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The Paradox of Modern Society
23/3/01



In a thought provoking keynote speech at the annual MRS conference in Brighton, Will Hutton (CEO of the Industrial Society) today outlined the challenges and opportunities facing the business economy at the dawn of the 21st century.


Better known for his journalistic career at The Observer, Mr Hutton captured the attention of the packed delegate hall with his analysis of the "new geography of civilisation" and its implications for business. His basis thesis is that the juxtaposition and ensuing tensions between an acceptance of a global market economy and yet the parallel desire for a just, fair and equal society presents enormous opportunities, challenges and inequalities for the new century.

Mr Hutton summarised a number of key factors that are now pulling together to change the business environment as we know it. These include:


  • A growing demand for accountability – both in the public and private sector, companies and professionals are under increasing pressure to "have a story to tell", to explain the basis of decisions taken and to improve their efficiency and performance delivery.
  • The much used term "globalisation", as witnessed in the impact of information technology, the construction of a world financial market and the development of global consumer goods markets.
  • The impact of information technology which is creating a new more "porous" type of organisation, with an emphasis on the network, than was the case 20 years ago.


All these factors argued Mr Hutton are leading to new patterns and themes in the workplace. Increasingly work has become the focus of people’s lives, providing a source of friends, intellectual stimulation, personal development opportunities and self actualisation. Added to this is the fact that the labour market is being transformed by the vast infusion of women into the employment arena. This has already happened in the USA and is now taking place in Europe - where, for example, in France the four million jobs generated over the last two years have been taken on by women.

In Mr Hutton’s opinion, major policy challenges are now being thrown up by these changes, which have yet to be taken fully on board. For example, although information technology opens up the network to the advantage of many workers, particularly those working on a consultant or self employed basis, it is also creating vicious patterns of inequality. There is now an under layer emerging in society suffering new patterns of exclusion, not based on wealth, health or education, but on lack of access to networks.

And what of the role of the media in this new environment? The media, according to Mr Hutton, is undoubtedly "an agent for holding organisations to account." At the same time the industry is suffering from the explosion in new communication channels and increased levels of competition. In consequence the battle is on, in Mr Hutton’s words, "to shout to be heard to gain attention." In this context he believes that stories in the news are often "over projected" with an increasing interest in the personal and intimate details. He cited the footage of the present foot and mouth coverage as witness to this. In 1967 there were no weeping farmers’ wives or angry farmers as we are seeing now. A consequence for the market research industry in all this is that given the "more emotional" media environment, it is increasingly difficult to get our industry findings and surveys reported in an objective way as there is always an interested third party wanting to put a certain "spin" on the story.

At the end of the day the central question remains. How can we reconcile the acceptance that a market economy is an appropriate way to organise economic activity with our demands (as citizens) for fair play, a just social order and the fact that if decision makers commit a mistake (whether in the public or private sector) that they are held to account?

There will be more coverage of the MRS Conference from MrWeb tomorrow.