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Economic Multipliers (27)
Do you know what these are?
They help CREATE wealth in systems.
A quick response can be a HUGE economic multiplier.
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As I write this, Japan is working to solve a number of problems related to a devastating earthquake.
As an American, I believe the United States did not respond well to the possible nuclear crisis (note that it is ALWAYS easier to pick on the people you know than the ones that you don’t).
As a citizen of a major industrialized nation,
I see a nation FULL of warehouses full of ‘stuff’ – I even consider people’s houses, garages and sheds as ‘mini’ warehouses full of ‘stuff.'
I see educated citizens who are full of knowledge and ideas.
I see an incredible ability to respond to problems quickly and effectively – which is different than actually behaving that way.
Now, people with ‘stuff’ have a greater ability to respond to almost everything so, I am going to tell you what I saw ‘missing.'
When the individuals in the U.S. nuclear industry thought there was a problem but Japan didn’t (or had a different sense of the gravity – particularly given the ‘range’ of different kinds of problems Japan was dealing with), the United States should have used these words and then ‘acted.'
‘If we helicopter in mini power plants, fuel, pumps and cooling equipment to your nuclear power stations (or a close proximity), will you shoot our helicopters down?’ (Note: It’s highly likely that several large and medium-sized corporations in Japan could have asked the same thing IF they had not been dealing with their own disasters.)
‘We will stay available to make sure that you know how to run all the equipment. Our only specific concern (as would be yours) is that we will need to do everything possible to ensure the health and safety of our personnel (and we will do everything in our power to help ensure the health and safety of yours).'
‘You are not obligated to use any of the equipment. We just believe that if it is on site, you will have more options. We’ll pick the equipment back up in a few months or weeks.'
If anyone in Japan who heard these words thought our nation was stepping on toes … well … I’d have to say … ‘You’re absolutely right … but since we have all this ‘stuff’ anyway … and we won’t make you use it if you don’t want to … and we’re not dealing with a lot of OTHER disaster issues … what harm could it do?'
No one can predict how disasters will unfold. In the best of all possible worlds, they never occur.
Clearly we are not today living in the best of all possible worlds.
But, I ALWAYS have hope for tomorrow.
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