Monday, August 8, 2011

Being more professional - negative impact

Comment posted in my blog
I read LSS's  comment with extreme disappointment. This is apparently one of the key problem which the world and Singapore is facing today. Unfortunately our government is still 'blinded' by this Anglo-Saxon management philosophy which does not be necessary superior to the old managment school of Taylorism and Fordism. 

Many people talk about 'professional' loosely today. Many organisations (including MNCs) manage their business based on 'Anglo-Saxon professionalism' approach but look what it leads to our world today i.e. more management greed and short-termism (masquerading in the glorious name of 'professionalism') has led to rampant corporate downfalls and frauds. This so-called 'professionalism' also led to higher operating expense. Transaction costs (dead weigh loss) increase and customers' benefits have eroded to milk the so-called 'more professional management'. 


You know what I mean if you look closely at our current state of public services and operations (e.g. utilities, medical, transport etc). To me, professionalism are based on the principles of 'fairness', 'integrity', 'transparency', 'honesty' and 'reasonable costs'. Some of these principles do coincide with TKL's philosophy which he has stated clearly at the inception of his campaign. I do not need a highly paid 'professional' team to manage 'public services / goods' and 'co-operative'. All I need is TKL's good principles and cost effectiveness. Hope LSS and government get the picture right. 

LW


LSS is Lim Swee Say, Secretary General of NTUC and Minister in Prime Minister's Office

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If you are a resident of the state of Maryland you can still file a petition based on fault.  A divorce in this state may be granted on any of these conditions: adultery, desertion, cruelty or domestic violence, a separation that has lasted for two years, insanity or the conviction of a felony.

In the state of Pennsylvania before you can even petition for a divorce, you must have resided in the state for at least six months. In PA, the grounds are different from those of either NY or Maryland. In this state, you can file for a fault divorce, a mutual consent divorce or on the grounds that the marriage has had an irretrievable breakdown.

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What does "being more professional" mean?

Dear Mr. Tan
The board of NTUC Income said that they asked you to leave because they wanted the company to be more professional. This is unfair to you, as it implied that you did not run the company in a professional manner. But you were able to achieve success in building up NTUC Income, so what does being more professional actually mean?

REPLY
It is the prerogative of the board to appoint its management to run NTUC Income in any manner that they deem to be fit. I do not wish to argue with their decision.

It was possible for me to run NTUC Income in a "more professional way" by spending more money on advertising, corporate image, management consultants, booking expensive hotels for their corporate events and travelling first class on airlines. But I prefer to be frugal and keep the expenses low, so that NTUC Income can  give a better return to the policyholders.

The ultimate test is as follows - will a "more professional" approach give better return to policyholders, charge lower premiums for the insurance and provide better service to the policyholders?

The policyholders will have to judge for themselves, based on what has happened over the past few years.

Why I left NTUC Income in 2007


Watch this video for my statement
Here is the written text of the statement


Tan Kin Lian activities for National Day


(1) Walkabout at Block 105 Hougang Avenue 1 / Lorong Ah Soo Singapore 530105
Mr Tan will be visiting the wet market and mingling with the breakfast crowd there.
Notes: Go up the escalator and go to the right and head for the stalls facing the main road.
Look out for us at #02-41 to #02-44 at 9:00am.

(2) National Day parade viewing
Join Mr Tan to watch the Parade/Fireworks with many other Singaporeans on Tuesday night at the Marina Bay:
Notes: 
7 pm -- 1st stop: meet at Raffles City outside Kate Spade shop
7.10 pm -- walk to Marina Bay
7.20 pm -- 2nd stop: meet outside Theater on the Bay performance area, outside "No Signboard" restaurant
rest of itinerary -- informal, "play by ear"

National Day Message from Tan Kin Lian



Watch the National Day message, in four languages, from Tan Kin Lian - to be streamed live on 8 August at 10 pm at this channel: