Monday, March 2, 2009

What do Thailand and Visa have in common?

I've been reading some material regarding corporate governance (which has some connection to public administration).  One of the case studies was on Visa International and how it developed into something almost like a cooperative.  

The writer stated that Visa operates as a "chaord" meaning the maximum level of chaos and the minimum level of order to achieve stability.

In many ways, that is exactly what Thailand is.  Even when the airports and government offices were seized last year and no one knew who, if anyone was in charge, the country kept functioning.  The civil service kept going to work, even though they didn't really have ministers in charge of their departments, and the wheels kept turning.  

In so many other ways the image of Thailand as chaordic really fits.  The roads are wild, but most people get to their destination at some point.  The police take bribes, but crime is usually kept under control with serious offenders arrested eventually, and the education system seems to work, even though it appers to lack coordination.  

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think that is what it is. Interesting.