Economies of Speed

This is what I found on economies of speed (http://www.systemicbusiness.org/pubs/2001_IBM_ABI_Scale_Scope_Speed.pdf).

"Management should be motivated by at least one of the economies (scale, scope, speed). The visible hand can decrease costs more rapidly than the invisible hand through economies of speed -- integration of work [and] coordination of work flows."

The man's ignorance (and ignorance of his own ignorance) knows no depths.

PM tells envoys to talk directly to him
Concerned about his image on world stage
Bhanravee Tansubhapol
Bangkok Post, 23 August 2002

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has asked Thai ambassadors and consuls-general to report directly to his office and the Foreign Ministry to speed up inter-agency coordination.

Speaking to an annual conference of 80 Thai envoys and consuls-general, Mr Thaksin said the new step would help build understandings on more complex issues.

Foreign policy, he stressed, must be united and clear otherwise there would be no credibility for the prime minister on the world stage.

Any damage to his credibility has always been of his own doing. Every foreign diplomat I've talked to politely says that he leaves them confused.

Anyone who did not conform with the policy or caused ``lack of unity'' would be committing an offence, he said.

And I thought Thailand was a pluralistic society where differences of opinion are encouraged so that we get the best solutions.

The envoys should work not only to build relations with their host countries or to make a small profit.

They ``should be more pro-active as salesmen, understand products and work faster,'' he said

Again showing his ignorance of diplomacy. Now he wants one of the most highly regarded professions to become one of the lowest regarded.

The Foreign Ministry should forge more bilateral strategies with these 80 countries, Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai quoted the prime minister as saying.

Duh!

The envoys, said the prime minister, should constantly update themselves of changes in globalisation, and adjust to any new working process in Thailand.

Enough with these platitudes already! Where's the beef?

The government's policy was to co-operate with other countries through strategic partnerships, not to ask for financial assistance, Mr Thaksin said.

Thailand would not interfere in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries but would promote human rights and democracy. Thai products should be promoted and imports cut to save costs.

Can you believe the man's simple-minded view of how the world works?

Asians should come together in his proposed Asia Co-operation Dialogue, and work for market openings.

But I thought you wanted to cut imports, so why are you now saying you want open markets?

There should be more co-operation along the lines of the recent rubber pact between Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. The Foreign Ministry could use its discretion to close or open more embassies.

But of course! Why did we never think of that? Duh!

It could also determine what other government agencies should be represented in embassies, depending on the economic or political importance of host countries.

More communication was needed between Thai envoys and Asian departments in their host countries, and between foreign diplomats and the Foreign Ministry here. Korn Dabbaransri, the deputy prime minister in charge of CEO ambassadors, said Mr Thaksin emphasised the need for more agility, urging a change from economies of scale to economies of speed.

It all sounds very hip and with-it, and I'm sure you cribbed that off some hot management book, but you never tell us what it means in the public sector context. Economies of scale, scope and speed are business concepts aimed at decreasing costs. Speed in customer service is desirable, but speed in diplomacy does not necessarily translate to well-considered policies. Look at how many times Thaksin's speed in opening his mouth before turning on his brain has gotten him into trouble. As he has so often shown, speed without intelligence is worthless.

For the record, here's Khun Sanitsuda's article.

We're in for a clash of wills
Sanitsuda Ekachai
Bangkok Post, 22 August 2002

Many grassroots leaders suspect the Thaksin administration is about to break its promise to institutionalise transparent forest management.

Should they be correct, this will mark a clean break between the civil society movement and a government led by Thailand's richest and most politically powerful man.

Their concern is not unfounded. Back when Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party was emerging, the future prime minister had his men tap ideas among the grassroots movement for its policy platform.

It was a clever move. By adopting the movement's ideas on health for all, revolving community funds and the restructuring of farm debt, Thai Rak Thai not only cleaned up in the election but also won a pro-poor image in contrast to the hard-hearted Democrats.

