Skip to main content

Welsh Assembly, bureaucracy and business support

When the 'bonfire of the quangos' was announced in 2004, there was an assurance that nothing would really change and, as the First Minister repeatedly pointed out, there wasn't really anything difference between a WDA executive and a civil servant.

How more wrong can you get from someone who should have known better, given his background in economic development?

Nearly three years later, things have hardly changed for the better for many businesses and business organisations who were promised a more customer-focused approach.

Today's story in the Powys Times is just one small example over the frustrations over increasing centralisation and bureaucracy which is strangling the business support sector. Certainly, the Entrepreneur Action debacle may be the tip of the iceberg regarding the problems of trying to develop a business support system within a rigid civil service environment.

In addition, there have been considerable frustrations which have led to a number of key executives leaving or being censured for entrepreneurial decision-making, whilst the majority of those who transferred from the WDA have quickly been absorbed into the 'job for life' culture where to actually make a difference diminished arther than enhances your career progression.

Three years ago, Professor Kevin Morgan warned that "There is a great danger that the abolition of the quangos and the merger with the assembly government will create a larger, more bureaucratic and more risk-averse organisation."

It would seem that Kev's prophetic words are coming true, much to the disappointment of many who want to see our Assembly Government supporting a strong business community across Wales.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The Bonfire of the Quangos was the Welsh Labour Party's big idea to rid Wales of nasty Tories, nothing to do with policy or better government and look at the mess we have, the Wales Tourist Board and the Welsh Development Agency did work despite all the political bile that was continually poured on them.

Why don't WAG take some responsibility and admit they were wrong and re-establish both the WTB and WDA to actually help us in Wales.
March 07, 2008 2:38 pm
Anonymous said…
The irony is that the majority of the WDA board members were Labour leaning when it was abolished and that both Graham Hawker (Chief Exec of WDA) and Enid Rowlands (Chief Exec of ELWa) were both Labour luvvies. So Rhodri got his timing wrong, as normal
March 07, 2008 3:01 pm
Anonymous said…
After 8 years of WAG Wales is sinking, another 8 years and Wales will, absent a fundamental top-bottom clearout (which is not on the cards), Wales will be steaming backwards despite the over used tag line, "Small clever Country".
March 14, 2008 5:31 am
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE IMPORTANCE OF FRANCHISING

When we talk about start-ups and entrepreneurship, rarely do we discuss the potential of franchising not only as a way of establishing new ventures in the economy but also as a method of growing existing businesses. According to the British Franchising Association, franchising is the granting of a licence by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to own and operate their own business under the brand, systems and proven business model of the franchisor. The franchisee also receives initial training and ongoing support, comprising all the elements necessary to establish a previously untrained person in the business. This enables individuals to start their own businesses without having to develop their own ideas and utilising an existing brand and established market. Of course, whilst each franchise business is owned and operated by the franchisee, the franchisor controls the quality and standards of the way in which the business is
Read more

Change your business through change

All business organisations, especially entrepreneurial small firms, must cope with an ever changing business environment. However, small firms have a very limited ability in being able to control and relate to changes in the environment, although this can depend on the context of change. For example, if a major customer changes increases its order, the entrepreneur should be able to predict events and actions with regard to the timing and consequences of such a change and forecast any changes in the required resources and cashflow. Given this, the entrepreneur can undertake rational short-interval planning activity in order to underpin organisational control. However, much of the change facing business today is largely unpredictable in terms of its timing and its consequences. In other words, such change is open-ended, with it often being unclear what is changing or why it is changing. For example, the effect of the 9/11 bombing of the World Trade Centre was largely unexpected and its
Post a Comment
Read more

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CREATIVE CLASSES

One of my favourite academic books of the last two decades must be the “Rise of the Creative Classes” by Professor Richard Florida.  This was one of the first detailed studies of the growing group of individuals who use their creativity and mental labour to earn a living and not only included those in arts and entertainment, but also people working in science and technology as well as knowledge-based professions such as healthcare, law, business, and finance.  Fast forward to 2022 and Professor Florida has written an updated report on the creative classes although he and his team now identify a different type of individual who is taking full advantage of the growth in digital platforms, social media, and online marketplaces.  Such ‘creators’ are defined as those who use digital technology to make and publish unique creative content, whether in the form of video, film, art, music, design, text, games, or any other media that audiences can access and respond to.  They also make their mon
Read more