dispatches from the new world of work

A Scold

Despite Jet Lag Majoris, I had an absolutely delightful time on Wednesday participating in Catalonia's annual day of homage to innovation. Once more the reception was overwhelming. And the "new friends" role ballooned. I felt so good, in fact, that my "feisty gene" kicked in.

For instance, I rejected the conventional idea that for a modest-sized geographic area to be successful there's a need to attract Giant Enterprise. To the contrary, I argued for entrepreneurialism and a central role for medium-sized enterprise.

I also questioned the need to depend on "leading edge" industries. Significant participation in such industries is a plus, no doubt—but once again, it is the excellence of enterprise that matters most. There is, as I see it, almost no such thing as an "old industry"—most every industry is ripe for new approaches. Think, for example, Wal*Mart, discount retailing and Bentonville-Rodgers AK.

Warmed up, I took on the European issue of declining or stagnant populations. I extolled the historically immigrant-DEPENDENT U.S. approach to growth. I surprised myself with my vehemence. "Who better an entrant than someone with the nerve to leave their roots behind, and swim across a river while dogs bared their teeth on the desired bank?" The issue is hyper-controversial, and I am hardly urging blanket amnesty for millions upon millions. Yet it is true that America's surprisingly sustained vitality is spurred mightily (mostly?) by new waves of those who "want it more" than the stagnant scions of the past. Hey, such untrammeled hunger is what rightfully scares us about the Indian surge. Moreover, waves of new & different "immigrants" are the only possible route to that rarest of corporate accomplishments—renewal. It surely is the trick of tricks at the likes of PepsiCo and GE.

Still on a roll, I questioned the future of the EU, taking that easiest of targets—the French. It's not the degree to which the Airbus fiasco reveals the problems of "picking 'national champions'" that bothers me. Instead, it's the absurd idea that anyone could compete today with a 35-hour work week. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration. Yet it is true that the relatively vigorous UK is about to go to the mat (again) over the proposed universal EU restriction on work weeks over 48 hours. The Brits chose earlier to use the "opt out" option—but the EU apparently has the votes to nullify their opt-out and force them to comply. I also decried the power of the exponentially growing army of faceless, largely unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels busily churning out thousands of pages of competition-restricting regulations each and every day-year. Is Europe attempting to copy India's notorious "license Raj"?

And then I came home.

Tom Peters posted this on 10/20/06.

Comments

Tom - I agree with your comments about immigrants but there's a fundamental difference between the UK (and other parts of Europe) and the US. We have a strong welfare system of benefits and healthcare. Without wishing to get too controversial or to decry the many immigrants who come to work, there is a sizeable minority who come to claim the benefits and get the free healthcare. This is why it's such a controversial topic.

BTW, it isn't only Brussels that's churning out legislation. In our UK system, Parliament is the House of Commons (where Mr. Blair et al work) and the House of Lords (the upper chamber that scrutinises legislation). Appointment to the upper chamber is still largely by nomination or patronage - every Prime Minister threatens to reform it, until he finds that he can make it work in his favour by appointing plenty of people and that this is far more convenient than having an elected chamber where the populace mightn't vote in the people he wants! Anyway, one of the upper chamber people recently decided he wanted to resign - but he can't! He's got a lifelong entitlement to attend and vote but he simply can't renounce it! And one of his reasons for quitting: last year, Parliament passed 12,000+ pages of legislation. How much did it rescind: very little.

The problem with Parliaments is that they feel they have to churn out laws to justify their existence. Creating a European body was only ever going to result in more paperwork.

Posted by MarkJF at October 20, 2006 11:50 AM

Couldn't agree more Tom on the immigration issue. Sections of the UK media (and politicians appealing to the lowest common denominator for votes) regularly stir up hysteria about immigration, when there is mounting evidence that immigrants (and sons and daughters of immigrants) revitalise the economy and enrich the culture. My work brings me into contact everyday with Indian, Chinese and other students whose motivation, interpersonal savvy and technological know-how put us to shame

Posted by tomjam at October 20, 2006 1:43 PM

My life in the UK has always been ENRICHED by meeting people from different cultures and different countries - it is called LEARNING. It is wonderful to be reminded of the words of my hero, the great Labour MP Tony Benn. Mr Benn said; â€˜When people say; we should send the black people back to where they came from, I reply - thatâ€™s fine â€“ where do you suggest I send my grandchildrenâ€™

