business commentary

Waves of Change - Managing Systemic Development

by John Harvey, 
PhD, C.Eng, P.Eng, FIGEM
Senior Lecturer, 
Management Studies

Monday  April 4, 2005

This is the fourth and last Management article in the “Waves of Change” series written by members of the Department of Business Studies at University College Cayman Islands. 

The real challenge before us is our ability to embrace Systemic Development. In the last three Management articles, we reviewed many of the major challenges that face us in Cayman. We saw that in most part we can control or prepare ourselves for the unexpected and unavoidable change by improving our leadership and management capabilities. 

We saw that leadership and management are central to planning and controlling change in our People Systems of government, institutions and businesses, and that we need a greater appreciation of how symbiotic, mutually-dependent relationships at all levels of society can co-exist and thrive. 

To facilitate this, leaders and managers need to bring about change in themselves to propel their organizations to maximize productivity, service and mission accomplishment. And it is necessary for all of us to put aside self-interests and strive together for the restoration of Cayman. 
We now turn to Systemic Development as a part of the continuum of organizational and human resource development. It is through the development of an integrated network of initiatives that social and economic progress can be made. 

At the core of Systemic Development is the appreciation for the culture and history of the country. It has taken a long and difficult journey for Cayman to get where it is today.

Close to the core of Systemic Development is the appreciation for the environment - local and global - and for those who share this world with us. We need to realize that we do not gain anything if anyone loses because of self-interested decisions. 

The national aspects of Systemic Development are critically important for future development. In our first-world country, we have the pre-requisites necessary for a high quality of life, and government programs for improving health care, education, working conditions and wealth generation. 

For Systemic Development to thrive, we need to continue to develop quality primary and secondary education, and life-long access to college and university programs, and other forms of continuing education. Systemic Development of our human resource continues through training, skill development and experiential learning.

Those who study the development of economies often identify ‘human capital’ (through all levels of education) as the key to economic success – especially for sophisticated economies, like Cayman. 

Economic growth is not simply achieved by having more people working. More important are the skills and talents that people bring to their work. These skills and talents are the ‘human capital’ of any economy. For a small country like Cayman, especially in the fields in which it is world-class, it is ‘human capital’ that will be the key to its future success.

A challenge for our organizations and government is to take initiatives that increase employment, incomes, and productivity. We need programs – private and public – that enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The status quo is simply not an option.

All of us need to become more efficient and effective if we are to remain competitive in the world economy. The changes that we make need to be innovative. All too often we think of innovation only happening in manufacturing – like in computers. 

However, more important for Cayman will be innovations in providing services. Along with finance and insurance, Cayman must strive to become world leader in tourism services through service innovations. Customers will pay more for quality and value, and when they receive true service, they will be very satisfied, refer us to their friends and return more frequently. In many respects, strategies around ‘customer relationship management’ in all forms of our government, business and day-to-day interactions must become part of the Systemic Development of Cayman.

To improve service and productivity we need to develop a strong sense of cooperation and willingness to help and serve one-another. This sense needs to be ingrained in all of us. Also, it requires the ability to work together and cooperate within teams, and to be able to speak publicly and participate without the barrier of overwhelming shyness or intimidation. 

It would not be unreasonable to propose that this process should start at the early stages of education, and be fully encouraged by teachers in high schools, colleges and universities in Cayman. Our younger generations are well-educated, polite and a compliment to our nation. But they need greater abilities to work together and we need to hear their voices.

Another challenge for policy makers is that society needs to advance but not at the expense of pollution, environmental damage in Cayman, or by imposing such damages on others. We need recycling, waste management, environmental rehabilitation, and coordinated property development

As part of the wealth-creation initiatives, Systemic Development promotes the distribution of part of that wealth to assist emerging third-world countries with business, trade and economic ties to Cayman.

History shows that successful economies take outward, rather than inward, views. With such critical connections to the rest of the world, Cayman must become acutely aware of international developments, including its first-world obligations to international economic development.

There have been many integrated issues in this series of short management articles. The stereotypical ten-steps-to-success approach has been avoided because each organization and institution has its own individual necessities, challenges, opportunities, resources and people. There are no simple answers, but further understanding will yield the most appropriate approach. 

With the beginning of university business degree programs in Management, Economics, Marketing and Accounting at the University College, faculty-supervised research projects can enable Cayman businesses and organizations to better develop their People Systems and assist in Systemic Development. If you think there are projects within your organization we could contribute to, please contact us at the e-mail address below.

To inspire our people to make Cayman responsible in its Systemic Development requires leadership in all aspects of Cayman society: leaders in government, service institutions, businesses, vestry, education and the family. We have learned important lessons over the past six months, and our leaders have shown that they can change themselves and help us change ourselves for the sake of the greater benefits of society. We have accepted the fact that we face great opportunities. Through thoughtful, concerted efforts we will be ready for what the waves of change will wash upon our shores.

The author welcomes comments and may be reached at “jharvey@ucci.edu.ky”

  Back...