Should government operate like a business?
In the controversy over the busing problems experienced by the Guilford County Schools this year, David Hoggard mentioned that the Guilford County School Board said the school system operates like a business.
David went on to say that, "....if the schools were truly being run like a business some heads would roll as an overt sign to us, the customers, that accountability must be demonstrated."
I have a problem with both of those statements.
Number one, if the School Board said that the school system is operated like a business, then they don't have a clear idea of how a business really operates.
Number two, a real business, operated in a business like and professional manner, would never fire one or more people as a gesture to the public that accountability was being demonstrated.
Do we really demand a sacrifice be offered up in the form of a fired worker to placate our anger? I would much rather we solve the problem than just fire someone to make a point.
I've always had a problem with people saying that government should operate like a business, because government cannot and should not be operated like a business.
Sure, there are some business practices that we can employ in government. But we, the public, the customers, demand too much accountability and too much openess from government for it to ever operate in a business like way. We demand our government entities operate like a democracy, and a well run business is not a democracy.
A real business functions with a lot more secrecy and a lot less openess than we would ever tolerate in government.
Business operates only to make a profit.
Government operates only to serve the public.
Those are two completely different goals.
5 Comments:
There are some things only business can do most efficiently and effectively. Ditto government. Ditto nonprofits. Much mischief and misfortune have come from confusing them. I recall a conversation on this topic I had some years ago with John Hood of the Locke Foundation, who has less use for government than most, and even he said government should NOT necessarily be run like a business in all or even most respects, simply because government and business are set up to do different things in different ways.
Surprised to hear that about John Hood. But I guess I'm just sterotyping when I assume he would never think that.
Perhaps you are right, Dennis. However... someone screwed up and people who should be trusting the government school system are feeling less of that after children were put in strange situations.
If I'm not mistaken (and forgive me for not having the time to look up a quote) but the school administration has said, I think many times, "we must run this like a business" when they make controversial decisions.
Should the sword not cut both ways?
No David you're correct. As I said, if the school board says they're operating like a business, then they must not know how business operates. Yes they employ certain business practices, but they really do not operate like a real business.
And yes, someone screwed up. And maybe there should be some heads to roll if the person or persons who made the mistake are truly incompetent. But people in private business make mistakes also and don't always lose their jobs because of it.
By the way, good luck on your windows business. I hope you won't neglect your blog too much. I enjoy reading it.
I used to think government should be run like a business, but then I used to be a Republican too...
I've since come to understand that government's job is to serve, but as I see it: government mostly serves to serve itself.
It's a pity our elected officals as well as appointed officials fail to see any of this.
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