We should consider ourselves fortunate to be touched by people from other countries to enable mutual learning. Actually I am very proud that the UK is welcoming to people from other countries and cultures. The UK may be considered insular by some but my understanding is that we are in fact one of the most welcoming cultures on this planet. Isnâ€™t that a wonderful testimony rather than â€˜letâ€™s just look after number one?â€™

MarkJF - regarding the Peer who â€˜cannotâ€™ resign. People need not accept the peerage in the first place such as Tony Benn (again) who famously refused to take his hereditary family seat in the Lords on principle in the 1960â€™s. He is, to the best of my knowledge, the only person ever to stand up for his beliefs in such a magnificent way - a great man who walks the talk.

As regards 48 hours per week Tom â€“ donâ€™t worry â€“ whatever the pen-pushers in Brussels say we will continue to work as many hours as it takes to do the job.

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 20, 2006 3:38 PM

What about pen -pushers in DC???

SOX is a prime example of utterly useless legislation that slows business down.

Incidently there is a great story about the working week culture

I forget the companies that merged but basically one project team ended up half UK and half Scandanavian. After a while it was clear that there was significant tension in the group and a "facilitator" was brought in to look at the clash.

The Brits were annoyed at the 9-5 culture and the unwillingness of the rest of the team to work work late and get the job done. The other half were appalled at the inability of the English to get their work completed during the working day!

I have worked in a lot of campanies and seen a lot of long hour cultures - Apart from emergencies situations (i.e. occasional long hours) all a long hours culture gives you is tiredness causing poor quality and burn out.

Posted by PaulH at October 21, 2006 1:18 PM

Please ... the French as easy targets: What do you call 100 French soldiers new to the combat zone? 50 POW's and 50 AWOL ... >:] 60/40?

Posted by sean at October 21, 2006 5:42 PM

Tomjan and Trevor, I agree that immigrants can and do add vitality to an economy, but a nation within a nation (that is, a critical mass that fails to integrate into the adopted country, for example by not adopting the language) is a recipe for big trouble.

Posted by Rick at October 21, 2006 9:04 PM

Hi Rick - I guess, following your logic that is one of the reasons we Brits lost our Empire is, sad to say, through our own arrogance and failure to adopt native cultures. We Brits (and I am not proud of this) were a VERY significant MINORITY in every colony we 'annexed' - not even a 'critical mass' - and yet we did not 'integrate into those adopted countries' by adopting their language or culture. Why do we continue to refuse to learn from history? I think it was Tom Peters who said something on the lines 'the greatest predictor of the future is the past'

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 22, 2006 3:16 AM

Airbus fiasco ?
aham...
You are probably aged enough to remember the "Ariane fiasco" when we launched that rocket at the end of 70's beginning of 80's... "it won't work" - "we are so late on the program" - "they never take off" etc. 25 years later, we can see it was the most commercially successful rocket program ever. And still is.

Another example ? Airbus A320. I remember the press " - "dangerous again, 15 years later, A320 is one of the (if not THE) most sold plane, sold like little breads...

So... a little humility never hurts when it comes to industrial facts.

Kisses from Paris.

Posted by Denis Florent at October 22, 2006 5:20 AM

Trevor - though the British did MODERNIZE their past Empire - so that countries developed MUCH more rapidly for the best than if left to their own devices.

Posted by sean at October 22, 2006 10:56 AM

Hi Sean - I am very proud we Brits are seen in such high esteem. We continue in 2006 to wallow in the reflected glory of days gone by :-)

Of course we desperately WANT to believe we â€˜MODERNIZEDâ€™ the native countries but I am not so sure. That sounds a bit too patronising to me and I would rather suggest we learned as much as the native population.

I am attracted to this apparently true exchange.

Mahatma Gandhi was asked;

'Mr Gandhi, what you think of democracy in Britain?'

Mr Gandhi replied

uk viagra no prescription

'I think it would be a very good idea'

Posted by Trevor Gay at October 22, 2006 1:23 PM

And Mark Twain as well said: " ... I do NOT belong to any organized party, I am a Democrat ..." >:]

Posted by sean at October 22, 2006 5:09 PM