, Random and Supportive” (ORS).
He quite rightly described the UK is currently, a nanny state, where there is state aid from the baby to the assistance for the elderly amongst other benefits. It is essentially over-managed. However, the UK, is one of the smallest countries in the world but was the richest country at one time.
He described USA as poorly managed, missing out on many Governement/management issues that have been addressed in Canada and the UK. He described Canada as a well managed country, which the UK was once before the nanny state came in. I agreed with his assertion that having a nanny state with an 11% deficit is extravagant.
The main point of this discussion was, as Canada was the best managed, why was it not the most prosperous? The UK was, at the start of the 20th century less managed but the richest country then?
My point is, it is the people that matter, government doing managment – this kills personal initiative and drive. That is one of the reasons the USA is the most enterprising country at the moment. This happened in the UK when there was less government management – in the Victorian era.
We did not define the meaning of managed but I am assuming – managed meaning regulated.
The point I am driving at – it is the people that matter.
In Penny Power’s blog on Sunday “Business : Are you still talking?” ( http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=146839) lamenting on the use of Social Media that she had not envisaged.
Just like in Social networking, it is the people that matter. Government and Corporates are systems and in many occassions, stifle innovation and creativity.
I am preparing a blog why it is difficult for corporates to work with Social media compared with traditional media.
Dr Michael Oon