It was during the honeymoon period between the government and the people's movement that the draft Community Forest Bill was sent to the House to prove Thai Rak Thai's will to solve the intense conflicts between forest dwellers and the Forestry Department.

The discord stems from the top-down policy of evicting more than 10 million people who live in forests while kowtowing to business interests. Since the crux of the problem is state authoritarianism, which breeds corruption and inhumanity, the Community Forest Bill aims to institutionalise a forest management system that allows forest dwellers to work with officials in conserving forests through close monitoring procedures.

Under directives from the top, the Thai Rak Thai-dominated House supported the draft bill _ the first people-sponsored piece of legislation to enter the House. But the Senate rejected it.

The question now is: Will Thai Rak Thai confirm its support for the people's bill now that its relationship with the people's movement has turned sour?

``The situation has changed,'' said Wanida Tantiwitayapitak, a leading grassroots leader. ``The government now no longer needs support from the poor.''

Indeed, we're talking about the most powerful civilian government in recent history. Unlike previous governments, which had to appease the military and bureaucracy in order to milk money from politics, the Thaksin administration _ after having shown the military who is boss _ is now set to control the bureaucracy with its ``reform'' scheme.

Since the scheme introduces sweeping changes to the rank and file, anybody who is anybody in bureaucracy is fighting to prove his loyalty to Mr Thaksin so he will stay in power under the new administrative structure. When the dust settles, don't be surprised to see Mr Thaksin's men _ and women _ in top spots to carry out his mandate.

The civic movement seems to see the writing on the wall. For a start, its views on transparent village fund management based on real experience were dismissed. The result is widespread abuse by local mafia with political connections.

Then, the government's promise to review certain controversial mega-projects ended in the state favouring the multinational companies.

And instead of honouring its promise of land reform, the cabinet ordered a police crackdown on villagers engaged in community land reform. Despite civic groups' calls for this order to be revoked, Mr Thaksin just shrugged his shoulders and accused the civic groups of being the hired hands of foreign elements.

When you are as powerful as Mr Thaksin, why keep up the pretence of listening to the little people? So, if the government fails another integrity test by dumping the people's bill on community forests, don't be taken aback.

While the grassroots and civic movements ready for a new battle, the people of Bangkok seem totally unaware of what lies ahead. Lulled by promises of lower toll rates and what not, which are mere crumbs in a big pie, they forget that politics without checks and balances is dangerous _ for absolute power most assuredly does corrupt absolutely.

- Sanitsuda Ekachai is Assistant Editor, Bangkok Post.sanitsuda@bangkokpost.net

Sanitsuda Ekachai's article in the Bangkok Post of 22 August is a frightening yet convincing depiction of Mr. Thaksin's designs for Thailand. I think it's unlikely, though, that there will be a clash of wills. One by one, the institutions that form the checks and balances in Thailand's fledgling democracy are being undermined through co-optation or intimidation. Similar to a game of go, he is slowing putting in place the stones that will ensure his long-term domination. There is only one institution that blocks his path to total power, and even that institution is being probed for weaknesses. In the meantime, he knows that he can afford to bide his time, as long as he keep the gullible Thai people happy by tossing them the odd bread crumb every now and then. Khun Sanitsuda thinks that there will be a clash of wills between the NGOs and the government, but I don't think the will to resist is there. The urban constituency, traditionally the strongest opponents of dictatorship, won't put up a fight unless there's some galvanizing trauma. Barring that, it will just sit there like a frog in a pot of water on a stove until it's boiled to death. The rural constituency will vote for all the free-money programs that are paid for by their children and grandchildren. The NGOs will be painted as unpatriotic and unreasonable, key leaders will be quietly neutralized, as they so often were during the 1973-1976 interlude, and the consolidation of power will continue. So it is quite possible that Mr. Thaksin will rule for many more years. Whether that will be good for the country, of course, is another matter.