Mals musings: Pharmas clone wars
It is hard to argue that globalization and capitalism have not delivered tangible results for the world economy.
By on Oct 12, 2010It is hard to argue that globalization and capitalism have not delivered tangible results for the world economy. Economies of scale, stellar growth, and global prosperity are some of the advances modern business has given us. But at what price have these been achieved?
Organizations are collections of individuals, but the drive for efficiency has blunted differences in thoughts, opinion, and approach.
Todays corporate market is often led by sheep and followed by sheep.
Have we lost individual identity forever in exchange for corporate identity? Standard processes and protocols have helped the corporate world achieve unprecedented efficiency.
At the same time, we are little by little removing the need to thinkbecause there are standard processes and protocols for everything.
This is not a criticism of processes, since we have achieved so much through them and they allow us all to contribute to world-class organizations.
But individual creativity and thinking gets fewer challenges and less stretch opportunities.
The end result is an over-reliance on systems. When common sense is required, we are found wanting. The systems we put in place are very good at dealing with existing and, sometimes, foreseeable challenges, but once we face a new challenge, were lost.
Lack of diversity
What do you call a group of people once you turn them into clones? Corporate animals operating in a corporate jungle.
Worse still, many breeds are becoming extinct, leading to distinct lack of diversity.
We seem to have neglected all the principles we know about team development. How can thousands of intelligent people within an organization fall into such an obvious trap? Culture.
Corporations are run by an elite group of people, popularly referred to as leaders, and they only allow into their club those who fit the mold.
They lack diversity because of the unwritten selection criteria.
We need a return to the individual. We need to cut the obsession with clones who are efficient at working with processes.
How many organizations actually live their corporate mission? How many employees speak up when management steps out of line? Where are the individuals to speak up for integrity, honesty, and ethics? Now, I know, most people reading this will say, It is not like that in our company.
You are an individual, not a clone.
Might the price of capitalism and globalization prove too high in the end? It will unless individuals speak up and express their individuality.