Posted by Martyn R Jones on September 22, 1998 at 07:16:39:

In Reply to: Good business is science. Exceptional business is an art. posted by John Bardos on September 11, 1998 at 15:46:12:

Hi,

There are some interesting points of view coming out of this discussion. I have a couple of questions regarding some of the points and issues mentioned.

a. Mediocre people need controls and guidance.

Isn't it also frequently the case that people are constrained and confined to mediocrity by the imposition of controls rather than a need for controls?

Isn't it also possible that nearly all of us, at some stage or another, require the guidance of others?

b. Artists need freedom.

Artists, like everyone else can benefit from freedom as individuals, but does freedom really benefit the artist as artist?

Is this essentially true given that more great art has been produced in less than perfect conditions of freedom and liberty?

c. Good business is science. Exceptional business is an art.

If art is characterised by its ability to shock, as has been stated elsewhere, then maybe exceptional business as art is something akin to the Wall Street Crash.

Maybe good business is "given people what they want most of the time" and Exceptional business is "giving people what they want all of the time".

Maybe the art - as such - only exists when some Captain of Industry or Commerce etc. decides to reveal the secrets of success via the potentially lucrative channels of business publishing.

Maybe we should also be ware of the danger of confusing creativity with "do it yourself" assembly. (Daniel Dennett has written some interesting things on this topic.)

Best regards,

Martyn R Jones

@ibm.net

p.s. In (University) education there has always (at least in Europe) existed a fine line between teaching people how to think and telling people what to think.

---

Follow Ups:

---

Click Here to Post Follow Up in New Forums

    Knowledge Management Think Tank (New)

  

 Subject: 

Message: